Page 43 of Rookie Moves

“Thanks,” I say, hating how shaky my voice is.

“The game was epic last night,” he says, closing the door and leaning against the counter next to it. He must be on drink duty. “You’ve got some silky hands, brother. You’d make a killer quarterback.”

I scoff. “I doubt that, but thanks.”

“I don’t think we’ve met before.” He holds out his hand. “I’m Batesy, Liam and Tyler’s housemate.”

I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you. Have you, uh…” I glance around, trying to appear casual as I take a step back to lean against the counter. “Is Tyler around?”

“Yeah. He’s outside.” He lifts his hand and points one meaty finger to the window.

I follow in the direction of where he’s pointing and spot Tyler out in the backyard. There’s a bottle of light beer in his hand while the other rests against a wooden banister surrounding the decking. His head tips back as he laughs at something a girl says, and a knot coils tightly in my stomach when she places a hand on his arm. Tyler’s head dips as she leans closer, breaking my line of sight of his face.

Heat prickles my skin, and my palms dampen with sweat. I’m aware Batesy is talking to me, but I’m not listening to a word he says. The heavy feeling in my stomach worsens and spreads up my chest to my throat, leaving a path of fire in its wake.

Tyler’s face becomes visible again. He smiles down at her in a way he’s smiled at me so many times recently, and I clench my teeth, spots clouding my vision.

Is… is this jealousy?

We haven’t discussed anything besides our arrangement, but I realize now that I forgot to mention something crucial.

We didn’t set boundaries about what happens outside of the two of us, and seeing him with that girl, it’s clear that I don’t want him to hook up with anyone while he’s teaching me.

Maybe that’s an irrational request, but I don’t feel comfortable knowing that while I’m navigating my endless list of first-time sexual activities, he’s hooking up with other people on the side.

I don’t realize I’m squeezing my soda until my thumb dents the side of the can. Balling my other hand into a fist, I shove it into the pocket of my hoodie and force myself to look away from the window.

Maybe coming here was a bad idea.

With Batesy distracted by new arrivals, I head deeper into the house and find Nelson and Winslow playing ping-pong. I prop myself against the wall, sipping on my soda and laughing every time Winslow gets the upper hand. Eventually, Nelson gives up, having had his ego dented too many times, and hands me the paddle.

“If you can kick his ass, I’ll give you fifty dollars,” Nelson mumbles, hooking a thumb over his shoulder to where our starting goalie waits.

I snort and place my soda on the side. As the game gets underway with Winslow, the image of Tyler and that girl disappears from my brain.

The tightness in my body has almost disappeared when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I wait until there’s a break in play, but before I can slip my phone out of my pocket, movement in my periphery catches my attention.

I glance over to see Tyler standing in the doorway. His phone is in his hand by his side, and he gives a subtle nod toward the stairs. Then, without a word, he turns and disappears up them, leaving me feeling confused, mad, and a little horny.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

TYLER

I’ve been itching to get my hands on Colby since I spotted him talking to Batesy through the kitchen window, but I couldn’t get away until now. The conversation seemed to be never-ending, and I’m not exactly rude enough to say, “Excuse me, I need to leave so I can make out with my teammate.”

By the time I make it inside, I find Colby in the games room with Nelson and Winslow. A few others are watching, cheering them both on in what looks like a pretty intense game of ping-pong.

Slipping my phone out of my pocket, I fire off a text to Colby.

Meet me upstairs in 5. Top floor, first door on the right.

I lock it and hold it down by my side as I watch the game play out. My pulse kicks up at the broad grin Colby throws Winslow’s way after he wins that round. Our goalie sighs with a shake of his head and places a couple of bills in an empty cup perched on the side.

I stay rooted in place, silently begging for Colby to look at his phone. But he doesn’t. He laughs at something Nelson says, and then his eyes find mine across the room. An emotion I haven’t seen before in Colby flares in those hazel irises, and it has the hair on the back of my neck standing on edge.

What the fuck has happened? I didn’t let him out of my sight for that long.

I subtly jerk my head back toward the stairs behind me, and without a word, I turn on my heel and walk away. I down the rest of my beer, placing the empty bottle on a side table before glancing around to check everyone is preoccupied, and then make my way up the stairs to my room.