Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“So, the guy who never takes my advice is now trying to stop a hot guy from flirting with me?” she asked.
“She has a point,” Houston said.
“Um…you realize that when she says I don’t take her advice, she’s talking about you?”
Garrett and Ramsey laughed.
“Fuck you both,” Houston told them.
“So…you don’t approve of our brothers?” Garrett asked, and I groaned. I’d been waiting for something like this to happen all night.
“I didn’t say that. I just don’t want Cull getting hurt,” she countered.
“Can we not talk about this? Also, I don’t get hurt. I’m the heartbreaker, darlin’.”
The loud laughter around the table made me growl at them.
“Darlin’?” Ramsey asked.
“I might not have the accent, but I’m originally from Texas. We say darlin’ around there.”
Houston shrugged. “I thought it was kinda hot…well, if you weren’t talking to your sister.”
“Aww, this is why I like him more than the rest of you. I’m drunk and horny. Can we go home now?” I nuzzled his throat. I probably wouldn’t have said that if I hadn’t had a few drinks, but I was feeling really fucking good. I could almost pretend this was real. I sure as shit hadn’t been the guy to spend a night like this with teammates since college…since Houston—Houston, who also seemed to slip into an easy sort of common ground with me where, again, this almost felt real.
“Oh my god. I think I’m going to be sick,” Garrett teased. “Quick, Rams. Make out with me so we can gross Houston out before they do it to me.”
There was more laughter before Houston wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. This night really was perfect. I had my friends…my teammates…my sister and Houston. This might not be a real relationship. Houston might not feel the same way about me as I did him, but if this was all I’d ever get, I was going to enjoy the shit out of this while I could. I could deal with the heartbreak later.
I shoved to my feet. “Go, go, go!” I yelled for the Canyon player as he ran toward the end zone. I could only see Houston from the back, but I knew he was screaming, too, his arm waving back and forth as if that would make his player go faster. Since this was my bye week, it was the first time I could make one of the games for the high school team Houston coached. I wore a hat, with a hoodie up, because it was cold as shit, and I was hoping I didn’t get recognized. I just wanted to be there to support Houston without drawing attention.
“Yes!” Charity screamed, jumping, too, as we watched Houston’s player make a touchdown. When the kid ran to the sidelines afterward, he went straight for Houston and not the other coach. Houston said something to him, explaining something, speaking with his hands in what was clear excitement.
I couldn’t help but smile watching him.
“He likes this,” Charity said softly.
“Yeah, he does.” I was pretty sure he liked it more than he realized.
“He’s good at it, too.”
“For real. I know he misses playing, but I think he will do well coaching, too. LA is lucky to have him…even if they are the enemy.” Most of the time, I tried not to think about the fact that Houston would be moving to Los Angeles this summer. Really, it shouldn’t matter. This fake relationship we had would end before then anyway.
Charity laughed before sobering. “He watches you, Cull…when you’re not looking. He watches you the way you watch him. You could never hide from me how you felt about him. That’s why I knew when I visited you in college and didn’t even know you were bi.”
“Don’t.” I shook my head. This was the last thing I wanted to talk about. I wasn’t going to do the whole did he or didn’t he really want to be with me thing. That wasn’t what this was about. I would pretend and have fun, but in the end, I had to protect myself. Putting these thoughts in my head would only wreck me in the end. “All saying shit like that is gonna do is confuse things.”
The crowd around us was loud and too busy with the game to be listening to us.
“You know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe it. Hell, I came here ready to rip his head off, but now—”
“Now you’re being an annoying sister…like always.” She smiled and opened her mouth, but I spoke before she could. “It’s not real. I don’t want it to be real either. That was a long time ago. I’m just having fun.”
She sighed, but thankfully, I knew she wouldn’t continue. Instead, she said, “You’re happy here.”
I was, but, “I’m not gonna let myself do that either. Look how many times I’ve already been traded.” Getting close to people or, hell, even places never did me a solid. I always ended up losing whatever it was. I’d learned a long time ago not to let myself get too close.