Her looks stopped me in my tracks.
Fuck.
“What, you aren’t going to smack me for checking out your girl?” Eli’s voice brought me back. On cue, I hit the back of his head.
“Thanks for the reminder.”
Zade snorted and disappeared to find Callie. I joined them, not able to take my eyes off Greta. Her fingers strummed her guitar, the vibration of her voice hitting me in the solar plexus. She used to play with her eyes closed, but now she searched the room with those soft-brown orbs and landed on me.
Something squeezed around my heart, the sensation so unfamiliar I frowned. Greta saw my reaction, a briefly noticeable look of concern crossing her face before she looked elsewhere. “You got it bad, my friend.”
I recognized Callie’s voice, Zade nowhere in sight. I smiled at her. “What you mean?”
“You have feelings for Greta.” Her kind eyes didn’t mock me, no. But they assessed me a little too much.
“Greta’s my best friend, Cal. You know this.” I rolled my eyes, avoiding her gaze. “Come on.”
“I know that look on your face, Hilly.” She patted my arm. “It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone.”
“I don’t know what you would tell,” I lied, lied, lied. “We have almost two more months left. That’s it. Then things go back to normal. Greta can date and I can go back to my whorish ways.”
My stomach soured. Callie smacked her lips together, snorting. “You’re going to be okay seeing Greta make out with another guy?Really?”
I clenched my fists. Thinking about her with someone else turned my blood hot. Rage, not dissimilar to how I felt about the pictures, consumed me. But Callie’s knowing gaze and tone pissed me off. “Callie. Yes. It’s part of the deal.”
“Okay, sorry.” She pulled back, and I imagined her frowning hard at me. I didn’t have time to think about it when Greta announced a short break. The crowd cheered, Eli’s voice a little too loud.Idiot.I didn’t want him to get into trouble for being at the bar.
I wanted to run up to her but I waited. I watched as she hugged friends, guys I’d never had seen before, and had to take a calming breath when Tanner appeared next to her with a huge hug that lifted her off the ground.What the fuck is he playing at?
“Johnson, I swear to god.” Her voice carried over, filled with happiness and amusement. My chest tightened.
“You’re so tiny and cute, I can’t help it.” He set her down and I saw red. I took four strides and stood directly in front of him.
“Stop flirting with my girlfriend,” I barked. A group of people around us turned in our direction, but I didn’t care. Tanner’s eyes widened, a slight tremor of fear replacing the shock. Greta put her hand on my forearm, pinching me enough to get my attention.
“Ronnie, did you forget to eat today? You’re hangry as fuck.”
I laughed, the tension disappearing as soon as it had appeared. “Shit. Maybe.”
“Come on, crazy.” She tugged me and flipped Tanner off. “I know your weakness, TJ. I’ll get you back.”
He said something, but I ignored it. I wanted to touch Greta. I knew the breakroom was small, just a table and two chairs. She opened the door and shoved me inside. “Hey, asshole.”
“Asshole?” I attacked her neck, running my tongue down it and tasting the salty mixture of sweat and perfume. “I don’t like the fact he touches you a lot.”
“Aaron. I don’t have feelings for Tanner.” She looked up at me, the dark brown eyes blinking and pleading with me.
I wanted to ask if she did for me.
I desperately wanted to know…but I didn’t ask. If she said no, I wouldn’t survive it. Instead, I lifted the edge of her grungy shirt and saw she was braless again. “How are my favorite nips doing today? Sore?”
An unreadable expression crossed her face before she grinned. “They’re fine. They hurt when they rub against something.”
I gently ran my finger over both of them, careful not to touch the metal rings. “God, I can’t wait for these to heal so I can suck them.”
She gulped. “Are you trying to get me wet right now? I have to be up there in five minutes and trust me, this table has never been cleaned. I’m not having a quickie on it.”
“You’re no fun.” I put her shirt down, telling her about the scouts and the conversation I’d had with my coach. I quickly chowed down on a protein bar as I told her and her reaction made it all worth it.
