“You don’t have to be shy.You’ve seen me naked before,” he teases.“Besides, I sleep naked.”
I turn to look at him, and he’s smirking, enjoying every second of my discomfort.
“Okay, It’s time for me to bolt.”I move toward the door, eager to escape.
“Cameron.”His voice stops me in my tracks.I glance back, surprised to find him smiling at me—a genuine, soft smile, not his usual smirk.
"Thank you."
Wait, did Fox Wilder just say thank you?
He must be even more drunk than I thought.
"Sure thing.Goodnight."
He nods, and I slip out, closing the door behind me.Leaning against it, I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.
"Fuck, that was...intense."
20
On The Edge Of Control
FOX’S POV
“FoxWilder,whatthefuck, man?”Ethan’s angry voice cut through the field, jarring me from my thoughts.I glare up at him from where I’m sitting, my head throbbing under the midday sun.God, I can’t stand this guy, let alone the fact that he’s now my team captain.Ever since he became team captain, this son of a bitch always gets under my skin.Every fucking time.
I am hungover, exhausted, and, most of all, pissed off.And the worst part?Most of my frustration is with myself—not my infuriatingly good-looking roommate.Part of me wants to blame Cameron for making me feel this way about him, but I know better.
This morning, I woke up in my boxers, an ibuprofen, and a glass of water placed neatly on my nightstand.Trust me, I know Cameron is a saint—too damn good for his own skin, for this world, and definitely for me.He’s pure and innocent in a way that makes me feel like I’m walking around with dirt on my hands.And somehow, I hate that about him.
I considered knocking on his door to say thanks before I left, but I talked myself out of it.I was already late for practice, and I figured I’d catch him after.By then, he’d be gone, probably sitting in some lecture.Safe from me, at least until tonight.
Even as I drove to campus, one hand on the wheel and the other around my coffee, he was still in my head.The memory of last night lingered, clear as day.I flirted with him.I even wanted to kiss him.Again.Somehow, through the haze of being drunk off my ass, he was the one thing I wanted—still want—and that messes with me.
For fuck’s sake, Fox.He’s a guy.
Why would I want him?Is it because he doesn’t let me get away with anything, because he calls me out on my bullshit?He’s one of the few people who makes me feel like I can’t have everything handed to me just because I ask for it.I already know I’m nothing special, but somehow, hearing it from him… it hits different.
Ethan’s face reappears in my line of sight, snapping me out of my thoughts.I used to be the captain of this team.For nearly three years, I had it all under control.But lately, I’ve been slacking, missing practices, getting wasted, and pissing everyone off.At one point, my coach was fed up with me, but he’s not dumb enough to kick me off the team.One, because I’m still the best player on this team, and two, my dad’s the chancellor.They know better.
It’s not that I like to brag about my dad, which I don’t, since my dad and I don’t have a good relationship, but Coach Beckett knows who holds the cards here.My dad’s the chancellor, and people around here don’t forget it.Coach might hate the fact that I’m a screw-up lately, but he knows his hands are tied when it comes to benching me permanently.It’s not like my dad would step in to defend me or anything—he barely even notices what I do.He just likes the status of it all.That his son is still technically on the team.That it looks good on paper, part of his big, perfect image.
But now that I’m a junior in college, Coach couldn’t take it anymore.Don’t get me wrong—I love soccer.I always have.But ever since what happened to Kendra, everything’s gone downhill, even at home.My mom hit the bottle hard, burying her emotions under layers of alcohol.My dad, on the other hand, threw himself into his work, rarely showing his face at home.He’s always been a lousy father, and barely even qualifies as a husband.And me?I just threw myself into partying, trying to ignore the mess around me and the one I was making of myself.I got high, fucked around, skipped practice, nearly failed my exams, and nearly wrecked any shot I had left in soccer.
Coach saw it all, and eventually, he had enough.He pulled me from the team, and told me I needed a break to “sort my life out.”And to really drive the point home, he handed the captain’s role over to Ethan, the assistant captain.Ethan.Out, proud, and an insufferable thorn in my side.It’s not that he’s gay, It’s just that he’s so damn smug about it.He’s always in my face, calling me out on everything, pushing my buttons like it’s his personal hobby.And now, every time I step onto this field, there he is, acting like he owns the place, like I’m the one in his way.
“You’re really hungover, aren’t you?Partied hard last night?”Ethan smirks, raising an eyebrow as he studies me.I glare up at him from under my lashes, too drained to entertain his crap.
“Get out of my face, Ethan.”My voice is a low warning, and I turn away, not in the mood to deal with him—or anyone, really.
“You’re doing extra laps and warm-ups after practice, Wilder.And you’re not skipping out on it, Daddy as chancellor or not.”Ethan’s smirk deepens, the challenge clear in his tone.
“What did you just say to me?”I stand, squaring up to him.
“Oh, you heard me,” Ethan fires back, stepping in closer, refusing to break eye contact.
Without thinking, I shove him, sending him sprawling onto the field.
