Page 45 of Fair Catch
“If you don’t listen to the Joe Rogan podcast, don’t bother swiping right?” I read, shaking my head as I swiped left. “Welp, there you go. I did you a favor on that one, trust me.”
“Zeke! Give it back!”
Riley all but climbed me with the demand, and I was somewhat amused by her strength, but more so confused by her being on a fucking dating app.
And maybe a little bothered by it, too.
“Why are you on Minglr?”
She bit down on the back of my shoulder, making me yelp and drop her phone just as she reached up and swiped it mid-air.
“That’s none of your business.”
I rubbed the spot she’d mauled. “I thought you said you don’t have time to date.”
“I don’t.”
“Then why—”
The question was cut short when I saw how her cheeks reddened, how she hastily shoved her phone in her duffel bag before grabbing her towel and body wash.
“Oh,” I mused with a cocky smile, which was a miracle considering how the thought of what she was insinuating set my blood boiling. “I get it. You’re looking for a hook up.”
“Just taking your advice, Coach,” she said with a sweet smile, tossing her towel over her shoulder. “I’m going to shower. Don’t,” she warned, poking me in the chest. “Touch my phone.”
I held up my hands. “I’d never stand in the way of your… relief.”
She flipped me the bird, and then swayed off to the showers with a smile and a soft shake of her head.
The second she turned, my own smile slipped.
I forced down the bile rising in my throat at the thought of her trying to find a guy for the sole purpose of getting off — especially considering I was a guy and knew exactly the kind of creeps who got on those apps looking for the same thing. She’d find what she was looking for easy enough.
But I wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t get hurt in the process.
Yeah, sure, that’s why you’re mad. Because she might got hurt.
Not because you can’t stomach the thought of someone touching her.
My jaw clenched, and I blew out a frustrated breath as I stripped my shirt off overhead. My body was buzzing to life like it was ready to run laps even after a long, hard practice, but I knew I needed to save my energy. We had our homecoming game at the end of the week, and I needed to be locked in.
“Holy fuck, there she is.”
Kyle’s voice was high-pitched and like nails on a chalkboard, but the way his declaration made a dozen guys crowd around him and make a fuss had me curious.
“Riley Novo. Athlete. Art enthusiast. Looking for a good time!”
His voice rose even higher at the last two words, and that had some of the guys making comments and high-fiving each other. Kyle swiped through the photos on Riley’s profile, stopping and letting out a whistle in sync with the rest of the guys around him at one of her at the beach when she went to Florida with her family over Spring Break.
I remembered that picture from when she’d posted it on Instagram, and I didn’t have to be close enough to see the little olive-green bikini on her to remember how it highlighted every aspect of her well-defined body.
I stormed over and ripped his phone out of his hand.
He wasn’t even fazed as I glared at the screen with Riley’s familiar smile on it before I turned that glare on him. He just laughed, folding his arms and shaking his head.
“Damn, man. I thought you and her had something going on, but now that I know she’s free and looking for a little fun…” His smile was that of an evil Disney character. “I’ll be making a bio myself first thing.”
I shoved his phone into his chest so hard he hit the lockers behind him, making the guys let out hisses of empathetic pain. Kyle’s smile turned to a grimace before he was shoving me back, and then we were nose to nose.
“Why are you always such a prick when it comes to her? Clearly, you aren’t dating,” he said, holding up the phone as proof. “In fact, I’m pretty sure she fucking hates you.”
“Show some goddamn respect,” was all I said as I stepped back, trying to ignore his comment that was mostly true as I cracked my neck. “She’s your teammate.”
“And what, you’re her bodyguard?”
“You’re lucky it was me who heard you saying that shit and put an end to it, because if it had been her, she’d have eaten you alive.”
“Who would?”
All of our heads snapped in unison at the sound of Riley’s voice, who was standing at the edge of the group that had formed around us now, a towel wrapped around her, wet sports bra straps visible above it. She blinked, then narrowed her gaze when she realized it was me and Kyle facing off.
