Page 23

KAYDEN

I texted Erik to meet me on campus—a command, not a request. I couldn’t just hope to catch him somewhere.

We had a shit load to talk about and no time to spare.

He promised to meet me by the clock tower in the middle of campus.

That seemed safe enough. No way would we get into any funny business where people would see us.

Not that it would’ve been a shame if we did rock the house again, if you know what I mean.

I showed up early because that’s how I operate.

Erik De Ruiter also showed up early, but only by a few minutes because he couldn’t stand lateness or time-wasting.

Yeah, those are good qualities for any team captain, but I knew the consequences of admitting it.

Besides, the honor was rightfully mine, and I shouldn’t have been expected to share it with anyone.

When my teammate arrived, he strolled up to me with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

And he didn’t have some smartass comment for me this time.

Only being named co-captain must’ve knocked him down a peg or two.

Not me, though. Hell no. It lit a fire, pushing me to get things done, but didn’t offer the helping hand you would think of.

“You wanted to talk?” Erik spoke in his very best don’t-waste-my-time tone, like that crap would actually work on me.

As if!

“This let’s not-talk-to-each-other thing isn’t working out so well, is it?” I asked.

“It’s working out just fine for me, actually.”

That was total bullshit. The locker room with the guys around had been one thing.

Restraint had been a necessary evil. Seeing De Ruiter now made me want to get him alone and brush my lips against his.

I wanted my tongue to enter his mouth again.

I wanted to re-experience every moment of heat from our one and only encounter.

No one said surviving this conversation would be easy, but I had to do it.

“Cut the crap, Kayden. Tell me why you’re really here.”

“You know why. It’s about this whole co-captain thing. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“You’re serious?”

I cocked an eyebrow at him. Of course Erik would act all stupid. I could count on that almost as much as death and taxes.

“It’s not going to work,” I said.

“So, you’re not going to be co-captain? You’re just gonna give up the spot the guys so graciously gave you?”

“Who said anything about me giving up my spot?”

“Well, I just?—”

“Oh, no. I wouldn’t do anything that crazy.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I was thinking I would tell you to step your ass aside.”

His nostrils flared and eyebrows furrowed, and his face reddened just a little. This from the kid who’d pretended I couldn’t get under his skin. That was total bullshit. After our scrap, I knew exactly what buttons to push to royally piss him off.

“They’re never gonna go for that,” he said.

“Oh no?”

“Nope. They’ll tell you to take a hike before they tell me to step aside.”

“You sure about that, bro?”

“Positive.”

And he flashed that look at me again. You know, the one that said he knew better and was morally superior in every way.

He might’ve been right, but I couldn’t admit that. Any concession to him felt like a forfeiture. Besides, I had some ideas in mind and would bring out the big guns if necessary.

“You’re scared again,” Erik said.

“Fuck off. You say that every time you don’t like something I say.”

“No, dude. I say it every time it’s true. And you deny it every time.”

“It’s because we’ll be team co-captains who not only can’t get along, but?—”

“Make the locker room bench sing?”

My eyes fell shut. Oh my God, he couldn’t even talk about the hottest sex of our lives without sounding awkward.

“Yeah, that,” I said.

I paused as my mind drifted, remembering the moment. The taste of Erik’s sweet lips returned along with the feeling of his hard body pressed against mine. His even harder cock might as well have brushed against my leg in that moment. I’d lost myself so much I could barely claw my way back.

“You’re afraid we’re going to wind up fucking again,” he said.

“No, I’m not.”

“Seriously?”

“Dead serious. I’ve even offered to hit the sheets with you again. That ought to prove it. You’re the one playing hard to get, bro.”

“You’re scared of something, Kayden. Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what’s got you quaking in your boots?”

“I’m not scared of shit.”

“If you want sex so badly, that can be arranged. You know what you’ve got to do.”

“You’re really going to hold me to your little standards, huh?” I heard the plaintive tone in my own voice.

Erik nodded.

“You’re impossible.”

“I think I know what’s really going on here. To get sex from me, you’ve got to confront what you’re really afraid of.”

I turned away from him. Saying what I really felt would ruin everything. Even I knew better than that.

“By the way,” he said, “I’m not the impossible one here. The team offered you a great opportunity, and you’re about to throw it back in their faces.”

“I’m not about to—wait, you’re happy about this?”

“I never said I was happy, but I’ll go along with it. You know why? Because I’m willing to put the Larkin Lions above our differences, and above…whatever else is going on between us.”

“You wouldn’t dare come right out and say what that something is, huh?”

“Um, excuse me, but I’m the one who’s offered to explore that something. I’m the one refusing sex, no matter how badly I wanted it, until that happens.”

Right again. Erik was on a roll. Like before, I couldn’t admit that he’d had a point about anything. That was suicide when you’re trying to claim the team’s top spot.

“So, you do want it, too, huh?” I asked.

“Yeah. I have some willpower at least. Anyway, is that what this is all about?”

“Huh?”

“You’re playing dumb now, Kayden. That’s understandable. You’ve got loads of experience at it.”

I squeezed my fists and clenched my teeth.

“If you’ve got a point, bro,” I said, “you’d better get to it in a big fucking hurry.”

“You know what’ll happen if we’re co-captains, don’t you?

We’ll never get away from one another. You’re going to have to care what I think.

I’ll pretend to care what you think. If you screw up, you’ll hear about it from me.

It would be easier for you to just walk away from this completely, but you won’t. You know why?”

“Gee, why don’t you tell me, Erik? Is it my pig-headed ego?”

“Normally, I would say you nailed it, but not this time, Kayden. You know what I mean. I’m not gonna spell it out.”

I swear it was like he knew his every move drove me crazy, and not in the way you’d think. Watching him talk made me want to take him in my arms. Hearing his voice melted me. I could’ve gotten what I wanted, sure, but it felt somehow off-limits. That made me want to scream.

My teammate had gained the upper hand on me for the first time. I would admit that much. The good, wholesome farm boy not only knew that these things drove me wild, but he wasn’t afraid to use them to his advantage.

But I would never go down without a fight. You know that.

“ If I’m going to be your co-captain,” I said, “we’re going to have to work things out and have an understanding.”

“Sure. I’m game.”

“My place. Tomorrow. Seven o’clock.”

“Timeout!” He made a T with his hands.

“What now, De Ruiter?”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“Yes.”

His eyes fell shut, and he drew a deep breath. Pretty soon, I would be the one driving him crazy.

“Be serious for once, would you?” he said. “I know why you want me to come over to your place. You’ll probably answer the door nude.”

I raised my right hand, placing my left over my heart, saying, “You have my promise I’ll be fully clothed.”

“But the moment the door closes, you know what’s going to happen.”

“What?”

“We’ll fall into each other’s arms. We’ll start kissing, then we’ll both be rock hard and totally unable to control ourselves. Then you’ll get me into bed, and I’ll be more than obliging because I would’ve thrown self-control out the window.”

I wished he hadn’t said it. The more I listened to him carry on about it, the more I wanted it to happen, but I knew he would be a pain in the ass. Besides, I had something else in mind.

“Look,” I said, “all I want is to get together privately and work out an arrangement so we can coexist as team captains and win games. Honest.”

Erik paused and considered my remark. He had no reason to trust me, not after what we’d already been through. All I could do was make an offer and encourage him to accept it.

“Why should I trust you?” he asked.

“Do you like getting what you want?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then you’ll come meet me at my place tomorrow. Alone. We’re almost out of time.”

“Because you’ve got to make a decision you should’ve easily made by now?”

“Exactly.”

Erik stuffed his hands in his pockets again, and peered down at his shoes, like he meant to hide his eyes. That would’ve been a dead giveaway for whatever he’d been thinking.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll be at your place tomorrow at seven. But you’ve got to promise you won’t just try and fuck me again.”

“I promise I won’t.”

I could make all the promises in the world. You never knew where the night could take us.