Page 15 of Beautifully Conflicted

“Why don’t you just worry about your own game and stop trying to pick apart mine.” I take off, sprinting for the finish that’s now within sight. Footsteps pound behind me as he tries to catch up, but I can tell by his breathlessfuckthat there isn’t enough runway for him to catch me.

Now who’s the slow one, bitch?

Damien

The brick red door is more intimidating today than it was yesterday. Especially, now that I know what’s on the other side of it. Yet, even though I know it won’t go well, I still want to see Bennet when I walk through it.

Does that make me a masochist?

My weird reactions to him drive me crazy. There’s nothing I want more than for him tolike melike me, but it gets me all sorts of turned on when he’s pissed. And I’m pretty sure he’s pissed at me after that first practice, even though that wasn’t my intent.

I honestly don’t know what I did to make him so angry. One minute we’re jogging along in tandem, talking about zombies, and the next he’s sprinting away from me like I’ve got the plague. Yeah, the winner got more points so obviously he’d try to beat me. Pretty sure he could’ve done that without turning on the jets though.

Despite being closely matched in speed, I suspect he’s faster than I am, so it’d have taken a lot to beat him. But I’d have let him win if I thought it’d change his perception of me. I’d have pulled back slightly and given him the edge if he’d just gradually picked up the pace and tried to have a strong finish. But no, he had to act all superior and try to show me up, so of course I had to rise to the challenge.

If there’d been a few more yards to work with there’s a good chance I’d have had him. I played nice like Aiden suggested and didn’t point that out though. I just did my warm down and went to the weight room like the good little teammate I am. Or am trying to be.

Bennet didn’t talk to me the rest of practice, so he’s clearly holding a grudge over whatever he thinks I did or said, and even though that was a few days ago, I’m guessing he hasn’t gotten over it.

I knew we wouldn’t be besties right out of the gate, or even in the first week, but now I’m starting to wonder if he’ll ever see me as a neutral party. Will he always see red when he looks at me? Will that ever go away?

Welcome to the Bighorns, Damien.

Shaking my head to clear it of all things Bennet, I pound my fist against the door a few times and hold my breath until the man himself opens it.

“The fuck do you want?” He barks with eyes that I’m pretty sure he wishes had the power to incinerate me.

Yep, definitely not over it. Also… damn! Please incinerate me!

“I’m looking for Aiden.”

“What do you want with my roommate?” He crosses his arms in front of his broad chest, blocking any hope I had of slipping past him.

“I’m here to show him my COC.”

Bennet’s eyebrows fly upward. “Your what now?”

“My COC.”

“Oh, hell no. We have a house rule that dicks stay in your pants outside the bedroom. And flashing is illegal, so take your cock and get off my porch.” He jabs an angry finger toward the street.

“But he asked to see it.”

“Aiden asked to see your dick? That’s not really his style.”

“He asked to see my COC, not my dick, and what do you mean that’s not his style? I thought he was gay.”

Bennet’s eyes roll so far back in his head I’m surprised they don’t get stuck there. “Aiden’s not that forward, and what do you mean he wants to see your cock but not your dick? You are aware they’re the same thing, right?”

“It depends on the context. If you’re talking about penises then yes, a cock is the same as a dick, but if you’re talking about Clash of Clans—” I hold up my phone to show him the game “—COC doesn’t mean dick. It means your base level, the amount of gems or elixir you have, the size of your army…” I take in Bennet’s completely blank expression. “Clash of Clans? The online game. How do you not know this, Lucy?”

“Because I’m not twelve.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It means, I don’t play childish games.” His cerulean eyes are so icy-looking their bored stare almost makes me shiver.

“Me neither, I play popular ones, and this is one of the most popular ones out there.” I waggle my phone in front of his face. “I’ve been playing forever so my COC is pretty amazing. That’s why Aiden wants to see it. Can I come in?”

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