Page 72 of The Backup

Sloane.

I hooked up with her the night before the first game. And the night before the second one. But last week? Nothing.

Shit.

I’m not superstitious. I’m really not. But now that I’m thinking about it, it’s impossible to ignore. Those nights withSloane? They left me feeling lighter. Looser. Like I had my head on straight and nothing could throw me off.

“Knox?” Coach’s voice snaps me back to the present.

“I’ll figure it out, Coach,” I say quickly, nodding.

“Good,” he says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Because we can’t afford another off week. You’re the leader out there. Act like it.”

I nod again, turning back toward the field, but my mind is already somewhere else.

Later, in the locker room, my phone buzzes in my bag. I pull it out, smirking as I see Sloane’s name on the screen.

Me: What are you doing Friday night?

Sloane: Hmm. Why? You miss me already?

Me: I have to leave for Texas. But I need to see you before I go.

Her reply comes faster than I expected.

Sloane: So a daytime hookup? That’s dangerous.

Me: Dangerous is kind of our thing.

Sloane: True.

Me: I’m serious, though. I need you.

There’s a pause, and then she hits me with:

Sloane: We can do Friday. Noon. Library. Third floor, back corner.

Me: The library? What, are we going to study together?

Sloane: If that’s what you want to call it.

I grin, but then another thought hits me.

Me: What about before then? Can I see you tonight?

The typing bubble appears, then disappears, and when her reply finally comes through, it’s not what I want to hear.

Sloane: No can do. Jacklyn and Brian are already getting suspicious. We need to let things cool off for a couple of days.

I frown, leaning back against the bench as the guys start filtering out of the locker room. I don’t like it, but she’s probably right.

Still, that doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy for her.

Flipping to the camera app, I angle the phone just right, standing in front of the locker room mirror. The lighting is perfect, highlighting the cuts of my abs and the line of my hips as I drop the towel and take the shot. Full frontal. No holds barred.

I send it without a second thought.

Her response comes almost immediately.

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