Page 15 of A Quarterback for Christmas

Apparently, I’m a vindictive bitch.

He drops the food in front of me, and I use my cast and a pillow on my other leg as my base for eating. We sit in silence withHome Aloneon as I eat the most delicious burritos I’ve ever tasted. Not that I would tell him that. His roommate made them, but it would feel too much like conceding that I’m almost enjoying myself to say it.

“You done?” he asks as his fingers graze my empty plate. I nod, and he takes my plate, placing it next to the kitchen sink.

With the end creditsplaying, Drew slows as he walks back into the room, looking at me with a quiet stare. When I meet his gaze, he scratches the back of his head and says, “So, we haven’t discussed sleeping arrangements yet.” I pause, waiting to see where he’s going with this. “Since my room is the only one on the ground floor, I thought you could take it, and I’ll use one of the others upstairs.”

“Your room?” He nods, and all these thoughts about what Drew’s room might look like start filling my head. Dark fantasies of rose petals and black satin make my eyes itch, and I don’t like it. “No thanks. I’m assuming that bed of yours has had more women in it than I can count.” There we go. That remark has me feeling much more in control, so I shimmy into the cushions. “I’ll take the couch.”

He chuckles. “I can almost guarantee you that couch has seen more action than my bedroom. Did you forget that I live in a house with three other college football players?”

My jaw tenses and my back nearly breaks as I try to bend it to avoid the cushions. I almost backtrack, but that’s what Drew wants. For me to show weakness, and I’m anything but weak.

Drew tilts his head and narrows his eyes in contemplation. “Yeah, you know what? This couch has definitely had over four women on it.”

“Four women? That’s your body count?” I blow out a long, doubtful breath. “Like I believe that. Probably more like four women since you last washed your sheets.”

He raises a brow. “Always so eager to judge. We’ve known each other for so long, and you still see me as a one-dimensional jock. Football and fucking. Is that all I am to you?”

“Yup. If you think I’m falling for this whole innocent charade, then you’ve got another thing coming. You don’t need to lie to trick me into your bed. I’m not going there, anyway.”

“It’s not a lie. I may not be a saint, but I don’t use women. Frankly, I don’t have the inclination or the time. Besides, most of the women I’m counting were from the beginning of my sophomore year when things were rough.”

“Why? Weren’t you riding high on a championship win with my dad? When I came in as a freshman, you were all anyone would talk about.”

Drew says nothing and looks at me as though that should be enough of an answer.

Does he think I’m a mind reader? Because if I had that ability, I wouldn’t be wasting it on hearing his hateful thoughts.

“Some surprising shit went down with a girl that I thought was better off gone. Unfortunately, I was wrong.”

“Aww, Drew. Did a girl break your heart?” I push my bottom lip out, mocking him. What he doesn’t see is that my whole body is prickling with interest, because this is new. Who was Drew in love with, and what did she do? Was he still in love with her? “I’m sure Brianna can make it all better.”

“Brianna and I are just friends,” he grinds out. Interesting. This conversation is pushing his buttons. Mhmm. Who could it be? And why am I so intent on finding out?

“Keep telling yourself that. One day you might believe it.”

He cracks his knuckles, shaking his head in regret. “I knew I shouldn’t have tried to have an actual conversation with you.”

Raising my hands, I huff out, “Woah, woah, woah. I’m sorry. Didn’t realize you were so torn up about Sabrina still.” Taking a stab in the dark, I mention his ex from high school because I can’t think of any other girl that he was with long enough to warrant these emotions. “Didn’t think you were that bothered since you brought her and Betty to prom.”

“I’m not.”

“Mhmm. Well, who’s got you tied up in knots if it wasn’t her?” I feel like I’m pushing the invisible line between us. We aren’t friends. We’re barely even cordial, but I can’t help myself. I’m bored and intrigued: a lethal combination.

“You really don’t know?”

The arrogance of this man is infuriating. “Do you really think I sit around waiting on bated breath to hear the latest gossip about you?”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing right now?”

“Whatever,” I bristle, ignoring his question, pushing myself further into the sofa pillows. “At least you’re over the mystery girl now.”

He scratches his chin, his mouth pulling into a sarcastic smile. “How do you know I’m over her?”

“You wouldn’t be all over Brianna if you were into another girl. Or, at least, that’s what your goody two-shoes persona would have me believe.”

He chuckles; regret filling his laugh in a way that surprises me. I don’t know who this girl is, but she definitely did a number on him. “Nah. I already told you, Bri and I aren’t together. She knows about that girl.” He shakes his head again. “Should have left it in the past, but she keeps lingering around, making it tough to get over.”

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