Page 26 of Off Sides

“They’re pretty cool, although I’m not sure I needed to know my coach is getting laid only a few feet away.”

I scrunch my nose. “I didn’t need to hear those words out loud. Don’t need that image in my head, dude.”

He laughs—it’s rusty like he doesn’t do it often, but it’s a deep rumble. “Sorry. But I mean, that’s what they were hinting at, right?”

“Oh, for sure. But I still don’t want to think about it.”

“It was really nice of Jenna to get all those snacks.” He points toward the counter that’s practically covered in junk food.

I hop up and direct him over. “You hungry?”

“I’m always hungry,” he says as he joins me, motioning to his big body. “You’ve seen me, right?”

Oh yeah, I’ve seen him. A lot. Up close and far away. I’ve studied the man and his body, for damn sure. I can’t help it. Everything about him just does it for me. His strong, muscled legs and arms. His broad shoulders and wide chest. The way his biceps nearly rip the sleeves of his T-shirt, they’re so big. Everything about him screams powerful, yet he’s kind of a gentle giant.

Silent. Not imposing.

He’s a sight to see all right.

CHAPTER TWELVE

calvin

I try to tell myself it’s not a big deal that I’m here, but of course it’s a big deal. It’s a huge deal. I should have told him no. I should have resisted, but I couldn’t.

I want to be here.

There’s no denying it.

I want so many things. Things I never let myself have before. My mom thinks I’m at a party—celebrating the win. My parents are happy I’m finally getting back to who I used to be—at least, that’s what they think.

They’re actually happy, thinking I’m getting shitfaced in some field right now and staying the night there. If they had any idea I’m at my coach’s house—with his little brother, making popcorn . . .

God, they’d disown me. Maybe worse. One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t have my family ever again. And some may say who cares. But they’re all I have. All I’ve ever known. Isn’t that worth putting up this front?

“Yes, she got extra butter,” Jonah says, his eyes lit up with excitement. His face full of beauty and happiness. He’s so damn pretty all the time, but when he’s happy—just being himself like this—goddamn. He tilts his head to the side. “You okay?”

I try to stop thinking about my family right now. It doesn’t matter. It’s not like anything is going to happen anyway. We’re friends. They—especially my mother—want me to have friends.

So that’s all I’m doing.

“Yeah. I fucking love extra butter,” I say, taking the bowl of now perfectly popped popcorn from him and walking toward the couch.

“Me too,” I hear him say. I sit down on the couch and watch him shuffling around the kitchen, grabbing sodas and candy before joining me. Sitting right next to me. “So, Fortnite? Or do you actually want to watch a movie?”

I shrug, taking a handful of popcorn and stuffing my face, offering him the bowl and letting him do the same. The buttery deliciousness fills all my senses. “Whatever.”

He picks up the remote and goes to Netflix, searching around while we munch on popcorn and sit far too close on the couch. I shouldn’t be this close to him. I don’t move.

“Schitt’s Creek!” he says excitedly. “Hell yes. Have you seen it?”

I shake my head. I don’t watch a lot of television. I don’t have one in my room, and if I do watch the one in the living room, it’s usually whatever my parents want to watch. “Nope. Don’t know what that is.”

He starts flipping through the episodes. “Well, it’s all really good, but I like it the most when Patrick is introduced.” He settles on an episode. “This is where they meet.”

“Who?” I ask, putting more popcorn in my mouth and opening up the soda he brought me.

“Patrick and David. Epic love story. Wait until you hear Patrick sing to David.”