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Opening the door for her, she jumps up into her seat like old times. Like this truck is just like home.
Settled in her seat, I start the truck and direct it out of the parking lot. The air in the cab is as thick as fog. I don’t know what to say or how to break the silence.
She finally breaks the stone-cold silence in the truck, her voice as soft and smooth as I remember. “Thanks for getting me out of that.”
“You’re welcome. You never did like the whole macho coming-onto-you routine. I see it hasn’t changed.” I don’t know what else to reply. I have so many questions I want to ask and things I’ve missed out on telling her, but I can’t just bombard her in the first five minutes.
“Um, how have you been?” she asks. “I see college is working out for you.” I turn to look at Nat and wonder what she means by that comment.
Remember… cool and calm, that’s how I need to play this.
“Yeah, things are going great here. The team is good, and I slotted in right from the start. Like in everything in life, there are some awesome guys and there are a few dickheads. But I like the coach and we get along perfectly, which makes my job easier out on the field. I’m holding my grades up enough to pass, so that’s all that matters.”
“Good.” I can see her body language is still tense and she hasn’t relaxed around me yet.
“What about you? Xavier tells me you’re at the top of all your classes and getting exceptional grades. But then again, that’s no surprise. You always were an A-grade student.”
“Are you trying to say I was a nerd?” There is that quick little temper she has when she’s around me.
“You said that, not me.” I laugh a little at her look on her face that’s telling me she is about to let loose on me. “Hey, stay calm. It’s a good thing, Nat. I wish I had your brains, then I wouldn’t have to work so hard to keep on top of things.”
The fight drops off her a little.
“Well, it doesn’t come as easy as it appears. I’ve worked damn hard to get where I am at the moment. I just wish I could convince Xavier to follow me. I swear, if he flunks out of this course, I will kill him. We both need to finish together so we can get out and find jobs so we can get the experience required to start our own business one day.” Her hands are now fiddling with the bottom hem on the jersey which comes partway down her thighs.
“Ah, so the dream is still alive then, I’m so glad to hear that.” Without thinking, I reach over and grab her hand, giving it a squeeze. For a moment, time stands still, and it feels amazing until the shock wears off, and Nat takes her hand back and runs it through her hair to find a use for it elsewhere.
We continue with the idle chatter as we approach the dorm, and I know I need to get it together as I pull into the parking spot.
“Come up and see the room. We’ll grab your bags from Xavier’s truck back at the dorm lot and dump it in my room and get rid of my game bag too. I also want to quickly get changed. Originally, I was going to drive straight to the party, but I forgot to bring my clothes to get changed into. Is that okay?”
“Sure, lead the way.” Her voice tells me she is not nearly as confident as she’s trying to act with me.
The dorm is quiet with all the team heading to the party. I can see Nat taking it all in as we walk down the hallway for my floor. There are posters on the walls of NFL greats, along with team shots. Coach thinks it’s good for motivation. To keep our dreams alive.
“It really is a football house, isn’t it. These walls sort of give it away.”
“That and the smell of stinky football cleats and pads. Yeah, I guess it’s a good clue.”
Pushing the key into the lock, the door springs open to my room, which thankfully I bothered to clean today before I started studying. Because there was no time after Xavier sprang the news on me of the visitor I was getting. I was too busy panicking.
“Take a seat, I’ll just slip into the bathroom to change.”
Retreating quickly into the small bathroom so I can get myself under control, I can hear her still moving around. Jeans on now and a t-shirt stretching over my muscles, I take a deep breath before opening the door.
Nat has her back to me as she’s admiring all the trophies on the shelving above my desk. Reaching to place one back up on the shelf that is taller than she is, the jersey rises up, showing me her pert little ass. Oh yeah, she’s still got it.
“Here, let me help you with that.” Coming up behind her, I take it from her and rest it on my shelf easily.
The hitch in her breath alerts me to how close I am to her body, trapping her between me and the desk. I want to walk away but my feet are ignoring my thoughts.
The words just fall from my lips on a whisper. “Why are you here, Nat?”
The shock of my breath on her neck makes her shudder and spin to face me. Mere inches between us.
“Xavier told me to,” she mutters to me.
“Bullshit.” I take a moment before I ask again, “Why are you really here?” I need to know. Before I do anything else, I have to know where I stand.
