Rebound (Pro-U Book 3)

by Ali Parker

  "I'm good." She glanced around and let out a soft sigh. "I have no clue what I'm doing here, but whatever."

  "You look amazing." I kept my eyes on her pretty face. No need to act like the animal I felt like every time I saw her. She didn't seem the kind of woman that would appreciate that shit.

  "I don't want anything to drink." Teri's voice caught my attention and I turned to find her and Geoff talking just beside us.

  "I meant water, baby." He pulled her close and brushed her hair back.

  Her belly was big and round with their baby, and where the thought of getting someone pregnant I wasn't married to scared the shit out of me, there was another part of me that was ready to move past all the college bullshit and get into a long-term relationship. I wanted the things that were hopefully soon to come more than I wanted what we had now. Booze, tits and sports were great for my friends, but I was growing weary of all of it far too fast.

  "Can you believe that? Seven months pregnant and they’re still together. There's no way I would stay with that whore." Darren snorted and pushed past me as I turned toward Tasha.

  She scowled and walked toward the living room. "Jeez. What a fucking asshole."

  "Which one?" I moved up behind her and stopped by the fridge, pulling out two beers and offering her one of them.

  "That big jerk that almost ran us over." She glanced down at the beer, causing her short blond hair to cascade around her face. I couldn't seem to stop staring at her little button nose, her perfect pink lips. My body woke up in ways it hadn't since high school when I realized girls were more than happy to spread their legs for just about anyone. I'd pulled myself out of the depravity as quickly as possible, but it would seem my hormones had a different view of things.

  "Yeah. Everyone hates that guy." I nodded toward the beer. "You want something besides Budweiser?"

  "Got anything that's lite?"

  "Absolutely." I turned and pulled one out of the fridge. "It's the last one in the fridge, and they're Jacob’s. I'll take the heat and let you have it under one condition.”

  "Are you bargaining with me, Micah Sanders?" The smile playing with the side of her mouth had my heart skipping a beat. Fuck, she was pretty.

  "Yep. Want the beer?"

  "Yes." She reached for it and I pulled back, but pressed my injured hand against her hip and pulled her a little closer.

  "Come dance with me. Just one dance."

  "Just a friendly dance. You're supposed to be the good guy in this house." She plucked the beer from me and turned, walking back toward the living room where the music was.

  My eyes moved down the thick curve of her rear to her shapely legs. The woman had the most beautiful legs I'd ever laid eyes on. I couldn't stop thinking about how good it would feel to run my hands and lips over them before wrapping them around me.

  "Stop it. What the fuck has gotten into you." I shook my head and glanced down at my beer, wondering if I was at my limit. I needed to be careful. Even good guys melted into a pile of hormones with enough liquor. I usually tried to avoid that shit at all costs.

  I moved into the living room and set my beer down before pulling her closer to me. I left a little bit of space, but knew I was in trouble. How many beers had I had? Four? Five?

  "You smell good." I leaned down and brushed my nose by her ear. "And look even better."

  "Just friends, mister." She put her hands in the center of my chest and pushed a little.

  Darren barreled past me, laughing loudly as he took the stairs up toward the bedrooms two at a time. Something inside my stomach soured.

  "Absolutely. Just a minute, all right?" I released Tasha and turned, half stumbling myself up the stairs. My bedroom door was open from what I could tell, and the sound of Darren laughing filled up the hallway. "You better not be in my-"

  I stopped beside the open door to see the big bastard dry humping the poor girl in my bed and red bled out my vision. I didn't come to until Jacob was pulling me off of Darren.

  "Come on buddy. Get up. It's all right." Jacob patted my chest and grabbed Darren by his shirt, muscling him out into the hallway.

  It was him. It had to be that fucker.

  "You all right, man?" I glanced up to find Dillon standing in my open door.

  "I think so. Let's go talk to Jacob. I think you're right about Darren. We need proof, but I think I might have an idea of how to get it." I got up, huffing and puffing as I made my way back downstairs. I made sure to look for Tasha, and much to my disappointment, she wasn't in the house anymore. "Fucking figures."

  Chapter 6

  Natasha

  I moved around the group of giggling cheerleaders that stood in the middle of the living room as Micah turned and walked out the back door. Every nerve ending inside of me was tingling with the desire for more of his attention. He might be a good guy, but he was bad news.

  He was too much like Adam. Too nice. Too good. Too everything.

  "Hey Tasha! Thank God." Clara slipped her arm into mine and pulled me toward the front porch. I was happy to go seeing that Micah disappeared out the back door moments before.

  "What in the world are you doing here?" I glanced around to see if she might have come with someone. Never in a million years did I expect to see Clara at a party. She was far too prissy for that.

  "Some of the swim team was talking about it this afternoon, and the girls were betting I wouldn't come." She shrugged and pushed her long hair over her shoulder as she released me. "Fuck you very much. I'm here."

  I laughed and snorted. "I like it. This a new more bolder you, or just a night off from life?"

  "A night off. I like being myself." She moved to the edge of the porch as her nose crinkled in disgust. "Ugh. Look at those idiots."

  I glanced out on the lawn to see a bunch of half-dressed football players carrying girls on their shoulders, playing chicken.

  "Oh crap. I'm pretty sure you need water for that." I jogged down the stairs and patted a young blond on the stomach. "Hey buddy. Someone is going to get hurt. How about you put the girl down?"

  "What? Why?" He smiled and his whole face lit up. He was gorgeous, but trouble with a capital T.

  "Aren't you Brody's little brother?" Clara walked beside me and moved behind him. "Let her fall back and I'll catch her."

  "You sure?" The guy glanced back at Clara, his eyes running across her in a less than friendly way. "You're hot. I'm Talon."

  "Be careful." I moved closer and reached up to help Clara, who grabbed the girl and had no trouble at all pulling her down. "Wow. You're crazy strong."

  "Swimming builds up arm muscles." She ignored Talon and flexed for me.

  "Why do you think you need to get into the gym?" I reached out and squeezed her arm, quite impressed. She was insanely feminine and yet still had great muscle definition.

  "Coach says it will force me to swim faster." She glanced over at Talon and patted him on the chest. "Not a chance in hell, buddy."

  I turned and walked toward the house beside her, trying not to laugh at the poor kid. He was hot as all get out, but there was no way any of my friends would be interested in an eighteen-year-old hot shot. Especially not when he looked like a younger version of his dick-head brother, Brody. We were too close to the drama between him and Emily not to turn a cold shoulder toward anyone associated with Providence's star quarterback.

  "He's cute though, right?" I glanced back over my shoulder before wagging my eyebrows at her.

  "He's crazy hot, but Dillon looks better. I’m much more into tall, dark and handsome."

  "The guy you said you wouldn't give a second glance because of him being stupid?"

  "He's not stupid from what I can tell. He just doesn't give a shit. He seems to think he's going to swim in the Olympics and nothing else matters." She shrugged and opened the door to the house. "Where that's a total possibility, don't you think anyone with sense in their head would be planning for the worst? I mean, you hope to go to the WNBA, but you're also keeping your grade
s up just in case. That's smart."

  "I like the idea of playing basketball for a while, but to be completely honest, I'd like to open up a shelter or a pregnancy care center. I could use my business degree and do something to give back to the community." I shrugged, not sure how we got on the subject. I couldn't remember ever telling anyone what I wanted to do with my life. It suddenly dawned on me how incredibly sad it was that I hadn't shared myself with anyone. Not even Emily and she had been my roommate for three years.

  "I like that idea. I think it's a great use of your talent and time." She pushed the back door open and paused. "There's our group. You don't mind me calling them mine, right? You're about the only friend I have besides my sister."

  "Nope. I'm glad you're starting to hang out with us more." I walked down the stairs. "I figure Jacob might talk Em into moving into the house with him if the other guys allow it. When that happens, I'm going to get a new dorm-mate. I'm a little apprehensive about it."

  "Maybe I could move in with you. My sister and I need some time apart. It's getting old being in her business all the time. You know she's the polar opposite from me. Drives me up the fucking wall with her loud music and rowdy friends." She rolled her eyes.

  "What's her name again? Avery?"

  "Yeah. She's a freshman this year, and my mother wanted me to keep an eye on her. So... she got us an apartment together, which was the worst thing in the world she could have done. She had to fight the dean of women on several occasions because Avery should have been in a dorm like every other stinking freshman."

  "Every freshman has to be in a dorm?" I glanced up to find Micah watching me. The remembrance of his hands on my hips, or his good hand and his bandaged up appendage, blasted through my mind. I smiled and stifled a giggle. His injury was nothing to laugh at, but my desire for him was almost comical. I knew nothing about him, and I planned on keeping it that way. It was easier to live my life by myself. It meant not disappointing anyone else.

  "Yeah, they do unless they're in a fraternity or their parents throw a shit fit." She stopped by our group of friends and turned to me. "Or their folks live in Providence."

  "Like Talon and Brody's do." Jacob wrapped his arm around Emily and kissed the side of her head. "I'm glad you're done with that asshole."

  "I bet you are. More time for you?" She turned toward him and pressed herself to his chest as he leaned down and kissed her passionately

  "Ugh. Come on. Shit," I grumbled and moved past them toward the bonfire. The sight of them making out was almost too hot, but letting on that I was getting tired of my three-year relationship strike wasn't going to happen.

  "Don't like public displays of affection?" Micah moved up beside me and turned to face me. His cheeks were flush, and I couldn’t help but wonder why.

  “Not really. Is there some reason you left me standing on the dance floor alone?” I lifted my eyebrow and tried to look like I cared. I knew that Micah was one of the only responsibly guys in the Omega house. Hell, everyone knew it.

  “Yeah, just some shit I had to deal with upstairs. I hate fighting, but there’s nothing worse than watching a douchebag disrespect a woman. This one guy in the house drives all of us crazy. We need to kick his ass out, but Jacob isn’t willing to budge until he have proof that he’s the asshole we think he is.” Micah shrugged and glanced back up toward the house.

  I reached over and took his beer. There was no reason to push the issue with the trouble maker he was dealing with. It wasn’t any of my business and he would talk about it more if he needed to. "How's your hand doing? Any news on getting that bandage off?"

  "I'm hoping next week, but we'll see what the doc says." He shrugged and plucked the beer back from me after I took a quick sip. "I could still whoop you with both hands tied behind my back and my eyes closed."

  "Oh hell no you didn't." I turned to face him and pressed my fingers into his chest, trying not to notice how strong his muscle was beneath my hand.

  "I did." He chuckled and stayed his ground as I took a step forward.

  "You've obviously not seen me play." I gave him a knowing look.

  "Is he threatening to whoop up on you?" Jacob moved up beside me without Emily.

  "He is." I glanced over at Jacob and let my hand fall from Micah's chest. It felt almost too intimate all of a sudden.

  "It's his way of flirting. Pathetic and all, but you gotta love the guy anyway." Jacob wrapped his arm around Micah's broad shoulders and ruffled his hair.

  "Really? Shit." Micah gave me a silly look. "Cut this fucker off. Someone. Please."

  I laughed and watched them for a few more minutes as my desire to move away wore thin. They were too cute playing around with each other, and I could see why Emily was willing to look past all of Jacob's faults and try life with him. The edges of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, and his laugh was loud and deep.

  A girl screamed behind us, and we turned around as Micah took off.

  I watched him pick her up off the ground and walk into the house with her, holding her close to his chest like she meant something to him. Typical. He had a girlfriend and hadn't let any of us know it all this time? Or he was just like every other asshole at the Omega House and we'd all been juked.

  "Who was that?" I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back to the fire.

  "No clue. He's always rescuing some girl around here." Jacob chuckled and let out a long sigh before glancing up toward the stars.

  "So he's just a nice guy when he wants to be?" I glanced up and let my thoughts go. I wasn't being fair, and in all reality, it didn't matter what Micah did or didn't do. He wasn't mine to begin with.

  "What's that mean?" Jacob shifted to face me a little more.

  "That he might have more manners than you guys, but he's really no different when it comes to women."

  "Oh no. You got it all wrong. He rescues women from themselves. He's probably taking the poor girl home or putting her in his bed."

  "For some fun later?" Why the hell couldn't I shut up? It's not like I wanted to know the answer to my shitty questions.

  "No." Jacob glanced over his shoulder and back toward me. "He's the best guy I've ever met. He's like, pure. I don't know how to describe it. I wouldn't be surprised if he were a virgin to be completely honest. He's very respectful and cleans up after all of us."

  "Sounds like a puss to me. Who are we talking about?" Jayce Moore stumbled up beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "You look hot in those shorts, Tasha. Damn."

  "Behave." I popped him in the stomach and turned my attention back to Jacob. "Are you being serious or setting me up to believe in something that doesn't exist?"

  "Believe what you want, pretty girl." Jacob reached out and tugged on a strand of my hair. "He's a goodie-goodie, and he likes it that way. I doubt you or anyone else could get him to bend."

  "He didn't seem so goodie-goodie on the dance floor a few minutes ago." I put my hand on my hip, trying to get a read on Emily's main squeeze and getting nowhere.

  Speaking of Em... I glanced around looking for the girls.

  "It's the beer talking." Jacob shrugged. "I'd pay someone a hundred pennies to sleep with Micah. Might help him relax a little more often."

  "That's a dollar." Jayce snorted and glanced around the yard. "Where the hell is Layla? I haven't seen her in forever."

  "I don't know, dude. I'll go see if I can get ahold of her." Jacob reached out and squeezed my arm. "You wanna take my bet?"

  "Nope. I'm not interested in sleeping around with anyone, but thank you, Sir Whoredom." I smiled and walked off to find my friends. As much as I enjoyed the sound of a challenge, where my body went, my heart often followed. I would stick to the basketball courts and let my only love in life be something I could control.

  Work harder, get stronger, play better.

  It was the opposite of love. Love forced you to work harder, get weaker in the process and play any and every game imaginable to try and keep up.

  It required
sacrifice and costs.

  I was tired of paying to play only to end up the loser.

  Chapter 7

  Two Weeks Later

  Micah

  The noise in the gym as we approached was incredible. It shook the floor beneath my feet and left my heart racing. There was nothing like Midnight Madness. The whole damn school showed up and half the town around us did as well. The music blaring out of the gym door as coach opened it caused me to smile. The dance crew on campus was performing for the event. I wasn't surprised to see Aubrey out front, moving like she was made to do it. Something left me thinking that Natasha would have looked perfect up there beside her.

  "Hey buddy!" Jacob reached for me as I walked in and glanced to my left to see him standing by Jayce and Lucas White.

  "Hey guys." I reached out and shook everyone's hand as coach pulled at the back of my jersey. "I'll catch up with you guys in a little bit."

  "Yeah you will," Jacob called after me.

  I waved and turned back to walk into the gym with my fellow basketball players. Clayton Miller, one of our posts patted my back and walked beside me, towering over me.

  "Damn, I love this event. Makes you feel like a king or something." He glanced down at me, his dark eyes filled with excitement.

  "Agreed. Too bad we gotta share it with the girls." I smirked as he wagged his eyebrows.

  "I don't mind so much. That Deja Jones makes my heart flutter a little." He laughed and moved behind me as I let my eyes scan the crowd. It was comical how many of the basketball guys were dating basketball girls. Almost like the commonality was too much to ignore. I found our group of friends and lifted my hand to wave.

  Emily, Clara and Layla stood in the stands, dancing around and having a great time. Well, everyone but Clara. I would have to ask Em what was up with her. She seemed lost in her own world, like she was miserable if anyone was around. Maybe it was her way of getting attention?

  The announcer came over the loud speakers. "Everyone have a seat. We're going to let the dance team perform and then we'll bring in our Providence cheerleaders."