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“No. I hear you,” I assure him before spinning on my heel. I check the crosswalk, it’s flashing, warning that the time to cross the street is ending. I dash forward at the last minute, hoping to put some distance between us.

Behind me, I hear Reese calling my name, but then the flow of cars blocks us. I brush a hot tear off my face. Fuck. Why am I crying? What Reese said is nothing but the truth.

“Twyler, hold up.” I hear his feet hit the pavement behind me. His stupid long legs allowing him to catch up faster than I hoped. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Sure you did.” I refuse to let him see me cry. “Axel Rakestraw is definitely out of my league. Just like you are. Everyone thinks so. Nadia. Ruby…”

He grabs me by the shoulder, forcing me to stop. We’re a block away from Shotgun, the streets over here are quiet. At least there aren’t witnesses to my humiliation.

“I didn’t say that because I think you’re not good enough for him.” He takes in my face, frowning at the tears I can’t hide. “If anything, you’retoogood for him. Axel is a—”

“A fuckboy.”

His eyebrows raise.

“I know Axel’s reputation, Reese. God, it’s like you think I live in a cave like some naïve innocent. I know he’s slutty as hell. Just like the majority of the team.” I eye him. “Just like you.”

If that hurts him, and it probably doesn’t because these guys wear their promiscuity like a fucking badge of honor, he doesn’t show it. “Listen, this isn’t about reputation or fuckboys or anything else. This is about the fact that as far as anyone is concerned, you and I are together right now. We have to establish ourselves and unless I marked my territory a little bit in there, he was going to think you were fair game.”

I brush aside a tear. “Why would he care?”

“Sunshine, I know Axel. I know what he looks like when he’s interested—and he was interested in you.”

My jaw drops. “Don’t be stupid.”

“I’m being serious.”

I take a shaky breath and feel his hand on my hip. It’s strong and firm, and I know it’s mostly to anchor me to him so I can’t run off again.

“We just had our first official fake date.” His other hand reaches out and his warm thumb wipes a tear off my cheek. “There were some hiccups, but we survived. For better or worse, you definitely got the attention of the guys on the team.”

“I think Nadia bought it, even if she’s not sure she understands it.”

“Oh,” he says with a smirk, “Nadia bought it enough that she felt the need to threaten me with slight bodily harm if I fuck this up.”

“Oh my god,” I choke out a laugh, “she didn’t.”

“She did.” He laughs, gray eyes bright. Warmth spreads through my limbs when he squeezes my hip. “It’ll get easier from here.”

“You think?” I ask.

“Yep.”

Sliding his hand into mine, he threads our fingers together and we walk, hand in hand, to my house. On the front porch, I stand on the top step, and he’s two below, making our faces level. I tense when his hand reaches out, thinking he’s about to touch my neck, but he only pushes my hair over my shoulder. “If we were really dating this is when I’d kiss you goodnight.”

I roll my eyes. “You want me to believe you drop girls off on their doorstep with nothing but a kiss?”

“I saiddating. Which is different from my normal–”

“Hookups,” I supply.

“Yeah, I guess.”

His hands cup my face and his eyes dart to my mouth, and I think for a second, he may kiss me. And for a second, despite our laid out parameters, I think Iwanthim to kiss me. Instead, he tilts my head forward and presses a kiss on my forehead, before stepping back. “Night, Sunshine.”

I don’t exhale until I’m inside, door locked behind me, and say to myself, “Don’t call me Sunshine.”

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