Chapter 26
Early Friday, an incoming text message makes my phone vibrate on my charging stand. Groaning, I roll over and blindly reach out for it.
Unknown Number:Coming to the away game tonight?
Me:Probably not. Who is this?
It’s not any of the dick pic senders or the person who has been sending me cryptic messages about my scholarship. I’ve got Daphne and Max’s numbers in my contacts, so I know it’s not them. Hm.
Unknown Number:Your favorite football player.
A slow smile spreads across my face, and my nipples tighten into little buds just at the thought. I had trouble falling asleep last night because our sexy encounter behind the ice cream shop had played on a continuous loop through my head for hours. I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to him. Every touch—every coax from his talented tongue, every stroke of his magical, orgasm-inducing fingers—had me seeing stars and forgetting everything that he’d done leading up to that very moment. Things he’d done because his friend, who is not his girlfriend, has a jealous streak? I’m so confused and I’m terrified that I was stupid to let him touch me, but … I can’t deny how incredibly good it had felt.
I nibble on my lip, trying to decide if I’m daring enough to mess with him a little bit. My thumbs race over the keyboard.
Me:Micah?
Unknown Number:Seriously?
Me:Beau?
Unknown Number:Stop fucking with me.
Me:Oh, the irony of you saying that…
Holy shit.I clap my hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh. I should not be taunting him like that. But … he makes it too easy.
Unknown Number:So, you do know who I am.
Me:Maybe.
Unknown Number:Listen, I want to get to know you better.
Unknown Number:There’s a party at Beau’s house tonight after we get back from the game.
Unknown Number:You should come.
Unknown Number:Wear a swimsuit. He has a pool and a fucking outstanding hot tub.
I roll over to my back. Is he serious? I can’t figure him out. Is everything suddenly fine with him taking an interest in me? Is Aria going to back off and stop freaking out? One thing’s for sure, I never thought I’d hear Xander say he was sorry. NeverdreamedI’d let him put his hands and mouth on me. Yet, here we are. I catch my lip between my teeth and worry it for a few seconds before my thumbs fly over my phone’s keyboard in response.
Me:What’s the address?
I set my phone aside and, in a rush to get ready, fumble through my backpack looking for my charm bracelet. I remember tucking it into the little zippered pocket at the top of my bag to appease Micah yesterday. It’d slipped my mind to put it back on, then I’d had cross-country practice, followed directly by work. I know I never took it out.
So where the fuck is it?
My hands tremble as I pull everything out of the pocket. Pens. ChapStick. Hair ties. Mirror. Tampons. Gum.
Empty.
In frustration, I pull everything out of the entire backpack, shaking it upside down, then go through each thing to make sure it’s not caught up somewhere.
The longer I search, the harder it gets to see through the tears beginning to blur my vision. Hot, wet streaks flow down my cheeks.
Knock, knock.
On a gasp, I look over my shoulder. I clear my throat. “Yeah?” The rough quality of that one word betrays just how upset I am.