Page 88 of Touchdown, Tennessee

Leave it to Gray to be totally aggressive about how he complimented me, too.

“You don’t have to say you like me just because I said it. It’s okay. I was cheated on and heartbroken, but I don’t need pity.”

Gray gave me a hard stare. “Andrew, the next time I see Danny I’m going to struggle not to put my fist to his face. I don’t know howanyonecould hurt you.”

My heart did a little backflip in my chest. “Seemed pretty easy for him.”

He released his grip. “You have more important things to think about right now. Water, coffee, and practice what you’re going to say to ESPN. Those are your top three priorities.”

“No. This is.”

I moved forward and put my hand under his chin, dipping to catch his lips in a kiss.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Some of that was the liquor.

But a whole lot more of it was the way Gray made me feel, even when it felt like my whole world was entering code-red panic.

The moment my lips were on his, I didn’t give a fuck about the rest of the world.

Maybe this would all crash and burn still.

Maybe he’d write a horrible article about me, and my life would come to a swift end in two weeks at Homecoming.

But the raw urge to kiss him was too strong.

As if I was in a burning building anyway, and I may as well kiss him before it turned to ash. Let the people in the bar see it. Hell, I’d do itonESPN, live for the cameras, if I had to.

I kissed him slowly, letting one hand move to his hip and squeezing him there.

“I still can’t stand you, you know,” I murmured against his lips before pulling away. “How are you somehow still cocky even when you’re comforting me and helping me?”

“Could say the same for you,” he told me. “When you were being amother henand fixing up my wounds, your ego was still the size of your fucking cock.”

I hummed. “You’re good with compliments.”

The next hour was a mad rush of preparation.

Luke came back over with more water, iced tea, and a big BLT sandwich for me to eat.

By the time we’d all piled into cabs, I was…

Still drunk, for sure.

But better.

A little.

I thought Gray would just go home, but he followed in his sports car and stood at the side of the field where he usually did as Luke and I set up for our interview. We headed into the locker rooms for a few minutes, throwing on TNU jerseys that would look best on camera.

We walked back out onto the field, and that’s when my nerves started to come back.

Coach got there soon after, patting me and Luke on the back.

“You boys are superstars,” he said. “Have I told you both you’re awesome recently? Because you are.”

It seemed like Coach Ennick had been drinking tonight, too.