Page 5

FIVE

SCOUT

T en minutes later I was sitting in the cafeteria, holding a piping hot mug of coffee as I attempted to focus and remember what I was supposed to be doing. The reason I couldn’t was standing in the entrance answering questions about who he called last.

It was very annoying.

Since the other day, Parker had been taking up way more headspace than usual. I couldn’t get away from him. It didn’t help that nearly all the content I edited featured him and his stupid handsome face, or insanely hot muscles.

Like the video I was supposed to be editing right now—Parker paused on my screen while I tried to decide whether I should cut him from the reel.

Was it too much to feature him two days in a row? Probably.

If only I could stop looking at him.

His face was hidden behind the catcher’s cage.

His narrowed eyes were so dark in the shadows the bright emerald green was on the verge of turning black, menacing, almost. The antiglare swipes underneath were only adding to the effect. His smile was gone, along with the warmth. His constant approachable, easygoing demeanor had vanished.

Right now, this Parker I was staring at, showed a whole different Parker, a dangerous Parker.

An undeniably sexy Parker, in that sexy-that-absolutely -shouldn’t -be-sexy way.

Better relationship choices, Scout. Better relationship choices.

I was so engrossed with thoughts about what this side of Parker would be like I didn’t notice the protein shake being placed on the table until it was too late.

I immediately slammed my laptop shut.

“Anything interesting on there?” Parker asked, in a way that made it very clear he’d seen his face filling my entire screen, as well as me gawping at it.

I shook my head, forcing away the heat flooding my cheeks. “Nope. Just work.”

Work… that’s why I was sitting here. Work.

“Okay.” He chuckled, pulling out the chair opposite me. “Can I sit?”

“Um…yeah…sure,” I replied, taking a swig of my rapidly cooling coffee if only for something to do.

I watched as he settled into his seat. The distraction had moved from my screen to IRL.

“What’s up, Parker?”

“Sorry about the guys back there, they’re idiots most of the time.”

“Oh, no worries.”

I thought he was about to add to his sentence, but instead, he took a deep breath and leaned back, only to sit forward again.

His elbows were placed purposefully on the table, followed by his fingers lacing together. I found myself pinned with those eyes I’d just been looking at. They weren’t quite as dark and dangerous without the mask, but they weren’t as bright green as usual.

If I could use one word to describe the expression he was currently wearing, it would be determined.

“Do you want to go for a drink with me sometime?”

I blinked, my brain slowly trying to catch up. “What?”

“A drink. Tonight? After the game. Or anytime. Soon. This week. Tomorrow.”

“With me?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “You.”

I swallowed hard, a poor attempt to moisten my dry mouth, wishing I hadn’t finished my coffee already.

Parker sat back again, and this time he stayed there, arms crossed and eyebrow raised as he watched me with amusement spread over his face.

“You okay there, Scout?”

I closed my mouth and nodded. I didn’t dare speak.

What was happening? How was this happening? Now ?

Goddamn.

“Well, while you’re thinking about your answer, I want you to know that I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time. I should have told you last year, except I blew it and then you started dating.” His jaw clenched briefly. “But rumor has it you’re single again, and I’m not about to waste this season doing nothing about it. So, what do you say? Wanna go for a drink with me?”

Did I want to go for a drink with Parker King?

Man, why couldn’t he have asked me like eight months ago? Before Shit Head.

Or even a few days ago, before I’d decided I was going to make better relationship choices, and dating athletes was a bad idea.

And concentrate on work.

Crap, yes, work. Work including the new role I’d been asked to apply for.

“Um, wow…um.”

Jeez, wanna say um one more time, Scout?

Parker picked up his shake and waited. It was unnerving.

“I…” My shoulders dropped with a resigned sigh. “Parker, I’m flattered, I really am. I?—”

Narrowed green eyes pinned mine. “Tell me you’re not getting back together with Rangers’ Douche. Please, please tell me you’re not.”

“Who?”

“The guy you were dating. Rangers Douche.” He frowned. “Didn’t he work for the Rangers?”

“How did you—” I started, then remembered I was friends with the second biggest gossip at the Lions, who in turn was friends with the biggest. Did everyone here know that I’d been cheated on? God, how humiliating. “Never mind, I guess Pablo told you.”

His head tilted as he peered at me, and he nodded slowly. “Sure. Let’s go with Pablo. Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Are you dating Rangers Douche again?”

“No. I’m not.”

Parker’s shoulders dropped, the tension in his jaw immediately relaxed and a smile lifted his mouth. “Good, I’m happy to hear it. But if you got hurt in the process, I’m also sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“Now”—he brought the shake to his lips, and paused—“can I take you for a drink?”

My brain said screw everything. I was on the verge of saying yes. I wanted to say yes. It was right there on the tip of my tongue. Y E S .

Three letters, one tiny word. But instead I said,

“It’s just not a good time.”

“Okay—”

“My boss asked me to apply for a new job, and I really should concentrate on that,” I blurted, making his eyes bug.

“You’re not leaving?”

“No.” I reached out to touch his arm but pulled it back before I did. What did I do that for? Weird. That was weird.

I had no business touching him. Even though I kind of wanted to. Kind of wanted to give his biceps a little squeeze, maybe see if those abs of his—still on show through his shirt—were hard or soft. Probably both.

He puffed out a deep breath. “Thank god, although if you were leaving, it would have solved a minor hurdle I have.”

“What d’you mean?”

“Some dumb form we have to sign.” He shrugged.

“Oh yeah, the one Coach mentioned.”

“Right.” He huffed a laugh. “Yeah. I forgot for a second you were there. Probably should apologize for that too.” This time when he stared at me, a flush crept over my cheeks. “So, what’s your new job? You won’t be doing social anymore?”

“I will, but they want to expand the Lions brand and give me more responsibility.”

“Wow,” he said, his eyes momentarily following one of the PTs who walked in and over to the coffee machines, before coming back to me. “That sounds cool. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“I love your work on the socials. I love the Tiktok. TikTok . Fuck. The TikToks you make. They’re funny.”

“Thank you.” I smiled. “I literally just found out about it, so I don’t have the details. It might not be what I want, but I should probably concentrate on that for the moment. Plus…” I glanced down to where my fingers were running along the edges of the laptop. Why was I suddenly so nervous? “I’m kinda staying single for the moment.”

My eyes flicked up to see his mouth roll together and all I could focus on were his lips. Big, full lips. Soft looking lips. I wondered what they’d be like to kiss.

Argh. Scout. Con-cen-trate.

Relationship choices. Work.

“Sensible.”

“Yup,” I replied much too loudly and definitely like I was trying to convince myself. I was. I needed convincing. “But maybe we could be friends?”

Parker leaned forward again. The tip of his tongue peeked out and slowly licked along his top lip, and his eyes never left mine.

Either the air thinned or the AC shut off, and out of nowhere my heart thudded erratically the same way it did when I was looking at his picture, only this time I could feel it through my entire body.

This was the dangerous Parker. The sexy-but-shouldn’t-be-sexy Parker.

Man, was he ever sexy.

“Of course,” he spoke finally, before standing up and downing the remainder of his shake. “I’d be lucky to be your friend. And Scout?”

“Y-yes?” I managed to splutter as he loomed above me. Big, strong, muscular.

“When you’re ready to be more than friends, say the word. I’ll sign that damn form any day of the week.”

He walked off without looking back. If he had, he’d have seen confusion all over my face and my hands rammed between my crossed legs to quench the shivers that had shot down my spine.

Dammit.

Developing a crush on Parker King did not fall under the heading of better relationship choices.

I just needed to figure out how to stop it, and soon.