Page 33 of Trick Play
She snorts, shaking her head. Then she sucks in a deep breath. “This was only supposed to be once.”
Who said that? I know I didn’t. I don’t ask that question, though. “You really want to let it go at one time? When it was that good?”
She rolls her lips between her teeth and inhales deeply, her tits pressing up against the neckline of her dress. After holding her breath for a beat, she releases it in a gust. “Fine. I’ll text you on Wednesday after I turn in my paper.”
“Perfect.” I reach for her hand and tug her closer so I can kiss her again. “I look forward to it. If I don’t hear from you by the end of practice, though, I’ll be calling.”
Her nostrils flare. “Deal.”
* * *
I’m going over some notes for my biochem class when Simon gets home a while later. Alone, thank god. Ellie doesn’t sleep over very often, which might be out of some latent sense of respect for my feelings, but is more likely because it’s still the football season and our morning workouts are earlier than Ellie’s first class. She doesn’t want to have to wake up that early to get back to campus. And since we have all away games through the end of the semester, no weekend sleepovers either.
Simon surprises me by dropping his jacket and backpack just inside the living room instead of going to his room. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stares down at me, his eyes narrowed.
I sit back, my laptop still perched on my legs, my textbook open next to me, and take in Simon’s posture. It’s not often he graces me with one of his lectures, but I recognize the warning signs.
“Can I help you?” I ask when he just continues to stare at me for a moment.
His jaw works like he’s rolling the words around in his mouth before spitting them out. “Kilpatrick’s sister?” is all he asks, though, the two words a bit of a disappointment after all that build up.
I quirk an eyebrow. “Yup,” is my equally verbose reply.
He snorts, sounding like a frustrated bear. Or at least what I imagine one would sound like. I don’t actually have any in-person experience with bears. Just nature documentaries my parents occasionally insisted we watch for family movie nights and nature shows in middle school science class. Though my seventh grade biology teacher was much more likely to show us videos of deer attacking people. I never really figured out why that genre featured so heavily in her class, but any time we had a sub or she decided to show a video, nine times out of ten, it was something likeDeer Attacks!OrWhen Deer Attack 2. OrTop Ten Most Insane Deer Attacks.
She was kinda strange, to be honest.
But no one would ever compare Simon to a deer. He’s way too big, for one thing. And no antlers. He’d be closer to a moose, if we’re going withCervidae. They’re big. Keep to themselves unless provoked.
And something I’ve done seems to have provoked him, because he’s still glaring at me, apparently expecting more than a one word answer.
Sighing, I spread my hands. “What do you want me to say?”
“Do you actually like her?” he demands. “Or are you just fucking around to get back at Kilpatrick for transferring here and taking your starting spot.”
My jaw clenches, and I force myself to take deep breaths. Simon’s my friend. A fact I’ve had to remind myself of more often than normal lately, because he’s really been pissing me off. He’s supposed to havemyback. Literally, when we’re talking football. But instead, he’s guarding Kilpatrick more often than me, and that seems to be bleeding over into our time off the field as well.
“Dude. Are you accusing me of fucking a girl as some kind of revenge plot?” I set my laptop on my book and lean forward, propping my elbows on my knees. “Is that really where you’re going with this?” I mean, I kinda am, to be honest. But I don’t need Simon’s holier-than-thou attitude trying to make me feel bad about it. Kilpatrick’s a dick. He deserves to be taken down a notch or two. And elite sports is cutthroat. How is it my fault if me fucking his sister distracts him enough to make him lose focus so I get a chance to regain what’s rightfully mine?
It certainly doesn’t hurt that Idoactually like Piper. Maybe my decision to pursue her was motivated by getting at her brother. But she’s intriguing. Hilarious. And our chemistry? It’s off the charts. At this point, Kilpatrick getting mad I’m boning his sister is more of a bonus than a primary motivator. I’d want to see her again regardless.
Simon spreads his hands. “I notice you didn’t deny it.”
Snorting, I shake my head and stand. “Fuck you, man.” I close my laptop and gather my things. If Simon’s going to be like this, then I might as well study in my room. “Yes, I actually like her. That make you feel better?”
He stares me down for a second before stepping aside and letting me leave the living room, but he follows me into the hall. “Yeah, actually, it does. She lives on Ellie’s floor, you know.”
I pause in front of the bathroom, casting him a glance over my shoulder. “No, actually. I didn’t know. They friends?” Does it make a difference to me if they are? I mean, it might make things awkward, but Ellie’s already screwing my friend, so it’d serve her right.
Simon shrugs. “More like acquaintances. She knows Dani, Piper’s roommate, better than Piper. Says Piper tends to keep to herself and spends most of her time doing homework.”
Even though I just decided I don’t care if she’s friends with my sister, I can’t help feeling relieved they’re not close. I nod in response to Simon’s statement. “She’s taking a lot of classes. Trying to graduate early or something, I think.”
That has Simon raising his eyebrows in surprise. “And she’s making time for you?”
“Fuck off,” I tell him again, this time more good-naturedly. This is more normal for us, so I tag on my standard response. “I’m awesome.”
Simon chuckles, placing his things inside his door. “Seriously, though,” he says before I can disappear into my room. “As awesome as you are, be careful. She seems …” He trails off, his brows drawing down like he can’t quite come up with the right end to that sentence.
