“He’s an asshole.”
“Yeah, no I meant what’s the injury?”
“Grade two groin sprain.”
“Wow. That’s…interesting.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can count on Evan Marshall to exploit that for sure.”
My shoulders slumped. “He’s already started.”
He looked at me sideways. “He’s already tried to get in your pants, hasn’t he?”
I couldn’t tell him about the kiss. “No, nothing that direct, but Evan is a jerk. Even Dr. Jeffries told me to ‘take one for the team’, so to speak.”
“Okay let’s change the subject before I end up having a word with the dickhead. You’re way too nice to deserve that from somebody like him.”
“Awww, thanks.” I took another sip of my wine, happy that we were moving on from this topic. Nick was the wrong guy to tell about Evan and his antics.
I took in a relieved lungful of air when my bar-b-q sampler and fried mushrooms came out. Nick’s plate was piled high with two large racks of ribs.
“Gosh, it all looks so good. I needed this. Thanks for convincing me to come out.” Taking a piece of my favorite St. Louis styled ribs, I took a bite. I closed my eyes and moaned as the taste hit my mouth. It was like heaven.
“That’s why going to dinner with you is always a blast. I may actually enjoy the sound of you eating more than anything on my plate…and trust me, I love ribs.”
That was a good reminder to keep my orgasmic moaning to a minimum while I was with him. I’d save it for my nights out with Kristy or one of my other girlfriends. We could embarrass the heck out of ourselves with the happy noises we made.
“Tell me more about how things are going with the soccer crew,” I said, glad the energy between us was lighter now.
I listened while he told me all about the team members he worked with, their strengths, how hard his athletes trained for every game. This was why I valued our friendship. We had so much in common, career-wise, and I enjoyed spending time with him. I felt no chemistry between us, but that was the point of my wanting to keep our connection alive. Nick was even-keeled, smart, funny, and although he wanted to sleep with me, that wasn’t only thing on his mind when we hung out.
Evan was the opposite. Aggressive bordering on brutish, loud and annoying, demanding, and he only had two things on his mind—football and women.
No.
Football and sex.
Which was why I disliked the way he’d excited me without trying to. I wanted to scold myself for thinking about him, for letting him kiss me. I could punish my traitorous body for responding to his wild, rough, overpowering nature, for the storm of emotions and sensations that overwhelmed my body and mind because of him. Like right now, because in only a few moments of thinking about him, I didn’t know whether it was just me or the room suddenly got hotter.
“Are you all right?” Nick asked. “You look a little flushed.”
“Oh, I’m fine,” I said, waving it off. “It’s the wine…going to my head.”
“Maybe you should take a pass on the fourth glass,” he said with a chuckle. “I don’t want you fainting or anything.”
“You’re probably right. My plate’s pretty much done too. I should head home.”
“Me too.” The look he gave me made brought back all my guilt about not being into him. Our lives would be so much easier if I were into him…or if he were dating someone else.
After we finished up, I went outside to get some fresh air while Nick took care of the bill. He came out and put an arm around my shoulders. “Feeling better?”
“Not really. It’s going to be another long day tomorrow.”
“Let’s get you home.”
It was a short ride, thank God, and he let me off without getting too sentimental. I waved as he drove off, already picturing myself stretching out on my bed and sleeping for ten hours straight. Except Austin was at the front door of the dorm when I got there.
Awww hell.
I sure hoped he was here because he’d dropped off a date or something.
“There you are, Sam. I just came from upstairs. I was looking for you.”
Well, shoot me.
“What’s up, Austin? Why are you here?”
“We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Us.”
I was not doing this right now. Not again. I pressed my lips together, swallowing the decidedly sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Uh, that won’t be possible. There’s no ‘us’, Austin. Anyway it’s late. You should go now.”
It seemed that as far as Austin Grant was concerned, it wasn’t late enough yet. When I touched the handle on the door, he stopped me.
“I was not impressed, seeing that guy kiss you, Sam. Isn’t he supposed to be your friend? Or were you trying to make me jealous?”
“Let go of the door, Austin. We’re not having this conversation.”
“Maybe I can kiss you goodnight, then. I promise you’ll forget all about him.”
“Go home. Please, just leave.”
His mouth hung open, then he laughed. “I don’t know what your problem is with me. I was there for you once upon a time.”
He was delusional. We dated for two months during my junior year at college, and he was an arrogant, self-involved, pompous prick the entire time. Then we broke up and he put me through hell for another three months before some other woman finally captured his interest and he moved on. Right now, though, it was getting late, and I was alone, and although I wasn’t afraid of him, I didn’t have the energy for an argument.
I kept it brief. “That was a long time ago, Austin. Please let go of the door. Go home. I don’t want things to escalate.”
Thank God. Two girls living on another floor came toward us from inside the building, making to leave. Austin had to move to let them pass, and I took my opportunity to step inside and gun it to the stairs. Austin was still yelling at me to come back the entire time. I ignored him, and forgot all about it when I got inside my dorm room. Locking the door, I changed into an oversized t-shirt, brushed my teeth, and crawled into bed to finally get some rest.
10
Evan
My buddy Mo helped me get to the athletic training center on Thursday morning. Dr. Burton had left me a voice message the day before, instructing me to come by for a different prescription.
“Thanks for the favor, Frenchie,” I told Mo as we drove over. That was his nickname. Mo’s mother was from France. They spoke Parisian French at home, not the watered down Louisiana slang most of us said a few words of here and there.
“I should be thanking you,” Mo answered. “I get to use your wheels today.”
“That’s no trouble, man.”
Mo was driving my car because he and his mother shared an old beater. His father was a Navy Seal, and had died in Iraq during Mo’s junior year at college. Things were pretty tough for his family after that, especially for his younger brother, Pierre. The kid didn’t take his father’s passing well. After the funeral, he was in and out of trouble, stealing, using drugs and hanging with the wrong crowd. Mo and his mother spent half their time all over town to either bail the kid out of trouble or search for him when he disappeared for days on end. Pierre’s behavior affected Mo’s grades in a bad way, so much so he was at risk of not graduating with us this year.
“How’s Pierre doing?”
“Hell if I know. He’s not been home since two nights ago. The kid’s a holy terror, whether he makes it home or is out there raising hell.”
“He’ll grow out of it.”
“If he lives to make it to eighteen, maybe. Mom keeps saying she wouldn’t have a single grey hair if it weren’t for that kid…nothing’s working. And I’m close to failing out from all this extra drama. I don’t need this crap, but he’s my brother, you know? I can’t not help him.”
“Yeah man. I get that. It’s tough.”
“He’ll be lucky if he grad
uates from high school.”
“Give him time, maybe.”
“Maybe…who knows?” Mo parked the car at the athletic building and brought me inside, holding my crutches in one hand. He was probably the only guy on the team stronger than me. At six feet seven inches tall and broad like two men, he was built like a brick wall. I had no doubt he could throw me over his shoulder with one hand. Thankfully he didn’t try that today.
Dr. Burton had my prescription ready when we got to his office. Before I could take a seat, he had to rush off to an emergency on the indoor volleyball. Mo and I left his office, and I filled the prescription at the onsite dispensary down the hall. We were leaving the building when we bumped into Samantha. Right away, I could tell there was something wrong. She was out of it, and almost passed right by Mo and me.
“Hey Samantha. What’s shaking?”
“Oh, hi Evan. What are you doing here?”
I showed her the prescription bottle. “Doc came through with the new meds. My friend Mo brought me over here.”
“Oh, good…Hi Mo. You’re tutor and I are roommates.”
“Kristy’s your friend? That’s cool.”
She looked at the large digital clock at the other end of the long hallway for a second. “Do you want to get our session done now, Evan? I have just over an hour before I need to get to a class.”
“Sure.” I looked over at Mo. “You mind picking me up then?”
“I have to see the coach in half-hour,” Mo answered, scratching his light blond hair. “He’s been on my ass to meet him since last week.”
“That’s okay, Evan,” Samantha said quickly. “I’ll give you a ride home. There’s an open treatment room three doors down, on the right. Go on in. I’ll grab my stuff.”
“Sure thing.”
She left, and Mo helped me get to the room. “She’s pretty hot.”
“Yeah.”
“Are you tapping that?”
“Planning on it. At least once. It’s in the works.”
He nodded. “Sweet.”
“What about you and her roommate?”
“I don’t know. She’s an uptight school teacher type when it comes to hitting the books. We’ll see…So you’re all good here? I don’t mind waiting for you, but the coach will probably string me up if I don’t see him soon.”
“You go ahead, bud. That’ll give me time to warm her up some more.”
Mo didn’t get the chance to leave. We both gave each other a look when the sound of arguing voices streamed in from the hallway. It wasn’t an all-out shouting match, but more like two people making an effort to keep from being heard while they battled it out in public. One of the voices was Samantha’s.
“I told you to leave me alone,” she growled to whoever it was, sounding fierce. “I don’t want to get you into trouble, but you’re taking this too far. If you don’t stop, I’ll have no choice but to file a complaint.”
“And I told you I’m not done with you,” said the man thrashing it out with her.
I began to swing my legs over the side of the treatment table to intervene. Mo stopped me. “Let me take care of this. You’re in no shape.”
“Get whoever that is out of the building, and send Samantha in here.”
He punched his fist into his palm for effect. “Don’t you worry.”
The second Mo disappeared out the door, I started wishing I hadn’t asked him to check it out. He had a tendency to talk with his fists. Personally, I never backed away from a fight, but Mo actually enjoyed it. He got out there and his first move was to shout, “Yo dude, get your fucking hands off her and let’s go outside so you can try that with me. I’m just itching to rearrange that pretty boy face for you.”
I grabbed one crutch and got out there as fast as I could. I had to see for myself what was going on, and hopefully stop Mo from doing something crazy.
“Austin was just leaving,” Samantha said to Mo, trying to pull out of this guy’s grasp. The man had his hand gripped tightly on her upper arm.
“I’ve got a right to be here just like anyone else,” the idiot said, then I noticed he was wearing athletic gear with our college colors, and had a racket bag slung over his polo shirt. This shithead was on one of our college teams? He had to be missing a few screws. If any of the coaches were around, they’d slap a probationary warning on him in no time, or worse if they saw him with his hands on a woman.
Mo was close to a full head above this scrawny guy. He’d break that kid in half if I didn’t intervene. I hobbled over into the melee. “You may have a right to be in the building, but why the fuck are you touching her, man? Move your ass before we fucking move it for you.”
He sneered up at Mo, then glowered at me. “You meatheads need to mind your own business. I’m talking to my girlfriend.”
Samantha was with this guy? Man, she sure knew how to pick them.
She set us straight right away. “I’m not your girlfriend and you know it. It’s been over two years and all of a sudden you think you own me again?”
“Okay that’s enough,” Mo said. “Let her go. Now.”
“This isn’t your concern, buddy.”
Mo gave him the look he normally saved for the defensive line when he meant business. It was usually enough to make those three-hundred-pound players cower in fear, yet this idiot didn’t budge.
“Get your hand off her. Don’t make me ask again.”
“Or what?”
“I’m really gonna enjoy showing you.” Mo put his massive hand on the guy’s shoulder. A split second later, buddy boy was being half-carried out of the building.
Samantha stood there rubbing the spot on her arm where her ex-boyfriend had held on to her, shaking like a leaf while he got his ass dragged outside.
“Did he hurt you?” I asked her, putting an arm around her shoulder. Somewhere deep in my chest was an overpowering instinct to protect her. I’d never had that reaction before, and I’d seen my fair share of couples verbally duking it out on campus before. This was different. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
She pressed up against my side, absently relaxing her weight into mine. “No, I’m fine.”
“Jesus, who the hell was that guy? Has this happened before?”
“No, not really…I don’t understand. We broke up over two years ago. He was a pain for a while, but after that he was fine for my sophomore years and right up to last semester. All of a sudden he started reaching out again. Then he came by my dorm looking for me while I was out last night. He eventually left, but…I don’t know what his deal is.”
“What is he, a tennis player?”
“Yes. I’m sorry…I still can’t believe he did that.”
“That douchebag’s got serious issues, trying that crap here.” I looked down the hall. “Where the hell is everyone? This place is usually crawling with trainers and coaches.”
“Most are over at the track stadium for a department meeting…some may be laying low.”
“Why the hell for?”
“Don’t you recognize him? He’s Austin Grant.”
“Who the fuck is Austin Grant?”
She was getting back to her old self, rolling her eyes to my question. “Uh, you’re standing in the Audley J. Grant Athletic Training Center. As in Austin’s father. This is his alma mater, and he was a top cross-country track star turned billion-dollar entrepreneurial legend. He’s donated over ten million dollars to build this place.”
“Oh…that still doesn’t explain why not even one member of the staff dared to show their face right now. He could have hurt you…and look at you, your shaking…” Not caring who was watching or if she’d resist me, I supported my weight on the one crutch and pulled her into my chest, holding her close and gently rubbing her back to reassure her. “Mo and I won’t let that guy near you again.” Samantha didn’t pull away for a while. She just stood there for a while, catching her breath and repeating that she couldn’t believe what he’d done. After a short while, I angled her chin to l
ook up at me. “You’re safe now… Listen, we can do this PT session later. You’re in no shape to work right now. My buddy Mo can give you a ride home if you want.”
“I don’t know…” she looked at the time again. “I’ve got a class in about an hour across campus.”
“Forget about the class. That piece of shit attacked you. You should be reporting him to campus security or the police.”
Samantha pulled out of my arms. “No. I’m not doing that…not now…and I have to get to my class.”
“You’re letting him off the hook?”
“His family has a lot of power and influence around campus, Evan. It was hard enough breaking up with him back when we dated for all of five seconds. I don’t…I won’t go through that again.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but Samantha was adamant. I left it alone. She was a big girl.
“Fine. At least let us get you a coffee or something. We’ll drop you off at your lecture.”
“I’m not sure…”
“I’m not leaving you alone here for him to try that shit again when Mo and I are gone.”
“Okay… All right, I’ll go. My class is over at Cyprus Hall.”
“That’s easy. The Acadian Cafe is right around the corner from there.”
“I’ll get one of my friends to give me a ride back for my car later.” She looked up at me. “Thank you for that…you and your friend didn’t have to help, but you did and I appreciate it.”
I pulled her close to me again and kissed the top of her head. “It’s not a problem…”
“I’ll have to stop by the frat house later for your session after all.”
“Only if you’re up for it after this trouble with your ex.” I would have said more, but Mo strode back up the hallway from outside. “Is he gone?”
“Yeah. Piece of cake. The prick said he had a practice here with his team, though. I made him use the back entrance.” He turned to Samantha. “Your ex-boyfriend problem won’t be a problem anymore.”
“Why? Did you hit him?”
“No, but he understands there’s a distinct possibility that’ll happen if I see him anywhere near you again.”
Win Big: A Bad Boy Sports Romance Page 9