Page 83 of Resist Me

“I’m literally not.”

“Uh, that’s a steaming pile of shit.”

“You should worry about your own life. Have a job yet?”

“Do you?”

“I don’t need it. That’s what happens when you’re a football god.”

Her eyes rolled back so far that I was sure she could see her spine. “Is that why you won’t go on a date with Linc? You think you’re too good for him.”

Too good for him? Maybe the opposite.

After giving her a look to convey how much of an idiot I thought she was, I glanced over at him. He was incredibly good at playing it cool, which was almost ironic considering that was what he didn’t want to do. He was waiting on me. No pressure or anything. It sort of felt like an ultimatum, but I also knew that it was fair. I just didn’t know what I was willing to do yet.

The idea of telling anyone was terrifying. Willow knew, which I was sort of grateful for aside from her annoying pestering. Linc would laugh at me if he found out how nonexistent my dating life had been. Maybe he’d even change his mind. I hadn’t done all that dating, breaking up, then using it to grow thing that others usually did in high school. Emotionally, I was immature, which couldn’t be desirable.

When he met my eyes, he raised a brow. I tucked the ball underneath my arm and headed toward campus. It was hard for me to see him in this context, on the field where I’d spent all that time hating him. It was like those moments all over again, but my mind was in a different place. The convergence of those two things was akin to a car crash- a ten car pile up- and I was very likely the one who caused the accident. Was this a hit and run situation or was I going to stick around and deal with the consequences?

“Do you think he actually likes me?” I asked suddenly.

“Oh, West.”

“Don’t do that.”

“You’re asking pathetic questions. I can pity you if I feel like it.” Turning around, she started to walk backward. “What’s not to like? You’re my brother, so it skeeves me out to analyze you physically, but you have the same face as me in male form, so I can confidently saythat you’re attractive. You’re funny, smarter than you look, and you care too much about others to the point that you let yourself suffer.”

Chewing on my lip, I shrugged. “Plenty of people check those boxes.”

“You’re forgetting one very important thing.”

“What’s that?”

I grabbed her arm to keep her from running into someone. When we reached the courtyard, she stopped and looked at me with a softness in her eyes that she rarely let exist.

“It’s the way Linc looks at you,” she said. “I can see that he likes you, yeah, but there’s also this curiosity. I’m no expert, but I think he wants to understand you.”

Wrinkling my nose, I almost shuddered at the thought. “You’re imagining things.”

“It’s possible, but tell me this. Have there been moments when it felt like he saw more of you than you were comfortable with? And can you look me in the eyes and tell me that doesn’t freak you out?”

Willow had spent too much time with Kai over the years. I didn’t need another person getting all philosophical on me, trying to make astute connections. Sometimes, things weren’t as complicated as all that. Sure, Linc was a deeper person than I would’ve guessed. That didn’t mean he had some link chart dedicated to me in his closet.

“I don’t have time for a relationship,” I said dismissively.

“Is that what he wants?”

“Maybe.”

“And you?”

“I just said I don’t have time.”

She let out a frustrated growl. “I asked if youwantthat.”

“It’s pointless to let myself think about. If I did, it wouldn’t matter, so if he wants more, he should just move on.”

“West, I swear to god…” She started walking again and I followed, knowing she had more to say. “You’re so closed off. I hate to see you push people away because you’re afraid.”

---