“Dude, he really dislikes me.” My face warmed thinking about what transpired in just two days. “It’s fine. I can… handle it.”
Callum didn’t look pleased, and my stomach dropped. I didn’t want this tobe a thing.I preferred no drama. That was Dean’s ask—zero drama, no messing with the guys. Easy to follow. Yet not even a full twenty-four hours in and there was the flicker of some. “For real, don’t worry.”
“You sure?”
I nodded, hard.
“All right.” He stared at me for a second longer before flashing a playful, way-too-flirty grin. The switch was incredible. One second, he’d been concerned and friendly, then bam, oozing charm.
“Okay, none of that. Stop it right now.” I flicked between his eyebrows, earning a laugh out of him.
“Dayum, Dean mentioned you were off-limits, but I like a challenge.”
“Off-limits?” Ugh. I rolled my eyes. “I prefer guys who don’t smell like sweat and wear tighter pants than I do. That’s a hard hell no.”
“Fuck off, Lo.” He chuckled, just as Dean and Oliver walked into the kitchen. Callum nodded before walking toward them. He helped take one of the grocery bags from my brother.
“Lo? Y’all friendly already?” Dean asked, his gaze hardening at me. “What did I tell you?”
“Jesus, Dean.” I groaned and flipped him off.
“We agreed you’d stay out of our way.”
“And we promised to always be friends when we were six, and you’ve already done three things wrong today,” I fired back.
He scoffed. “Pretty sure letting you live here trumps all those.”
“You didn’t help me move, and it injured my arm. You didn’t show me my room, and you obviously gave some speech about rules to the house. Am I not allowed to evenspeakto anyone else?“
He frowned. “You’re hurt?”
“Yes, because I dragged my shit over a mile without a car or help.” I rolled my arm again, unashamed that this went down in front of Oliver and Callum. Dean and I beefing happened with or without an audience. They would need to get used to it.
“I had film.” He sorted the groceries and placed two boxes of cereal in the front of the cabinet. “I’m sorry, Lo, really. I hate that you hurt yourself.”
“Fine, accepted. But the rest? Am I allowed to be friendly with anyone or do I have to keep to my room like a little silent mouse?”
“You’re never quiet. Ever.” He laughed, shaking a box of cereal at me. “I got you your favorite cereal, by the way. You’re welcome.”
“I hate all of you.” My lips twitched, but I refused to smile.
“I didn’t do anything!” Oliver held up his hands. “Leave me out of it.”
I winked as I left them in the kitchen, partially amused and annoyed at the entirety of the football house. Luca’s anger and disgust at me combined with Dean’s dumb rules…it made a girl want to have a wild night. Not that I could do it here. No. I’d have to hang out at Mack’s or Tessa’s—another one of my favorite teammates. She played goalie and had the coolest red hair. It gave me envy, and I tended to appreciate my wild locks most days.
Rotating my left arm in a circle, I headed up the stairs to grab my duffel and head to the field. My playlist was ready to go, and yes, I listened to the songs in the same order every single time, no changes.
“Lorelei.”
Shit.My heart leapt in my throat at the deep growl of a voice. I spun, hand to my chest, as I studied in Luca leaning against his doorway. His broad shoulders took up most of the door and the crossed arms…the lean… my mouth dried up at the cords in his forearms. Oh my lanta, he wasintimidatingwith those dark eyes and strong brows and wicked jawline.“Um,” I said, swallowing to get rid of the raspy voice. “Yes?”
“Here.” He held out a blue thing with gel. It took my brain a hot second to note it was an icepack. It was the size of his hand. Did he want to give it to me? Was this… why was he holding it in the middle of the hallway?
My lips parted, but nothing came out. Instead of being a normal human, I was afraid to say the wrong thing. The angry tone from earlier, from yesterday, all came back to me, and I didn’t have the emotional energy to worry about him today. Not on a game day. “I gotta go.”
He frowned and stepped toward me, pushing off the frame. His clean, soapy, and leather scent surrounded me, and I stopped breathing. He smelled nice. Whatever. No big deal. Candles smelled nice too, but they didn’t make my heart beat twice as fast.
“This will help your neck before your game. Alternating between ice and heat, along with massages, will keep it loose. Use it.”
