Page 10 of Drew
“If you give me your keys, I’ll bring your car over in the morning,” I offer, to stay just a moment longer with Abby.
She digs out her keys from her pocket and hands them over. “Thanks. It’s a blue Honda Accord. I parked right in front of your place.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you in the morning.” It takes everything in my power to only kiss her cheek and say goodbye.
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6
Drew
The next morning,a little after seven, I knock on Abby’s door. Hoping I’m not waking her too early, I rock on my heels as I wait for what seems like forever for her to answer. Eventually, I hear a bit of a commotion from the other side, so I wait patiently, instead of knocking again. When the door opens, Abby sounds as if she’s out of breath as she greets me with a mischievous smile, “Hello.”
“Hey, Abby.” I grin down at her and ask, “How are ya feeling?”
“Oddly enough, just fine,” she admits. “Syd and Chloe insisted I drink a full glass of water and eat again when we got home. They also had me take some ibuprofen, just to be safe. I kept a good buzz going last night, but I never tipped over the edge of being drunk… ya know?”
She looks adorable as she meets my gaze. Her hair’s in one of those messy buns girls do to keep it up and out of their face. She’s wearing an oversized CRU sweatshirt that falls off one of her shoulders and a pair of black yoga pants. She may have just rolled out of bed, but she couldn’t look more gorgeous if she tried. My body instantly tightens, and the electric sparks that flowed between us last night quickly return.
When my brain catches up to my body’s reaction to Abby, I scold myself.Christ. Get it together, Jacobs. You don’t have time for distractions like this. Even if you did, you’ve kept a strict no-dating during the season policy since freshman year. It’s kept you on a winning streak, and you’re not about to change it up now.Calm the fuck down.
When I don’t respond to Abby’s comment, her cheeks darken, and she averts her eyes. Shit. Now I’ve embarrassed her. Hell. I can’t win for losing with this situation. I quickly rush to assure her I understand. “I get it…” I swallow, trying to remember what I should be saying, but her golden-brown eyes turn my brain to liquid mush.
“You do?” she asks in disbelief. “I thought you didn’t drink?” She sucks her bottom lip and chews on it, making my dick go hard and my pants go tight.Why’d she have to go and do a thing like that? Geez, I can’t catch a break here.
I quickly clear my throat and mentally kick myself for letting my brain drift into the gutter. “I may not drink during the season. But I’ve had my share of booze. Trust me. There’s a fine line between a good buzz and being drunk. I don’t particularly like to lose control of my functions, but I can’t say it’s never happened.” I shrug in defense. I’ve been an athlete for as long as I can remember. Alcohol was always at the ready, to celebrate our wins or commiserate our losses. Sure, most of my partying days were in high school, but it’s a feeling you don’t soon forget.
After losing Summer, I went a little wild in the off season. But once I realized I’m all my parents have left, I knew I couldn’t do that to them. So, before it ever got out of hand, I straightened up my act and became the disciplined athlete I am today.
Before I let myself go down the rabbit hole of my past, I quickly change the subject. “Have you had breakfast?”
Abby’s eyes widen in my sudden change of subject. “Um… No. I just got out of bed. All I’ve managed to do is get dressed.”
“I typically eat after practice, and I’m starving. Wanna grab a bite to eat before our first class?” As if on cue, my stomach snarls, causing Abby to erupt with laughter.
“Sure,” she says through an adorable giggle. “Let me get my things, and we can head out.” Abby pivots and leaves the door open for me to enter their apartment. It’s quiet, and I’m not sure if Syd and Chloe are already at class or still sleeping.
Abby strides over to her couch and picks up her backpack. She grabs her wallet from the coffee table and stuffs it into her bag. Then she walks to where I’m standing and slides her feet into a pair of sneakers by the door.
“I could’ve waited for you, if you needed to do more to get ready,” I offer, not wanting her to feel rushed.
“I was ready. Besides, after last night, I’m starving. The thought of not having to cook breakfast is a treat I’m willing to give myself. Besides… if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m more of a what you see is what you get kind of girl. I don’t spend a lot of time primping, as I have no one to impress.”
Oh, you impress people, Abby. Trust me. How is it merely days ago, I thought the beautiful woman before me was plain?Thankfully, I’m able to keep my thoughts to myself as we walk to her car.
As she unlocks the door, I head to the passenger side. When I get inside, she simply sits there and stares at her outstretched hands and feet. She moves them around as if she’s doing stretching exercises and starts laughing.
Confused, I ask, “Mind filling me in on the joke? Or do you need me to drive?” Maybe she’s had more to drink last night than she realizes.
“How tall are you?” she asks in wonder. She looks me over from head to toe, as I’ve jammed my body into the passenger seat. To give my knees some relief from the dashboard, I release the seat and sigh with relief as I glide it back to its furthest position.
“Six-five. Why?”
Abby smirks, and another chortle escapes. “Well, I’m not.” And it’s then I really look at her. She can’t reach the wheel or the pedals beneath her feet and her arms and legs are stretched to prove it. Christ, she’s adorable.
“Sorry,” I say through the laughter I hold in. She doesn’t seem that small next to me, but when I look at her flailing about, it’s downright comical. “I couldn’t fit otherwise,” I try to explain.
“No worries. I just wasn’t expecting to feel like a toddler taking the wheel for the first time.” She quickly adjusts her seat and the rearview mirror, and turns on the ignition. As she puts the car in gear and pulls onto the road, she asks, “Where do you want to eat?”
