Page 33 of The Wrong Quarterback

I searched his face. But his expression was serious, like he meant everything he was saying. If this was all an act right now, there wasn’t a better actor that existed on the planet.

I took a huge gulp of my drink, needing something to do other than stare at him.

Parker leaned further in, his body so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. One arm braced above my head, fingers splayed against the wall. The space between us shrank, narrowing, leaving just us in this tiny, electrified bubble.

His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unblinking, pulling me in and holding me there, suspended in the moment. Icouldn’t look away even if I wanted to, not with the way his breath mixed with mine, slow and measured.

The subtle, intoxicating scent of him filled my senses, making my knees feel weak. The world outside blurred, the distant thud of music and chatter fading until all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat drumming in my ears and the steady, too-calm way he exhaled.

“Casey,” he murmured, his voice low and deliberate, like he was testing how my name felt on his tongue. Each syllable wrapped around me, grounding me to this moment that felt fragile and electric all at once.

“I can’t believe you’re real, baby girl. You’re perfect.” His words came out like a groan as his hand, rough but careful, traced the curve of my jaw.

A gasp slipped from my throat before I could stop it. His gaze pinned me, trapping me in this moment that felt as dangerous as it did intoxicating.

“Casey!” The sharp edge in Gray’s voice sliced through the air, shattering whatever spell Parker had cast. Before I could react, Gray pushed between us, eyes locked on Parker with an intensity that burned red-hot. “What the fuck are you doing, Davis?” he snarled, his fists clenched at his sides.

Parker didn’t flinch. He moved deliberately, a lazy smirk playing on his lips as he shifted back, dragging his hand down the wall and brushing past my side. It felt deliberate, possessive, and I felt the warmth of his touch linger even as Gray’s rage grew.

“Just keeping your girlcompany, Andrews,” Parker said mockingly, the amusement in his voice cutting deeper. “You seemed…distracted.” He took his time stepping away, his eyes staying on my face.

Gray’s arm was suddenly around my waist, pulling me into him, his touch jealous and grasping. I felt the tight coil of tensionin his body, the barely controlled fury that vibrated through him. Parker’s gaze turned cold, menacing for just a moment before he smoothed it out, a blank mask slipping back into place. “See you later, Casey,” he said, his voice low, filled with promise, as he sauntered off, leaving the space he’d claimed behind.

Gray’s grip on my arm tightened as he spun me toward the exit, dragging me along without a word. My legs moved on autopilot, my mind still reeling from what had happened. The noise of the party faded as we pushed through the door, the cool night air biting into my skin and making me shiver.

He didn’t stop until we were outside, away from the thrum of music and voices. Gray turned, eyes blazing. “What the hell was that?” he demanded, his voice raw and accusing. The look in his eyes was a mix of hurt and anger that twisted my insides.

“I don’t know!” I cried, the words tumbling out, breathless and desperate. My whole body was trembling, on overload from everything that had just happened.

He growled, and then his lips crashed against mine, bruising and hard. Like almost every kiss we’d had since I’d come here, he tasted of sour alcohol, and I immediately wanted to wash him out of my mouth.

A soft whimper escaped my throat as he pulled back, eyes dark and wild.

“Fuck,” he yelled into the night air, the word heavy with frustration as he let go of me. He turned abruptly, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he stared out into the dark.

I stood there, my breath heaving, the imprint of his kiss seared into my lips, a strange, miserable feeling swirling in my chest.

“Were you trying to make me jealous?” he finally asked in a strained voice.

“No, of course not. I was coming back from the bathroom, and I saw you with all those girls and…”

“What girls?” he asked, in a confused voice.

I gaped at him.

“The oneshangingall over you,” I snapped, anger starting to edge into my voice.

His irritation faded, a smug satisfaction creeping onto his face.

I’d never, in all the time that I’d known him, thought that anything about Gray was ugly.

But that look was.

“Ohhh, so you were jealous.That’swhat that was about.”

I opened my mouth to refute what he’d just said, but how did I even explain what had happened with Parker?Ididn’t understand what had happened.

That seemed to be a trend with Parker Davis, actually.

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