I fought a grin. To my complete surprise, Jason was turning out to be very persistent.
Me: No and no. I need to get this done and my mom is home.
Jason: Mom’s love me.
My chest squeezed at his playful words. Damn him for doing this to me, offering me glimpses of the guy I knew was hiding beneath his cool, indifferent exterior. Glimpses of a guy I knew would never surface permanently.
Me: I’m not sure my mom would.
Jason: She’s not a fan? I’m wounded.
Me: Like you don’t have enough middle-aged women fawning over you.
Jason: But I don’t want them…
My heart fluttered at his words. At everything he wasn’t saying.
Me: Goodbye, Jason. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.
Jason: You know I didn’t get to where I am without a fuck load of persistence and focus... When I want something, I go after it.
I didn’t text back. I didn’t know what to say. But proving himself true, another text came through.
Jason: We both know you’re going to end up under me again, Giles. Why not save us both the heartache and give in?
Me: And for a second there, you actually had me fooled. Goodbye, Jason.
He didn’t reply but it didn’t matter. The damage was already done. He’d gone and pushed the right button to piss me the hell off. But he’d also made a huge dent in my armor, and I knew if he kept it up, I wouldn’t be able to resist for much longer.
Even more alarming, I really didn’t want to.
Chapter Sixteen
Jason
Smirking to myself, I hit send on my latest text to Felicity.
Me: Skinny dipping in the lake?
Felicity: Are you serious? Do you know what kind of things lurk in there?
Me: I can think of a few...
I smiled, my eyes darting around the cafeteria to make sure nobody was paying me any attention.
Felicity: Behave!!!
Me: Come on, Giles, say yes. Let’s cut class and live on the wild side...
Felicity: I have study hall.
Me: Study hall? It’s senior year...
Felicity: We don’t all have a free pass to do whatever the hell we want. Unlike some people…
Me: Think of your list!
Felicity: Goodbye, Jason.
Damn, she was really playing hard to get. I thought I almost had her the other day, but then right at the last minute, she’d pulled the rug out from under me. I wasn’t used to working so hard for a girl. But Felicity wasn’t just any girl. A fact I could finally admit to myself without breaking out in a cold sweat.
I risked peeking over at where she, Hailee, and Mya sat at their usual table. “Looking for me?” Jenna’s hand slid over my eyes, her lips grazing my cheek. I peeled her fingers away and glanced up at her.
“What the fuck was that?”
She reeled back, indignation flaring in her eyes. “What, I can’t say hello now?” Flicking her silky blonde hair over one shoulder, she sat down next to me.
“That wasn’t hello; that was you marking your territory.”
“Don’t be such a drama queen. It was one little kiss; we’ve done much more than that in public before.”
My spine snapped straight, the knot in my stomach tightening as I glanced over at Felicity. She was busy talking to Hailee, not paying me any attention. But if she looked over here...
Why does it matter? It’s not like you’re hers or anything.
“Jason?” Jenna’s hand grasped my knee. “I said where did you get to Saturday at the party? I looked for you.”
Forcing myself to look at her and not at Felicity, I said, “I had shit to take care of.”
Her expression hardened. “Shit to take care of? That’s all I’m getting?” She was drawing attention now; my teammates pretending not to listen as they ate their lunch and talked among themselves.
“Careful,” I ground out. “You’re starting to sound like a girlfriend and we both know I don’t do girlfriends.”
Her hands slid up my chest as she leaned in, giving me a perfect view of her rack. “You keep saying that, and yet, you keep coming around for seconds and thirds and fourths…” She licked her lips in what I assumed was an attempt at seduction. But all it did was make me bristle.
“I come around because you’re good for it. Nothing more, nothing less.” I pulled Jenna’s hands free of my chest and shoved them back at her.
Someone snorted. Everyone watching to see what I would do next. Everyone including Felicity. Her gaze burned into me, forcing me to look at her. There was so much in her eyes, I didn’t know which emotion to pluck out first.
But Jenna shrieked, “You’re such a self-absorbed asshole, Jason. One of these days you’ll come around and I’ll tell you no.” She sounded genuinely hurt as she fled from our table.
“There goes gym pussy for the foreseeable,” someone groaned. But I didn’t give a fuck. I only had eyes for the girl glaring at me like I’d just called her out in front of the entire cafeteria.
My cell vibrated and I pulled it out.
Felicity: What the hell was that?
Me: I have no idea what you’re talking about...
My eyes lifted to hers again as I fought a grin.
Felicity: Jenna seemed upset.
Me: Don’t know. Don’t care.
Felicity: What do you care about, Jason?
You. I care what you think. But I couldn’t type the words. Not here, not now.
Maybe not ever.
“Someone interesting?” Asher called across the table.
“Nah, just my old man.”
“Right.” He saw right through my ruse. “I’ll catch you later.”
I watched through narrowed eyes as he rose from his chair and made his way over to Felicity and the girls. Without asking for permission, he dropped into the seat beside her and slung his arm over her shoulder. Challenge danced in his eyes as he glared at me across the room.
Motherfucker.
I loved Asher like a brother, but he was pushing this thing with Felicity too far.
“What’s up with that?” Grady nudged my ribs. “You think he’s banging her?” He flicked his head over to where Asher was holding court with Felicity.
“How the fuck should I know?” I growled.
“Whoa, dude, no need to get pissy with me. I figured if anyone knew the deal with them two, it’d be you. Although I can’t see it myself. She’s so fucking weird. Has stage five clinger written all over her.”
“Grady?”
“Yeah, Cap?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
He ducked his head, forking a mouthful of salad into his mouth. The guy had no fucking filter.
Asher caught my eye again, a smirk tugging at his lips. Without another word, I jerked away from the table and stood up. “I’m out,” I said.
“See you at practice?” Grady asked, and I nodded.
As I stalked out of the cafeteria, I sent Felicity another message.
Me: Do you want him?
Felicity: Excuse me?
Me: Don’t play dumb, Giles. Do. You. Want. Him?
Felicity: Careful, Jason. You sound awfully jealous for someone who doesn’t care...
My jaw clenched, anger radiating through me. She knew exactly which strings to pluck to get a reaction. But jealous?