Page 29 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

WILY

“Satch?” I call her name again, leaving all our stuff on the table in order to find her.

Why the hell did she take off?

Did I do something wrong?

I thought she wanted me to kiss her, but maybe she didn’t.

Although, she did kiss me back. I mean, for a second there, I thought she was into it—until she suddenly freaked out and took off.

I don’t know what the hell’s going on, but I know that I can’t walk away. Like hell I’m leaving things this way.

“Satch?” I keep my voice low as I head down the first aisle of books, then pause to see if I can hear her.

I think there’s a quiet shuffling to my right, so I turn that way and soon find her cowering in the corner.

What the shit?

Her back is pressed against the wall, her cheeks pale, her eyes huge.

“Satch,” I whisper, raising my hands. “It’s okay. ”

“I…” She swallows and grimaces, her pained frown making my chest tight.

“I’m not gonna hurt you.”

“I know.” She nods, looking at the ceiling and crossing her arms. The move squishes her boobs together, and it’s hard not to notice.

I force my eyes away from the luscious sight and run a hand through my hair. “Look, I’m… I’m sorry. I thought you wanted to kiss me, and so I made a move and?—”

“It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it.” She rushes out the words. “We should just pack up and go. I’m gonna?—”

“Satch.” I step to my left, stopping her from bolting away from me again. “I want to talk about it. I think we should. I don’t want there being some kind of crazy weirdness between us.”

She winces, shuffling just a little more to her left.

I move with her, then lean my arm against the wall behind her and gaze down with what I hope is an expectant look. I’m not trying to pressure or intimidate her, but she can’t just leave like this.

She stares up at me with her big, vulnerable eyes, and I give her a soft smile, brushing her hair back from her face and whispering, “It’s okay.”

She eyes me for a second more, then lets out a shuddering breath and rasps, “I’ve never kissed anyone before, and I don’t know what I’m doing.” She huffs. “You’ve kissed me twice in the last week, and it’s freaking me out because I don’t understand why you would even want to.”

What? Why would she say that?

“And it’s even worse because now I’m worried that maybe I kind of like you, and not just because of the kisses, but because tutoring you has been the best time ever.

And is that lame? That’s totally lame, right?

Because who lives for a tutoring session?

” Her voice pitches, but she rushes on before I can stop her.

“But I mean, it’s like a compliment, too, because it’s only your tutoring sessions that I live for, so it’s not completely lame and…

and…” She winces. “And now I don’t even know what I’m trying to say anymore.

” She blurts the end of her explanation in a squeaking voice that is just plain adorable.

Well, shit. She freaked out because she thought she didn’t know what she was doing. I can’t wait to tell her she’s got nothing to worry about. And I also can’t wait to tell her that kissing her was a no-brainer.

You get how luscious your lips are, right?

Yep, I’m totally gonna use that line.

But I don’t get a chance before she’s talking again.

“When I first met you…” A shaky breath tumbles out of her.

“I thought you were gonna be just another big, dumb jock who used me for my brain and didn’t give a crap about me.

I mean, I was expecting this to be a frustrating experience with someone who didn’t really care.

But…” She starts squeezing her index finger, her voice getting soft and muffled as she dips her chin and talks to the floor.

“You’re really not like that at all. You’re funny and interesting and sweet, and you do care about stuff.

” Her gaze flicks back up, landing on me with this bright intensity I can’t look away from.

“You care about graduating, and you care about your team and your friends. You’re not just some self-centered, pretty-boy, brainless jock. ”

I snicker and shake my head. “I’m not exactly the smartest guy in the room, Satch. ”

“But you are smart.” She grabs my wrist, staring up at me, her eyes so big and beautiful that I can’t do anything but drink them in.

“You’re so many wonderful things, Wily. You’re so full of life and this contagious energy.

No wonder you have so many friends. You’re so incredibly popular, and I’m probably the last person you’d ever like back, but…

you…” She bites her bottom lip. “You just kissed me. And you seemed to want to, so… for just a fleeting second, I thought maybe the impossible might be possible. And it totally freaks me out.” Her voice drops away to a barely there whisper.

I have to strain to catch what she said while I watch her teeth scrape over her bottom lip before sinking into it again.

“Hey, stop that.” I gently coax her lip free, then brush my thumb over the red spot she left behind.

Gazing down at her, I try to process everything she just spilled.

I’m sure she didn’t mean to let it all out like that.

Panic obviously took over, and she unleashed all this stuff she’s been hiding away.

And thank fuck she did, because… whoa.

I wonder how long she’s been feeling this way.

Does she really think I’m all those things?

I cup the side of her face, drinking in that open expression of hers, and holy shit, she really does.

And for some reason, it means… so much.

She’s not some girl trying to sweet-talk me into kissing her so she can say she got with Wily Wilson, the star football player.

She doesn’t know how rich my family is. She may have guessed, but it probably doesn’t even come close, so she can’t be after me for my money, right ?

That look in her eyes… she seems completely genuine in what she’s saying.

And that… that’s why…

“I wanted to kiss you.” My voice comes out husky and raw.

I end up smiling because I’m sounding like a sap here, but I can’t seem to help myself.

“I really wanted to kiss you.” Lightly caressing her lip with my thumb, I gaze down at her and give her this cringing smile.

It’s my sorry-not-sorry face, and I really need to stop that, because I should be remorseful for what I did.

Rubbing a hand over my mouth, I let out a soft sigh and try again. “Satch, I’m sorry that I stole your first kiss. I didn’t even ask, I just took it because I couldn’t stop myself and… well, that was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it.”

“No, that’s okay.” She rests her hand lightly on my chest, tracing the outline of the Cougar logo on my sweater.

“If I’m honest, I wanted you to kiss me.

But being the complete novice that I am, it probably didn’t register in my conscious mind until after it was happening, and…

” She winces. “I’m not sure I’m very good at it. ”

“You are.” I grin, giving her a reassuring smile. “You were really good, and those lips of yours are… mmmm.” I wink. “And you smell so good.”

“I do?” She blinks, then touches her mouth. “They are?”

“You do. And they are, Satch. They definitely are.” I brush my nose against hers and sense her lips quivering with a smile. “Think it’ll be okay if I kiss you again?” I whisper.

“Um…” She breathes out a soft breath that tickles my chin. “I… I mean, if you want to. ”

Leaning back, I look down at her, my eyebrow arching. “Do you want to?”

Her mouth trembles open as she squeaks. “I think so?”

I move away from her, leaning back a little farther and rising to my full height. “I want you to be sure.”

She gives me a weak smile, and I can’t go pushing it. Shit, I’ve never seen her so vulnerable, and it doesn’t matter that I want to press my mouth to hers and drink her like she’s my favorite brand of beer.

This isn’t about me right now.

“Hey, you know what?”

“What?” she breathes.

“I want to take you out on a date.”

And then she stills. In fact, I think she just stops breathing. Her eyes go even bigger than they were before, and did she just whisper, “A date?”

She’s so quiet, I can’t really hear her.

I give her a second to repeat herself, but I think she’s going into some form of shock, because she’s still gaping at me like I’m crazy.

It makes me laugh as I gather her short little fingers in mine. “Yeah, a date, Satch. It’s this thing where two people who like each other spend time together doing something fun.”

She nods, then gives me a skeptical frown. “Me? You want to go out with me?”

“Why do you look so surprised?” I try not to laugh. “We hang out when we’re tutoring. All I’m asking is that we hang out when you’re not tutoring me. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Biting her lips together, she still looks kind of uncertain, so I give her hand a little shake. “You’re not like any girl I’ve ever gone out with before.” She dips her head and I tip it back up with my finger, encouraging her to look up at me again. “And I’m really digging that.”

Her lips quiver, flirting with a smile that I am desperate to see.

“Come on, Satch. Let me take you out. For dinner. Okay?”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Her nose wrinkles, her skeptical frown injuring me.

“Okay, either you’re trying to let me down easy or?—”

“No,” she quickly cuts me off, her cheeks flaring bright pink. “I want to go. I just want to make sure that you actually want to go and you’re not just being nice to me.”

“Satch.” I lightly laugh out her name, taking both her hands in mine. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to. Just like I wouldn’t have kissed you back there if I hadn’t wanted to.”

“Oh.” She lets out a shy little laugh that makes my chest ping.

I can’t help leaning toward her, whispering against her lips, “I kinda like you, too, and I’m really sure I want to take you on this date. All you’ve got to do is say yes.”

I can sense her lips curling into a smile just before she gives me a chaste peck on the lips and proceeds to make my fucking day.