The Jock by J.L. Beck Page 0,23

before looking back with a shy smile on her face. “I will have whatever you’re having.”

I return her smile. She’s so trusting. Yes, I know it’s just food, but the fact that she let me drive her down here and agreed to go to some random diner with me says everything. I’m sure she doesn’t realize it, but she’s put a lot of fucking trust in me.

“Okay, so two strawberry shakes, and two orders of fries with ketchup, and one double cheeseburger and one regular cheeseburger.”

The waitress scribbles the order down on the paper and whirls around, leaving us alone once again.

“Don’t you have a rigorous diet as a football player? Shouldn’t you be eating fruits and vegetables, and I don’t know, not greasy cheeseburgers?”

“Worried about me?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Of course not. I don’t care what you eat.”

“Righhhhhht.” I draw out the h, tapping my fingers impatiently against the table. “Since you asked so nicely, I’ll fill you in. We’re allowed cheat meals. Most days, I eat a religious diet of chicken breasts, hearty greens, and protein shakes, but the night before games, I let myself go.”

She nods. “I’m sure it’s not the only thing you let yourself go on.”

Her comment makes me laugh. “Did you just make a joke?”

All I get is a shrug. “I mean, I guess, yeah. For some reason, when I’m around you, I come out of my shell.”

“Is that right?” I tap my chin with a finger. “If that’s true, tell me something personal, something no one knows about you.”

“Why, so you can use it against me later? No, thank you. I’m not into blackmail.”

Again, I laugh. “No, not blackmail, though, I do like how you think. You tell me something, and I’ll tell you something. Something no one else knows, something personal.”

Blair contemplates what I’ve said, chewing on her bottom lip as she thinks it through. She does that often, especially when she’s trying to make up her mind about something.

“Fine.” She sits up a little straighter, a mischievous shine to her eyes. “But you go first.”

“Okay, but I swear if you tell anyone, I’m coming for you.” I grin.

I open my mouth to tell Blair my one personal thing, and the waitress pops up out of nowhere with our shakes and food. She places everything on the table, along with a bottle of ketchup. “Can I get ya anything else?”

“Nope, I think this is good. Thanks.” I wave her away, not wanting any more interruptions.

She walks away, and Blair plucks a fry from her basket, shoving it between her lips. I stare mesmerized by the action for a second. Fuck, eating has never been so fucking hot before. Her lips move, words bounce off my eardrums, but I don’t hear what she’s saying.

All I can do is stare. I want those lips on mine, wrapped around my length.

“Are you going to tell me your secret?” The words finally sink in, and I blink, forcing myself to snap out of the lustful fog, though, I don’t drag my gaze from her plump mouth just yet.

“I was, but now I’m worried that if I tell you, you won’t tell me, so if you want to know mine, you have to go first.”

Blair rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her shake. “That’s not fair, but whatever, I guess.” She rolls her bottom lip between her teeth, an anxious look flashing over her face. Is she afraid to tell me? Embarrassed? Scared? Maybe I pushed too far.

Before I can interject and tell her she doesn’t really have to tell me anything, she starts talking, “Remember the night of the party when I poured the beer on your head.”

“Of course, how could I ever forget smelling like foul beer?”

That earns me a shy smile, and the air in my lungs ceases to exist. “Well, you remember what you called me that night? A nerdy virgin?”

Acid rises in my throat. “Yeah, and if I didn’t apologize yet, I’m sorry. You just shocked me; I’ve never met a girl that gave it back to me the way you did.”

“Shut up,” she huffs, and my lips press into a firm line. I notice the way her eyes drop to the basket of food in front of her and how her milky white cheeks have two round spots of pink forming on them. “You were right. I’m a virgin.”

I swallow, and then blink, and then swallow again. A rock has formed in my throat. A virgin. I mean I’m