Page 4 of Stalked By the Linebacker

“Man, gossip travels.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. I lost her gaze. Her attention went to the scratched-up tabletop between us. “I’m guessing Blanca or your mom asked you to check on me?”

“Why would they ask me to do that?” Her eyes rose. Fuck me. Had her eyes always been that shade? Greens and browns of every shade swirled and mixed in a way that made them impossible to name. Sultry with specks of gold and flecks of something else, dark and mossy like an olive color.

“You saying they didn’t?” Her head tilted and her glasses moved with the shift. The thick frames didn’t hide her pretty eyes.

“How you been?” I asked, choosing not to answer because as I sat across from her, my body awake and fucking aching to get closer to her, I wasn’t about to lie to her. But for some reason, I didn’t want her to think I was only there because of my mom.

“Good,” she answered softly. “You?”

“Good,” I answered and inwardly winced. Fuck, why was I suddenly grasping at straws to make small talk? The one time I actually wanted to talk, I couldn’t seem to get my bairn to function. But if Libby noticed, she didn’t show it. She simply nodded

“I’m glad.” She smiled tightly. Silence filled the space around us. I couldn’t stop staring at her. And I sure as hell couldn’t think of what the hell to talk about. After a minute or three, she chewed on her lower lip.

“Well… I should probably get back inside.”

“I thought you you had a ten-minute break?”

“Right.” She licked her lips, and my nails dug into the insides of my palms under the table to stop myself from groaning. Jesus, her mouth was perfect. Natural pouty full lips that were a natural almost berry color.

“Umm, so listen.” Her hands nervously stroked the top of table until she noticed I was staring. She clasped them together. “This was very kind of you. Really sweet. But I know you’re busy—” She kept talking. Her tone soft and sweet and so damn calming I almost didn’t realize what she was doing.

She was brushing me off.

“Libby—"

“Olivia,” she corrected, and my brow rose. That’s when her face broke out into a smile and she giggled. “I figured if I have to call you Crank.” Her shoulder rose and fell, and I laughed.

“Touché.” Fuck, she was cute. Adorable and sexy.Mine.Damn, there went that word again.

“But honestly, we don’t have to do this.” Oh yeah, she was brushing me off. Gently telling me to get lost. And before I saw her, this would have been the best-case scenario to this whole deal. But now?

“You’re you and?—"

“And what?” I cut her off, trying to figure out why she was pushing me away. She didn’t even want to spend ten minutes with me?

“And I’m just your sister’s friend.”

“Best friend,” I corrected.

“Hector.” I hardly liked anyone calling me by my first name anymore. The only one who did was my mom. Not even my sisters did it. But fuck, I loved how she said my name. The sound of it off her tongue made it feel… right.

“I’m serious.” I cleared my throat. “My mom considers you family. I’m honestly sorry I haven’t reached out before this.” And that was the god's honest truth. I’d just seen the girl a moment ago for the first time in four years, and I honestly wish I’d stopped by sooner.

“Okay, well…”

“What time you off?” I asked, cutting her off.

“Why?”

“Wanna go to a party?” I offered without hesitating to overthink. She slowly blinked and then giggled.Again.But it quickly stopped when she realized I wasn’t kidding.

“Wait, you’re serious?” Her pretty, hazel eyes widened behind her frames.

“Of course.” There wouldn’t be a time I offered her something I wasn’t positive about. I had no idea where this crazy need to lock in the next visit was coming from, but fuck me, it was in overdrive.

“God, no,” she answered, giving me the opposite answer I’d expected from her.

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