Page 38 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

ELIZABETH

So, it’s safe to say that Wily Wilson is about as addictive as sugar.

Actually, maybe he’s even more addictive than sugar, because kissing him is even better than eating a chocolate bar.

His tongue is candy all on its own.

And his hands.

Oh my gosh, his hands.

I love the way they roam, tease, and touch.

He hasn’t done anything more than feel me up yet, wriggling his fingers under my shirt, his thumb skimming across my bra. It’s hot, heady stuff, and I’ve nearly asked him to take it off so I can feel his hands on that sensitive part of my skin, but I chicken out every time.

It’s been a few weeks now, and we’re still tutoring most days, then rewarding ourselves with a make-out session.

We’ve been out on a bunch more dates. The last one was my treat because he passed his finance test with a 74%. He couldn’t believe it, and I had the pleasure of saying “I told you so” multiple times in between proud kisses and affirmations.

I love hanging out with him so much I can hardly stand it. Being with him is easy and fun. I forget where I am half the time, which is why I’m trying to be really careful about where we go.

I can’t afford to be spotted by Jade, Kelsey, or Viper Girl when I’m with Wily, so each time he suggests we go to a diner or any of those public places, I talk him out of it.

I don’t know if he’s noticed me doing it, but so far, we’ve stuck to the quiet sections of the library or one of our rooms for tutoring.

And as for dates, the dark movie theater was perfect, and an obscure Turkish restaurant that’s miles away from campus has worked out great.

Oh, and we’ve gone back to the football field, which I’m pretty sure is my favorite.

It didn’t snow the last time, but we still danced under the stars, and that was perfect too.

“Are you even listening to me?” Mom asks, and I quickly blink, looking away from my dorm room window to let out a sheepish laugh.

Holding the phone a little closer to my mouth, I say, “Sorry, Mom. My mind wandered there for a second. What did you ask?”

“I wanted to know if I should invite all of your cousins around for your birthday dinner or if you just want to stick with a smaller group.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. It is Valentine’s Day, so I don’t want to ruin anyone’s evening by having to come to my birthday.”

“Stop that right now, young lady. They would be honored to attend your birthday dinner. We’re all so excited you’ll be coming home for the weekend.”

I nod, glad she can’t see me cringing. I usually live for those weekends I go home to hang out with family, but for the first time ever… I want to stay in Nolan.

“Is there… anyone you’d like me to invite from school? You could bring a friend back with you if you wanted to, sweetie.”

I bite my lip, wondering what she’d say if I mentioned that I’d like to bring back a gorgeous, hulking football player.

Nope. Can’t go doing that.

Wily won’t want to spend his weekend in Fledgling. That would be so boring for him.

And how would I even introduce him to everyone?

“Hi, this is Wily, my tutoring student and the guy I like to make out with. But please don’t tell anyone, because I can’t have Jade’s parents finding out and then telling her about it, so you know, zip it everybody!”

I cringe. Ugh. Yeah. I so can’t go there.

Wily and I will just have to spend Valentine’s Day apart.

And that’s probably a good thing, right? Because I need to get used to living without him. After he graduates, he’s going to be off who knows where playing football, and I just have to enjoy this for what it is.

A glitch in the matrix.

A dream that I’ll eventually wake up from.

My phone starts beeping with an incoming call and I check my screen, my insides jumping with delight when the name Coyote pops up.

“Hey, Mom, I have to go. ”

“Okay, sweetie. We’ll see you next weekend, then. I love you.”

“Love you too,” I sing, quickly hanging up before I lose Wily’s call. “Hi.”

Oh my gosh, I sound like a tween, my voice all soft and wispy.

“Hey, beautiful. How’s it going?”

“Good. How was practice?”

“Light and easy. Coach wanted to get home early. Carson told me he’s got a special date night with the missus. I think it’s their wedding anniversary or something. Anyway, worked in our favor. Practice wrapped up about twenty minutes ago.”

“Wow. That’s awesome.”

“So, what are you doing?”

I swing back and forth in my chair, nibbling the end of my pen as I gaze out the window and picture him standing in his room. Is he shirtless? Is his hair wet from a shower?

My lady parts start to tingle, my body thrumming with this new energy I’m already addicted to.

“I was just talking to my mom,” I tell him. “And then I was thinking I’d proof my assignment, then… I don’t know, read a book or watch a movie or…”

“Come hang out with me?”

I grin. “Really? You’re free tonight?”

“I’m free to hang out with you. I just need to wait for Carson to get back with my truck, and then I’ll come and… Wait.” He sucks in a quick breath.

“What?”

“Nylah lives in your building.”

“She does? ”

“Yeah. She’s on the second floor, I think. Run down and see if she’s there. You can catch a ride.”

“What?”

“I loaned Carson my truck to go and get her, so see if you can catch a ride.”

I sit forward in my seat, nerves thrashing me as I entertain the idea of going downstairs to look for a perfect stranger and ask for a ride. “Like… right now?”

“Yes. Go, go, go, girl. I’ll see ya soon.”

“Uh… I’m not sure I can.” I cringe, hating the idea of letting him down, but I’ve never met Nylah Jones before. I’ve heard all about her, but every time I’ve gone to Football Frat, she either hasn’t been there or I haven’t seen her because I like to hang out in Wily’s room.

I’ve had a short chat with Sienna, who seems nice, and I’ve stacked blocks with Zoey, who is just plain adorable, but…

Nylah Jones?

Yeah, I don’t know her.

“Baby.” Wily’s reprimand is soft. “Yes, you can. I’ll text Carson now and tell him not to leave without you.”

“But I don’t know Nylah.”

“You’ve seen her at Football Frat before.”

“No, I haven’t. I don’t even know what she looks like.”

“You know what Carson looks like, so just run downstairs and find him. He’ll be in my truck, and I know you know that beast. You’re running out of excuses, Satch. You can do this. I’ll let Carson know.”

And with that, he hangs up, and I’m left gripping the sides of my chair and trying to find the courage to go and ask this girl I don’t even know for a ride.

Plus her boyfriend, who is just a little bit scary .

Wily swears he’s a good guy, but Carson hardly ever smiles, and the few encounters I’ve had with him have been borderline terrifying.

No, they haven’t. Stop being so dramatic and get up!

Biting my lip, I really sink my teeth in, my body starting to quiver as I sit here staring at my door.

They’ll leave without you, and then Wily will be upset. You’ll miss out on time with him because you’re being a scaredy cat.

“Shit,” I mutter, forcing myself up and grabbing my coat before I can change my mind.

Cramming things into the pockets, I bolt out my door and rush to the elevator.

Crap, I may have missed my chance already. I took too long being indecisive, and now they’ve probably already left, and I’ll be standing on that curb feeling bummed out because I didn’t?—

“Hold the door!” I call, jumping into the elevator and giving the girl in front of me a polite smile.

She shifts to the very edge of the space and keeps her eyes trained on her phone.

The ride down is painful, and I spend the short time straightening my jacket and trying to remember how to breathe.

Ding!

The doors pop open and I dash out, seeing Wily’s truck through the glass doors and bolting for the exit.

A slender woman with a long black ponytail is walking toward Wily’s truck. She got a slight limp, but it’s not that noticeable. Not when her skintight jeans are showing off her perfect shape so beautifully. I can’t help admiring her size 6 butt as she waves at her boyfriend .

I hurry it up before I lose my nerve.

“Hey!” I call out as I hit the stairs, running down them… and, in my haste, miscalculating the last step. You know, the one I’ve been stepping off for months now. The one I’ve walked down a thousand times before.

Yeah, that one.

It gets the better of me and I tumble onto the cold concrete, my bare hands slapping onto the rough surface at the same time my knee lands with a crunch.

Humiliation rushes through me at about the same speed as the pain, but I’m pretty sure it hurts worse.

I am such a moron!

Letting out a soft whimper, laughter from my past echoes through me as I stay on my hands and knees and keep my head tucked down. Cold moisture is soaking into my sweatpants and crap. Am I seriously wearing sweatpants?

What was I thinking?

I should have taken the time to change.

This is the worst idea ever!

I hate being rushed, and I should have just said no. I could have waited for Wily to come get me later. Or I could have freaking walked over by myself!

It would have given me time to shower and put nice clothes on, but no, I had to run out the door in my slouchy sweats, looking like a total slob and now falling on my ass for the world to see.

“Are you okay?” a voice calls, and I glance up in time to see the pretty Black girl limping back toward me.

It’s Nylah. It has to be. She was waving at Carson before, and…

Oh shit, this is so humiliating !

I struggle to my feet, not wanting her to have to help me. Wouldn’t want to strain one of her perfectly slim muscles, right?

Brushing off my stinging hands, I nod when she approaches and mumble, “I’m fine.”

“You didn’t hurt yourself?” She touches my arm, giving it a little rub. Her eyes are so full of genuine concern, and I stare at her, waiting for the laughter to break through.

People can only hold their worried frowns for so long.

But nope.

She’s still not laughing.

I swallow and rasp, “I’m fine, really.”

Smoothing my hands down my coat, I ignore the burn and wish the pavement had cracked and swallowed me up when I notice Carson sauntering toward us.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!

“You okay?” he calls, and I nod, not wanting to look at him.

“I might just go back inside.” I point over my shoulder. “I don’t want to hold you guys up, so… you go.”

“And show up at the house without you?” Carson snickers, gliding his hand around Nylah’s waist and kissing her forehead in greeting before looking at me with his hard, piercing gaze. “Doubt it, lady.”

“W-what?” I dig my hands into my coat pockets, hoping to warm them up. Maybe they’ll hurt less that way.

“What Carson is so eloquently trying to say”—Nylah pats his stomach—“is that Wily will be really disappointed if we show up without you. I’m guessing he knows you’re coming? ”

“Yep.” Carson nods. “He just texted me and said I had to bring you back to the house. So…” He tips his head toward Wily’s truck. “Let’s go.”

“Are you… are you sure? I don’t want to encroach.”

Carson snickers and shares a quick look with Nylah before glancing back at me. “You have to come with me, kid. Wily will have my ass if I show up without you.” His eyes start to twinkle. “And I know you know what pissed off looks like on that guy. It’s not pretty.”

I frown, confused by the statement.

How does he know that I know anything?

How much has Wily told him about me? About us?

My insides flush with even more embarrassment as I shuffle after them, reluctantly climbing into the back seat of the truck.

Carson gives me a hand up, and I can’t help a soft hiss when the fabric of my sweats digs into my knee.

“You good?” he asks.

“Yes,” I whisper, pulling my coat around my legs and not wanting to look at him.

He studies me for a second, I can feel it, then closes my door and walks around to the front.

Nylah’s already buckled up and ready to go.

She glances over her shoulder, grinning at me as I reach for my seat belt.

I give her a closed-mouth smile, hoping she’s not about to start up some conversation I don’t want to participate in.

My knee hurts. And I’m still burning with humiliation.

I just need a second to balance myself .

Music blasts through the truck the second Carson starts the engine, and I flinch while Nylah laughs.

“You’re gonna go deaf.” She reaches for the volume, then skips the song.

“Hey,” Carson complains. “That was my jam, kitty.”

“Sorry.” She laughs but doesn’t bother skipping back to replay the song. Instead, she starts bopping along to the next track and singing.

Carson shakes his head. “You are so not sorry.”

She laughs some more and winks at him. “You’re right. I’m so not sorry.” Then she belts out the words to the bridge before launching into the chorus.

She has a beautiful voice.

I would sing along with her—I love this song—but my knee hurts and…

Shifting my coat aside, I steal a glimpse at my sweats. Yep, they’re ripped. And yep, that’s blood.

Oh my gosh!

Now I have to spend the evening with bloody sweatpants on, and that’s so gross.

Seriously. I can’t believe I fell over in front of these two super-cool people who are driving me to my super-gorgeous boyfriend’s house.

Wait, boyfriend?

Is that what he is now?

Before, you weren’t sure what he was.

Biting my bottom lip, I gaze out the window, my insides coiling as I wonder if he even wants to be my boyfriend or whether we’re best to not label it when he’ll be leaving permanently after graduation.

Glancing back to the front, I watch Carson and Nylah as he takes her hand, threading their fingers together and kissing the inside of her wrist while she sings. He then gives her this sweet, loved-up smile, and…

Oh man, I’d love Wily to want to be mine.

Because I’m his.

There’s no doubt about it.

Why else would I rush out the door in nothing but my ugly sweatpants?

Why else would I let these two talk me into turning up at his place with blood on my clothes and an embarrassing story about tumbling down my front steps?

Only a girl in love can be that stupid, right?