Page 14 of Fair Catch
Gavin glared at me before wheeling into my ankle with his chair, and I barked out something between a laugh and a curse, because that shit hurt.
“You’d get flagged for that in real life,” he warned me.
“Good thing I’m not on defense.”
He smirked, tugging on my shirt until I was sitting back down again as we lined up for the next play.
“How’s it going, by the way?” he asked as we both selected our routes.
“Camp?” I shrugged. “It’s fine, I guess.”
Gavin leveled a look at me before selecting his final choice, and then the route plays disappeared and we were lined up on the field. “Which is code for…”
“If I don’t make the team, I’ll kill someone.”
He chuckled, and then we were focused, tongues out as we worked the buttons and toggles on our remote controls until the play was completed. Gavin threw a fist in the air after converting on a third down, and I flicked him off.
“I don’t know, man,” I said as we thumbed through options for the next play. “I guess I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. I’ve been balling out, but Coach Sanders is stone cold. No emotion. He’s quick to yell at us when we fuck something up, but I have yet to earn a single good job, buddy!”
“They say it’s best when the coach is yelling at you. Means he sees potential.”
“Maybe. He’s different than what I was used to in high school. All of this is different.”
“College ball.”
I harrumphed my agreement, and then the ball was snapped on the screen. One of Gavin’s players picked up a short run for a few yards.
“You’ll be on the chart,” Gavin said after. “Even if you’re not starting.”
“I will start.”
He smiled. “Ah, there’s my cocky best friend.”
“Emphasis on cocky,” I teased, grabbing my junk.
Exactly when Riley walked out of her room.
Her eyes fell to where I had my hand wrapped around my shaft in my shorts, and I thought I saw a blush touch her cheeks before she grimaced and rolled her eyes.
“I’m going to return the cart. We still on for dinner?” she asked her brother, ignoring me altogether.
“I’m all yours.”
“Cool.” Her eyes found mine next, and she pointed right at me. “Stay out of my room.”
I held my hands in mock surrender, and then she rounded us and headed straight for the door.
I fought to keep my eyes off the way her ass looked in the tiny shorts she wore, how a sliver of her tight stomach showed between the band of those shorts and the tank top she’d paired with them. With a sniff, my eyes were on the screen again, and I told myself she’d be fine walking down the hall of horny college football players.
Mostly because they already knew if they touched her, they’d have me to answer to.
I knew I didn’t have as much clout as a freshman as I did when I was top dog in high school. Still, these guys had been working with me all summer, strength training and running drills. And once camp started and they saw what I brought to the table? I didn’t need seniority.
I had the talent that spoke far louder than age.
And anyone who knew Riley’s story knew that we’d played together in high school, knew that I was practically family.
I had no problem playing the protective big brother role.
Gavin and I fell silent, playing the next few plays before my defense stopped his advance and we switched sides.
I was lining up my first offensive play when he asked, “How’s she doing?”
“She’s killing it,” I answered honestly.
“And you’re keeping an eye on her?”
My chest tightened, not just with his question, but with the promise that rested underneath it. I’d sworn on my life that I’d watch over her for him, and I had — all through high school.
There was no chance of that stopping now.
“I’ve got her back,” I promised him. “But honestly… she doesn’t need me. She holds her own.”
Gavin smiled at that. “Not surprised.” He paused. “Any of the guys giving her shit, though?”
“Not to her face. Some of them think she’s a PR stunt. Some are pissed she has a scholarship they think they should have instead. Some of them are impressed, though they’d never tell her.” I shrugged, neglecting to tell him how some of them also had bets on who would nail her first. “It’s not going to be easy for her, man, but once they see her ball out in the first game, that respect will grow.”
“You think she’ll make chart?”
I blew air out through flat lips with my brows furrowing, leveling my gaze with Gavin. “Bro. Come on. You know that answer already.”
He smiled wider, shaking his head before the ball snapped on the screen. When the play was over, he continued.
