Page 28 of The Play

We stop underneath a towering tree, its branches drooping over one side like a waterfall. It provides a small pocket of shade, broken up by rays of sunlight that slice through the gaps in the branches. Normally I’d plop right down on the grass, but my short skirt is a shade of beige that won’t hide any potential grass stains.

I peer down at the ground. Well, this is a dilemma.

“Hold up there, girly girl.” To my surprise, big tough Hockey Man strips out of his long-sleeved shirt, leaving himself in a tight wife-beater. He stretches the thin material of his shirt out on the grass. “My lady,” he says graciously.

“Aw, thanks. That was surprisingly nice of you.” I sit down, then lean back on my elbows and tip my head to gaze at the canopy of green above me.

“Why surprisingly?” Hunter demands.

“You didn’t strike me as the chivalrous type.”

“So you thought I was an asshole? Also, why do you think I’m hooking up with three chicks?” He sounds genuinely confused.

“Oh come on, don’t play dumb.” I proceed to tick them off with my fingers. “The girl who brought you lunch last week and practically begged you to love her. The one you were dancing with at Malone’s. The one today, with the blonde hair and supermodel face…?”

Hunter starts to laugh. It’s a deep husky sound that tickles my ears. “I’m not hooking up with any of them. They’re my roommates.”

“Your roommates?” I echo doubtfully.

“Yeah. The loud one is dating one of my friends, the blonde is dating another one of my friends, and the brunette from the bar has a boyfriend. And I live with all three of them.”

“You live with three women?”

“Originally it was me, Hollis and Fitz, but they both graduated and somehow it was decided that Summer, Rupi, and Brenna would move in. No house meeting, no discussion, nothing. Nobody even asked for my opinion. Not that I’m complaining.”

“Youarecomplaining.”

Hunter grumbles irritably. “Fine, I’m complaining. The girls are great, but I would’ve liked it if some of my other teammates had moved in instead. But this arrangement is more convenient for Hollis and Fitz. Hollis comes home on the weekends, and Fitz technicallystill lives there, but he’s out of town for work a lot. Anyway, the moral of the story is—my dick hasn’t been inside any of them.”

“Well, I’m sure you get lots of action regardless.”

“Nope.”

“Yeah right.” I twist my head toward him. “Have youseenyourself?”

He breaks out in a cocky grin. “Was that a compliment?”

“It was a statement of fact—you’re hot. I know it, you know it, everyone on this lawn knows it.” I nod pointedly at a group of girls sitting not too far away. Nearly every other second, one of them tosses a covetous glance in our direction.

“So, what, good-looking peoplemustbe having sex at all times?” Hunter challenges.

I snort. “You play hockey and you’re attractive. Please don’t tell me you’re not having sex. I’m not an idiot.”

“I’m not having sex.”

He sounds dead serious, and I falter for a second. Then it dawns on me. “Oh. We’ve already started the session. Why didn’t you tell me? I should be taking notes!”

A laugh pops out of his mouth. “We haven’t started the session. I’m being serious. I’m celibate.”

“Celibate?”

“Practicing abstinence,” he clarifies.

“I know what celibacy is, Hunter. I just don’t believe you.”

“It’s true.”

“Liar.”

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