Page 21 of The Wrong Quarterback

“What’s your name?” he asked, and my confusion only grew.

“My name?”

“Yeah, I need it,” he answered. His voice was demanding…like he felt it was his right to get it from me.

And something inside me definitely wanted to obey.

“Casey,” I told him hesitantly.

His responding smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. I wanted to bask in its warmth. I wanted to see it every day for the rest of my life.

Okay, crazy.

“Casey,” he repeated, almost to himself, like he was savoring the taste of my name. “I’m Parker.” A slightly hysterical sounding giggle escaped my lips, because he was being so polite in introducing himself, when obviously I knew his name already.

Everyone did.

“There you are,” Gray’s voice came from behind me, and a second later his arm was slipping around my waist. Theunexpected contact made me stiffen, but I forced a smile as he curled himself around my body. What was he doing?

And why did it suddenly feel so wrong when before this morning it was everything I’d ever wanted…

Parker’s eyes were locked on us, his jaw tightening as he watched. There was a dangerous glint there, almost like he didn’t like what he was seeing. The way his gaze burned through me made the air feel heavy, charged.

Gray pressed a kiss to the side of my head, and that snapped me out of whatever daze Parker had me under. I glanced up at him, surprised.

“Ready for lunch?” Gray’s voice was low, intimate, and I flushed at the sound of it. At this rate, I was going to look like a tomato for the entire day. He looked at Parker before I could say anything. “Oh, hey,” he said, as if he’d just noticed Parker standing there.

Which had to be impossible because I’d never met anyone in my life with such a large presence. Ignoring Parker Davis would be like ignoring a giant naked statue in the middle of a room.

Impossible.

“Andrews,” Parker said stiffly, lifting his chin. All the warmth he’d had before turned into ice.

The two of them stared at each other, a thick layer of tension building between the three of us.

“Do you two know each other?” Gray asked, his arm still wrapped around me.

“No,” I said at the same time that Parker said, “Yes.”

Gray shifted behind me, and then his other arm was wrapped around me as well. It felt like he was staking a claim or something.

Which was laughable.

Because in what world would Parker Davis ever be interested in me…

And besides, I’d been in love with Gray Andrews forever. How could I be interested in anyone else?

How could I…

“Mr. Davis.” Professor Hendrick’s voice floated out from the lecture hall entrance, disapproving, like she didn’t like what she was seeing.

Parker gritted his teeth, turning his attention to me for one more second, all that rapt awareness focused and clear.

“See you later, Casey,” he finally said.

And it felt like a promise.

“Bye,” I answered, forcing the word out while my pulse thudded in my ears. Parker turned and walked away, and it was all I could do to drag my gaze to Gray.

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