Page 13 of Hard Hitter

A subtle shiver ran over my skin. The press of Noah’s fingers on my thighs wouldn’t leave my thoughts. In that moment, I could’ve sworn I wasn’t alone with all the repressed longing. Noah never gave me an explanation for politely declining my generous offer, but I suspect it had to do with D. Just like everything else in my life.

In the end, Noah’s reasons didn’t matter. Only the result. He’d had his chance, and I wasn’t desperate enough to go begging for a second rejection. No matter how many times he looked at me with heat in his eyes. No matter how much I wanted him to follow through on the promise in those hands.

A small part of me knew I was playing with fire. I hoped Noah would lose his shit over the dress—over me—but I wasn’t sure I had the strength to turn him down if he touched me like that again.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

5

Spring football didn’t come with the same obligations as the regular season, and technically, we didn’t even start until late February. No one told Parker that. Until Coach took over, our sadistic captain set up a workout schedule to maintain fitness levels over the couple of weeks we had off.

He expected us to be in the weight room at the appointed time, and to his credit, most of the guys showed up. As his roommate, I didn’t really have a choice.

Part of me would rather sleep in on a frigid Sunday morning, but my days of being a tall, gangly kid weren’t that far behind me. I much preferred the big, tough persona I wore these days. The weight room had helped me find myself, long before Parker and his “voluntary” sessions.

Sweat slicked down my back as I slowed the treadmill to a cooldown jog. Metal clanged in the weight area, and Holbrook’s gangster rap leaked from his shitty earbuds across from me. I tossed a towel at his head, but he only grinned at me and turned it up. Asshole.

Mac finished his set and re-racked his dumbbells before making his way over to me and leaning on my handrail. “How’s my favorite movie star today?”

He’d been nonstop since the damn video went viral. I considered duct taping him to his door for some relief, but I was only fifty percent sure I could do it without Shaw’s help.

D had already chewed my ass out. He didn’t like the media taking shots at Chloe simply because she’d been with me. I agreed. Wholeheartedly.

“I’m trying to ignore the problem in the hopes it will go away.” I stared pointedly at Mac, but he remained stubbornly present.

“Did D see the video?”

“What do you think?” I returned my attention to the wall opposite me so I didn’t have to see the questions on his face.

“I think D called all of us to make sure we weren’t pimping out his sister before Nadia could take his phone away.”

I grunted, surprised he’d contacted everyone. “He wasn’t happy, but nothing happened. Nothingwillhappen.”

Mac shrugged in my peripheral. “Not the end of the world if it did. Chloe is awesome and a smokeshow on top of it. D can’t get upset if one of us realizes the opportunity presented.”

I glared at him. “You sure as hell better not be realizing any opportunities.”

He held up his hands with a wide grin. “Not me, big guy. If that video is anything to go buy, our girl is already taken.”

I didn’t correct him. A primitive part of me reveled in the idea of putting a claim on her even if I didn’t plan to follow through with it. D would have every right to be upset if I took advantage of his sister.

Even if she wanted me to. The video wasn’t very detailed, but I remembered the hungry look on her face when she’d stared down at me. Just like I remembered her thighs were firm and supple under her leggings.

Hell, I needed a distraction. “Doing anything after this?”

Mac tilted his head. “Pizza at Johnny’s maybe. Alex will be there going over some new stuff, and he asked if I’d come by. Want to join me?”

I grunted an assent, and Mac pumped his hand in the air.

“Yesss. I could use your grumbly sound for some background vocals,” he said.

“Nevermind. I’m not going.”

“Backup dancing then?” He swiveled his hips in a bastardized version of the Carlton.

“Sure, sounds fun,” I quipped.

Mac’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Really?”

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