Page 15 of Draft Pick

Zayden returned to me. "You should've popped in after dinner with your folks," adding with a wink, "I'm sure Lana would've made you forget about all that bullshit for at least a night."

I'd found a different way to forget – and I couldn't stop thinking about her. "You ever hear of a girl named Starlie?"

"Starlie…Starlie," Zayden took a minute to check his memory, rolling her name around on his tongue in thought but came up empty, shrugging, "Doesn't ring a bell. She a Kappa girl? Was she at the party last night?"

God no. Starlie wouldn't be caught dead at a Kappa party — or any college party, for that matter, but old karaoke bars, were fair game — and I liked that about her. "Naw, as far as I know, she's not in any sorority, but she's a senior here at the college. I met her at a bar last night…she can really sing."

"She's like a singer? In a band or something?" Zayden asked, momentarily distracted by the cheer squad walking to their gym for practice. Everyone was gearing up for a stellar season.

"No, I think she does it for fun. Child development major. She seems real smart.”

A woman's intelligence was the least essential quality on Zayden's radar. Zayden dragged his gaze back to me. "Was she hot?"

Like the real smoke show, not that fake ass shit that Kappa girls seemed to value, but I knew Starlie wasn't the kind of girl Zayden would find worthy of his attention, and I didn't want to hear Zayden's judgment. "Yeah, totally hot," I said, leaving it at that. "I think I want to see her again."

Zayden was confused as if I'd said I wanted to take up badminton or go to the Tea House for lunch. "Why?"

"Why not?"

"Dude, I don't like the look on your face. It's scaring me."

"What look?"

"A look that says you're feeling some kind of way — and we agreed nothing serious before the draft. Look, I know your old man was chewing on your ass last night but he's right about one thing — you don't want some chick hanging on you right before your big shot at the real deal. Best to stay single so you can mingle, you know what I mean?"

"Jesus, Zay, I didn't say I wanted to marry the woman. I just want to see her again. She's cool. Different."

"You don't need different. You need simple. Easy. Forgettable."

I cast Zayden a quick look. "Oh, now you know what I need, too? Goddamn, seems everyone but me has my future figured out."

Zayden held up a finger as if talking to an imaginary Maitre D at a fancy restaurant. "Yes, please, pity-party for one and a plate of cheese for theWHINE." Zayden dropped the falsetto to cut me an equally short look. "Cut the crap, man. You're the hottest commodity in college sports right now so forgive me if I don't buy the 'poor me' song and dance. Yeah, your dad's a dick but even a broken clock is right twice a day."

"What does that mean?"

"It means — no chicks until after the draft. Trust me, you'll thank me later."'

Zayden might be right, but that didn't stop me from wanting to see Starlie — maybe it even made me want to see her more. I was sick as fuck of everyone telling me what they thought was best for my life.

Even if Zayden — in his whoreish way — had my best interests at heart, I didn't want to hear it.

Zayden sensed I was getting growly and backed off with his hands raised in apology. "Look, you're right, what the hell do I know? You gotta do what's right for you."

"Thanks," I said, slightly mollified.

Zayden sighed, relenting, "Okay, so I guess I better meet this chick if you're determined to see her again. I need to see for myself what's got you all up in your feels."

I wasn't up in my feels, Jesus, I'd only met her once (but made her cum more times than I could count in that one meeting, so that was something.) But there was no way I was subjecting Starlie to Zayden.

"You can fuck all the way off, I don't want you near her," I said, half-joking. Zayden was too pretty, but I didn't want to share Starlie just yet. I wanted her all to myself. Except I didn't think Starlie wantedmearound for more than what I'd already delivered. She hadn't even asked for my number, which was a new thing for me. Usually, I was the one being evasive about giving out my cell.

With Starlie, she'd practically pushed me out the front door, ready to move on as soon as she was finished with me.

"What about you?" I returned the focus to Zayden, which was fine with him because he loved to talk about himself. "You hook up with anyone?"

Zayden held up three fingers with a shit-eating grin. "Kappa girls never disappoint. It's like the Playboy mansion over there. Spoiled rich girls with flexible morals. I'm in heaven. Hard bodies, fake tits, and empty heads — perfection."

"Do they have your name and number on speed dial at the free clinic?" I teased.

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