Argh.It's entirely possible that my eyes are cemented shut. At least, that's the way it feels. It takes a few minutes to blink them open. As I do, I realize how gritty they are.Did I forget to pop out my contacts last night?That's the only rational explanation I can come up with.It takes a few seconds for the room to come into sharp focus. As it does, I glance around. My brows draw together because nothing looks familiar."What the hell?"As soon as I mumble the words, last night rushes back at me. The memories are like a torrential rainfall dumped on my head. In shocking Technicolor, I'm inundated with everything.O'Brien's Bar.The Renegades.That guy.No...not the one who wanted the threesome, the other one.The gorgeous, dark-haired guy with all the sexy tattoos.My heart picks up its tempo.Not to mention all the deliciously wicked things he did to my body.Of course, I remind myself with a small smile that even gritty eyes can't diminish, it's not like I was any slouch
When the Lyft finally rolls up, I practically hurtle myself into the backseat. The man peels away from the curb as if he's the get away driver for an armed robbery in progress. I peek out the back window, relieved to find there's no signs of life coming from the apartment building. Once we're six blocks away, I collapse against the backseat and squeeze my eyes shut. Since I live on the southern end of the city, and the university is at the northern tip, the drive home should take about fifteen minutes. Although, at this time of the morning, the streets are deserted, and there isn't heavy traffic to maneuver around. As we navigate the streets, my mind tumbles back to last night.To Liam.Liam.I can't say the name doesn't fit him perfectly. There's something sexy about his edgy hairstyle and all the colorful ink that decorates his body.Did I happen to mention that he drove us to his apartment on a sleek black motorcycle?You better believe it was cold out last night.But seriou
My shoulders slump as I crumble completely. "Okay." Before he can respond, I add, "But only for a few minutes. I have plans with Sophie."Actually, the only plans I have are with the bathtub, my bed, and a steaming cup of coffee. But Tyler doesn't need to know that.As we move up the walkway, I take out my key before shoving it in the lock and throwing open the front door. Under normal circumstances, I love coming home. I've spent the last five years renovating and decorating. I have everything exactly the way I want it. From the wooden porch that takes up the entire width of the front and the swing my brother, Noah, helped hang to the tiny backyard with its flower beds and neatly manicured lawn.Tyler closes the door behind us as I set my purse on top of the antique credenza I found at a flea market two years ago and repainted. If memory serves me correctly, I believe Tyler was working that Sunday morning.Once inside the foyer, his attention slides over me again and I shift
I pull my earbuds out as Dylan elbows me in the ribs. I'm breathing hard from our five-mile run. It might be the off-season, but we still workout and train six days a week. Especially those of us who are looking to turn pro. There's only a few more weeks until the NFL Combine at the end of February. It's a four-day event where scouts get a chance to watch prospective players show off their athleticism on the field.There is so much pent-up energy pinging around in my body with all the family shit going on, not to mention the draft, that I could easily run another five miles."Dude, what the hell crawled up your ass? Your aunt flo come to visit or something?"I narrow my eyes and shake my head. Dylan can be such a tool sometimes. Honestly, it surprises me that his girlfriend, Lexi, puts up with him. "Yup, you nailed it. I'm riding the cotton pony."Unable to help himself, he chuckles. "I thought so. You've been in a real shit mood lately."I inhale a deep breath and blow it
In an attempt to turn this conversation away from all the bullshit running rampant through my head, I ask, "You ready for the combine?"For once, the smile fades from his face. "Yup. I've been working my damn ass off."I nod.It's true. Dylan has been working hard. Early morning runs, lifting at the gym, agility training, high protein diet, and no alcohol. The guy couldn't do anything more than he already is. It's just that Dylan injured his shoulder last season and I know it still bothers him. He never says a word about it, but you can tell when he takes a hard hit. A stoic expression will slide over his features, masking the pain. His mentality is that he'd rather play hurt than not play at all.Which I get. But that kind of attitude seems a little shortsighted if you ask me. Then again, what do I know? I've never sustained a long-term injury. I've always played quarterback. I don't take hits like some of these guys do. The way they pummel the shit out of each other o
As I push through the metal door of the house I grew up in, the screen whines on its hinges before slamming shut with a thud. It should have been replaced a couple of years ago. Then again, the same holds true for everything in this place.Before my mother took off, our home looked worn but still well-loved. That's no longer the case. It's gotten a lot worse in the five years since she disappeared. Things that were shabby, now seem unkempt and forlorn.A crushing weight settles on my shoulders as I step foot inside the living room. Even though I don't necessarily want to, I swing by at least once a week to make sure everything is running smoothly and nothing else has fallen to shit in my absence. "Hey, son."The corners of my lips hitch as my gaze settles on my dad. He looks the same as always. Maybe a little rougher around the edges. There are dark smudges under his eyes as if he hasn't been sleeping well, and his complexion is ruddier than normal. I don't miss the beer can
I clear my throat. "I've been giving a lot of thought to the upcoming draft and I think I should enter it this year. There's no point in delaying the inevitable." Even though I don't tack on-because we need the money, the words hang in the air.His brow furrows as if he doesn't understand why I'm bringing this up. "We already talked about this. You need to finish college first and get your degree."My gaze bounces around the interior of our dilapidated house. What I see is all the improvements that could be made if I were to get picked up by a team this spring. It's all but a certainty. I've been scouted since I was a freshman in high school. I red-shirted my freshman year of college, which means I practiced with the team but didn't play in any of the games so I could retain four years of eligibility at the college level. I've only used up two. I could technically stay at Barnett for another two years if I wanted to get more experience under my belt.With Cullum looking to a
"How old are these kids again?"I shrug as we walk down the silent corridor. "Dunno. Second or third grade, I think."We're on the hunt for room twelve."Any idea what we're supposed to talk about for thirty minutes?" The guy walking next to me yawns loudly, barely managing to cover his mouth.I glance at him. He looks like he rolled out of bed ten minutes ago.You're supposed to be representing here, dude. Get with the freaking program.Jack Hillenger is a sophomore running back for the Bulldogs. He's great on the field but flies by the seat of his pants any other time. I'm the opposite. In my experience, shit gets fucked up if you don't go in with a plan. I always have an end game in mind. Half the time, it's the only thing that gets me through all the day-to-day bullshit.An impatient sigh escapes from my lips as I ramble off a few topics. "The importance of athletics and reaching for your dreams. The discipline, dedication, and amount of hard work it takes to be a colle