Page 114 of Jocks

“Great.” Her face felt warm. Hopefully, all the makeup was hiding her blush.

“I thought you lived in the dorms?” She needed something to take her mind off … whatever it was that was going on in there.

“I’m staying here for the weekend. Collin went home this weekend and offered me his room since my roommate’s sick. Collin wants to make sure nobody gets it on in his bed.”

“Oh,” she fidgeted. “I’m glad to see you’re being productive even though there is a party going on downstairs.”

“There are parties here every night,” he laughed. “Besides, I did this for you.” He motioned to the computer. When he smiled her heart flipped.

“That makes me feel special.” Was she flirting? Was he? Autumn really wasn’t great at this kind of thing.

He shut the laptop and stood. He was right in front of her, she had to tilt her head back to see his face. Her heart hammered and her palms were getting sweaty. She took a step back. “Do they have soda?”

He didn’t stop smiling. “Of course.” He looked at his phone and held up a hand. “Hold on a sec.” He swiped the screen and pressed his phone to his ear.

Autumn furrowed her brow.

“Hey.” He spoke into the phone. “Yeah.”

Autumn felt awkward standing here listening to his conversation as he said something about practice. She motioned toward the door. He put a finger up, motioning it was only going to be a second.

“Hey Mom, I have to go.”

Autumn tilted her head. Mom?

He answered a call from his mom in the middle of a party?

“Yeah, okay … Love you too.” Kolson slid his phone into his back pocket. “Sorry about that.” He opened the door and before he went out, he put his hand in the center of her back and led her out of the room, flicking off the light as they did.

All she could think of was if that was Preston, he would have let it go to voicemail. Let alone tell Mom he loved her.

Kolson’s hand was causing warm tingles to spread across her skin. Why was her body having this reaction to him? She’d only met him a couple times. The fact that he not only kept his end of the deal, but completed it before she had stuck to her end of the bargain, made him even more attractive. That and he took the time to answer his mom.

“You look really nice tonight, by the way,” he said as they headed down the stairs.

“Um.” She lifted her hand to her face before she forgot she wasn’t wearing her glasses. “You too,” she mumbled, uncertain if it was loud enough for him to hear.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned toward her. They weren’t in the crowd yet. Still shielded from most by the wall. “So do you …”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a guy shouting, “Tackett, you dog.” The guy held his hand up for a high five. Autumn’s stomach fell. Did that guy think they hooked up?

Kolson let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck after slapping the guy’s hand. He looked at Autumn and shrugged.

“Where have you been hiding this one?” The guy hooked his arm around Kolson and scanned Autumn’s body as if she were on display. She crossed her arms in front of her.

“Kolson, I’ve been looking for you.” Mackenzie walked up to them. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. Her expression faltered when she looked at Autumn.

“Uh oh.” Kolson’s friend laughed.

“Hey, Kenz, I was showing my tutor the sources I was working on earlier.” He said quickly as if he’d been caught. Was she his girlfriend? They were both gorgeous. If Autumn didn’t feel silly for the thoughts she’d been having about Kolson before, she sure did now.

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