Humor sparks in his eyes. “I’d be happy to cheer you up. Just say the word.”
Nopenopenope. I’ve got to put a stop to this, whatever this is. We’re too close, the chemistry between us a dangerous, unwieldy thing with a mind of its own.
“You should probably go shower. The bus will be leaving soon.”
“I’ll go, but first you have to make me a promise.” His voice is like a caress, soft and gentle, as his hot breath skates across my cheek. He’s got me and he knows it, judging by the self-satisfied smirk on his face. I’ll agree to anything just to get rid of him and put some space between us. “Join the team for the homecoming activities next weekend. I promise you won’t regret it.”
Chapter Twelve
Austin
The homecoming parade is a total circus. In all my years at Waverly, I can’t remember the crowds ever being so large. Or rowdy. They say there are six degrees of separation between all Wildcat fans and today it seems like they all turned out, determined to cheer us to victory over Ohio tomorrow. It’ll be a tough game. Especially with the week six loss hanging over the team like a dark fucking cloud.
Doesn’t help that the press has been brutal. They’re already speculating about the impact of the loss on my draft stock because, like I told Carter, that shit’s on me. Every mistake I made has been analyzed six ways from Sunday as the talking heads look for weaknesses in my game.
I suck in a sharp breath, the cool air whistling between my teeth. Doesn’t matter. If we run the table from here on out, we’ve still got a shot at the championship game.
We just need to stay focused and take it one game at a time.
Despite the pressure, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the excitement of the parade. There’s music, dancing, and more open containers than the police can possibly confiscate. I steal a glance at Carter, mainly to reassure myself she’s having a good time. I did promise, after all, and I’m a man of my word. She’s laughing at something Coop said and even though I know there’s nothing between them, the sting of jealousy is sharp. She looks great today and a guy would have to be blind not to appreciate it.
Since she’s distracted, I take the opportunity to look my fill. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail and she’s wearing makeup. It’s not dramatic enough to change her girl-next-door look, but it sure as hell complements it, her face glowing under the old-fashioned streetlights. Like the rest of the team, she’s wearing jeans and her jersey. But unlike the rest of us, her jeans hug the soft curve of her ass and her tits bounce gently with each step.
I’ve never been one to share my jersey, but a lot of guys on the team swear there’s nothing sexier than a woman wearing their numbers. They’ve got it all wrong. Looking at Carter, I’m certain there’s nothing sexier than a woman wearing her own numbers. I can easily picture her prancing around my bedroom in that jersey and nothing else, her golden legs leading straight to the end zone.
My cock twitches at the thought.
Get a grip, Reid. Much more of this and you’ll be walking the parade route with the mother of all hard-ons.
Not exactly the kind of press I need heading into the big game.
Ohio’s playing well and they’re currently leading us in the rankings, but I don’t put much stock in those numbers. We’re just breaking into our conference schedule and if we play well, we’ll improve our position. Just like I’ve improved my position with Carter, although not half as much as I’d like.
Hell, I should just be glad she’s walking the parade route with me and my roommates where I can keep an eye out for her. Not that it should be any great surprise. I don’t get the feeling she’s particularly close to the guys on Special Teams, and let’s be honest, none of them are willing to put in the work. It took a hell of a lot of persistence on my part to get her to hang with the team this week, but it was worth it.
Especially when Carter won a pink unicorn at the carnival and gave it to Coop, because only a guy who preens as much as he does could appreciate such a beautiful creature. The guys ate that shit up and the unicorn has sort of become the unofficial mascot of the week. It’s taken longer than I would’ve liked, but Carter’s finally finding her place on the team. The guys are starting to trust her and vice versa. Not that I’m patting myself on the back or anything. It’s part of my job as captain to ensure the team gels.
Sure, there’s a little voice in the back of my mind that says my interest in Carter exceeds my obligations as team captain, but I ignore the fucker.
Carter turns from Coop and catches me staring. She lifts a brow but says nothing, just continues waving to the fans that line College Ave. There’s a flush in her cheeks that could be from exertion, but I prefer to think it’s proof she’s as hot for me as I am for her. Carter’s doing her damnedest to pretend that kiss didn’t happen, but I’ve never shied away from a challenge and I’m not about to give up on the heat between us.
After all, what Coach doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
“Having fun?” I ask, waving to a group of pint-size fans.
She bites her lower lip and my balls tighten. Does she do that shit on purpose, just to torture me? Probably. “Who doesn’t like a parade?” she asks, giving me a cheeky smile and completely dodging the question.
I snort. “Would it be so hard for you to admit I was right?”
“Just doing my
