Page 89 of Playing to Win
Waiting for me.
I check my phone for what feels like the twentieth time since I arrived at Logan’s, wishing for a text from Ruby, but so far there’s nothing. I don’t know the proper length of time for me to stay and celebrate, but I’m hoping it’s an hour, tops. I already told Javier I won’t be returning to our house for the after-party. He seemed disappointed, but he was also cool with it. I didn’t mention any names when I said I was going somewhere else and he didn’t ask either. I appreciate that he respects my privacy and always do the same for him.
“Stop checking your phone.” Derek gives my arm a shake. He’s extra obnoxious tonight and with every reason. Scoring that touchdown after the interception was a glory moment for him and he deserves to celebrate. “There are so many people here tonight ready to celebrate you. So manywomen.Live a little, QB.”
“Yeah. Sorry.” I offer him a smile, pocket my phone and reach for the beer someone bought for me, polishing off the rest of it. “Still a little keyed up, I guess. Stuck in my head.”
Derek contemplates me for a moment. “You know what you need?”
“What?” I ask warily.
A sly smile appears on Derek’s face. “To get laid.”
Yeah, I do. Kind of hoping that happens tonight, if I’m lucky, but I need to play this off with Derek. He can’t know that’s my plan. He might start asking questions I don’t want to answer.
I’m about to say something when Derek talks right over me.
“I know you’ve been on the straight and narrow here lately and not going out with any women, and while I don’t get it, we all have our thing that we stick to during the season and maybe you go anti-pussy. I’m not sure. I don’t remember you doing that last year.”
“I didn’t,” I interject, but he keeps talking.
“If this is helping you play better, then more power to you. But you gotta blow off some steam eventually, my man.” Derek claps me on the back, grasping hold of my shoulder and giving it a not-so-gentle shake. “You’re going to get all that—you know—built up inside you.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
Derek shrugs. “You know.”
“I don’t know.”
He rolls his eyes and leans in close. “Cum. Semen. Jizz. Whatever you want to call it. It’s gonna build up inside you and eventually you’re gonna blow a gasket.”
Derek is talking pure nonsense, but it’s fun to play along with him.
“You’re probably right,” I say, my voice and my expression dead serious. “If I don’t watch it, my dick might explode.”
He shoves me away from him, making a dismissive noise. “You know what I mean, ass wipe. Just—go find a pretty lady tonight and let her suck your dick or something. You’re too damn edgy.”
“Uh huh. Maybe.”
Derek shakes his head and we both turn our backs to each other in an obvious show of avoidance. I shake my head, reaching for the fresh beer that was just placed on the table in front of me and take a big gulp. Damn, I really don’t want to be here. I don’t want to find some pretty random girl and let her suck my dick either. That sounds…fucking awful.
I’d rather celebrate tonight with one woman in particular. Not some stranger. I don’t want to use a girl for release. Yeah, yeah, I know that’s exactly what I used to do like a complete asshole, but I’m not about that life anymore. I’ve somehow become a one-woman man, and the one woman I want, can’t want me back. Not fully.
That’s really messed up. How did I end up in this situation again?
It’s when I’m sipping on my fourth beer that I feel it. A tingling awareness that slips over my skin, making me sit up straighter and take notice. I can feel her. She’s here. At Logan’s.
Ruby.
The crowd parts and she appears, still clad in the red CU T-shirt she was wearing at the game and those black denim shorts that show off her long, golden legs. Her blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail tied with a red ribbon that’s the same color as her T-shirt and damn, she’s fucking adorable.
I want to sling her over my shoulder, slap her perfect ass and cart her right out of here so I can get her alone and fuck her properly. On a bed and everything. I’d take my time and savor her. Touch her everywhere. Kiss her everywhere…
“Hey, your little buddy is here.” Derek nudges me in the ribs, waving a hand in Ruby’s direction. “She sure is hot.”
“Don’t even look at her,” I mutter and Derek’s eyes go wide, his mouth dropping open for approximately two seconds before he bursts out laughing.
“Look at you, getting all territorial over a girl.” He shoves me and I topple over a little, even though I braced myself. The fucker is strong, I’ll give him that. “She know you’re hot for her?”
