Page 4 of Craving the Player

Her head turns to me so quickly that my eyes bulge. She cuts ahand through the air. "Three it is."

Imove towards the counter and lean ahip against it. "So, are you going to tell me what'swrong or should Istart guessing?"

"Nothing," she groans, shoving the scoop in the open tub of ice cream with asurprisingly terrifying amount of force.

"Right," Ichuckle and move around her to grab two spoons. "Then do you wanna tell me what the poor ice cream did to you before you got here?"

"You know Ethan Langton, right?" she asks with aweighted sigh, spinning on the heel of her still booted feet to face me. Her plump bottom lip is clamped between her teeth as she seems to contemplate what to say next.

"The guy that used to host all of the frat parties in college?"

The guy was atotal tool. The only thing he had going for him was his washboard abs. But even then, the appeal faded fast as soon as he opened that sexist mouth of his. Guys who think that awoman belongs in the kitchen in the 21st century have no right being so good looking.

"Unfortunately," she grumbles while grabbing her nearly overflowing bowl of ice cream and stomping across the apartment to my thrifted navy couch. The four seater, velvet couch is for better words, extremely out of style and butt ugly. But when you’re twenty-six with absolutely nothing to your name but an outdated shirtless firefighter calendar and apair of scuffed Louboutins that you got as apresent from your ex but are too stubborn to retire, you take what you can get.

"What about him has you so pissed off? We haven'teven seen him in years." Igrab my bowl and join her. It isn’tuntil after Isink into the couch cushion that Inotice the regretful look on her face. Iswallow heavily as the realization dawns on me. "Oh. Oh. So you slept together then? Imean, it isn’tthe end of the world. Right?”

"Isn’tthe end of the world? Islept with aman child.” Her head falls back and she grumbles afew sentences under her breath in Spanish. Ihide my amused grin behind my hand. Sophie only rambles in Spanish when she’sflustered, angry, or both. But both is never good. And from the flush that’sfound its way on her cheeks and the way her back teeth are grinding together, Ican only assume that she’sdefinitely both.

Scooping ahefty amount of ice cream onto my spoon, Ishove it in my mouth and sit quietly. Iwish Icould say this is out of character for Sophie, but the girl loves sex. No beating around the bush there. Guy, girl, she wouldn’tturn down atussle in bed with almost anyone. But Ethan Langton? That does surprise me. Overcompensating dickbags aren’tusually her go-to, regardless of how deep the itch might be.

"When?" Iask after afew silent seconds.

"Two nights ago," she mumbles. "It was arare moment of weakness. There was apool. And you've seen Ethan without his shirt."

"Ihave." Ilaugh quietly. "He'shot for sure."

"And boy, is he ever packing arocket.” She licks her lips before shaking her head aggressively.

Crinkling my nose, Ibrush off her comment. "If it was so good then why are you upset? Was he too quick on the trigger or something?"

"No! God no," she rushes, dropping her spoon in the melting glob of ice cream. "He wants to, like, go out. On adate."

My brows jump up and questions fill my mouth like I’mplaying agame of chubby bunny. But Isit in silence, waiting for her to elaborate. Only she doesn’tsay anything else. She puts the bowl of melted ice cream beside her and folds her hands together in her lap instead, looking anxiously around the apartment. With anervous knot rooting in my belly, Itry to fill the silence. "So are you just not into him then? Imean, afree dinner is afree dinner. Even if it is with aguy like Ethan, and especially if the sex was good."

"Maybe if it were dinner Iwould go. But he invited me to watch some band play at SP tomorrow night and you know how much Ihate it there."

He invited her to aclub? As adate? Yikes. What’sthe saying? Disappointed but not surprised?

"Ididn'teven know they let bands play there.” Istretch my legs out in front of me and set my bowl beside Sophie’s.

"That'sbeside the point, Sierra!" She slides aquick hand down her hair and squeezes her eyes shut. "Iwant to go, but Idon'twant to go alone. Who knows what would happen to me if Iwent into the bathroom without apartner."

"Ithink you're being alittle paranoid, babe.”

I, for one, haven’tbeen to aclub in years. But the memories Ido have of the drunken nights spent with my arm laced through Sophie’sand apiece of paper over our drinks still burn in the back of my mind. Her parent’smight have let her watch afew too many episodes of Dateline when she was an early teen. We did stay safe though, so Ireally shouldn’tcomplain. Sophie was always one hell of asafety buddy.

"Why don'tyou come with me?" Her back straightens as she turns to me with wide eyes. Igulp. "Please?"

"I'mnot third-wheeling for you at Sinners. Plus, I'll be way too tired after work." Ishake my head furiously, grabbing my bowl before practically running away into the kitchen. Icurse under my breath when she chases after me, along blonde ponytail slapping against her back.

"Please do this for me. I’ll literally get down on my knees if Ihave to."

Idrop my bowl in the sink and let out asharp exhale. She won'tstop until Iagree. Iknow that for afact. "You owe me for this. I'mserious.” Igroan in defeat while watching as her lips turn up.

"Yes, Ido. You're the freaking best." Flailing arms slide around me, the smell of cotton candy overwhelming.

“Iknow. Now let go of me before Iget asugar rush from that damn perfume of yours.”

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