Page 18 of Hate the Game (Playing Dirty #1)

***Ryder***

Staring down at my phone, I wondered what the fuck I was doing.

Especially when those three little dots appeared next to Savannah’s name as she responded to the text I’d sent her thanking her for staying out of my shower during my shower time.

It’d been three days since we’d run into each other and I’d spotted the hickey on her neck. I hadn’t seen her since.

S: Who is this?

I stared at my phone with wide eyes and embarrassment coloring my face. She hadn’t saved my number? That was a new low for me. Jesus.

S: Just kidding. I could practically feel you getting pissy over text, soldier boy. You’re not that forgettable. Especially certain parts of you.

S: Dear lord. I meant your ass.

S: Not your…you know. Jesus. Excuse me while I run off a cliff.

S: If this is the moment you go back to being silent, I’ll hunt you down and make you regret it.

I had to bite back a laugh. Texting Savannah was just easier than talking to her. I could think about what I was saying and she felt real through text.

R: I’m getting the idea that you like my ass and my…you know.

S: You ass.

R: Next time we could reverse positions and I’ll let you know my personal feelings about your forgettability.

S: Are you asking me to show you my parts?

R: …No?

S: At least I know now why you don’t speak verbally very often. Imagine this shit leaving your mouth? You’d get slapped all the time.

R: I have a question.

S: No, I won’t tell all the other boys that I let you see my boobies.

I threw my head back and laughed. When one of the guys from the team stopped walking past and just stared at me I growled at him and sent him rushing away.

R: Who gave you the hickey?

S: What hickey?

R: Woman.

S: I don’t kiss and tell, soldier boy.

R: I couldn’t help noticing my roommate come home in a bitch of a mood the same night with what looked like the bluest of blue balls.

S: Don’t y’all pillow talk? Ask him. And Ryder?

R: You’re a pain in the ass.

R: What?

S: Was it the hickey that scared you away?

R: No. I just didn’t think you could handle one on one time with me.

“What the fuck is going on with Savannah?” Cole threw himself down on the couch across from me in the senior player lounge.

We’d just finished practice and I’d finished showering before him and Jax.

I was pretty sure it was because they both conditioned their hair.

Bitches. Cole’s hair was still dripping wet and I watched water fly all over when he ran his hand through it.

Jax swore and sat up to punch Cole’s leg. “Dude. You’re shaking your hair out like a damn dog.”

I stretched my legs out in front of me and was glad no one sat next to me. I did my best to keep my face schooled and cleared my dry throat. “What about Savannah?”

S: Seriously? You’re talking to the Texas State Women’s Bull Riding Champion, six years running. I think I could handle you.

R: Bullshit. There’s no way.

S: Nope. Not even a little chance of that ever being true. The bull’s scare the shit out of me. I also think it’s mean to just jump on an animal’s back and ride it. Don’t let Texas know I feel that way, though.

“Are you…smiling?” Cole sat forward and studied my face. “Shit. You are smiling. What the fuck?”

I glared at him. “I’m not smiling.”

“You are!”

“Just get on with whatever you were saying, asshole.”

R: My lips are sealed. If you tell me who left that mark on your neck.

S: Fine. Tell Texas. They’d never trust a non-Texan, anyway.

“He’s talking to Savannah. A lot.” Cole had managed to get behind me without me noticing. “Flirting with Savannah. A lot.”

I swung my fist back at him and he barely jumped out of the way in time. “Fuck off. I’m not flirting. Even if I was, it’s not like I’d be the only one losing their shit over her. I saw that giant fucking hickey one of you left on her neck.”

Just as I’d expected, Jax suddenly couldn’t meet my eyes.

He looked everywhere but at me until Cole swore and sat down heavily next to him.

I watched them both and blew out a deep breath while shoving my phone in my pocket.

I could tell we were about to have a conversation I’d need my full attention for.

“I didn’t leave a hickey. I kissed her, sure, but I left no marks.” Cole glared at Jax, not unlike how I was glaring at him.

Jax jerked his head up to glare back at Cole. “You kissed her?”

“Fuck yeah, I kissed her. She’s hot for me.”

I snorted. “Oh, yeah?”

“So we’re all kissing her. That’s…great.” Jax groaned and ran his hands through his hair . “What now?”

“I’m not kissing her.” Yet. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and had to force myself to sit still and not grab it. “I thought we all thought she was an idiot and we didn’t like her? And we didn’t want her getting any info on us to write a shit article?”

“I think she might have multiple personalities, man. She was completely different at times when we were hanging out.”

“Same. She fucking line danced at Billy’s. She was sweet. She talked football. Intelligently.” Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, Jax raised his brows at me. “Has she been different with you?”

I thought of the texts we’d exchanged and the heated way she’d told me off multiple times. “Yeah, she dropped the ditzy act with me pretty fast.”

“What the fuck’s the deal with her?” Cole winced. “And why do I want so badly to have her ride me while she’s wearing those cowboy boots?”

We all went silent as the door to the lounge was opened and Cass walked in. I inwardly groaned. She was nice but it was obvious she was still in love with Cole and he was about as interested in her as he was in me.

Cass strode across the room and stopped between our two couches. “I have something you’re going to want to see.”

Before I could even grunt to show how uninterested I was she slapped a printout down on the table between us. We all leaned forward and I felt my stomach drop. Shit.