Page 95 of Playing Games

I nod.

She squeezes my arm. “But, like, good different.” Her smile takes on a seductive edge. “Lots more freedom. And things to do. Don’t you think?”

“New York is great, but I wouldn’t know about the whole concept of freedom,” I retort with a shrug. “I’m too busy on the field ninety-nine percent of the time.”

Her eyes take on the same doe-eyed look I’ve seen so many times on college girls who love getting the attention of star athletes on campus. “You know what I think that means, Blake?”

I quirk an eyebrow. “What?”

“I think that means you should,” she whispers, leaning closer to me so her lips are near my ear, “have morefun.”

Her words are harmless, but the way in which she says them has evidence of propositions of hookups and sex.

“I’m here at this party, aren’t I?”

“Oh, Blake.” She giggles, and her hand is back on my bicep again. “I didn’t mean fun like a party. I meant fun like with me.”

Apparently, there’s no more beating around the bush. Carla has chosen to make her advances clear as fucking day.

“You want to get out of here?” she asks, and just before I can find a way to let her down gently, my eyes catch sight of something across the room.

Actually,someoneacross the room.

Lexi.

She stands beside Ace and Julia and Finn and Scottie, and I’m shocked that she’s even here, at this frat party. Ace is dramatically telling a story with his usual outlandish hand gestures, and Julia is giggling and rolling her eyes. Finn and Scottie listen on with smiles on their faces. But Lexi isn’t engaged in anything that Ace is saying.

Her eyes are focused towardme.

Our gazes lock, and for the longest moment, I try to somehow gain the powers of telepathy to read her mind’s thoughts from across the room as I search her eyes for any inkling of what she’s thinking or feeling right now.

Her mouth is set in a firm line until she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth and digs her top teeth into it. Something’s off with her normally gorgeous eyes, and I rapidly realize by the hunched shape of her shoulders and the discomfort within her gaze that she’s upset.

Her eyes flit to the girl standing beside me, and I don’t miss how they home in on the way Carla’s hand is still gripping my bicep.

I look down at Carla and back at Lexi, and it only takes my brain a hot second to put the pieces of the puzzle together—Lexi thinks I’m here with the redhead.

Truth be told, I came to this party by myself. And even that took a Herculean effort. Ever since Lexi told me I needed to move on, I’ve had a hell of a time getting my ass out of bed and to practice, much less finding the desire to socialize with a bunch of rambunctious college co-eds.

My heart isn’t even close to mended, and just looking at her causes the most acute, intense, terrorizing pain to spreadthroughout my chest.I miss her. I love her.But she made it clear she doesn’t want to be with me.

But despite how she broke my fucking heart, seeing her here, standing across the room with an expression on her face that makes her look as if she’s moments away from crying, the only thing I want to do is go to her. Pull her into my arms. And tell her everything is going to be okay.

She’s the first to break eye contact, averting her gaze from mine with a snapping whip of her head. But shortly after that, she turns on her heel and starts heading for the door. Ace is still rambling on about something, and Julia and Scottie and Finn are none the wiser, but I don’t miss the fact that Lexi is leaving this party.

And it sure feels a hell of a lot like she’s leaving this party because of me.

Fuck.I feel like the worst kind of asshole. She probably thinks I’ve moved on and done it so easily. Which is absolutely absurd. I’ve been pining over Lexi Winslow ever since I first met her at Double C a year ago. And I’ve spent this entire summer trying to make her mine.

Quickly, I remove my bicep from Carla’s grip, and she looks up at me with confusion on her face. But I could give two shits about this chick. No offense, but there’s only one girl I want, and she just left this party.

I don’t even bother giving Carla an excuse. Instead, I turn on my heel and head straight for the path Lexi just took. But once I step out the door and onto the pavement, I move my head back and forth erratically, searching up and down the sidewalk for Lexi’s pretty blond hair.

Fuck.

I don’t know which direction she went, and I pull my cell out of my pocket, a large part of me tempted to text her.

But when my eyes catch sight of the last message she sent me, the very one that grew hands, reached inside my chest, and ripped my heart out, a deep sigh escapes my lungs.

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