Page 79 of Third and Ten

I turn my head and look up at the framed jersey, where my signature is scribbled across the left shoulder, right above the “BOURGEOIS III” patch. I’ve seen it here before, since this is one of my favorite restaurants and the type of place that displays sports memorabilia from local athletes. Playing for an in-state college and being born and raised less than an hour down the road have earned me a spot on the wall here, and now I’m kicking myself for having forgotten about it.

“Yeah,” I admit reluctantly.

“Does it freak you out?”

“Not really. But if it bothers you…” Then I abandon what I was saying when her hand covers mine.

“JD, I noticed it as soon as we rounded the corner. And unless you were tacky enough to request this booth specifically, why wouldn’t I be impressed?”

“Wait. You…like it?” I ask, my eyes wide.

She shrugs, but the way her cheeks flush and her tongue darts out to wet her lips says she likes it a whole lot more than she’s letting on.

I feel the corners of my mouth turning up. “So, would it be safe to say that you’re into football players?”

“I suppose that would be a reasonable assumption, regarding my physical preferences, at least.” She stares down at our hands while I begin rubbing the side of her thumb with mine.

“Well, then. Since we happen to have very compelling evidence that I have, in fact, at one point, fit the description of a football player,” I explain, gesturing toward the jersey, “I could reasonably reduce that claim to ‘Tenley thinks JD is hot.’ Am I wrong?”

She smirks at me. “You would be right, except I only like my football players to sound that cocky on the field.”

“You’ve had other football players?” I blurt out, blinking in surprise.

“Oh, are we doing the whole dating history thing now?” She looks so coy that I’m fighting the urge to jump over the table to get to her. “It won’t take me very long.”

“I think you’re evading the question.”

“Fine. There was a linebacker in college,” she admits after a second. “I doubt you ever played each other,” she adds, but it does nothing to calm my raging jealousy.

I let go of her hand and lean back in the booth, just as the waitress drops off our drinks.

“You weren’t kidding about having a type,” I venture after we’re alone again.

“Does that bother you?”

Of course it does. I want you to like me and only me, and I’d rather pretend that there was no one else before me.

“It’s not like I expected to hear that you’ve never been in a relationship before,” I reply instead.

“Hmm. Who’s evading the question now?” she returns, glaring at me before lifting a glass to her lips.

I gulp as I watch her swallow. “Maybe it does bother me, just a little,” I divulge, since my brain never seems to function in her presence.

Tenley sets her glass down and folds her hands over the table. “JD, I have another confession to make,” she begins, taking a couple of fortifying breaths. “Ethan isn’t the only reason I’ve been trying so hard to keep my distance. The truth is that I don’t think I can trust myself with you. If I were to make a list, you’d literally check every box. And that scares the hell out of me, because I didn’t even know I had a list,” she explains quietly.

My pulse quickens. “So, you repeatedly shot me down because I’m exactly your type? And that other guy only checked, what, the ‘built like a football player’ box?”

“Basically.”

“But I’m a better kisser, right?”

She bites her lip. “Among other things.”

“We can test that theory whenever you’re ready,” I offer, shooting her a wide grin. I know I’m pushing my luck, but I can’t help myself.

She shakes her head. “And I never thought ‘shameless flirt’ was on my list, but here we are.”

I laugh softly before adopting a more serious tone again. “You must bring it out of me, because I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never been drawn to anyone the way I am with you.” She’s quiet as I continue. “The more I learn about you, the more I want from you. So this is just as scary for me.”

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