But I can’t give up.
Right?
What the hell? Girls like big gestures, and I know damn well she’s feeling me. I could see it in her eyes. The way just a simple touch had her flushing and me wanting more. We had two very important and core-memory-making moments in The Penalty Perk. And while she said one thing, I know she didn’t mean it. She may want to, but we both know her words are as flimsy as a piece of used tape. Shit, the way her mouth opened in shock was downright sinful, and I had to physically fight myself to keep from sticking my tongue in her mouth without warning from the way she was looking at me.
I’ve never had the primal need to kiss someone, but I do with her.
It may have been easy to ignore attraction or even chemistry with everyone else, but there is no ignoring this pull between us. I get it. She’s been burned by some shitty dudes, but I’m not them. I bet they were all pretty words and trash actions. She hasno clue what is coming for her or how hard I work for what I want.
I want her.
And I don’t mean in the naked sense.
I want to talk to her. I want to impress her. I want her to come to my game to show her that, yeah, I may not be able to pick a damn sport, but I can share both with her. I’ve seen rom-coms, I’ve been stuck in the car with my cousins when they listen to romance audiobooks, I know what girls like! I need the chance to tell her I’m DoesMyBreathStink60. When I do, she’ll see how easy it is for us. That I’m her biggest fan, and that I’m not like the jackasses before.
But am I?
Shit.
What am I doing?
I almost don’t even recognize myself, but…it feels right.
Which is scary as fuck.
Blake, the second-string quarterback, meets my gaze, and I still have to know. “What happened?”
He shrugs, looking unsure as he whips his blond hair to the side with a swipe of his hand. Blake’s eyes are a bit sullen as he swallows hard before leaning in. “It was weird, man. She just stood there, her face all white and frozen as her eyes filled with tears. It didn’t seem like she was pissed, but embarrassed instead.”
“What? Why?” Once more, Blake swallows, and I know he’s hesitating to tell me what he thinks. “What?”
He kicks the grass. “I don’t think she can read.”
I can’t help it. I laugh just to keep from strangling him. I don’t like the feral anger that roars inside me because he is implying she is something other than perfect. “No fucking way. She’s fucking brilliant and throws out stats like it’s nothing. I’ve been messaging her for weeks.”
Blake chews on his lip. “Dude, I could tell the tears she cried were from embarrassment. She asked me to read the note and then asked me what the signs said.”
Huh.
No.
That can’t be right.
Our conversations flow easily on the app, but then why would she ask him to read to her? That not only confuses me but also has guilt burning in my chest. I rub the spot as I look anywhere but at him. “Really?”
“Yeah, bro.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “She was really crying?”
“Yeah,” he says, kicking the grass again. “And I asked Bammer and Jippy, and they said she asked them to read their notes too.”
Shit. My stomach turns in on itself. If she truly can’t read, then I’ve done nothing but remind her of that over and over. My voice is gruff as I ask, “Did she cry then?”
He shakes his head. “No. I think the reason she did today was because we drew a crowd, and they were all taking pictures and squealing for her to say yes.”
Well. Fuck.
I run my hand through my hair as I let out a long breath. “So, you’re probably right, and she was mortified,” I say more to myself than to him.
