“Are you okay?” I ask when he’s within earshot and slide my cell into my pocket.
“I’m good. That shit happens all the time.” He’s nonchalant about it, and I’m internally freaking out.
He stops on the other side of the fence, removes the gloves and tosses them to the ground before he links his strong fingers around mine. I suck air through my mouth and shiver at the contact. “But if you want to kiss my booboo better, who am I to say no?”
I groan. “This is serious, Levi.”
“I don’t joke around when it comes to kisses.”
I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have come. Just look at what happened.”
“Are you kidding me? You coming here is the highlight of my month.”
I roll my eyes and smile. “Glad the ball didn’t knock the charm out of you.”
He laughs, his fingers slightly squeezing around mine, causing my stomach to clench delightfully. “What made you change your mind?”
“Well, I was heading to the library, but my mom called, and she’s going on a cruise at Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Chris, and . . . I didn’t mean to word vomit like that.”
I blame my hormones for this.
“And you don’t want them to go on a cruise?”
“I do, really. It’s just that—”
“Yo, Keenan. Practice is over,” Gage says as he jogs over, stopping beside Levi. “Hey, princess. You finally caved in and came, huh?”
“I wanted to see what all the fuss is about.”
Gage’s brow goes up, and he crosses his arms on his chest. “And?”
“Hmm. Ask me again in a week.”
He chuckles, then faces Levi. “Head over to the clinic to make sure everything checks out, okay?”
“I said I’m fine, Lockwood.”
Gage walks back with his hands raised in surrender. “Just being cautious.”
“You really should get checked,” I say, eyeing Levi carefully for any signs of, I don’t know, pain? Bleeding?
He waves his hand in dismissal. “Trust me. I’m okay.”
“Well, if you say so. Anyway, my class starts soon, so I’m heading out.”
“Wait. I’ll grab a shower, then walk you to class.”
“I’m good.”
His shoulders slump forward slightly, and he averts his gaze.
“The game is on Saturday, right?”
His head snaps up, his eyes locking with mine, and he nods
“I’ll see you there.”
He grins, dimples and all. “For real?”
I nod, smiling. I pull my fingers from beneath his and jog toward the bleachers where I left my backpack, my body tingling with awareness as his eyes follow me. Every part of me comes alive, basking in his gaze. It feels nice to have someone look at me like that.
Right after the game on Saturday evening, we all end up at Dirty Joes, a few blocks away from campus. The after-party is in full swing, and everyone’s in a good mood. James Fredericks won the soccer game three to zero. The word I’ve heard being tossed around is that it was a shutout game.
When my gaze finds Levi as he walks into the bar, his eyes meet mine, and he winks, grinning. A few people in his path slap his back, congratulating him.
“You can close your mouth now,” MJ whispers into my ear with a giggle. I snap my mouth shut and scowl at her. “What? Your jaw was wiping the floor, and oh my God, is that drool?”
“Shut up.” I smack her arm, giving her my back only to find Ivan smirking at me. Instantly, I drop my gaze in embarrassment. Sol’s been gone for several weeks now. He hasn’t posted any updates on his Facebook profile or even texted me to let me know he arrived safely.
Ivan switches his arm around MJ’s shoulder and shifts closer in my direction. “You okay?”
I nod twice, change my mind, and shake my head. “Has he contacted you?”
He shakes his head. “But it’s not unusual for him to go off the radar for weeks. He’s probably in some village in Uganda building houses and working his ass off. You know how intense he gets.”
Don’t I know it. When Sol focuses on something, or someone, his attention is unwavering and passionate. Heat whispers across my skin as the memory of us washes down my body. For just a few seconds, I allow myself to admit that I miss him, then push those thoughts back in the special place in my heart reserved for Sol.
MJ reaches behind her boyfriend’s back and taps my shoulder, then nods in the direction of the bar.
Levi leans across the counter and says something to Joe, his gaze never leaving mine across the ocean of people standing between us. Seconds later, the room fills with the familiar beat of one of my favorite songs.
I glance at MJ, one brow raised. She shrugs her shoulders. “He asked me to select a song from your playlist and voilà!”
I swing my gaze back to Levi, watching as he grabs a microphone from the bartender and then hops on the makeshift stage. He spins around before performing some complicated, albeit amazing, footwork.
The crowd, still high on adrenaline from the game and already halfway drunk, cheers boisterously as he starts singing ‘Sparks Fly’ by Taylor Swift in a deep, smooth voice. He points in my general direction, then points at his chest, smiling that smile. Goose bumps explode along my skin, and my stomach dips and flips, reminding me of the way Sol made me feel. Reminding me of him. His smile, the way he’d look at me like he’s grateful I exist. It’s been a while since I felt like this. Felt noticed. Felt seen. It’s an addiction I know too well. After months and months of misery and trying to forget, I want to feel this again.
My breath comes out fast, and my thighs feel tingly as I watch the boy who’s spent the last several months doing everything to get my attention. My face feels hot with shame and guilt as the love for the boy from my past and the attraction for the boy on the stage collide.
Why can’t I get over you, Sol? Why do I feel like Levi is about to demolish those defenses and claim what’s left of my heart?
Do I even want him to?
God, why am I so confused? I should take what I really want and roll with it.
Gage steps in front of me, blocking my view. “Don’t even think about it, princess.”
I blink up at him, my vision clearing of the turmoil. “T-think about what?”
“Jumping on stage and ripping his clothes off and doing him in front of everybody. Or curling up in a corner and bawling your eyes out. It’s like you can’t decide what you want to do.”
I sigh, pressing my face into his hard chest. His arms encircle my shoulders, and he rubs my back gently with his hands.
“What’s going on, Grace?” His voice is close to my ear.
I pull back and meet his gaze. “I’m such a mess.”
“You thinking about him?”
I nod and jerk my chin to the stage. “And him.”
“Dance with me, princess.” He grasps my hands without waiting for my acquiescence and twirls me around before slipping his arm around my waist and intertwining our fingers on the other hand. “What about you? When do you ever think about yourself?”
“All the time.”
One of his dark brows shoots up. “You mean torturing yourself about liking two dudes? You must love yourself a lot.”