will have my balls for not doing something about it.
The thing is, I’m tired of this bullshit war between Charlie and me. I’m more interested in getting to know her than getting revenge.
“Troy didn’t tell you?” she asks.
“No, Troy seems to be tight-lipped these days when it comes to you,” Andreas retorts angrily.
Charlie’s eyes widen a bit, but that’s the only sign that Andreas’s comment caught her by surprise.
“Oh, well, never mind then.” She veers for the stairs but stops before she takes the first step and glances at me. “I don’t have class until later, but I can drive you to school if you need a ride.”
“Uh….” I turn to Andreas, who is watching everything with rapt attention. “I’ll let you know.”
“Okay. I’m headed for the shower.”
Why is she telling me that? Does she want me to imagine her naked? My cock twitches in my pants. Son of a bitch. I have a hard-on. What am I, fifteen?
She goes up the stairs two steps at a time, almost as if she’s running away from me. I don’t blame her. This was an awkward conversation. It would probably have gone better if we didn’t have an audience.
“Okay, what was that?” Andreas asks.
“What was what?” I look at him innocently.
“Something happened between you and that girl.” He points accusingly.
“Nothing happened,” I grit out.
“Bullshit,” Danny replies. “Even I noticed.”
“You fucked her, didn’t you?” Andreas says.
“No, I didn’t. And since when are you a gossipy old fart?”
“Since that girl just cost us our QB!” He throws his hands up in the air.
“Danny is more than capable of holding down the fort until I’m better.”
“That’s not the point, Troy. Yeah, I know Danny will do an amazing job, but this is your senior year. It’s the last time we’re going to play together.”
Ah hell. Now I get why Andreas is upset.
“What do you want me to do? I fucked up. Don’t go blaming Charlie for something that was totally my fault. Besides, the doctor said I could be back in four weeks.”
“Okay, that’s not too bad,” Danny chimes in, trying to defuse the tension. “That means our ski trip isn’t canceled.”
“Yeah, thank fuck for that.” Andrea snorts. “Seriously, Troy, you have to get your head straight. Fine, I get it. Charlie is a hot piece of ass. But she’s also a fucking menace. If you need to screw her to get over whatever it is you have going on, do it. And then kick her to the curb and out of your life.”
Danny whistles. “Things escalated fast.”
I curl my left hand into a fist, fighting the sudden anger that’s bubbled up my throat. “You’d better watch your tongue, Andy. I’m not a fucking pussy who needs to be rescued by his friends.”
His face remains closed off, but the storm has vanished from his green eyes. He knows he went too far. “Good. I’m glad you’re not completely whipped.”
“Don’t worry, man. There’s zero chance of that happening.”
The biggest fucking lie I ever told.
15
CHARLIE
Maybe Troy doesn’t remember our kiss. Yesterday, when I came home from the gym and found him with his teammates in the kitchen, he sure acted like he’d forgotten. I didn’t want to linger to find out, especially when Andreas kept glowering at me. Troy must have told him that I was to blame for his accident. I’d be pretty pissed at me too if I were him. Their quarterback won’t return to the game for a month.
Damn. I wonder if Troy is angry with me. He didn’t show any indication, but he also didn’t take me up on my offer to drive him to class yesterday or today. I only offered because it was the right thing to do.
You live in a house of lies, Charlie.
Ugh. Shut up, conscience!
It doesn’t matter. My schedule is already busy enough as it is. I’m low on cash, so I decided to take more editing jobs. I have a two-hundred-page novel to start tonight. I’m glad I stopped by my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant and grabbed dinner. I was running all day and barely had time to eat a handful of nuts.
Troy is watching TV when I come home. He glances over his shoulder, and his eyes give me a quick once-over before he says, “Hi.”
“Hey,” I croak.
What the hell? Where is my damn voice? Oh yeah, it’s being squeezed by the tightness in my throat. One single glance from him makes me as nervous as a schoolgirl in front of her first crush.
What was that look