Page 39 of Running Play (Gods of Campus #1)

Shelby

Around midday everyone is fed, the campsite is complete, and we take a short walk to the local waterfall.

The sound of cascading water fills my ears and makes me look ahead from the rocky path I’ve been concentrating on.

“Wow, it’s beautiful,” I say. The waterfall must be about twenty-feet high and has a worn rock path up to it.

The water is clear and surrounded by large rocks and a grassy green bank.

My friends throw their bags down on a spot near the water’s edge.

“That water looks so inviting,” Christian says, removing his shirt.

We all follow suit, and the rest of the guys slide their shirts off and I feel like I’m about to watch a Thunder from Down Under show.

Big arms, athletic bodies, and abs everywhere.

My eyes can’t help but seek out Christian’s broad chest, defined arms, and chiseled, but bruised , abs.

The purple, yellowish bruise that takes up the left side of his torso, yet somehow it just makes him sexier.

“Does that hurt?” Dani says, pointing to his ribs .

“Yeah, a lot.”

“The cool water will be good for it,” Seth says.

He turns back to Dani, thumbing Seth who stands right beside him. “But don’t worry, my doctor said the cool water will be good for it,” he quickly adds in humor.

“It still looks so tender,” I say.

“Yeah, but it only adds to my rugged good looks, doesn’t it?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laugh back at him and nod. “Definitely.” Taking in his gray board shorts that hang teasingly off his hips, I can’t help but follow that V all the way down as far as I can.

“Are you coming?” he asks me.

I flick my eyes back up to him. “In a minute, I just want to put some sunscreen on first,” I say, searching inside my bag.

“Okay,” he says, rolling up his shirt and throwing it on his bag.

“Ah, this is nice,” Dani says, lying down beside me. Propping herself up on her elbows, we watch the others enter the water as we apply our sunscreen.

Letti has her arms wrapped around Travis as he slowly breaststrokes to the waterfall with her on his back.

The other four start to race to the waterfall’s path.

It’s close but Walsh reaches it first. I watch Christian climb up the path beside it, the muscles in his back glisten and flex as he slowly reaches the top.

He isn’t as fast as the others, his bruised ribs obviously slowing him down, but I enjoy the extra time watching him climb .

“He’s a good man,” Dani says, looking at me like she can read the doubts that have been filling my mind since Halloween.

“Sure,” she shrugs. “He’s a bit of a player, but when he’s in a relationship, he’s loyal.

Not that he’s had that many relationships,” she shakes her head.

“I didn’t like any of them! But I like you, and I know my brother likes you too. ”

I smile at her. “He’s cute and sweet,” I say, watching him as he stands at the top of the waterfall.

“But?” she questions me.

“I don’t know,” I shrug. “If I’m honest, he seems a little too good to be true. He seems like he could have anyone…why me? Or maybe I’m being overly cautious.”

Dani looks at me with a questioning look.

“Last year was a bit rough on me because of a guy. I guess it made trusting people hard, but I’m working on it, and your brother is helping. Thanks for saying what you said, that helps to hear too.”

“Guys can be dicks. I’m sorry you had a hard time,” she says. Quickly rubbing her hand over mine, she then reaches into her bag to pull out a bottle of water. She also pulls out a speaker and links it to her phone.

The sun soaks into my skin as I let my head fall back…breathing deeply, I relish this moment. I watch as the boys push and shove each other around at the top of the waterfall as “Waves” by Mr. Probz plays from the speaker.

Christian jumps from the top with his arms above his head and plunges into the water below.

A few seconds later he surfaces, flicking his hair and looking back at his friends as they yell and taunt one another.

He turns and I watch as he swims over toward us, his head bobbing up and down but never taking his eyes off me.

Moving effortlessly through the water, like a crocodile stalking its prey.

He stands, water dripping off his tanned, toned body.

Running a hand through his hair as he walks through the water like a model on a swimsuit shoot.

The guys are jumping off the cliff behind him, yet I can’t take my eyes off him.

“You’re drooling, Shelby.”

Dani’s comment makes me flinch. Yes, I probably am. I blush as I look at her. Busted . She shoots me a look and rolls over onto her stomach, as if giving me permission to continue ogling her brother.

Christian stops in front of me offering both hands. “Ready?”

With an upward turn of my lips, I reach for him, and with effortless grace, he lifts me to my feet —only letting go once the water touches my stomach.

The water is crystal clear as I take in the small pebbles carpeting the floor beneath the water.

Letti is at the base of the wall as the boys help her climb up.

“Having fun?”

“I’m having the best time! It’s amazing here, so quiet and peaceful,” I reply.

“I love it here,” he breathes as he gazes around the wilderness landscape .

“How many times have you been out here?”

“Too many to count. Randy, Tyler, Dani, and I have been coming here with our parents since we were kids.”

“My sister and I would have had a blast here as kids.”

He nods, then gestures toward the waterfall. “So, do you want to jump?”

“Yes!” And I do, not to try and impress him, but because it genuinely looks like fun.

I swim closer to the waterfall as Christian follows beside me.

Once we reach the wall, Christian directs me.

“Put your right hand here,” he says, pointing to a piece of rock that’s sticking out.

“And your left foot there,” he says, tapping another small ledge.

I do as he says as I pull myself up out of the water.

I move a little higher up and look down at him and smile.

“You good?”

“I’m good,” I say as I continue to climb and watch him start to follow me.

There seems to be lots of rock holds, so it’s not as difficult as I thought it might be.

As I near the top, a heavily tattooed hand drops down, pulling me up with ease, his dark eyes watching me.

“Welcome to the top,” his deep voice greets me.

“Thanks. I’m usually more accustomed to being ‘down under,’” I say, putting on an even thicker Australian accent. Am I still trying too hard with Seth?

My hands still cling to his massive arm, only releasing when I feel safe enough from the edge to let go.

His tattoos are on display and link together to highlight a name that runs horizontally across the top of his hip bone, Heather.

Above the opposite hip remains clean, it’s the only untouched skin left.

I almost shed a tear as I remember Christian’s story about Seth’s sister dying in a car accident.

Once I find his eyes again, I just give him a tight smile. “You’re a walking work of art.”

“Right back at you,” he says back, giving my tattoo-less body a once over.

“You ready, baby?” I hear Travis ask behind me. I turn and watch as he holds Letti’s hand as they approach the edge.

“Yes, but you need to let go of my hand so I can hold onto my top, these babies aren’t going to contain themselves when I hit that water.”

He kisses the back of her hand and lets her hand drop. Letti wraps both hands over her chest. “On three. One. Two. Three!” Travis says as they jump over the edge at the same time. We all glance down and watch them drop. Their heads coming to the surface a few moments later.

“Don’t be a dick,” Walsh says to Randy as he pretends to push him off the cliff.

Randy laughs at Walsh’s reaction, but when he turns around his smile drops and turns to pure fear. “Oh shit,” he says as I watch his stance change. He braces, as Seth collides with him, grabbing him around the waist and tackling him mid-air.

“That’s fucked up, man!” The words leave Randy’s lips as they both tumble over the edge into the cool water below. Fits of laughter break out around us.

“Holy shit,” I laugh out.

“Ready to jump?”

No. Yes. It looks much higher standing up here. Maybe? “Sure,” I say as I look up at him. God, he is gorgeous, wet body, wet hair, water dripping down his hard chest, and those silver eyes gleaming in the sun. I think he could get me to jump off this cliff even if there wasn’t water at the bottom.

“We can jump together if you want?” he asks, extending his hand to me.

“Or do you need to hold your top too?” Both, I think to myself.

I always want to hold his hand, so I reach out, taking his hand, my other arm wrapping over my bikini top.

I take a deep breath as I waver on the edge. “I got you,” he says.

All I can do now is trust, close my eyes, and fall. It’s not like I’m jumping out of a plane, but it’s still breathtaking. I’m falling with this man—and for this man—all at the same time.

Christian’s hand breaks away halfway through the fall, allowing me to brace for the bottom. I break the surface and watch him swim toward me as we smile and laugh at each other.

“That was awesome,” I say as he pulls me into the shallow water.

Christian moves me until my feet touch the bottom and my arms wrap around his neck as I take in the gorgeous man in front of me.

Water drips from his hair and slides down his face, my smile falters as he stares back at me, his hand raises up and his fingers glide over my cheek.

We both move at the same time, our wet lips meeting each other in a slippery wet hot kiss.

His arms wrap around my waist and my grip grows tighter around his neck.

Our heads are the only thing visible above the water as my legs lift and wrap around his waist, careful not to bump his injury.

As soon as my legs wrap around his wet body, I have to tell myself to slow down and not grind up against his cock that I can feel hardening against me.

“Get a tent, you two!” I hear Randy yell.

The realization that we have an audience has me pulling away from his perfect lips, our foreheads fall together. “God, he has a big mouth,” Christian moans.

I giggle as I slowly drop my legs from around his waist. I can’t stop thinking about how big something is on Christian and wishing we did, in fact, have a tent we could go to.