Page 14 of The Draft

Scotty was lucky. He was rich beyond his wildest desires, better looking than the rest of us, and could play the game like his father. He had everything going for him and more, yet we still had one thing in common: He couldn’t get the one girl he wanted, either.

As I trudged up the stairs, I decided to respond to him and let him know I had to bail because I was feeling sick. It wasn’t a lie. Seeing Madison with Aidenhadmade me nauseous, and I did need a little alone time to recover from the reality of the situation, which was that I was eventually going to have to watch Madison date someone else and be…happy for her.

I didn’t like that idea, but there was no other choice. I couldn’t police her life, and she deserved to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me. But just like high school, that could wait until I’d left college at the end of the year and officially signed my entry level contract to the Atlanta Anglerfish, so I wasn’t here to see it.

“Dash,” Cade drawled as I appeared at the top of the steps. He had a hand wrapped around a girl’s waist as he tipped his chin and winked. “What are you doing home so early? I thought you were out with Scotty.”

“What are you doing here at all? Didn’t you tell Scotty you had something to do tonight?”

His eyes gleamed with mischief as he squeezed the hip of the girl he was standing with. “I do. She’s right here. Who needs to go to The Draft when you’re already guaranteed some puck bunny love?” He nuzzled her neck, and my brows crossed in confusion. Was she okay with being called that? Judging by the soft smile on her face and the way she drew her head back, it seemed so.

I rolled my eyes because Cade was such a pig when it came to women. “Looks like you didn’t do too badly, either. Let me guess. Cherry?” He gestured to my face.

“What are you talking about?”

“The flavor of the girl’s lip gloss you made out with tonight?”

Fuck.

I clasped my hand over my mouth, and the sticky substance clung to my palm.

Double fuck.

I’d been walking around campus with the evidence of Madison all over my face without realizing it. I licked my lips subconsciously, and surprisingly, I could still taste her, which made that boner that had just calmed down a little more visible. God, that kiss was imprinted in my brain. I’d never forget how good it felt to have her tongue gliding across mine.

“Who was it?” Cade asked, his eyebrows wiggling in amusement.

“Don’t remember,” I quipped, because any other answer would put me in a direct line for a punch.

“Dash.” Cade unwound from the girl so he could push me on the arm. “I had no idea you were such a lothario.” He leaned into the girl beside him. “When we were in high school, his girlfriend cheated on him and broke his heart. From then on, he was too shy to speak to anyone else, and the only way he could get over his anxiety was to date on the internet.”

“Aww,” the girl next to him cooed, and I was about ready to add to the scar Madison put on Cade’s eyebrow for the lie, but luckily for him, my phone started buzzing in my jeans pocket. I went to grab it but stopped because I was still standing opposite Cade, and what if it was Madison calling?

“I don’t need your pity. I’ve dated girls. Cade’s even met them, he’s just too self-absorbed to remember.”

“Have I?”

“Yes, I went on dates before you punched a hole in my door.” It wasn’t a lie. I went on maybe two if you counted that girl I had to work with in one of my classes. However, the timing of Madison arriving on campus and that door punch was convenient because it was such a good excuse for not dating. I hadn’t tried very hard the first two years here, but I pretty much stopped looking at any girl once Madison was back in my life.

Cade narrowed his eyes and looked at the girl before turning his attention to me. “Are you sure those girls weren’t your cousins? I always thought you looked related.”

“No. They definitely weren’t.” He clearly didn’t remember or care, because if he did, he would have questioned why Amy and any other girl I had casually dated had a striking resemblance to his sister.

My phone was still buzzing, and I was itching to see who it was.

“You going to answer that?” Cade raised a brow in challenge. “Whoever it is seems to be desperate to talk to you. Wonder if it’s Little Miss Pop My Cherry?”

“I don’t know, I can’t get the phone out of my pants, Scotty’s jeans are too tight.”

He scoffed. “So she doesn’t have a name?” My hands dropped to my sides.

“I already told you, I don’t remember,” I responded curtly.

He gave me a lopsided smile. “Don’t worry, man. It happens to the best of us. I’m sure she’ll come looking for you if she hasn’t already found you.”

I hoped not, because if Madison did, she’d more than likely find her brother. Shit, I really did need to talk to her about this and how we planned on dealing with it around Cade. Should we tell him? Was one little kiss worth my balls being chopped off? After all, Madison was acting on impulse, and I had no idea how much she’d drunk tonight. She didn’t want me. She couldn’t. I was the overly grumpy, quiet goalie who kept to myself. Even if she thought she had a crush on me, she’d grow bored in a week because there was no way I could keep a girl like her entertained.

“You know what? I’ve had a long night. I’m going to bed,” I grumbled, walking past Cade and his companion. I jumped when Cade slapped my butt on the way past. Idiot.