At six, Brock comes to my room asking if I want to go to dinner with him and Braden. I tell him no, but when they leave, I regret not going. It would’ve been a chance for me to find out more about the Andrea investigation. I also could’ve gotten an update on Braden’s injury. He was supposed to meet the team atthe gym tonight, but didn’t go. He’d have to be really hurt to skip the gym.
Around ten, when I’m getting ready for bed, I hear music blaring from the patio. I go out there and find Braden in the hot tub, his head tipped back, eyes closed, his muscular arms draped over the sides.
“Could you turn your music down?” I yell, standing beside him. “I’m going to sleep.”
He slowly opens his eyes and looks up at me. “It’s doctor’s orders. Have to soak my knee.”
“Then do it in the tub. In your bathroom. Or turn the music down.” I turn to leave, but he grabs my leg. “Braden, let me go.”
“Stay.” He looks up at me. “I’ll turn the music down if you stay.”
“And keep it down?”
“Yeah. Go change, then come in here and join me.”
I don’t want to be in there with him, but it’ll give me a chance to ask him questions about his leg and the team, and maybe even about Andrea. I know I should forget about that and just accept it was an accident, but I can’t do it, especially now with the case being looked at again.
“Be right back,” I say, hurrying to my room. I grab the black bikini from my drawer, quickly put it on, and return to the patio. “Music is still on,” I yell.
He turns it down, watching me as I approach the hot tub. He continues to watch me as I get in the water.
“You look good.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, his comment making me uncomfortable. The way he’s looking at me is also making me uncomfortable. It isn’t the way you look at your cousin — it’s how you look at someone you want to have sex with. “So what do you want to talk about?”
“We don’t have to talk. I just got sick of being alone out here.”
“You could’ve made Trystan come down here.”
“He’s asleep. He’s meeting some guys at the gym at five.”
“Why so early?”
“It’s not early. It’s when we always go.”
“Then why are you up so late?”
“I’m not going tomorrow. Coach is making me take a few days off. I’ll be back to training on Tuesday. But I’ll be back at practice tomorrow.”
“That must mean your knee is better.”
“It’s not a hundred percent but it’s getting there.” He comes around to my side of the hot tub, a smile on his face. “You were worried about me, weren’t you? When you saw me on the field and I didn’t get up.”
I shrug. “I knew you’d be fine.”
“You were worried. I looked up and saw you in the stands.”
I pause. “I was sitting with Alyssa. You used to date her, didn’t you?”
His body stiffens. “I never dated her. Did she tell you I did?”
“I guess I just assumed. Don’t football players date cheerleaders, or is that a myth?”
“I never dated her,” he says, sounding angry. “If she’s saying that shit, she’s lying.”
“She didn’t say it. I just assumed.” I glance at him. “Would you want to date her?”
“She’s Kade’s girl. I don’t take some other guy’s girl.”
