Page 70 of The Girlfriend Card
She wore an embarrassed smile. “Oh, stop.”
“I have!”
“You look good, too.” She ran her eyes over me, biting her lip as her eyes swept up and down my arms. “You look bigger, by the way.”
I chuckled. “Hell, Ibetter. My life is so boring now. All I do is go to the gym and eat like a monster. The only social thing I’ve done in the past two weeks was play in a scrimmage today.”
“So you’re really sticking with your workout plan, huh?”
I nodded. “Two workouts a day, every day.”
“No alcohol?”
“Haven’t had a drop.”
“Wasn’t there something else?” she asked, tapping her chin.
I grinned. “No girls.”
“Ahhh, yes.” Poking at her salad, she cast a furtive glance up at me. “Still sticking with that one, too? Or no?”
“I’m still a good boy.”
She giggled. “You’re such a rotten liar, you know.”
“I swear! I’m not lying. And it hasn’t been easy, by the way. Something’s up with these Vegas girls.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, smiling.
“Well, look—in addition to being a pro athlete, I’m also tall, hot and ripped. So girls are naturally going to be drawn to me, no matter what.”
She playfully rolled her eyes. “You’re alsosovery humble. Don’t forget that.”
“Thank you. Exactly.” I chuckled. “But I dunno. Ever since the video incident, it’s like, girls are chasing me or something. They’re everywhere. And they’re, uh, more aggressive than ever.”
Her eyes widened with intrigue. “More forward, you mean?”
“Yes. They’restraightto the point. They want to hook up and they’re letting me know it—at the gas station, the grocery store, wherever. It’s kinda too much. Even forme!”
“Wow.” She let out a laugh. “It must be because you’re officially a bad boy now. We do love that, you know.”
I snickered. “Doyoulove it?”
“No … but I can see the appeal,” she admitted with a coy grin. “If you’re able to resist all those babes chasing after you, it sounds like you’re taking my dad’s demands very seriously.”
“On one hand, yeah. On the other hand?” I gave a shrug. “I’m surprised at how easy it’s been, saying no.”
Ottavia leaned in, her curiosity piqued. “Why’s that?”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts, my eyes unwavering. “Because … they’re just not what I want.”
“Whatdoyou want?”
Ottavia’s eyes searched mine, waiting for an answer. The question hung in the air, pregnant with unspoken desires, and a lump formed in my throat.
“Something I can’t truly have,” I said.
She took a moment to absorb my words. “I can relate,” she said, a futile sadness in her eyes.
