The Game (That Girl, #2)(30)

“Sit, shut up, and enjoy,” Levi announces over the roar the TV.

He walks past me, petting the top of my hair, and I swoon. Fuck, such a Jenni word, and I’m so thankful my thoughts can’t be heard.

“Jazzy Jou Jou, look what I have Jewels hooked on.”

Lynlee is holding up a huge bag of Peanut M&M’s. I watch as she dumps them in a gigantic bowl of popcorn. This was our favorite food growing up. There’s something about salty popcorn and a sweet chocolate mixture. We classified it as its own food group.

“Oh my god! Perfect for a movie,” I squeal.

“Tiny, listen,” Jewels’ face demands nothing but respect, “us girls each get a big bucket, and you’re not allowed to touch them or the food in them. Then you can have the rest.”

“Bullshit.” Lincoln jumps right in the middle of the conversation, trying to defend his share of the treat.

A very confused Levi joins us in the kitchen. “What’s going on? I had to take a leak.”

“TMI.” Jewels’ tiny features curl in disgust

“Oh, these broads have laid claim on their popcorn, leaving us to f*cking compete with Tiny for ours.”

Lincoln is quick to fill Levi in, and I have to laugh at his exasperation. I’m going to guess Lincoln has been forced to share food with Tiny before, and knows how hard the task is.

“I’ll share with you, baby,” Lynlee says to Lincoln.

He picks her up, and I watch as my best friend so easily wraps her legs around his waist while holding her popcorn bucket. It’s hard to believe this is the same girl who wouldn’t even make eye contact with a guy in high school.

Tiny speaks up. “I needed this, you guys. This will be one of the last times we’ll all be together until February.”

“You mean when Denver is kicking Tennessee’s ass in the Super Bowl?” Lincoln taunts.

“You f*cking wish,” he growls back, grabbing Jewels by the waist and leading the way back to the living room.

Looking up to Levi, I murmur, “I don’t belong here.”

He places his hand in my back pocket, guiding us behind the other two couples, and defends his team. “I think you’re both high on hopes and wishes right now. I’m pretty sure Dallas is going to kick both your asses.”

His touch feels great, but not near as intimate as the other two couples, and I’m not sure if I’m relieved or sad. The bottom line is I have no f*cking clue what I want in life. All I do know is as wrong and twisted as it may seem, Levi makes me feel good right now. Moment by moment is how I’ll live until I find my place, if I ever do.

Levi sits first and grunts as he does. I can’t even begin to imagine how sore he is. Part of me is dying to take his shirt off and rub his skin down, but the other part doesn’t want to see the bruises Lincoln left behind.

“Sore, *?”

“What the f*ck do you think, Lincoln? At this point, I’ll never make it back on the field.”

With extreme caution, I sit next to Levi. He snags the popcorn bucket, and I snuggle into him, making sure I’m on his right side and not the left with broken ribs. My lips find his ear, and the dark room gives me needed courage to run my tongue down the length of it.

“I’ll make sure you get back out on the field.” My teeth nibble at his lobe.

“Does that mean you’re staying?”

My teeth bite down into his flesh to answer his question.

“I’ll take that as a yes, Jazzy.”

Levi turns his head toward me, and I know it causes him pain as he gasps in air. He places his lips on mine and doesn’t move. It’s exactly like the time in the car at the mall, and I think it’s my favorite thing to do with him. I’ve had his fingers in me, locked lips with him, and had our bodies pressed together, but there’s something about his lips just resting on mine. It’s the purest form of intimacy I’ve ever experienced.

“Don’t bite on my ear like that again, or I may just explode.”

I giggle against his lips.

“I’ll stay.”





Chapter 8





Jazzy



Waking up the next morning, I’m not sure how I feel. I stayed. Levi has made it clear he doesn’t do love, and now I know why. Which is a subject I’ll never be touching again. Case closed. In the short time I’ve known him, there’s one thing very clear about him, and that’s his pride. He’s very prideful and has every right to be. He’s worked his ass off for years to get where he is. Hell, he’s even pushed his body to the brink of breaking.

All the what-ifs are blowing up my mind. What if I want to fall in love with him? What if I can never fall in love again, because I fall so hard for him and he walks away? What if he walks away from me? The last one scares me the most. I do know one thing. I’ll be honest with him.

Rolling over to shade my eyes from the damn sun, I notice a note on my pillow. I pick it up and see unfamiliar writing.




Jazzy,

Fishing? Let’s make it end better today. Be ready by 10:00. I won’t be coming in this time to wake you. My ribs are killing me, and my nuts are still a bit sore.

Levi #11



My eyes can’t get past his name and number scrawled on the paper. It’s his autograph. I’m sure there are thousands of crazy fans across the nation who would do just about anything for this, and I have it laying on my pillow. I grab the note, and I kiss his autograph. What the man makes me feel is very scary.