Page 11 of Playing Dirty

“Admit it though. If you weren’t a virgin, you’d sleep with him, right?” Nat asks.

“No fucking way.”

Her eyes widen. “Really?”

I nod in response. “There’s nothing on this earth that would get me to sleep with that man, virgin or not.”

Nat’s brow furrows. “Not going to lie. I would if I wasn’t a virgin. He’s gorgeous.”

There’s no denying that Coach is the embodiment of masculine beauty, but it changes nothing. The fact is he’s slept with way too many girls at this school.

“I have standards.”

Nat laughs. “Are you saying I don’t?”

“You don’t have standards if you would sleep with Coach knowing how many girls he’s fucked at this school.”

She opens the library door and lets me in first. “But his experience probably means he’s amazing in bed.” She lifts her brows comically.

I laugh. “You’re crazy.”

“I only speak the truth.” She sits down in her usual seat at our usual table in the library, and we both get our work out of our bags.

“Thank God Camilla’s not here. I can get nothing done with her yapping.”

Nat nods. “Agreed. Let’s get to work.”

We both fall into a comfortable silence, working on our assignments, but I can’t shake the issue with Coach, as I know it won’t go away. He is about as stubborn as someone can get. I know that he’ll hound me until the last day of the year, making my life a living hell, but there’s no alternative.

I won’t lie down like all the other girls and take his shit.

4

ARCHER

Istride into the staff room to find Elaine and Sophia chitchatting together at the back. They both fall silent as I walk in.

“Don’t stop on my account.”

Sophia blushes the moment my eyes land on her. The interrogation professor has had a crush on me ever since Oak employed her two years ago. She’s attractive, but not my type. Although when I told Oak that, his response was that’s because she’s not eighteen.

The truth of it is that Sophia is going to be at this school permanently. Seniors come and go and therefore there’re no strings attached, exactly how I like it.

“Morning, Archer,” Elaine says, glaring at me over her spectacles. “Are you behaving yourself this year?”

“Behaving myself?” I ask, tilting my head. “Don’t I always?”

She shakes her head. “No, you do not. I hope you haven’t set your eyes on another young and impressionable girl.”

I have, although she’s definitely not impressionable. Stubborn as a mule is the better description.

“Not sure what you’re talking about.”

Sophia looks a little disappointed as she swallows hard and looks away.

“Have you seen Gav?”

They both shake their heads. “No, he’s not been here in the last half an hour.”

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