Schooling the Jock (Nerds Vs Jocks #1) - - Eli Easton Page 0,90

and sucked until all I saw were the whites of his eyes. Oh yeah, I could write a thesis on the taste of Jeff Dobson’s cum.

By the time Jax unlocked the door, Dobbs and I were side by side in bed, as far apart as any good fraternity brothers. When Jax had quit messing in the bathroom and flipped off the bedside light, if someone happened to end up snuggled in someone else’s arms, no camera recorded the transgression.

The next morning was a blur of questions, buzzes, and more questions, but by the time lunch came, we sat at the table blinking at one another as we realized we only had one more round to go for this sectional.

Jax said, “You guys are hot. All of you—good job. Realize if we win this sectional, our chances of getting to the finals are high since this is one of the largest and toughest sectional meets in the country.”

Dobbs spread his arms like an old movie musical and sang, “If I can make it there—”

We all joined in on the rest of the chorus of “New York, New York.”

Oh God, I’d clearly gone to bed a jock and awakened as a Poin.

Sai’s face got serious. “But, guys, it’s not over yet. The last team we’re meeting is—”

Felix moaned, “Fucking University of Chicago, man.”

I glanced around the table. “Uh, obviously, this is bad.”

Felix nodded. “Very, very bad. Death Star bad.”

Sai whined, “They’re not only smart, they’re laser fast. I’ve never seen any team get so many bonus points.”

Everyone frowned as Jax said, “Yes, they’re good, but so are we. And even if we lose to them, we could still make nationals if we have enough points.”

Dobbs scowled. “Screw that. We’re going to beat them.”

I thumped a fist in the middle of the table. “Right! Like Jax said, you guys are fucking amazing. I noticed lots of other teams looking at us the way you talk about this Chicago team. One thing I learned in football: don’t ever let yourself get psyched out by the other team’s rep. ’Cause they could have injuries you don’t know about, or replacements, or just have a shitty day. And mental attitude going in is everything. We’re badass. We psych them out, not the other way around. Am I right?” I should have laughed since no one needed to hear this pep talk more than me, but I maintained my game face.

“Hell yes, man!” Felix pumped a fist in the air.

But despite all the hoorahs as the clock slipped forward to the time of the match, there was a definite scent of fear in the air.

The five of us—Jax was going to watch—walked toward the assigned room for the final match of the sectional. This was a bigger room, and a lot of people were waiting outside to observe.

I’d gotten comfortable and slid my arm loosely around Dobbs’s shoulders. It could have been a bro thing, and it gave me comfort. When we got to the door, Dobbs leaned up and gave me a quick peck on the lips.

The voice rang out behind us. “Holy crap, will you look at that.”

Dobbs tensed against me, and I instinctively moved so that I blocked him from whatever threat was approaching. I turned to see a huge, brawny guy with his letterman’s jacket proclaiming he was some big man on some campus.

He shook his head, and his voice rose over the large crowd. “Holy shit, man, aren’t you Jesse fucking Knox?”

I gave him narrow eyes, but my heart still hammered. This was new territory. “Yeah. So?”

He looked around him at the crowd. “Holy shit, do you believe this? You could knock me over with a feather, man. Who’d ever have believed that the Jesse Knox, faster than a speeding Badger, man, toughest guy on the Madison team, who’d believe it when I tell them that Jesse Knox is—”

I felt my fists bunch.

“—in Quiz Bowl!” He stepped forward and hammered my shoulder. “Brains and brawn, man. What an inspiration. Can I have your autograph?”

I signed his Quiz Bowl program, and we laughed all the way to the table.

But then, of course, shit got real.

Sitting at the other table were three men and a woman who’d propelled past nerd status to pure intellectual. The guys looked older than us even though I knew they weren’t, and the woman was the type they cast as president of the United States in movies. They slid their tablets back and forth between them, passing notes in