Page 136 of Wrath

“We’re going to see him. Do you want to come?” My mom says. “Hello, Jenna.”

It’s decided that we’ll all go to greet Ezra as he walks out of the locker room.

“I hope it won’t embarrass him,” my mom says.“I didn’t even think to do this after the first few games.”

I snort. “Never worried about that with me.”

She gives me a mock outraged look, and I shoot her a grin.

It takes about five minutes to get to the locker room exit. My stomach twists into a pretzel, wondering if he’ll look at me first, and if he’ll guard his face around them. I don’t know how he used to give me poker faces, but it turns out he’s not that smooth. Today when we passed each other in the hall, his whole damn gorgeous Ezra face went soft and focused on me, which made me feel so weird. Good weird.

I blink as he comes through the big, metal door. As soon as my gaze sweeps him, I get a gut-punched feeling and rip my eyes away. A millisecond later, I’m drinking him in—the sleeveless white T-shirt and purple gym shorts. His face—he looks tired—and then his eyes are on mine but I look down, and everybody’s talking at once.

Carl’s really sweet with him. I don’t know what he says, butwhen I look up, he’s hugging Ezra really hard, and Ezra’s eyes flicker to mine, and I can see him looking happy even though he’s not smiling. I can feel it.

Mom says stuff to him, and he seems embarrassed. I bet his ears are red, but it’s too dark here in the dim light to be sure. And then it’s my turn.

“Dude, that was amazing,” I manage. “How’d you run it so much?” I try to sound like it’s shop talk.

He gives me this little sideways smile. “I’m a runner,” he says.

Motherfucker lets his eyes do this little smolder thing, like he’s sex-camming and he’s being coy with me. It gets my dick up, and my fucking heartrate. And when I look at Jenna, I can tell she saw it, too.

Luckily, it doesn’t seem like Mom and Carl did. They ask what we’re doing and Jenna says some people are going to hang out at Sunny’s house.

“You mean Sunny’sbarn?” My mom shoots me a look, and I make a funny you-caught-me face. “I know what the kids do out there,” she says. She looks at Ezra. “You two keep each other in line. You’ll be twenty-one soon enough, and if you really want to drink that badly, we’ll buy you a six-pack to share on the back porch.”

Cara and James walk by at that moment, and Cara beckons Jenna over.

“I’ll call you,” Jenna tells me as she goes.

“Josh, you don’t have a car,” my mom points out, on schedule.

“Ride back with us,” Carl suggests. “We’re not so bad.”

“He can ride with me,” Ezra offers. “Are you going to Sunny’s?”

I frown like I’m thinking about it. “Yeah, I guess so. For a little while. You going right now?”

“Yeah. I’m not staying long, though.” He rolls his shoulders, making a face. “Need another ice bath.”

My mom asks Ezra if they really do take ice baths in the locker room, and my dick gets up again as I think about him naked. Then Mom and Carl are walking away. It’s just Ezra and me—and the two dozen or so other people around. His eyes hold mine, and he’s got this little smile on. Almost dreamy.

“Dude, you were incredible,” I whisper. “Like, I’m shocked. I’m in awe. Every week, just like. Damn.”

Ezra looks down, and I knock his shoulder with mine. “We gotta walk fast to the car now,” he says. “Or I’m gonna grab you here in front of everybody.”

We start walking, and I tell him, “In the second quarter? That sideways sack from their monster linebacker—made me feel sick. You okay?”

“Yeah.” He smiles, looking tired and happy.

“What about the scouts? Where were they? Did you talk to them?” I almost forgot about the scouts that have been coming here every week—such was my awe at seeing Ezra play.

“Yeah. They were near your dad. I talked to them right after.”

“What did they say?”

He shrugs. “They were cool and stuff. Gave their names and cards. Said they’ll be back.”

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