Page 87 of Saving the Halfback

“I’ve got this.” Lachlan walked out of the living room, setting down his red cup next to some statue on a table, and took the blindfold from Desmond. He winked at me. “It will be fun, trust me?”

Yes, I did. I stepped out of Ethan’s hands toward Lachlan. “I swear, if I wake up tied up to some pole in the woods…”

He laughed. It was his carefree laugh. He had clearly been smoking, looking content despite being around so many people. “I promise. And at any time, you can say no, and the blindfold comes off.”

I nodded. All right, time to get welcomed to the team. Lachlan tied the blindfold around my eyes. Plunged into darkness, I took a deep breath to steady myself and breathed in Lachlan’s scent. He put his arm around me to guide me.

I could feel my palms become sweaty and my muscles wanted to shake, but I held them still, everything contracting to stop the shaking that so badly wanted to come on.Don’t,I begged with myself.Don’t feel this. Just have fun and be a normal teenager. Don’t get scared.

“Where are we going?” Nolan asked as we were taken through the house.

“The pool house,” I said as a door opened and I could smell the chlorine. So many childhood memories of this place.

“No other players behind this point,” a deep voice spoke. “You can go to the pool to watch.

“Try to stop me,” Ethan growled, his presence behind me never fading.

“Just let him,” Lachlan said.

“Finally, you’re all here,” someone called from inside the room.

“Shut up, Greg,” Lachlan snapped, and a few people laughed.

“New recruits, time to take it off.” I recognized Jacob’s voice.

“Take what off?” Nolan asked.

“All of it.” Greg laughed. “Right down to your tighty-whities.”

“Fuck, Greg, you wish I wore tighty-whities,” another of the new players said. I bet all five of us were here.

“Just take your clothes off, right down to your underwear,” Lachlan said, and then he spoke in my ear. “Did you wear shorts?”

I nodded.

“You can strip down to those if you want. You can keep your clothes on, if not. There is water involved.”

I’d practiced a few times around these guys in my tank and spandex shorts, so I was comfortable. As I started pulling my flannel off, Lachlan stepped back from me.

“Bailey, you don’t have to,” Ethan growled.

“I’m fine, no big deal.” I pulled everything off until I stood in my sports bra and shorts. I wished I could see who exactly was in the room, though.

Fingers suddenly tugged at my shorts, and I gasped. “These are shorts, not panties,” Greg yelled.

His fingers disappeared, snatched away, as he yelped. “You fucking touch her again, and next time, I will let him break your hand.” Lachlan’s voice was low, steady and deadly. I let out a slow breath. Lachlan and Ethan were here, I was good. “She wore it under her clothes, so it’s underwear, dipshit.” Lachlan’s arm was back around me as we were being moved. “You’re safe,” he whispered in my ear.

I reached out to where I thought Ethan was behind me, and his large, calloused hand slipped into mine, giving me a small squeeze.

We were led outside, the night air hitting my bare skin, causing goose bumps to appear. Lachlan’s warm hand rested on my hip, and I leaned into him a little more, wanting the warmth. Though the music wasn’t as loud out here, I could still hear it seeping out from inside. But hearing lots of cheers and shouts, I could tell the crowd was large.

Wetness touched my bare feet, and I knew we were close to the pool. Lachlan positioned me before stepping away. “I’m right here,” Ethan reminded me. I stood tall as I waited for the instructions.

“Welcome, Panthers!” Chase’s voice came from a loudspeaker. Our blindfolds were pulled away immediately, and I blinked a few times to adjust to the light.

Forty or fifty people stood in the yard, along the back deck, and a few on balconies. Members of the team lined the sides of the pools, while Nolan and I and the three other new players stood at the end of the pool, facing it.

The yard itself was lit with lanterns and fairy lights, making it easy to see the pool, which was completely filled with small plastic balls and a bunch of large inflatables, set up like an obstacle course. “Contestants!” Chase got our attention. He stood on the balcony, which I recognized was off his bedroom. He kept an arm around Hadley as he spoke, but his eyes were solely on me. “You are to take a shot of tequila from the table behind you and make it across the pool without falling into the water. If you should fall in, you will be punished.” He blinked and looked away, down to the crowd. “First one to catch and kiss the pig wins.”

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