The Endgame Is You (Rixon Raiders #4) - L A Cotton Page 0,27
She leaned back, wrapping her arm around my neck. “Tired?” she asked.
“I’m okay.” I breathed her in before kissing her soft skin. A shiver ran through her body, igniting the fire in my veins.
“Don’t mind us,” Asher grumbled.
“Like you aren’t a total horn dog after a game.” Mya rolled her eyes and we all burst into laughter. It felt good.
It felt fucking amazing sitting there with my girl and my best friends in the whole world.
“So the Heisman—” Asher started, but I silenced him with a dark look.
“Heisman? What’s he talking about?” Felicity glanced back at me.
“Ash seems to think Jason stands a good chance of being nominated,” Cam answered her.
She twisted around to look at me. “Well, do you?”
I shrugged. “I doubt it. The Ivy League is usually overlooked.”
“But there’s a chance?” Hailee asked, and I met my stepsister’s inquisitive gaze with a small nod.
“I guess.”
“Holy shit, Jase, that’s huge.”
“The announcements aren’t until early December, but seriously, you guys, don’t get your hopes up. I’m not.” I grabbed my beer and took a long pull. Felicity threaded our fingers together, her touch like a balm to my bruised and battered body. The game had been a dog fight. Brutal and relentless. But in the end, we had come out on top.
“Well, either way, my dad reserved the penthouse. It’s ours for the entire weekend.”
“We already booked our flights,” Cam said.
“And I thought we could ride together?” Asher eyed me.
“Yeah, sure.” I leaned back against the leather booth.
“You just won the Ivy League. You could try to seem a little more... I don’t know, hyped.”
“I’m hyped,” I grunted. “It’s just all on the inside.”
The girls snickered. My arm snaked tighter around Felicity’s waist and I let out a weary sigh. I was crashing, and I wanted nothing more than to go home, get naked, and fall to sleep wrapped in her arms.
Usually after a game, the adrenaline lingered. The high of the win or low of a defeat pulsing through my veins like a synthetic drug. But we’d done it. We’d won the title with a near perfect season. All the pressure had melted away, and I could finally relax.
I’d really done it.
“One more drink and then I think we’ll head out,” Felicity said, as if she had a direct line to my thoughts.
I fucking hoped she didn’t.
Because there were things she didn’t know yet.
Decisions I’d made that would affect us both.
“We can stay,” I said. There was no pressure here. No guys chanting my name or fans wanting autographs. These guys knew me well enough to keep me grounded, to give me space.
And I fucking loved them for it.
Felicity
“So, you and Griff?” I waggled my brows at Elodie across the table.
“Are just friends.” She pursed her lips, pretending to finish up the notes she was making.
“Friends who spend almost every night together?” My brow arched.
“Griff is...” She let out a long breath, tapping her pen against her lip. “He’s complicated.”
“Aren’t they all? But the season is over now.” The Quakers had ended with a perfect season, only making their title win all the sweeter.
“I’m happy to see where it goes, but I’m not under any illusion it’s the real deal. Besides, Griff is a jock, his eyes will wander eventually.” My stomach twisted and she paled. “Oh shit, Fee, I didn’t mean...”
“I know.” I did. She was firmly in the Jason/Felicity fan club.
“You guys are okay, right? Things seem... good.”
“We’re fine.”
Elodie smiled. “And you have your weekend away to look forward to. New York in December will be so romantic.” She let out a dreamy sigh.
“Yeah, it will be nice.” I was looking forward to seeing Hailee and Mya and spending some quality time with them without the pressure of classes. “I can’t believe the semester is almost over.”
“And we survived.”
“We did,” I said around a smile. I didn’t doubt that my sessions with Darcy had a lot to do with my improved grades, but I was still relieved. I only had a couple more papers to submit before I was officially done for the holidays.
“Is that the time?” Elodie frowned. “I need to go.” She collected up her things and stuffed them in her bag.
“Hot date?” I snickered.
“Griffin is taking me to The Gridiron for burgers.”
“Romantic.”
“We can’t all be you, jetting off to New York for a weekend of romance.” She stuck out her tongue before moving for the door.
“Hey, Elodie,” I said as she grabbed the handle.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really glad I talked to you that day in class.”