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“There’s nothing between Riley and me other than friendship. Even if we wanted it to be more, the university has a rule against players dating each other.”
She crossed her arms. “Well that’s a stupid rule.”
I barked out a laugh. “She doesn’t think so.”
“You’ve talked to her about it?”
“Yeah, and she wasn’t willing to take the risk. Riley has a lot more to lose than I do. In other circumstances…” I shook my head.
Mom’s face softened. “This must be hard for both of you then.”
“Mac says to try anyway.”
She chuckled and sent an affectionate look his way. “Bless that boy, he’s a romantic at heart, but an idiot in the head. If Riley asked for friendship, give it to her. Show her she can trust you to put her needs over yours.”
I nodded. The advice echoed what I’d already decided on my own after the game.
Mom hugged me, then patted my chest. “One more thing to think about, you’re not players once the season is over.”
With that mic drop of information, she turned and caught up to the rest of my family as they walked out the door. Three more months, then the playoffs. Suddenly, my drive to return to the championship seemed a lot more complicated.
11
I’d never had the hatred for Mondays that my friends did. My weekends were busy with football, both personal and professional, which was how most of my weekdays went as well. I didn’t have down time to lament the end of the weekend. Hell, I didn’t have a weekend.
Mondays meant practice and training and recently, Parker’s wicked smile in class. Today, he arrived with an iced chai, leaning close to set it on my tiny excuse for a desk.
“Morning, Lorelai,” he murmured, low enough no one else would hear him.
After I’d let my real name slip, he’d only called me Riley if there were other people around, which I’d made sure was always. He still managed to work Lorelai in at least once a day.
In truth, I liked when he said my real name. Something about the way he formed the word made my chest pull tight—a caress on a part of me only he knew.
“Morning, Shaw.” I took a long, slow sip from the cup, not surprised in the least he’d figured out my favorite morning beverage.
This particular Monday also meant we got our first test back in Human Sexuality. One that Parker aced, and I nearly failed.
I frowned down at the red mark on my paper. School had never been a huge priority for me, but I made good grades. Better than a D at least. Professor Declann bustled around at the front of the class as the students passed the stack of sheets down the rows.
Not only had I gotten a shitty grade, most of the class had probably seen it. I fought the rising embarrassment as several female students in the front row looked back our way. It was entirely possible they weren’t talking about me. According to Eva, Parker was a popular topic of conversation around here even before he was the starting quarterback.
The professor caught whatever they said and met my eyes with a frown. Yep. Definitely talking about me. She shook her head and dismissed me to speak to the girls in front of her. I didn’t know what her problem was, but if I dared to say anything in class, I only got negative responses.
Parker glanced over and pried the crumpled paper from my hand with a low whistle. “Damn, Riley. You know you have to maintain a B average to play, right?”
“Yes, thank you,” I responded through clenched teeth.
Between learning TU’s playbook and being behind from missing summer practices, I’d let my classes slide down my list of priorities. Professor Declann didn’t make me want to put in the effort here if it was going to be wasted.
He shoved the offending test into his backpack where I couldn’t glare at it anymore. “I could help you study.”
When he faced me again, Parker had adopted an innocent expression which immediately made me suspicious.
“Is this some excuse to get an invite into my apartment?”
“I was in your apartment last week for movie night. Eva burnt the popcorn, and you yelled at us from your bedroom for being too loud.”
Right. I’d forgotten about that. I was trying to read for one of my classes, and I’d kept imagining what would happen if I joined them. In my head, Parker pulled me down on his lap and whispered naughty things in my ear while his fingers traced fire along my thigh.
