Deacon huffs out a breath. “I’m aware. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t still hate me.”
Now it’s Bibi’s turn to roll her eyes. “Doubt it. He probably doesn’t ever think of you.” She touches her forefinger to her lower lip. “Though now that I think about it, when Kasey called you to drive us, he did look two seconds away from committing murder. What was that about, anyway?”
“I’ve always said there’s something going on between these two. Maybe he doesn’t like the idea of another guy near Kasey.” Allie says it flippantly, but in the back of my mind, I’m silently freaking out. If Allie and Bibiana figure out what we’re doing, then their significant others—Roman and Emilio—will know too. And if they find out, no way will Aaron not get wind of it. I need to shove them off that trail of thought right away.
“Hardly,” I chuckle. “He just likes to play the protective older brother part whenever Aaron isn’t around. I’ve heard him call it some bro code bullshit or something. I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
Deacon gives me the side eye but thankfully says nothing and after a few comments from the girls about what a bummer that is, and how it would have been so great if we got along and coupled up like they did, I finally get them onto the topic of Bibi’s impending birth and get sucked into talks about her birthing plan and the baby shower, and all things baby Chavez.
Thank god for that. They don’t really need much input from me, so I relax while they talk about themes and colors, whether Bibiana wants a doula or if she just wants Emilio in the room when the baby comes.
Deacon doesn’t join the discussion. Instead, he pulls out his phone, typing a quick, one-handed message before tossing it in the car’s cup holder.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I frown at him as I pull it out, Deacon’s name flashing across the screen.
Deacon: I take it they don’t know about you and Dominique?
I scowl at him and type out a response.
Me: There’s nothing to know.
His phone chirps and he reads my message, grunts, and types out a reply.
Deacon: Bullshit. You two fucked in the locker room last week.
I turn wide eyes toward him. Floored. I am fucking floored right now. He saw us? We checked and double checked that no one was in there. How the hell could he—Another message comes in.
Deacon: Stop freaking out. Your secret is safe with me and I didn’t see shit. I heard plenty when I grabbed my gear after practice. Cut back on the ‘God, yes. Oh Dominique. Yes.’ The man doesn’t need the ego stroke. It’s plenty big already.
I cover my face with my hand, heat rising in my cheeks. He knows. Shit. No one is supposed to know.
“You okay?” Bibi asks.
I give her a thumbs up, keeping my face turned away from her as my mind scrambles to come up with an excuse. A way to deny this, but I’ve got nothing. Literally nothing. “Yep. Super peachy.”
Deacon, for his part, laughs and I know with that sound alone that, while he might not tell—jury is out on that though because I don’t know him that well — he definitely plans to use this against me.Great.
ONE HUNDRED FOUR
Deacon
She’s panicking. I can see it in her eyes. The fast flutter of her lashes. Her mouth is stuck in this in-between stage with her lips parted like she wants to speak but has no idea what to say. It’s fucking cute as shit. No wonder Price wants her all for himself.
Too bad the fucker can’t always have what he wants. He has shit so fucking easy. Life given to him on a silver platter. And if I can’t take his spot on the team, then I’ve got no issue swooping in and claiming his girl as my consolation prize instead.
Don’t get me wrong. He’s earned his stripes. I won’t deny that. Right now, he’s the better quarterback. But he’s not the better man. Sooner or later, Kasey is going to realize that.
I slide my hand over the center console and give her knee a squeeze. “Relax. I’ve got you,” I tell her. I could fuck Price over with this information if I wanted to. There’s a reason he and Kasey are keeping things on the down low. I don’t know what they are yet. But I’ll find out. And in the meantime, I’ll hang on to this knowledge, earn Kasey’s trust, and show her why she’s wasting her time with a dude who’s clearly uninterested in showing her off.Idiot.It’s like he has no clue what a fucking catch she is. She’s younger than him by a few years so it could be that but I can’t imagine that’s reason enough to avoid laying a public claim on the girl.
She swallows hard, her throat bobbing with the motion, and I leave my hand on her knee for the rest of the drive. I’m not sure if she realizes it’s there, likes that I’m touching her, or is just too lost in that pretty head of hers to care.
Either one works for me. I’ve spent the last few weeks building a relationship with this chick and doing my damnedest to not get stuck in the friend zone, which is a hell of a lot harder than I expected.
I’m an alright looking guy. Getting a girl’s attention has never been an issue. But Kasey isn’t like other girls. She’s feisty and could give two shits what anyone thinks about her, and she never has a problem speaking her mind.
I’ve managed to make touches like this casual. Normal and to be expected.
She doesn’t bat an eye anymore when I toss my arm around her shoulder and walk with her after class, or when I pull her in for a quick hug goodbye. She’s comfortable with me. And Price fucking hates it. Knowing that it eats away at him is the only thing keeping me sane these days.
