Page 34 of Wilder Puck
“I think I should get home. I have work in the morning,” I answer. I feel like I need to get out of here as soon as possible. I need to digest everything that happened tonight because my head is a whirlpool of emotions.
“Stay the night,” he offers. When we’re down the hallway, he points at the guestroom. “You can stay in your room.”
I turn to him, looking at the room. That wasn’t the offer I was hoping for.Oh, god, Addison, it’s not like he’s going to be likestay the night and snuggle me in my bed, baby. What universe are you living in right now?“Uh, thanks, but I’m just going to go home.”
He nods, observing me with an expression that I don’t like. “Okay.”
“Okay.” I force a grin. “I’ll see you later.”
Chapter 12
“It was pretty awkward when she left,” I admit after chugging half of my water bottle. It’s been a few days since that night. I haven’t talked to the guys about any of this, and Baddie hasn’t talked much to me either, but she’s busy working. She even rescheduled our run for Tuesday morning.
“So let me get this straight. After you left Colton’s, Baddie Addie, your best friend,theAddison said, 'hey, let's be friends-with-benefits' and both of you actually followed through with it?” Chase leans against his locker, arms crossed, eyebrow cocked in disbelief. “On the night of the game?”
I shrug, stuffing my gear into my bag. “What was I supposed to say, no?”
“Uh, yeah bro.” Andrew shakes his head while shoving his shit into his locker. He’s the messiest on the team and it drives me nuts. “She’s your fake girlfriend now. You don't agree tobenefitstoo. That’s the number one rule to not break, especially when you're in love with her. Faking it is one thing.”
“Whoa whoa whoa, I’m not in love." I hold my hands up in defense.“Baddie suggested something casual with no stringsattached because we’re already going to be acting as a couple. I'm just taking her up on the offer.”
I can’t mention that I need practice in the bedroom. My sex life needs some spicing up, and she’s going to help me with that.
Chase snorts. “Sure, casual. You keep telling yourself that, Wilder. Your nickname for her isBaddie, like come on.”
I zip up my bag with more force than necessary. “It’s the truth.”
“The only truth here is that you've got it bad forBaddieand this little arrangement is going to blow up in your face,” Colton says.
My eyes flick over to Colton, disliking that he’s calling her Baddie. But she did name her coffee shop that and now everyone calls her that.
“Guys, nothing’s blowing up. I got it under control. I'm not in love with her.” The words sound flimsy even to my own ears.
“Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England,” Chase deadpans. The other guys crack up.
I glare at him. “I’m serious. We're best friends.”
“Friends that are fake dating now,” Chase adds.
“Friends who are now banging,” Andrew points out.
“So? People do the casual sex thing all the time.”
“Yeah, people who aren't pining for their best friend,” Colton counters. “Face it, Ry. You've never been able to hide how stupidly in love with her you are. It's painfully obvious to everyone.”
I open my mouth to argue, but I've got nothing. They're right and we all know it. We’re just going to go in circles if I keep denying it, and I feel like I’m just trying to convince myself at this point. Denying it protects me.
“Look, just be careful, okay?” Chase claps a hand on my shoulder, going sincere. “I'm all for you getting your girl, but I don't want to see you get your heart broken in the process. Addie may have suggested this whole thing, but she might not return your feelings.”
I can’t mention the part when I asked her if we could do the real thing instead of this pretending crap. I got shut down, denied. She rejected me, and they’re going to give me shit if I tell them. It’s something I can’t hear.
“I know that,” I mutter, shaking him off. “I'm an adult. I can handle a friends-with-benefits situation.”
“If you say so.” He doesn't look convinced. They all glare at me. None of them are convinced, and I don’t like being the center of attention.
Chase jerks his chin toward the locker room door. “We should get out of here before Coach comes looking for us. Something’s up his ass. You need to talk to him about easing up on the drills. I thought Andrew was going to puke after those suicides.”
“Dude, I almost did,” Andrew groans. His hair is slicked in sweat like the rest of us. “Coach Wilder has been in a mood ever since we lost to the Saints.”
