I shudder.
“It could be worse.” Devin frowns and I see the moment the realization hits him. “You shot me in the nuts with a t-shirt.”
“Oopsie.” I duck my head. “In my defense, they didn’t give me time to practice, and the Wildcat roar scared the crap out of me. I didn’t mean to pull the trigger.”
“Riiight.” He drags the word out, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“That roar is loud as hell.” But I can hardly fault him for being skeptical. Not after the itching powder. “If it’s any consolation, Coach Sharpe chewed me out big time afterward.”
“Rightfully so,” he grumbles. “My boys are scarred for life.”
I roll my eyes. “Your boys are fine.”
A fact I can confirm firsthand.
“True.” He zips the bag and tosses it aside before turning his gaze back to me. “But if you want to kiss and make up, they’d be down.”
“Duly noted.” I swipe my tongue across my lower lip, filing the suggestion away for later.
“Wait a minute.” He climbs to his feet and shoves his hands through his hair. “Are you telling me we could’ve been hooking up at away games all this time and you never said a word?”
“Yes?”
He groans. “We were literally in the same hotel Friday night and you didn’t invite me over to try out your new toy?”
“Trust me. I’d have much rather been screwing my brains out. It was boring hanging out in my room alone and keeping a low profile.” I arch a brow. “I couldn’t even go to the vending machines for fear of getting caught. Frankly, I don’t know how the real mascot did it.”
But you can bet your ass that if I ever meet him, I’m going to ask.
Devin shakes his head, apparently still in disbelief.
Right there with you.
“I knew the Wildcat looked shorter this year. The guys and I were talking about it at the home opener. Coop said you looked stoned.” He smirks. “And that there was no way a woman could do fifty one-armed pushups.” He rubs his hands together like he’s about to dive into an entire carton of ice cream.Mmm. Double chocolate chipwould really hit the spot right now. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when I tell him you’re filling in.”
“Wait. What?” I shake off all thoughts of ice cream. “You can’t do that.”
Devin’s face falls. “Do what?”
“You can’t tell anyone I’m filling in for the mascot.” I stand and press my palms to his chest, determined to make him understand. “The mascot’s identity has to remain secret. It’s tradition.”
He wiggles his brows. “Traditions are meant to be broken.”
“You’re thinking of rules.” I offer him a tight-lipped smile. “If I screw up, Sharpe will have my ass in front of the disciplinary board in a hot minute.”
“You’re serious.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close. Heat radiates from his body and he smells so freaking good. I inhale the delicious scent of sandalwood and citrus that is so uniquely his, and as I stare up at him, his eyes soften. “Relax, Shorty. Your secret is safe with me.”
Relief floods my veins. “Thank you.”
It would be tragic to make it this far, only to have everything fall apart now.
“No need to thank me.” His hands slide down my backside and he palms my ass cheeks. “I don’t play dirty. Except in the bedroom.”
I laugh in spite of myself. Becauseof coursehe brought the conversation back to sex. “Keep it in your pants. We’ve got a paper to finish.”
31
PARKER
