Page 18 of Breaking Free
He jolts up, slamming my locker closed. “Enough with the smartass bullshit. Are you trying to piss me off? Make me jealous? Why are you all buddy-buddy with Jay now? Going out and exchanging numbers.”
I relax a little, crossing my arms over my bare torso as I watch him. My teeth scrape across my bottom lip briefly as I take in his flustered appearance.
“You seem a little pissed off.”
“Don’t fuck around with my friends just to get to me.”
“You know what, Campbell? Maybe I’m not thinking about you at all. You tell me to leave you alone because you don’t want anybody to know what we did, so I say I’ll leave you alone. Now I’m talking to other people, and you can’t seem to stand it. You think I don’t see you watching me every time we’re on the field?”
“You’re my competition. Of course I’m watching.”
I snort. “You think I didn’t see the jealousy dripping from your eyes as I was talking to Jay? The hurt on your face when you saw me give him my number? You say you don’t want me talking to you, but you don’t want me talking to anyone else? I don’t think you have that right.”
He takes a few seconds to figure out his reply. “I don’t want you playing with Jay’s feelings. He’s into guys and you know that. Don’t make him think he has a chance if you’re only doing it to make me mad.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “You’re funny.”
“I’m serious, Dominic.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Maybe I like Jay. He’s good looking, funny, and charismatic. And you know what else? He’s out of the closet. Stop thinking what I’m doing has anything to do with you. You’re not interested, right?”
I raise my brows at him, taking a step closer and waiting for his answer. His eyes track my movements, roaming down my face to my chest and abdomen. My towel hangs around my hips just like it did the first time I saw him.
Taking another step, I close the gap between us. “Right? You don’t want me? So I can fuck Jay if I want to. He’s single. I’m single. You’d be okay with that, wouldn’t you? You’re not gonna cock block your friend, are you?”
Anger mixed with desire swirls in his eyes as he watches me, his jaw tense as he clenches a fist at his side. I’m not worried he’s gonna punch me. I’m thinking he’s more concerned with touching me.
“Don’t,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t fuck Jay.”
He avoids eye contact, touching his chin to his chest as he looks down.
“Why?” I ask. Trevor’s chest heaves but he doesn’t look at me. I bring my finger to his chin and lift his head until he’s looking into my eyes. “Tell me why.”
I can read in his expression that he’s fighting the urge to tell me the truth. He doesn’t want to admit it. He’s afraid I’ll hold this admission over his head, and maybe I will, but I need to hear it.
“Because I don’t want you to.”
My lips curl up slightly and my hand slides to his neck, my fingers pressing on the base of his skull while my thumb skates over his cheek. “And why is that?”
He huffs and tries to move his head, but I bring him back and force him to meet my gaze. “Because I—”
A door closing and footsteps approaching forces us apart right before I get his answer.
“Hurry up, guys. It’s Friday,” Coach says with a grin as he spots us.
“Yes, Coach,” Trevor answers, his eyes lingering on me as he makes his getaway.
* * *
After getting home,I find my mom on the couch, watching TV. Like she said she was gonna do, she cleaned up the house a little bit and based on the slight curl of her hair, she showered today too.
“Hey,” I say, sitting next to her.
“Hi, honey. How was your day?”