“I won’t. I promise.”
Parker looks at me like he isn’t sure he trusts me anymore before he leaves and I stand there like an idiot for about a minute, going through everything Savannah has said…but she clams up and switches the subject whenever we get too close to her siblings. Now I know why.
Who the fuck knew there was a Dallas in Georgia as well as Texas?
I sigh, not sure if I want to go back to the punching bag or get another drink, but then I remember Parker said he sees her like a sister. Not as a love interest. And she needs a ride home.
* * *
“Savannah?” I say with my best impression of surprise when I get to the front porch and find her talking to Parker, seemingly arguing about whether she can walk herself home.
“Noah, I…you know Parker?” she asks, and any thought I might have had of alluding to her brother, to show her and Parker I’m not an asshole, dies at the absolute fear in her eyes, like her world is about to come crashing down around her.
“From around the athletic center…and all the posters with his face.” She smiles, but she’s still nervous, less and more so when someone steals Parker from her, and it’s just the two of us. “You heading home?” I ask instead of a question that would lead to her lying to me. I’m sure she has, but now that I know, I really don’t want her to.
“Yeah, parties aren’t really my thing.”
“The things you’ll do for research,” I tease, and she visibly relaxes at the general statement that both gives her an excuse for being here, and saves us from more lies. “Can I walk you?”
“It’s out of your way,” she argues, but I get a smile, and that’s all I need to keep going.
“Something you should know for your book is that all the guys I know, on any of the teams, wouldn’t let a girl walk home alone after a party in the middle of the night.”
I look back to Parker, who is talking with friends but watching us with the look I’d have if someone tried to wander off with Izzie, but I mouth, I’ve got her, and he reluctantly nods.
“I’m not drunk,” Savannah says, as if her stumbling was my fear.
“But it’s dark. And nighttime. And there’s really no point going back in there when you’re out here.”
“I feel like you’re constantly trying to convince me to let you be inconvenienced by me.” She sighs.
“Then maybe you’re not good at knowing what’s convenient. You’re leaving just as I was thinking of calling it a night and needed an excuse to abandon the freshmen to Darren.”
“Guys look out for each other at parties too?” she asks.
“I’m captain. If they get shitfaced and break a limb, I’m screwed.”
“Yet you’re still leaving?”
“They’re good guys and my Alternates have them.” God, I hope they do, but at the moment, I don’t think I could bring myself to go back. “Did you have fun tonight?”
“It wasn’t as terrible as it could have been. I spent most of it playing darts. My dad has a board in the office, so I’m not bad at it. Most guys don’t expect that, so it’s fun shocking them.”
“I’m sad I missed it.”
“Don’t be,” she assures me.
“Will your book have parties?”
“Probably.” She shrugs.
“We should go to a hockey one,” I suggest, excited at the prospect. “Way better than football.”
* * *
It takes about twenty minutes to get to her dorm, but I’m not ready to leave her. She kept her hand in her pocket the whole walk, so I haven’t touched her since my bedroom, days ago.
“Do you want to come in? I have coffee or hot chocolate, so you can warm up before heading home.” She’s flustered, and it’s cute, which shouldn’t make my dick twitch, but it does, even if I don’t think she’s actually offering a night cap. “Or I can drive you. And I have tea.”
