His arms banded around me, holding me like he’d never let me go.Holding me the way I wanted to be held for the rest of my life, which was a problem.
“Babe, talk to me.What’s going on?”
“I don’t know what anyone’s told you, but this game with the Golden Bears is the game of the season.You could lose every other game, but if you win this one, the fans would see you as a hero for life.Conversely, even though the ’Cats are currently undefeated, if you guys lose this game, the rest of your accomplishments won’t matter.”I fisted the fabric of his hoodie.“The stadium is going to be standing-room-only, full of thousands of screaming Wildcats fans.Rumor has it, some pro scouts might even be in attendance.”I peeked up at him through my lashes.“You’re gonna want to be at your best.I don’t want to get in the way of that,” I finished quietly.
“Spending time with you relaxes me, keeps me grounded.Not spending time with you will absolutely fuck with my head.”The low timbre of his voice was dead serious.
And so sexy.
Gah!
I rubbed my palms up and down his back.“Maybe we sneak out of Stromboli’s early, spend a little time at my place, and send you home to sleep in your own bed?”
After a beat he said, “Something like that.”
His kiss chased away the fall chill in the air, and for a minute I forgot all my good objections to letting my guard down with this man.The front door to his house slammed, and Dalton bounded down the sidewalk.
“Hey, Saylor!You staying?”He stopped on the other side of my car.“No worries if you are, except we kind of need a fourth for the game.”Eyeing Cash, he added, “We’re kicking Dally’s ass.You’d better come inside so we can play teams and he can quit sulking.”
For some reason, I had the idea the mischief in Dalton’s grin had more to do with interrupting Cash and me than with torturing Dallas in whatever video game Cash’s roommates were playing.The rueful look he shot me said Cash had reached a similar conclusion.
Cash led me around the front of my car to the driver’s side where he kissed me one last time.“See you tomorrow, Saylor.”Making sure I understood exactly how reluctant he was to let me leave, he took great care in opening my door and tucking me back into my car.Before he closed the door, he leaned down and said, “In case you were wondering, I’ll be spending tomorrow night at your place.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cash
Ever since thesecond game I started after Patty’s injury, Saylor had been acting weird, like she was trying to put distance between us.Yet every time I brought it up, she found a way to sidestep me.The fact she thought I was buying her song and dance would have been laughable if not for the scary, bad feeling it gave me.
About a week after my first start, Taco and I were making dinner together after practice one night when he commented I must be one hell of a lay.My first instinct was to deck him, but I let him keep talking.According to my roommate who’d known her for the past three years, Saylor had never been one to date anyone for longer than a month or so.The fact we’d started dating last spring and were still together six months later had to mean something.
Careful not to indulge his gossipy little heart, I’d said something noncommittal, but his words had given me permission to feel a bit cocky about where things with Saylor were headed.Yet over the past month or so, she’d made excuses to avoid spending as much time with me as we’d been spending together before my promotion to starter.When she mentioned the pro scouts who’d likely be attending Saturday’s game, the cogs in my memory had slowly clicked into place.
Early on, Saylor had worried her friends who were dating starters on the Wildcats would be giving up their own dreams to support their guys chasing pro careers.At the time, she’d made it clear she wouldn’t be like her friends.She had zero intention of subverting her goals to those of some guy.She planned to follow her path and realize her dreams, which to her meant going it alone.At the time I hadn’t thought much of it.My NFL future had ended on an errant tackle during a conference game my sophomore year—or so I’d thought.
Having experienced a situation similar to Patty’s, I’d never wish injury on him—or any other player, for that matter.While I’d wanted to contribute meaningfully to the team, I hadn’t wanted to be in the position of making that contribution because someone else was hurt.But circumstances or fate or whatever never gave a rat’s ass about what I wanted.I was now the starter for the Wildcats.Only a dumbass would pass up an opportunity like this to make his mark and draw the attention of pro scouts.Plus, not playing my best would be a disservice to the team, to the coaches, and ultimately to Patterson because everyone’s sole goal was the National Championship.It was my job to do everything in my power to help us achieve that goal.
Saylor’s recent pull-back from us told me she had all of that figured out too.Apparently, what she couldn’t see was a place for her to chase her dreams and still be with me if the pros came calling.I had no idea if the pros would come, but if they did, I wouldn’t be passing up a chance to play in the NFL.Yet that didn’t have to mean we had to split up or that she had to give up her dream of working with touring bands and making music videos.
Though I didn’t have a clue how we’d work things out if I earned a shot at the pros, what I did know was that I was falling for her.Hell, I was already all-in with her, and it didn’t feel one-sided either.Both of us were smart people.Now I needed to convince her to play with me as we figured out together how to make our dreams compatible.
With the tip of my nose, I nudged Saylor’s hair behind her ear and whispered, “Wanna get out of here?”
The shiver that rippled over her had me tightening my arm around her shoulders.Raucous laughter, the clink of utensils on plates, and the thump of heavy mugs of beer landing on tabletops had made it necessary to press my lips against her skin as I asked the question.
After the bonfire, everyone had crowded into Stromboli’s.It wouldn’t surprise me if a person walking by on the street could see the walls flexing at the throng of people crammed inside the pizzeria.Being close with the guys who had NIL contracts with the place meant we had a booth to sit in, but that didn’t mean anyone could have an actual conversation over the excited roar of the throng of people inside.
Saylor gave me a nod, and I slid out of the booth, using my body to create enough space for her to be able to slide out too.
“See you guys tomorrow when we kick the shit out of the Golden Bears,” I shouted across the table to Bax and Taco.
Then I reached around Saylor to fist-bump Dally, who said, “Don’t stay out too late.We need you on top of your game tomorrow.”
“You know I will be,” I shouted back over the noise of the revelers around us.
Ushering Saylor in front of me, I led us over to the back door, which was the closest and easiest way out.Once we were in the back alley, I asked, “Did you drive, or did you ride with Piper?”
“I drove.I can follow you to your place.”
