Page 32 of Matched By My Rival
“Cooper’s got a family birthday to celebrate. Linc has a study group conflict. Aaron fucked off because he’s an irresponsible asshat. Zach—”
“I get it,” I said before he could go through an entire list of names I barely recognized. “Is it just us, then?”
“Zach is running late,” he said, his tone letting me know he didn’t appreciate the interruption. “He’s bringing a friend with him. So we’ll have a little help.”
I rolled my lips in, resisting the urge to poke the bear. Simon was so very poke-worthy though. My restraint didn’t hold.
“Guess you can’t avoid me today.”
He didn’t respond. Shit. Would he hold his silence even if we were working side-by-side? I hurried to add, “Where do you want me, boss?”
His lips twitched. Was thatalmosta smile on Simon Prentiss’s face? Impossible.
“We’re finally painting today. Just the ground floor.”
“Hallelujah,” I exclaimed. “If I had to scrapeagain…”
Simon snorted. “Maybe you need to hit the gym, Reed. Work those arms.”
“I work out plenty,” I grumbled.
Simon turned toward me, tipping his head to look at me over his glasses. The up-down glance he gave me made goosebumps prickle my skin. “Running a bit lean for regular workouts,” he said.
“Oh, fuck you!” I said with a laugh.
Most wide receivers ran toward the lean end of the body build spectrum. Simon had a bit more bulk than me, but nowhere near as much as the linebackers.
Simon still didn’t give me a smile. He just slid his sunglasses back into place, cool as you please, and led me to the section of the house where he’d already gotten out the paint buckets, paint trays, and rollers.
I looked up at the large, two-story home. “This is going to take ages to finish with rollers. Did you guys consider a sprayer?”
Simon nodded. “We did. But between cost, tool assembly, and training, it seemed easier and faster to get a big group of us painting by hand. It may be worth a long-term investment, though, if we get many of these monstrosities.”
I knelt down to pry open a bucket of paint, sloshing it into the tray. The color was a surprising mint green. I’d expected something more along the lines of beige or gray. As I poured too fast, the paint sloshed up the sides and nearly splashed Simon. He leaned back so quickly he nearly ass-planted.
I smirked. “Pretty sweet.”
“Yeah, I like green,” he said, and I didn’t bother to clarify I meant watching Simon flail for balance, body flexing. The nice weather meant he was dressed down in basketball shorts and a T-shirt, and his toned arms and thighs were on display. Damn, maybe he had a point about my workouts. How did Simon Prentiss have better muscle definition than me when he wasn’t even on the team anymore? “We split the difference between a long-lasting color and something that would give the home an updated feel.”
It was the most Simon had said to me in weeks. I was too stunned to engage properly. Well that, and my eyes were too busy eating up the view as he pushed to his feet, bare thighs straining as he straightened to his full height. I lifted my gaze, swallowing hard as I traced those legs up to the hems of his shorts, the subtle bulge at the crotch, then the form-fitting T-shirt that stretched tight across his chest.
Voices drifted across the yard, catching Simon’s attention, thankfully. I’d probably end up with another fist to the face if Simon noticed me eyeing him up like a prime fillet. Butdamn,the asshole was gorgeous.
“Get started without me,” he said.
I was pretty sure I already had. Oh yeah, my inner temperature was starting to climb all on its own.
With a sigh of longing, I slid a roller in the paint tray, rocking it back and forth to absorb paint on all sides, then began rolling it onto the side of the house. I needed to get laid soon, or else I was gonna start thinking that Simon was a viable option. I’d open my mouth, flirt at the wrong moment, and end up on my ass.
Simon is not for you, Parker. He hates your guts, remember?
I painted until my roller was too dry, then crouched to roll it through the tray once more.
Sliding out my phone, I sent a text to BiCuriousStud.
I really wish you’d decided to play hooky with me.
A few seconds later, my phone dinged with a reply.Me too, man. Hindsight is 20/20?
