I huffed out a laugh as my hands rested on her bare shoulders. “It was us who told the dean you were earning.”
Ava rolled her eyes, and stepping back, she pulled the jersey down her body. “Yeah, I guessed.”
“You guessed?” I hadn’t been expecting that. “Why aren’t you screaming at me?”
Ava shrugged as she pulled her hair out from under the jersey. “Who else would it be? No one else cares enough aboutme making fifty dollars here and there when I shouldn’t.” Ava looked down at the length of the jersey. With a frown, she started to tuck it into her shorts. “I was pissed. I was, but then you tell me it’s ’cause I drugged you? Well . . .” She glanced up at me. “It’s a severe reaction, but I understood why.”
“You could have gotten kicked out of school,” I said to her, not understanding her calmness. “I would have done that to you — made you lose your scholarship.”
Ava ran her hands through her hair, fluffing it up around her shoulders. “Who actually told?”
“Why?”
“Because I know it wasn’t you.” Ava stood back and looked in the mirror. The jersey was too big, but she’d tucked the front in her shorts, the rest covering her ass. “I may be pissed at Gray, but you . . .” Her head dipped as she looked at her feet. “I was certain it wasn’t you.”
“I let the girls spread the rumors about you being a thief and a slut.”
Her breath caught, and she didn’t look my way. “I know, that was hard, but I assume that stops . . . now? After . . .”
“Yes. Yes!” I repeated when I saw her doubtful look. “I’m sorry.”
Ava’s eyes searched mine as she looked for any duplicity. “Okay.”
Pulling her into me, I tipped her head to look up at me. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” Her smile was slow, and I saw the mischievous glint in her eye. “I’m not apologizing for punching you or for the tweets.”
My laughter rumbled out of me as I buried my head in her neck. “My balls have been sucked dry by your pussy and treated well, they’re fine. Apology tothemis accepted.”
“Jett!” Ava whispered in mortification.
I straightened once more and looked her over. “And you’re wearingmyjersey. I think we both know whoUptight’sbeen really rooting for.”
With a laugh, she pushed me away from her. “Egotistical dick!” She held her hand out to me as she headed to the door. “Come, you promised me food.”
We headed downstairs together, and I felt slightly cavemanish for how much satisfaction I was getting from her wearing my number.
The kitchen was fuller than I was expecting, and I felt her hesitate before she dropped my hand. Ash and Gray were sitting at the breakfast bar, both of them looking far too amused at what Ava was wearing. Jamie was making pancakes and bacon, and he stopped when he took her in before he resumed what he was doing. Two other guys on the defense shared a grin but resumed eating their cereal.
Derrick moved from the counter where he’d been resting his elbows.
“Ava?” He looked her over in concern, and then his face hardened when he noted my jersey.
“Hi, Derrick.” I saw her smile at him as she smoothed her hands over her shorts. “Um, hey, team.” Her face was on fire, but she stood firm.
I felt her relax slightly as my arm wound itself around her waist, and she leaned into me. “You want some pancakes?” I asked her softly.
“Is that okay?” Ava asked, looking at Jamie. “If I have some?”
“Aren’t you a Lions fan?” Jamie asked her with a scowl as he flipped his pancakes.
“I’ve been persuaded to consider my options,” Ava said to him with an easy smile and a twinkle in her eye, and the guyslaughed. It was as if all the tension in the room dissipated as Ava visibly relaxed.
Jamie smiled widely and poured more batter into the pan. “How many you want?”
“You okay there?” I asked Derrick, who was still watching Ava.
“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting . . . never mind.”
