Don’t kill the rookie, okay? He’s going through it.
Nate hummed under his breath. This wasn’t the first time Ramsey had made an allusion to understanding what Jordan was going through.
He wanted to know why Ramsey believed it. Wanted to understand what Ramsey had seen that Nate had somehow missed.
Thanks,Nate replied,and I’ll take that under advisement.
Knew I picked a smart guy to fake date, Mr. Big Vocabulary.
But before Nate could reply that he might be a football player, but he wasn’t stupid.—he’d gone to college, and unlike some of his teammates, he’d actually gone to some of his classes—another text arrived.
Seriously, though. Camera caught you giving him a lecture after that first drive, and I hope you took it easy on him.
Why should I?Nate asked, really curious what Ramsey would say.
Because you’re not an asshole like the other captain. Also—that’s so fucking weird. Who makes the decisions if you’re both captains?
You know who gets the final say and it’s not me, Hockey Guy. The vet always.
But Ramsey hadn’t answered his question, and now Nate had even more so he texted again.Why do you think Sterling’s an asshole?
Vibes, Ramsey said,and the way Jordan tenses whenever he looks at him.
Shit, so it wasn’t just his antenna perking up about how uneasy Jordan was about Sterling.
Not just me, then.
If it makes you feel better, I don’t think it’s anything the guy’s done or said that’s put the rookie’s back up.
You wanna explain?Nate asked.
Of course, though, Ramsey was slippery.
He should have one of those signs near him at all times.Slippery when wet.
But he should really,reallynot thinking about a wet Ramsey, especially not on a plane full of his teammates and coaches.Especiallynot after a bad loss.
That way lay absolute insanity.
He was already going out of his mind, trying to keep his hands and his thoughts to himself.
Every casual touch Ramsey gave him lit him up from the inside, and at one point, Nate wasn’t sure how much more he could take without breaking and doing something he absolutely shouldn’t.
The worst part of it was that he was fairly certain that Ramsey wouldn’t even be disappointed. It even seemed like Ramsey might actuallywelcomeit, which was not doing Nate’s peace of mind any favors.
Ramsey finally replied.Sorry,he said,I had to talk Wes off the cliff. And no, not really.
The thoughts flashing through his brain like uncooperative flashcards—Ramsey wet, Ramsey laughing up at him, Ramsey naked in bed underneath him, Ramsey’s lips against his cheek—made Nate reckless.
He wanted to claim that he’d tried to avoid it, but if he was being really honest, it hadn’t been so hard to break him down.
If I was there, I bet I could get you to tell me.
Probably,Ramsey texted back.Too bad you’re not. Sounds like a fun time.
Nate groaned under his breath, his head hitting the seat cushion behind him. If he didn’t know better, he’d think Ramsey was trying to seduce him. But if he was, wouldn’t Nate know it?Andif he was, wouldn’t he have suggested something else besides fake dating?
Not for the first time, Nate wished he understood the guy a little better—even though Nate had a feeling that he understood him better than most.
