“It’s cute when you try to be seductive, Miss Waiting For Marriage.” A smile toyed at his lips. “We want to stay because Kate makes the best homemade rolls and pumpkin pie you’ve ever tasted. We definitely want the pie.” His lifted brows were serious, like it was critical that I comply. I didn’t know who Kate was, but I hoped her pie was as delicious as he said. I might need to stuff my face with all kinds of carbs and sugar to manage this afternoon.
I nodded. “Got it. No hugs untilafterdessert.”
“Very funny.” He led me into a massive living room with the biggest flat screen I’d ever seen. It had to have been special ordered. They didn’t sell them like that in Sam’s Club. Currently, it was playing a rerun ofFriday Night Lights. A couple of younger kids, all in their Sunday best, played on the floor with toy trucks and Barbie dolls.
The no hugging rule lasted all of ten seconds before another group of guys flocked around us, each stealing a hug. I suspected they’d planned this ahead of time to get under Blue’s skin as much as possible. It was working. He kept reaching for me but then someone else would steal me away, leaving him empty-handed and frustrated.
“Frist, you weren’t kidding,” a beefy guy standing next to Madden said. “This girl is the one. Look how pissed he is that we keep touching her.” Then he put his hands in a prayer pose and bowed to me. “Congratulations on finally taming the untamable.”
Blue rolled his eyes.
I put a hand on his left pec, my eyes on him. “Untamable, huh?”
His cheeks flushed, and it was the best thing I’d seen all day. “Stawp.”
“Dude has a will of iron and this girl has completely undone it.” Brion smirked. “’Member that time Lacy went out with Tyson for a week? Blue didn’t even blink.”
His teammate went out with his girlfriend—maybe she’d been his ex by then—and he didn’t care?
“Did me a favor,” Blue mumbled right before he cleared his throat and loosened his collar. “Can we not?” he said louder.
A petite, curvy girl with dark hair and blue eyes spoke up. “Why would he need to be jealous when he can have any girl he wants?” Her eyes were greedy, devouring him with a single look. Like she’d happily be one of them.
I went stiff, trying to keep a glare from overtaking my face. What kind of girl makes a play for a guy when his arm is around his girlfriend?
Blue pulled me tighter into his side. His nose grazed my cheekbone. “Don’t pay attention to her. She’s just ajersey chaser,” he said softly as if she were completely harmless. And as if she were a wholly other breed of human.
Another girl, average height, with bright red hair like Lemon’s was looking at him the same way. Then her eyes hooked her fellow vulture’s. “We could tag team him. I’ve heard he likes that sort of thing.”
It took everything in me not to gasp.
Blue’s eyes narrowed and he barked a firm, “No.” His expression begged me not to believe them. “It’s not true.”
I turned to face the girl, eyes narrowed, fists in a ball. Before I could stop it from escaping my mouth, I channeled my inner Brooklyn and blurted, “You know you’re only here because you’re low hanging fruit.”
The room went silent. Madden’s eyes widened but he offered me a nod of pride. Brion covered his mouth and exchanged a low five with the guy next to him. I blamed my words on the situation. I wasn’t a mean girl. I fully believed in straightening other girls’ crowns. But these two were the type to knock the crown from your head and place it on their own. So I felt okay about it.
“Hey, let’s go get some sodas.” Blue pulled me back, trying to get me to leave. But I was rip-roaring and ready for this fight.
Anger flashed across Red’s face, but then she reined it in and gave Blue a hungry look that said, “Challenge accepted.” “That just means I’m ripe and ready. No waiting involved.” Her tone was haughty, her smile smug. “This one looks like the type who’s probably not satisfying you at all.”
Every eye was on me. My face was on fire. I could feel it. With that one sentence, all my fears were carefully wrapped with a neat little bow. I’d been raised to be a certain kind of girl. High School Blue had been okay with that. But College Quarterback Blue probably wasn’t. Not after having intimate relationships before. Anger choked me. I should’ve looked to see if Blue agreed. Maybe she was right. But I was afraid I might find truth there.
“Leon,” Blue snapped. A guy who’d been sitting on the arm of the couch watching TV glanced up, completely oblivious. “You might want to get a hold of yourdate.” But then to Red he said with acid in his tone, “I’m plenty satisfied. Mind your own business.”
“Sure you are.” The girl smirked. “But you know where to find me once she heads back to Virginia.”
My pounding heart and rage-filled mind spurred me forward, ready to smack that smug smile off of her face. I took a step toward her, knocking Blue’s hand off me.
“Anna.” Blue’s fingers caught the edge of my waist. Then he gripped me firmly by the shoulders, stopping me dead. I squirmed, my metaphorical claws already extending.
“Boys,” a female said right next to my ear. My eyes swung over to see a blond woman around thirty-five who had a hold on me. Not Blue. “I’m going to steal Anna for a few minutes. I heard she makes a mean cornbread stuffing and mine needs all the help it can get.” She’d heard no such thing. The only stuffing I knew how to make came from a box and I’d never met this woman before in my life. Her eyes widened, warning me to play along. Maybe this was her house. Was she one of the coaches’ wives?
I nodded, embarrassed at my moment of temporary insanity. “Yes. Of course.”
Blue, whose cheeks were smarting, a tight furrow in his brow, reached over and squeezed my hand once before reluctantly letting me go. I rolled my shoulders back and followed the woman, who, on inspection, was lovely and graceful. The opposite of the two predators back there.
Her hands stayed on my shoulders until we were out of the room. “Listen, you can’t pay any mind to girls like that. Not if you want things with Blue to last. I’m Kate by the way. Coach Whitlock’s wife.” So it was her house. She released me as I made it beyond the mass of people. As I followed her, I forced my heart to slow. I’d probably just embarrassed Blue terribly. But I couldn’t think about that right then. I needed to be Mature Anna. Not whoever the heck I was back there. I quickly pulled my phone from the purse slung over my shoulder.
