Page 24 of Hard Count (Newhouse University #4)

My dad’s eyes ping pong between us before nodding and retreating back to the den. My shoulders drop and I release a breath. “That was close.” I press my palm against my racing heart. We’re too new to have my dad involved.

There’s an unsaid rule about dating the coach’s daughter. If he were to ask, I would tell him the truth. He likes Nash. After he got over the fact I was dating someone, I think he would be happy for us.

Dad pops his head back in the kitchen, startling me. “Is there something going on between the two of you?” he asks, waving a finger back and forth in our direction. Nash stiffens and fear flashes in his eyes as if he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Dad,” I begin as Nash says, “No, sir.”

His answer sucks the air from my lungs. Those two words have drained me of all the warmth I felt moments ago .

“Not a thing,” I agree with the same chill I feel in my bones. “We’re just friends.”

My dad’s eyes meet mine and I plaster a smile on my face. “Uh-huh,” he grunts, his eyes hard and focused on our body language. I try to relax and act natural but it’s proving to be difficult.

I’ve never felt a connection like the one I have with Nash with anyone else before. I don’t think this is something you can fake but Nash could date anyone. Why would he risk everything he’s worked hard for by messing around with his coach’s daughter. Why would he risk it for me?

“Should we go then? I want to see how Clemson handles Tennessee since we play them next week,” he says, masking an emotion I can’t quite pinpoint on his face. “Maybe you can tell me what you see.”

“Sure.” I smile back at him. He’s including me. That’s something he hasn’t done in years. My dad is making an effort and I can’t even enjoy it because it's tainted with the way Nash is making me feel. He keeps trying to get my attention but I can’t look at him right now.

My hands shake as I stop short of the entry into the den.

My dad gets comfortable in his favorite recliner.

When Nash settles himself on the couch, it hits me how much his rejection hurt me.

I can’t sit here with them and pretend it doesn’t or that nothing is happening between us because he doesn’t want to man up in front of my dad. The fact that he can pisses me off.

“Are you going to stand there the whole game?” Dad asks .

“No. I’m not feeling very well. I’m going to go lay down.

Enjoy the game.” I retreat down the hall and upstairs to my old bedroom.

It looks exactly as it did before I left for college.

The room was only used one or two days a week during our scheduled visitation yet I was allowed to decorate it however I wanted. And now it’s a shrine to what once was.

I rest my forearms on my tall dresser and pick up a photo of me and my dad sitting at the bottom of a slide.

My bright white toddler hair is freshly windblown having just dropped a few feet and a giant smile adorns my face.

My dad has a full beard and a backwards cap on his head.

It’s his smile hidden under all that scruff and the way he’s looking at me with light in his eyes that makes me stare at him in wonder.

I can’t recall a time I’ve witnessed this smile first hand.

If it weren’t captured in this photo, I wouldn’t think it was possible.

Sighing, I push off the dresser and crawl onto the bed over the comforter.

What I should do is call a ride share and leave.

Riding back to campus with Nash doesn’t sound appealing at the moment.

What did I expect him to say? He has more at stake than I do.

Of course he picked making his coach happy over me.

I pull at a loose thread on the comforter until it’s long enough to wrap around my finger when there’s a soft knock on the door.

“Your dad’s worried about you. He thinks the crab might have been bad or something,” Nash says from the doorway behind me.

I keep my eyes on the single thread I’ve been toying with.

It’s wrapped so tight the tip of my pointer finger is turning an angry purple color. I let it go and do it all over again.

The door closes and shortly after the mattress dips with the weight of his body. “I panicked, baby. I’m sorry.” His fingers are like a ghost running down the length of my arm. “I’m messing everything up before I even get you to like me.”

“I like you plenty. That’s why I’m in here by myself.” I flip onto my back when he starts laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“You are.” He dips his head and rubs his nose up the side of my face. “As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew it was the wrong thing to say. Not because it upset you but because it wasn’t true. We both know something is happening between us. Has been for a long time.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t even know I existed let alone liked me at first.”

“I liked you plenty,” he teases me with my own words. “I hate what I just did to you—to us. I respect your dad a lot. I wanted to go to him and talk man to man. Not get caught feeling you up in the kitchen.”

“That isn’t what happened but okay.” I roll my eyes.

He leans down and kisses me. “A few years ago I told my best friend that he couldn’t date my sister knowing full well he was in love with her.”

“What the fuck, Nash?” I push myself up on the bed. “Why would you do that?”

He rolls the upper half of his body over my legs.

I’m sad I chose to wear jeans tonight. I would love to feel the warmth of his skin against mine.

“I thought I was protecting my sister from getting hurt and I ended up being the culprit behind her pain. I think she’s still angry at me because of everything. ”

“As she should be. I’m sure your heart was in the right place but you should have let them figure out their relationship on their own. Are they still together?”

“Yeah, they moved to Charlotte over the summer.”

“You just prolonged the inevitable.” I flick his ear. “What a waste of their time.”

He snags my hand and locks our fingers together.

“You're not allowed to hang out with my sister. I already know you’ll gang up on me.” The edges of his eyes soften.

“After all that went down last year, I vowed I wouldn’t let anyone tell me who I can and can’t be with.

You’re the only one who gets a say on the matter. ”

“And if I said I didn’t want you to be with anyone else,” I say, voicing one of my fears. I know what he’s said. He’s called me his girl multiple times but that doesn’t mean I’m the only one. He said he’s not sharing me with other guys but we didn’t talk about him seeing other girls.

“Woman.” He yanks my hips until I’m laying flat on my back.

He works his body until he’s wedged between my legs.

“I thought I made myself clear. You are who I’m with.

The only one I want to be with. Not as friends but as your fucking man.

Do you forgive me?” He nuzzles his face into my neck and grazes his lips against my skin.

“If you could go back, what would you have said to my dad?” I ask. Nash practically leaps off the bed and drags me with him. “Where are we going?” I yank his arm and pull him back to the edge of the mattress where I’m kneeling.

“To tell your dad.”

“But I haven’t given you my answer yet. Maybe I don’t forgive you.” I pout.

“I’m going to bite those,” he says, nodding toward my lips.

Running my hands up his chest until they’re resting on his broad shoulders, I lean into his body. “I wish you would,” I say, with a quick brush of my lips against his.

The move is like striking a match. Nash holds me in place with one hand on my lower back and the other collaring my neck. He threads his fingers through my hair and tugs light enough to angle me the way he wants. His other hand slides into the back pocket of my jeans.

My eyes shutter closed as he grabs hold of my ass and presses me into his body. A bold move to punctuate the end of his statement. “Is this what you want?” His eyes gleam with desire.

Yes doesn’t seem like an adequate response. I wrap my arm tighter around his back and give him an answer that leaves no room for interpretation. My lips press into his and I feel like I’m being airlifted off the bed.

My stomach flips as his mouth moves over mine. He’s gentle but confident as his hands drift over every surface of my body. His right hand slips under my shirt and I moan when his calloused fingers glide over my ribs.

He bites on my lower lip as promised and I break our kiss with a brief smile. Nash pulls me back and slips his tongue into my mouth. The feel of his tongue against mine has me thinking of other places I’d like it to be.

The image has me clenching my thighs and inadvertently brushing my body against his erection. A quiet whimper escapes me and I purposely press into him again. I’m desperate to find any kind of friction.

“Fuck.” Nash breaks our kiss and trails kisses down my neck. “Can you be quiet?” he asks before palming my breast in his hand.

“Mmm-hmm,” I say, struggling to hold back a moan.

He chuckles in between torturing me with his lips and hands. “Good, because I’m dying to see you falling apart.” In a swift move he hooks his hands under my thighs and flips our position and suddenly I’m straddling his lap.

Using his shoulders to balance, I grind down over his dick and lose myself in his body. His hands mold themselves to my ass and my chest while his lips learn every spot on my throat and neck that make me want to scream.

Rotating my hips, I drag myself down his cock over and over wishing there was nothing in between us.

If he can make me feel this good with clothes on…

"God," I moan thinking about it. My body tightens and I move faster chasing the high he's giving me.

My fingers dig into his back. I'm so close but I don't want this to end.

I cup his face in my hands and reluctantly pull him away from my neck.

I want him to see my face when he makes me come for the first time.

“Watch me fall,” I whisper. His hands tighten their grip.

He understands the double meaning my words imply.

As my body coils and tightens in bliss, so does my heart.

He brushes my hair off my damp forehead. “You’re beautiful,” he says. The sincerity in his voice and the way his eyes never leave mine push me over the edge. My hands move back to his shoulders searching for something to grip as my body convulses in pleasure.

Nash draws his arms tight around me and I burrow my face in his neck, inhaling a deep breath. He pulls my head back, giving me one more kiss before tapping my thigh. “I need a minute and then we’ll go tell your dad.”

“Are you sure you want to chance telling him we’re…” I wave a hand between us.

“I want everyone to know you’re mine. That includes your dad.

” He adjusts himself in his pants and I lick my lips as thoughts of taking him in my mouth has me salivating.

“Baby,” he practically moans with his hand squeezing his dick.

“I need you to stop looking at me like that or wait for me in the hallway.”

“Do you want me—” I lift my foot to take a step toward him.

“Hallway,” he grits out the word and turns me toward the door. I take one last look over my shoulder. “Go.”

“I’m going. I’m going,” I say, giggling out the door. I take this time to straighten my hair and clothes. My skin is still flush and pink in some places. My dad might actually believe I have food poisoning.

“Ready?” Nash holds out his hand.

“Shouldn’ t I be asking you that?” My gaze flicks to his dick and back.

“I’m good as long as you behave.”

“Good luck with that.” I pop a kiss on his cheek.

“Figured as much.” He sighs.

My dad tracks us as we walk into the den holding hands. With zero emotion he picks up the remote off the side table and pauses the game. He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Dad.” I clear my throat. Nash squeezes my hand.

“Sir, what I meant to say earlier is Drew and I are together. We’re a couple. I like her”—he glances over at me—“a lot.”

“I don’t like my players distracted,” my dad replies.

“I’m not. She isn’t. She’s…” Nash closes his eyes and swallows. He shakes his head as if deciding if he wants to say something or keep it to himself. “She isn’t a distraction. I promise. I’m focused on the game.”

My dad nods. “Okay,” he says. Not that we needed his permission in the first place.

As I sit watching the television, I can’t stop my mind from circling back to Nash’s last statement. I’m focused on the game. Am I setting myself up to become second once again to another man in my life? Because eventually he’ll pick the game over me. They always do.