Page 125 of Broken Romeo
My cock swelled within my swim trunks and I swallowed my groan. She was going to fucking kill me.
Death by blue balls.
I didn’t get to stare at her for long before she dipped back into the water, asking, “Why aren’t you at that football party thing?”
I tilted my head, surprised she knew anything at all about that party. Not because the guys wouldn’t all be thrilled to have her there, but ever since last year, our policy of no underage students at our parties was intensely enforced. Granted, it was usually enforced by me and since I was nowhere to be found at tonight’s party, I wondered how many freshman and sophomores Duncan and the guys were letting slip in past the bouncer. “How do you know about that party?” I asked.
“Maybe I was invited,” she challenged me.
I hoped that wasn’t true. On one hand, I didn’t think Dave was interested anymore. As soon as the BroCode was invoked by Duncan, he backed all the way off. Who else could have invited her? James? Maybe Cooper who was a junior?
Just the thought of one of my teammates setting their eyes on her had my ears ringing.
I chose not to think about it and instead answered her question. “I tweaked my shoulder in the game. Took some muscle relaxers after the game and decided to come here and sit in the hot tub rather than drink like an idiot on the meds.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized the dig I’d inadvertently taken at her. I hadn’t even been thinking of that night with Katherine and the shellfish and the Benadryl. But based on the glare she sent me, she clearly thought I was calling her out. “Well, aren't you the responsible one?”
Okay. She was pissed about something tonight. I closed my eyes and sank deeper into the water, relaxing as the jets hit my bad shoulder. “Just pretend I’m not here.” When she didn’t say anything in response, I peeked an eye open, catching her eyeing the exit. “Don’t even think about it, freshman.”
She turned her glare from the exit to me and snapped, “Don’t call me that.”
“Fine. Don’t even think about it, Katherine,” I said, pointedly, knowing that would annoy her just as much.
“That’s not much better.” Her blue eyes flared like gasoline tossed onto a flame.
Inwardly, I smiled, loving that I knew just how to provoke her and light her up. “Your name isn’t much better than freshman? Noted.”
“You know what I mean,” she countered.
“Do I? What I know is that you were debating making a run for it.”
There was no point in denying it. We both knew she was. This time, I did smile and closed my eyes once more, resting my head against the smooth lip of the hot tub.
I could feel her eyes on me even though mine were closed. And after a few minutes, her touch on my bad shoulder startled me.
“Holden,” she said my name like it was an exhale. Barely a breath with my name being carried by the breeze of her air. “You need ice, not a hot tub,” she added, her tone horrified. “What happened?”
I gave her a long look before answering, “I got sacked by the other team and landed on it weird.”
“Is it broken?”
“It dislocated on the field, but the medic popped it back in during halftime.”
She gape at me, eyes wide. “I’m sorry. The medic popped it back in and then what? You just kept playing?”
I gave her a little smirk and shrugged with my non injured shoulder. “The show must go on, right?” I said, repeating the phrase she’d said herself in rehearsal on Friday when she stubbed her toe on a set piece being built.
“Not if you dislocated your fudging shoulder, Holden! Cripes!”
Once more, I fought a smile only this time I’m pretty sure I lost the battle. “You’re cute when you’re worried about me, you know that?”
She opened her mouth to object, but no words came out.
Because we both knew they’d be bullshit, so what was the point in even saying them? She cared.
She cared about me.
My eyes roamed over her blonde curls piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Some of the strands at the nape of her neck are slick, wet, and sticking to her damp skin. I dragged my gaze across her face, over her full pink lips—