Page 11 of Tempt Me

I feel like I’m lying to him.

And I’m not a liar. At least, I wasn’t before today.

“I try, sir,” I tell him.

“Well, good. Thank you for keeping me updated. I was worried about her. She always takes on way too much. I’m glad you were there to help out. And don’t worry about football. Before you know it, you’ll be back out there and showing them all what you’re really made of.”

I smile.

It’s a painful reminder.

Knowing that I’m not playing now.

Knowing that playing later will cost me Melissa.

I’m worse off than I ever was.

I can have football… but it’ll cost me the girl.

Fucking ACL.

That injury cuts me at every turn.

Chapter Six

Melissa

On Monday, I keep eyeing the door, trying not to make it obvious that I am waiting for Blaze to walk through the door.

I haven’t seen him since what happened between us on Friday night and it’s been eating me up inside.

I have so many things that I want to say to him.

After a couple of days of thinking, I decided that I should be the one to tell my dad.

I think if I am the one to break the news, then he may be more understanding. He may be okay with this, after all.

And Blaze can talk to him after that.

We can have it all. Football. Theater. Each other.

I just need to choose my words wisely.

Finally, after what feels like hours, Blaze walks through the door.

I practically skip up to him.

“Hi,” I say to him, in a singsong kind of way.

“Hey,” he says with a straight smile. “What’s up first?”

I scan his face for a warmth that I don’t find. “I thought we could maybe talk?”

He nods, then crosses his arms. “I don’t really think there is much to say.”

Who is this man standing in front of me?

What happened to the boy who ran his fingers through my hair? The boy who caught me off the staircase? The boy who made love to me on the floor of the stage?

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