Page 50 of For Emery

By midnight, lots of alcohol had been consumed by my hall mates and we’d moved on to drinking games.

“Never have I ever…” Flip’s roommate Carlos announced from his chair. “…had a threesome.”

A few people, including Raquel, lifted their red cups to their lips and drank their beer.

The rest of us laughed, knowing it meant they had indeed been part of a threesome. I apparently had a lot to learn about my roommate.

“Never have I ever…” Sue, a girl from down the hall, said from her spot on the floor. “…been to a strip club.”

Most of the guys in the room drank. None of the girls, except Raquel drank. I laughed to myself. She was definitely full of surprises.

Charlie, a goofy guy from down the hall, jumped in next. “Never have I ever…had sex.”

The room went silent, before everyone burst out laughing. It was very obvious Charlie didn’t have any game and hadn’t slept with a girl yet. Every one of my hall mates lifted their cups to their mouths and drank…all except Charlie and me.

Most didn’t notice I didn’t take a sip, but Flip did. I watched his eyes widen with wonder as the information registered.

“My turn,” Raquel quickly interjected, glancing briefly to me. “Never have I ever…been in love with one of my friends.”

Flip watched me closely as I lifted my cup and sipped my soda. Then he drank his beer, all the while his eyes stayed locked on mine.

Shit.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Grady

I jogged onto the field in Tennessee with my helmet in my hand for our pregame warmup. The Tennessee fans had yet to be let into the massive stadium, and even though they despised us, I needed them there. Their hatred for us gave me a rush. One that made sticking it to them all I wanted to do. I loved coming onto their turf and crushing them. I loved the push it gave me to play like a star. Loved the determination it gave me to pummel anyone in my way.

The grass cushioned each of my steps as I moved out to the fifty-yard line.

“She’s a virgin.”

I spun around. Flip stood with his helmet in one hand and a football in the other. “What’d you say?”

“Emery. She hasn’t given it up yet.”

My eyes narrowed on him. What the hell was he trying to do? “So? She’s a good girl.”

He smirked.

Everything about the guy made my skin crawl. “You can wipe that look off your face.”

He lifted his shoulders innocently. “Just wondering how long she’s gonna stay that way.”

Had we not been on the football field with everyone on our team around, I would’ve knocked the smirk right off his smug face. But I wasn’t gonna let him get into my head. Not when I needed to be focused. I needed to be at my best. “Dude, we’re about to play one of our biggest rivals and you’re worried about staking your claim on a girl? The word pussy mean anything to you?”

He dropped his helmet and charged at me, shoving me on my ass.

The fuck?

I jumped to my feet and came up swinging like the angry motherfucker he made me. My right hook connected with his face. I heard a crack as his head was thrown to the side, his nose getting some bloody readjusting. But he didn’t go down like I expected him to. He came right back at me, blood dripping from his nose as his own fists flew. A lucky left hook caught the corner of my eye. Son-of-a-bitch. Before I could retaliate for the cheap shot, my teammates grabbed me from behind and pulled me back, urging me to calm down and back off him.

“What’d I ever do to you, Grady?” Flip asked, as if I attacked him.

The bastard’s acting chops were stellar.

“Grady!” Coach shouted. “Get on the bench.”

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