I blow a strand of hair out of my face. It flies up in the air and falls right back out of place. “For the record, that did nothing to improve my opinion of your stamina.”
“Yeah, but it was fun.” He wiggles his brows and for a second, I think he might tickle me again.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn, narrowing my eyes as I pull the sheet up over my breasts. “If you want fun, you can always grab your toga and head over to Sig Chi. I’m sure Coop and his entourage would be happy to provide plenty of entertainment.”
“Yeah, no.” He rolls his eyes. “I’ve been to enough drunken Halloween parties to last a lifetime, thanks.”
“But you’re missing out on all those ah-mazing Halloween costumes.” I bat my eyelashes for good measure. Honestly, I still can’t believe he bagged a Halloween party to hang out with me at the apartment. Then again, he is getting sex out of the deal, in a bed nonetheless, so maybe it makes sense after all.
“I only have eyes for one woman and I kind of prefer her naked.” A flush crawls over my skin at the compliment. I happen to like him naked too, but I’m pretty sure I’m getting the better end of the deal, because, hello, muscles. “Besides, there are only a few weeks left in the season.” Ugh. Don’t remind me. I’ve gotten so spoiled by regular orgasms, I don’t know how I’m going to survive the spring semester with just my vibe now that I know what I’ll be missing. “I need to stay focused on my future.”
“I thought you had it all figured out. National championship, NFL draft, football god,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. He’s always so serious. And I get it, I do. But he deserves a night off. Even when I was at my worst, spread thin by school, work, and soccer, I always carved out a few hours for myself. As far as I can tell, Austin never cuts himself any slack.
“I wish it were that easy.” He scrubs a hand over his face and I notice for the first time the lines of tension around his eyes. “Officially, the draft will decide where I play pro ball, but there are a lot of dealmakers in the background, so…”
It’s clear he has more to say, even if he can’t find the words, so I stay quiet. Something tells me he doesn’t talk about his future much, although it’s the second time he’s brought it up to me. Maybe because I’m a step removed from his world, someone who plays the game but doesn’t live and breathe it.
“Coach called me into his office yesterday. Told me there’s a scout for Chicago who’s got his eye on me. Asked me to do an extra workout with some of the guys when he’s in town, but I don’t think I’m going to do it.”
“Why not?” I ask, curiosity nibbling at me. I mean, Austin’s a great player. He’s sure to be a top draft pick, so what’s he got to lose? “You wouldn’t want to play in Chicago?”
“No, it’s not that,” he says, reaching out to grab a strand of my hair. He twists the loose wave around his finger and releases it. “Hell, I’d love to play ball in Chicago, but there’s no point wasting his time or mine. My parents have always wanted me to play ball in Pittsburgh, so that’s where I’ll go.”
I scrunch up my nose. “But you just said the draft will determine where you play. I’m no expert, but how can you be so sure you’ll end up in Pittsburgh?”
He smiles, but it’s devoid of actual happiness. It looks a hell of a lot like defeat, although I can’t be sure since I’ve never seen Austin give up on anything. Not me. Not a play. Not the team.
“Politics, remember?”
I arch a brow but say nothing. Turns out, it’s the right move.
“Pittsburgh is going to need a new franchise quarterback, and while they’re in no danger of getting the number one pick, they can trade their way up the draft if there’s a player they want badly enough. My old man is a legend in Pittsburgh, and the organization has shown interest. It’s just a matter of time until they work out the logistics.”
“But can’t you, I don’t know, trade teams later? You’re not obligated to spend your whole career there just because your father did.”
He sighs. “It’s complicated.”
Bullshit. “So is engineering, but hey, there’s always a solution if you want to find it badly enough.” I know my tone is flippant, but he acts like he’s staring down a death sentence. Which is ridiculous since most of the guys on the team would probably trade their man card for a shot at the NFL. “If you don’t like the choices you’re being offered, why not consider alternatives?”
His lips are pressed into a flat line. I’ve hit a sore spot. The last thing I want to do is pick at old wounds, but he’s the one who brought it up. He obviously wants to talk about it, which means I owe it to him to be honest, to not pull any punches.
He’d expect nothing less.
“Everything I’ve done has been to make my parents proud. They’ve always dreamed of me wearing the black and gold in Pittsburgh, just like my old man. I can’t disappoint them by turning my back on the dream.”
“Austin,” I say, keeping my voice low as I reach out and touch his arm, stroking his bicep with gentle fingers. “It’s
