Jase’s hands roam my body, molding to my curves through my clothes, and I grab his ass through his jeans, wishing I could snap my fingers and our clothes would be gone so I could climb his body and impale myself on his giant dick.
“I know you like being risqué in public, and I’m into watching, but dry-fucking right outside the locker room is probably taking things too far.” Chad’s words are like a bucket of ice water over my head, and I rip out of Jase’s arms, panting and inwardly berating myself for being so fucking weak.
What the hell was I thinking making out with him like that in front of their teammates?
“Shit,” I hiss, noticing our actions are drawing a crowd. Members of the team who were heading down the tunnel toward the parking lot are doing U-turns and coming this way.
My boyfriend snakes his arm around my waist before shouting over his shoulder. “Nothing to see here, folks. Be on your way.”
I look up at my boyfriend. “Chad, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what the hell came over me.” Whirling around, I narrow my eyes at Jase as I point my finger in his direction. “Actually, I do. You fucking bamboozled me.”
Jase’s mouth tugs up at the corners. “Pretty sure I don’t have any magical powers, baby. We just can’t resist one another. We never could.”
“No.” I vigorously shake my head as I link my fingers in Chad’s. “No, you fucking seduced me! Asshole. And you did it in public too!” Jase has always been a flirty guy, and I have seen him lay the charm on thick in certain social situations. I have never met his older brother, Balthazar, as he’s been at LU the past three years, but I have heard all the stories. He’s a known charmer and a big manwhore to boot. Their father too, if the rumors of his repeated infidelity are true. I guess it runs in their genes, but this is the first time Jase has deliberately seduced me, and I don’t like it.
It feels dishonest. Fake. Manufactured.
“Julia knows about us. We don’t have to sneak around anymore.” Jase stares at me with pained, pleading eyes. Bruising dark circles paint the skin under his eyes, and there’s at least a week’s worth of growth on his chin and cheeks.
Jase is beautiful.
He truly is.
And I’m so attracted to him, but it doesn’t excuse what he’s done or change anything.
He’s watching emotions flit across my face as Chad holds on to me. “I know things are messed up right now, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you. How I have always felt about you. Please don’t push me away. Please give me a chance to fix this.”
I lean back into my boyfriend, needing his strength to stick to my resolve.
Jase’s shoulders hunch as he shoves his hands deep in his pockets. “Tell me what to do. I’m begging you, Ash,” he says in a quiet, desolate tone.
“Move out of her house and tell your dad to stick his engagement where the sun doesn’t shine.” I repeat what I told him yesterday when he accosted me, the day before that, and the day before that.
“I wish I could. I really do.” Sadness shrouds him in a heavy veil, and it feels like I have rocks pressing down on my heart.
“Youcando it. You just refuse to.”
Strands of dark hair fall into his eyes when he shakes head. “It’s not up to me. It’s not my choice.”
“Then explain it to me, and don’t say it’s about money because we both know that’s bull.”
Chad nuzzles his nose in my hair and holds me tighter.
“I wish I could, but I can’t.”
A harsh laugh erupts from my throat. “You’re like a broken record, Jase, and I’m sick of hearing it. Until you grow a pair and fight for me, I know one thing you can do.” I glare at him. “Leave. Me. The. Fuck. Alone!” Grabbing Chad’s hand, I turn my back to Jase once more. “We need to go, or we’ll be late.”
Chad looks over my shoulder, silently communicating with his best friend in that way of theirs. I don’t look. I don’t want to know what’s being exchanged.
Things have been tense between them lately, but I’m encouraging Chad not to let what happened between Jase and me impact their friendship. They train and play on the same team. Our personal shit can’t get in the way of Chad’s NFL ambitions.
Chad slides his arm around my shoulders and steers me toward the tunnel.
“Ashley!” Jase roars after me, and a few seconds later, the thud, thud of approaching footsteps echoes behind us.
I rub a tense spot between my brows. He needs to let this go. To letmego. I won’t play second fiddle to Julia. It’s all or nothing now.
Jase runs in front, forcing us to stop or slam into him. “Ash, baby, please.” Tortured green eyes meet my heartbroken brown ones. “I meant everything I said. I care about you so deeply. You’re my world. I…I…” His mouth opens and closes a couple of times and it’s like he wants to say more but the words won’t come out.
