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More than you know.
I lift my beer at him and take another drink so I don’t say something I’ll regret.
Willis climbs on a table and lifts his beer. He’s a bit wobbly, and I really hope he doesn’t fall and bust his head. I really don’t want to hear Coach yell at us because he’s a dumbass.
“Hey, shut up!” Everyone quiets down, and I turn to face him completely. “I’m proud to play with you fuck nuggets.” Everyone chuckles, and he continues. “Let’s have a toast to Captain Carp for being the coolest, level-headedest, ass-kickingest dude.”
“Hear, hear,” the team cheers, lifting their glasses.
“Yay! Carppy!” Brendon yells, standing abruptly and spilling his beer on Carpenter. “My bad, dawg.”
Brendon leans down with his tongue out like he’s going to lick the beer from our captain’s neck. Leaping forward, I grab Brendon’s shirt and jerk him backward into me. He stumbles and leans on my chest for a second, cackling.
“We don’t lick people,” I say in his ear.
“Maybe you don’t, but I definitely do.” He licks my cheek, and I force myself to move back away from him. His mouth is so fucking close to mine. It would be easy to press our lips together.
“Act right before someone punches you in the face.”
Brendon salutes me and pulls the blonde woman against him. They sway to the music, and she reaches back to hook her arm around his neck. He drags his lips against her neck, and she smiles, pushing back into him.
“I’m surprised he’s gone after so many chicks.” Jeremy’s voice makes me jump, and I lift my beer to my lips just for something to do.
“I’m not.” I give him the side-eye. “You hurt him, so he’s finding a distraction that won’t come back to bite him in the ass.”And I hate it.It’s a dig at Jeremy because I’m jealous, but oh well. The alcohol is not helping me keep control of my pissy mood, and if I don’t watch it, I’ll end up outing myself to the team before I’m ready.
I get dragged into a game of darts with some of the guys, and by the time I get back to the bar, Brendon has disappeared. Great.
I scan the room but don’t see any sign of his bright red hair or the blonde he was wrapped around. Did he leave with her? Did he take her back to our dorm? Is he getting a blowie in the bathroom or behind the bar?
I shove a hand through my hair and pull on the strands in frustration. Fuck. If he disappeared with that girl, I don’t know how I’ll be able to keep my jealousy under wraps.
A warm body presses against me, making me jump, but a quick look over my shoulder and getting an eyeful of red hair has me relaxing. Brendon’s arms come around my waist, and his face presses to the back of my shoulder. He’s my comfort, and he doesn’t even know it.
“Take me home,” he mumbles.
I smile a little and pat his hand. “Okay, let me make sure Jeremy and Preston are good, then we can go.”
Brendon presses a soft, quick kiss to my neck, and goose bumps break out along my skin. That was much more arousing than it should be. I force my body to not react to it or to think too much into it. He doesn’t mean it to be sexual or a come-on. He’s just an affectionate guy.
As much as I don’t want him to let me go, I know he has to. I pat his hands again, and he slides them back, dragging them along my sides. I glance back at him for a second before moving through the crowd to find Jeremy.
He’s at a table with Willis and Carpenter sitting on Preston’s lap, laughing and having a good time. I lean close to his ear so he can hear me over the noise.
“Brendon is ready to go, so I’m taking him back to the dorms. You guys good?”
“I’ll head back with Preston.” Jeremy pats my arm, Preston growls, and I nod, then find Brendon again.
We say goodbye to the guys we pass on the way to the door, and I breathe a sigh of relief when we get into the quiet of the night. Brendon follows behind me a few steps, then grabs my hand and holds it.
Butterflies tickle my stomach, and I give his hand a light squeeze. I don’t think he’s ever held my hand before. Is it the booze?
“I’m sorry, Pauly boy,” he sighs, lifting the back of my hand to rub his prickly cheek against.
“Sorry for what?” My voice is a little shaky, but I doubt he notices.
“That I can’t love you the way you deserve.” He pulls me along with him across campus to our building.
Uh. Excuse me? Fuckingwhat?!
