Page 51 of Trapped and Tackled

“Talon.”

“I’m not saying that to upset you either. Just stating a fact. I’m not in your league. I know it. Your dad knows it. And deep down, I hope you know it too.” I clear my throat, feeling out of sorts. I never put myself out there like this but if we’re going to get through the weekend—and remain friends, are we friends?—I need to be honest.

“The fact that you would say all that makes you worthy of any woman you want to be with,” Leni replies, her voice soft, her eyes sad. “I’ve sworn off football players my entire life, Talon. You’re the first one I’ve ever kissed. And I wanted to.”

“Len,” I breathe out. “There are things at stake, our futures to consider.” Fuck. How am I already waffling? For all my tough talk, I know I’ll crumble to whatever Leni wants.

The fact that you would say all that makes you worthy of any woman you want to be with.

She sees me, a version of me, that no one’s ever taken the time to notice before. And fuck if that’s not heady. Healing.

“I know,” she sighs. “I just wanted you to know that I wanted that kiss with you.”

I smirk, releasing her hands to cup her cheek. “Me too, babe. More than you can understand. I want to have fun with you this weekend. I don’t want to do this awkward shit. I don’t know how. If you’ve got something to say to me, say it. If I do something you don’t like, tell me. If you want something from me, ask.”

Her eyes widen as she searches my expression. “That simple, huh?”

“That simple, Len. I’m a guy who’s never been in any type of real relationship before. I don’t have the skill set to navigate a woman’s feelings without her clueing me in.”

Leni huffs out a laugh. “All right. I’ll be straightforward.”

I brush my thumb over her high cheekbone before dropping my hand. “I appreciate that.” I stare at her for a long beat, noting the sparkle in her eyes, the curve of her bottom lip, the light dance of freckles across the bridge of her nose. “Want to eat a burger?”

She chuckles and rolls her eyes. “Sure. We’ll probably hit some traffic so it’s best to eat now.”

We exit my SUV. As we step forward, I place my hand on the small of her back and instead of inching forward, she presses back into my touch. It feels natural. Right.

But I don’t read too much into that. I can’t.

Chapter 13

Leni

“Happy birthday, beautiful!” I hug Marlowe hard, kissing her temple.

“I’m so happy you’re here, Len,” she breathes back, wrapping an arm around my waist.

While Marlowe certainly knows how to party, there’s an edge to her that I don’t understand. She’s not tipsy and she’s not at ease the way I expected her to be. Instead, she almost looks relieved that Talon and I are here.

“What’s going on?” I lower my voice.

Marlowe shakes her head, emotion swelling in her eyes. “Toby’s drunk.”

What else is new? Toby can’t handle his liquor for shit. “And?”

“He’s saying things…things that don’t make sense,” Marlowe admits. “I don’t understand.”

“Like what?” I ask, a warning bell clanging in my head. Is he angry? Is he spewing the type of shit that precedes a smack to the cheek? Or a bottle of scotch thrown across a room in a moment of anger?

“Stuff about my family, my parents.” She sucks in a breath, her eyes darting around. While the deck of Toby’s parents’ lake house contains clusters of people—some of Marlowe’s and my friends from high school, most of Toby’s friends from God knows where—no one is paying attention to us.

“Happy birthday, Marlowe,” Talon says, leaning around me to grin at my best friend. “I’ll go grab some beers.”

“That’d be great. Thanks.” I smile at Talon, relieved that he gets it. For a guy who has never had a girlfriend before, he doesn’t suck at reading social clues.

Not that I’m his girlfriend or anything.

“What stuff? Grandpa McIntyre?”

---