Page 39 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

WILY

I’m pacing like an eager puppy, darting from my window to my bed. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me, but Carson is taking forever to get back with my girl.

Yeah, that’s right. I said it.

My girl.

Because like fuck I want anyone else having her.

Spending time with Satch since the semester began has become addictive.

I didn’t realize it when we were studying together, but it just grew like that plant in the corner of Mom’s kitchen, which I didn’t even realize was getting bigger, but then all of a sudden, I started to notice it.

I started to smell it and watch it bloom, and the colors took over the space until it’s the first thing I see every time I walk back into that familiar space.

That is what Satch has become for me, and I fucking can’t wait to see her.

Walking back to my window, I check the street and feel like a kid waiting for his birthday guests to arrive, especially when I notice my truck rounding the corner and I let out a whoop.

Flinging my door open, I run downstairs, jumping around the basket of laundry that needs to go up to Carson’s room and practically tripping over the front mat.

Slow the fuck down, dude.

Sucking in a quick breath, I open the door and try to play it cool, but that goes out the window the second Carson pulls into the driveway and I bound down the front steps like a golden retriever.

Yanking open the back door, I beam at Satch, who gives me a shy smile, her cheeks flaring red as she tucks a lock of loose hair behind her ear.

“You good?” I hold out my hand to help her out, and she shuffles to the door, wincing when she swivels to face me. “What happened?” My joy gets sliced in half by instant concern. “Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head, but Nylah rounds the car and smiles up at me. “She fell coming out of Buckley Hall. Those stairs are slippery in the winter.”

She winks at Satch, who gives her a barely there smile.

“Did someone push you?” My voice is deep and rough.

Satch glances up to bulge her eyes at my question while Nylah lets out a confused laugh.

“No. No one pushed her. Why would they do that?”

Satch shakes her head, and I press my lips together, even though I kind of want to rant about the bitch who called her hippo. It happened weeks ago, but I’m still riled about it.

Satch hasn’t said it, but I know she keeps an eye out for her whenever we’re on campus together. She’s super warm and friendly when we’re hidden away somewhere private, but if we ever spot each other in open public, she won’t come within reach.

I’ve asked her about it, but she just said she doesn’t want the world gossiping about us.

“You’re a popular guy.”

“So?” I queried her, not getting the secrecy at all.

“I just… don’t like people talking about me.”

I guess that’s fair enough, so I’ve tried to play it cool and keep our relationship on the down-low around school.

It’s an effort, but I keep PDA to a minimum…

unless we’re behind closed doors. When we’re at Football Frat, I can be myself, which is why I have no hesitations about wrapping my arm around her and helping her out of the truck.

I spot the blood as soon as her coat shifts out of the way and softly hiss. “Ouch.”

“I’m okay,” she mumbles, hobbling beside me up to the house.

“You’re bleeding.”

“She’s what?” Carson spins around in surprise, glancing down at her leg when I point to it. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Satch quickly covers her damaged sweats with her winter coat while Carson looks right at me.

“I didn’t know, man.”

“That’s okay.” I give him a closed-mouth smile, although I’m still kind of pissed that he didn’t check on her more carefully.

How did she fall?

It must have been bad if she’s bleeding .

Has she got any other injuries?

I want to pepper her like a detective but sense she’s not gonna say a damn thing with Carson and Nylah watching, so I wrap my arm around her waist and help her up the front steps.

It’s awkward with our height difference, but I refuse to let her go until she’s gripping the inside railing and walking up to my room. Even then, I keep my hand on her lower back and gently support her.

“Can we get you anything?” Nylah calls up after us.

“No, I’m good,” Satch throws back over her shoulder.

I frown at my girlfriend’s back, wishing she wasn’t being so stoic about all this. It’s okay to bleed and ask for help.

Guiding her into my room, I help her out of her coat, smiling when I notice she’s wearing the hoodie I left in her room the other night.

Good. I wanted her to claim that thing. I hope she’s been sleeping in it. I love it when girls do that kinda shit. I love that she’s keeping me with her this way.

“You wanna sit?” I point to the end of my bed.

“No, I’m good.” She crosses her arms, curling in on herself as she hobbles a step away from me.

“Satch. Sit.” I say it softly, but this isn’t up for debate. “Let me look at your knee.”

With a reluctant huff, she shuffles to my bed and takes a seat. I crouch down in front of her, checking out the ripped fabric.

“You’re gonna need to take these off so I can get a better look.”

“What?” She flushes.

“I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” I wink at her, grabbing the throw blanket off the side of my bed.

“Wrap this around yourself. I’ll be back in a sec.

” Walking to the door, I pause in the frame and glance back at her.

“I’ll get the first aid supplies, and you…

” I point at her with a grin. “You take those pants off.”

She flushes again, but this time she’s fighting a grin.

Good. I need her to relax and trust me.

I just want to look after her, and I’ll tell her that as soon as I get back to my room.

But first things first.

Trotting back downstairs, I hunt out the first aid kit in the top of the pantry and field a bunch of questions from Carson, Nylah, and Tyrell, who are all in the kitchen.

“You sure she’s okay?” Nylah asks.

“Yeah, she’s just got a banged-up knee.”

“Her hands might be sore too.” Nylah grabs a carrot stick off the board, grinning at Tyrell when he tells her to stop stealing his dinner.

“Yeah, she landed pretty hard,” Carson murmurs, flicking through the car magazine that arrived for him in the mail today.

“Poor thing.” Nylah shakes her head. “I turned in time for the aftermath, but she was just on her hands and knees, face bright red. She must have been so embarrassed.”

“Yeah, she embarrasses easily.” I wince, pulling snacks out of the pantry and loading up.

Walking past the fridge, I wrestle a couple of drinks out of the door, then grab an ice pack from the freezer as well.

“Catch you guys later.”

“You’re not gonna come down and socialize once she’s patched up?” Nylah’s tone is teasing, and I spin back to watch that smirk on her face grow a little bigger.

I grin back at her, shaking my head and announcing to the room. “I’m keeping her all to myself tonight, guys.”

“Ooooo.” Nylah laughs. “Someone’s gettin’ lucky.”

Carson pops up from his seat, reaching her in two quick strides and lightly smacking that cheeky ass of hers. “I hope you’re talking about me, kitten.”

She gives him a baleful look and then tips her head, tapping her chin. “The question we need to ask ourselves is… has Carson done enough to get some lovin’ tonight?”

Carson lets out a low growl, pulling her against him and nibbling her neck.

She starts to giggle while Tyrell gags and complains. “I’m making food here, people.” Holding up his knife, he points it at them in warning. “If you start doing it in here, there will be a formal protest, you feel me? I ain’t playin’. No sex in shared spaces. That’s a house rule!”

I snort when Carson amps it up and Nylah starts moaning like she’s having an orgasm.

“Get out of the kitchen!” Tyrell yells as I laugh and take the stairs two at a time.

Satch is waiting for me on the bed, her bloody sweats folded neatly on the floor and my throw wrapped around her.

“Is everything okay down there?” She looks past me with a nervous wince.

“Yeah.” I flick the door shut with my foot. “Carson and Nylah are just ragging on Tyrell while he’s trying to cook. The guy always gets stressed in the kitchen. But Grady, who usually loves to cook, has been kind of off lately, so we’re having to step up. ”

“What’s wrong with Grady?” Satch shifts on the bed while I unload my armful of supplies, handing her the ice pack. “What’s this for?”

“Nylah said you hurt your hands.” I take her fingers, studying her palms and lightly brushing my fingers over the red hue on her skin before grabbing a T-shirt off my floor and wrapping it around the ice pack. “Here, hold this for me, will ya?”

I gently press her palms on either side of the ice pack and turn my attention to her knee, softly telling her what I know about Grady.

“I think he broke up with his longtime girlfriend, and he’s taking it pretty hard. I’ve never seen him go through a hard time before, but from what I can tell… he obviously likes to work through stuff on his own. He hasn’t really let any of us in, and I’m not sure how hard to push him.”

“He’ll come to you when he’s ready.” Satch smiles down at me. “Some of us prefer a little privacy when we’re hurting.”

I pause for a second to gaze up at her face before skimming my knuckles down her cheek… then shifting the throw blanket off her leg.