Page 44 of Playing to Win
“Titties, D? Seriously?” I send him a withering stare before I refocus on Miss Titties because damn, that rack is huge. I should wave her over. Hell, I should be waving a couple of cuties over to join us because then I’ll have options.
She waves at me, her boobs bouncing with the movement, and holy hell.
I’m. Not.
Interested.
I’m not interested in a single one of them. The blonde that’s shifted into my line of vision isn’t blonde enough. The girl with the long, tanned legs and decent tits—her legs aren’t right. Neither are her tits. And neither of them is wearing a T-shirt with a funny message.
I like that about Ruby. Her funny T-shirts.
Hell, I like a lot of things about Ruby.
Yet I don’t think she likesmemuch.
Our server eventually makes her rounds and I order two beers, which has Derek looking at me funny.
“You okay there, QB?”
I sit up a little straighter, honored he’d call me that. I only ever heard him call Cam that and it feels good. I finally feel accepted. “I wanna get drunk.”
“Not a smart move during the season, bro. Isn’t that your plan?” Derek studies me, rubbing a hand along his jaw. “Forget the beer. Go find a cute girl and lose yourself in her for a while. Burn some calories.”
He knows that’s what I’ve done in the past, which makes sense why he’s pushing me to do it right now. But I shake my head, my voice firm when I say, “Nope.”
The p makes a popping sound that is oddly satisfying. And I try the word out, saying it over and over again with the hard p.
“Are you already drunk?” Derek asks when I finally stop.
I think about how many beers I’ve already had. I count them on my fingers. One, two…
“I’ve had three.”
“And you just ordered two more?” Derek’s brows shoot up. “I’m cutting you off.”
“No, you’re fucking not.”
“I am.” Derek nods, reaching out to grab my beer bottle, seeming almost disappointed to find it’s empty. “No more for you. You can’t get trashed before the next big game.”
“It’s Monday, Derek. We don’t play until Saturday.” I shoot him a look like he’s fucking crazy. “Didn’t you see how I played today?”
“You played pretty damn good.” He hesitates, tipping his bottle toward his lips. “Eventually.”
All I can do is snort in response because damn it, he’s not wrong.
And I hate that. I need to get focused and not let the little shit distract me.
Then I think of Ruby showing up at practice. Watching me. How I felt a jolt vibrate through my body the moment our eyes made contact. Something came over me and next thing I knew, I was playing better.
Much better.
Feels like lately I’m always thinking of Ruby, which is fucking annoying, especially when she doesn’t think of me.
The server reappears with our orders and I take both of my beers, placing them as far away from Derek’s grabby hands as I can get them. I notice the empty spot beside me, wishing a cute ass was filling it, and when I glance up, I shake my head, positive that I’m hallucinating.
I blink. Close my eyes for a second. Two seconds. Crack them open.
Oh shit. Now she’s evencloser.
