Page 65 of Trick Play
Laughing, I toss a throw pillow at her. “I mean, why deny the obvious truth? But seriously, how was your break? You were saying you might get to see Sean. Did you? How’d that go?”
Her expression sours. “Oh, him. Yeah. I saw him. But, ugh.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want to talk about him. He’s …” She looks up, searching for the right words, then shakes her head. “He’s a big, dumbboy.” She spits the word like it’s the most insulting term she can come up with.
Reaching out, I pat her shoulder in commiseration. Sean was her high school boyfriend, and they kinda got together again over the summer, and she’d hoped for some kind of reprise over Thanksgiving, but clearly that didn’t work out. Before I can ask for details, though, there’s a knock at the door, and I know it’s Ellie.
I point at Dani. “You’ll fill me in when I get back, right?”
She waves me off. “Go see your man. Figure yourselves out and thenyoufill me in when you get back.”
Laughing, I grab my jacket and open the door to Ellie’s smiling face. She waves at Dani. “Hey! How was your break?”
They exchange a few pleasantries, and it strikes me how much I’ve been isolating myself this whole semester, insulating myself from the world with classes and homework, giving excuses more than going out with anyone who invited me, with the notable exception of Dani, who just decided one day that she wouldn’t take no for an answer anymore, especially after she found out I was watching my brother’s practices when I wanted to take a break.
And why? I mean, I know why I’d decided to take a break from boys. My parents weren’t the only ones worried I’d end up in the same place I did last spring. But why did I put that all on myself in the first place? I’m not the one who decided to post pics of girls without their permission or knowledge. I’m not the one who made it a bet, a game, a dare. And I’m not the university who decided a written warning not to do it again—the equivalent of a finger wag from an overly indulgent parent—was sufficient.
While I maybe could be forgiven for doubting my ability to pick a guy who isn’t a douche—though for all his obvious douchiness in the beginning, Cal’s actually turned out to be pretty great, on balance—why did I decide not to even give the girls who only wanted to be my friend a chance?
Dani already knew Ellie and Autumn from last year. She’s hung out with them a few times and invited me along, and I always declined, only going with Dani to football parties, because Gray would be there, so it seemed safe.
Can I really blame Gray for wanting to protect me from myself? Didn’t I want him to do that for me too? That’s why I filled my free time with him and his friends instead of finding my own.
I don’t even know what I was thinking anymore. The girl who made those decisions feels like a different person than I am now. And I’m not really sure when or how that changed exactly, except when Cal bet me I couldn’t kiss him without liking it, claiming a date as his winnings, I didn’t have a choice but to get out of my own way.
Only my brother and my parents didn’t get the memo that I’d put my self distrust to bed, and they haven’t come around to trusting me yet.
I should listen to Gray’s voicemail. And call him back. And then figure things out with my parents. But that can all wait. First, I’m going to see Cal, because I’ve missed him more than I’ve allowed myself to admit. And I want to see him before I deal with any of the other stuff.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Cal
“The girls are on their way over,” Simon says from my doorway.
I look up from my textbook, having resigned myself to catching up on homework today instead of spending time with Piper. He laughs when I straighten up as his words rearrange themselves in my brain until they make sense. “Really?”
His face is full of indulgent amusement. “She didn’t text you?”
Grabbing my phone, I check the screen and shake my head, my brows drawing together. “No, she didn’t.”
With a shrug, Simon leaves. “Maybe she doesn’t want to see you after all,” he says as he walks away.
“Fuck you,” I call after him. As usual, he laughs.
It doesn’t take long for the girls to get here. Ellie knocks on the door and lets herself in. “We’re here,” she calls out in a singsong voice. I block out Simon’s rumble of pleasure as I poke my head out the door, trepidation and happiness warring in my chest.
Piper didn’t mention she was coming over. I mean, I assumed she’d stop by at some point since her car is still here. But maybe she just wants to get it and leave. Maybe she didn’t even come inside with Ellie.
But she’s there, standing in the entryway in front of the closed door, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looks me over like she can’t get enough of me.
A grin stretching across my face, I straighten to my full height, my chest swelling with my inhale. “Hey, babe. Come here.”
She returns my smile with an almost shy one of her own, walking slowly toward me, her eyes scanning my body once more. “Hey,” she says softly, her eyes darting to Simon’s now-closed door. I’m just going to block out the fact that Simon and my sister are on the other side of that door, because I’d much rather focus on Piper here in front of me and how I’d really like to greet her.
When she’s close enough, I hook my arm around her waist and pull her against me, stepping back into my room and closing the door behind us. Then I back her against it, dropping my mouth to hers. She presses against me, her fingers sliding over my shoulders and around my neck, holding me in place as though I’d want to go anywhere else.
My tongue slides past her lips, seeking hers. She sucks on it briefly before sliding her tongue against mine, and I groan into her mouth, pressing my hips into her belly.
“God, I’ve missed you,” I whisper when I tear my mouth away, panting like I’ve just run wind sprints.
