“Have you seen Eliza?” he asks. “Bob said she came in here…”
“Nope, haven’t seen her,” Junior says. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was supposed to meet her for lunch today.”
“Have you tried calling her?”
Goddammit, Junior.
I reach into my bag, sifting quietly through the pockets to find my phone, unsure whether I left it silenced or not.
“I’ll try. Thanks, Junior.”
“Anytime, Coach.”
I sigh with relief as my fingers wrap around my phone and I flick the switch to silence it. One second later, it vibrates in my palm. Dad calling.
I exhale until my lungs fight for air, listening to the sound of his shoes fading off toward the door.
Junior appears over me again, his expression smug as fuck. “You’re welcome.”
“Thanks,” I murmur.
He offers me his hand to help me up, but I push off the floor by myself. “Oh, come on…” He laughs. “Don’t be like that.”
I hold out my ringing phone. “Have you tried calling her?” I repeat. “I had my damn ringer on.” He snatches it out of my hand and opens my contact book. “What are you doing?”
“Adding my number for later,” he says, tapping away at the screen. Once he’s done, he passes it back. “I’ll pick you up at seven, Eliza Pierce.”
“Fine — wait, no.”
“Ellie…” He raises his brow. “We had a deal.”
“Yeah, I know, but I have an audition on Friday, so I’ll be rehearsing in Talon Hall tonight until eight.”
“Ahh.” He smiles. “Then, I’ll meet you there at eight.”
“That works.”
Junior takes a purposeful step closer to me. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“What question?”
He releases the strategic grip on his towel, but he keeps it pinned to his waist. His cock slides out from between the ends, still hard as stone, pointing just an inch or two from my hand. “Do I do the same to you?”
I swallow the desire down my throat. “Do you give me a raging hard-on? I can’t say I’m equipped for it.”
“You know what I mean.” His eyes fall down my body. “Don’t lie. I can tell.”
“You can tell?” I parrot back.
“Oh, I can tell a lot just by looking at you, Ellie.”
I scoff. “Like what?”
“Like how you’re definitely not a virgin. You didn’t even flinch when I removed my towel.”
“You found a non-virgin on a college campus?” I mock. “You’re fucking magical.”
“You also touched me without even hesitating,” he continues. “Tells me you know exactly what to do with it and honestly, I’m dying to find out what you can do.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.”
“Fat chance.”
He chuckles. “You also said you wouldn’t blush when you thought of me flirting with you. Did you?”
I open my mouth to lie but my gut stops me. He’s expecting a denial but that would just prove his point and telling the truth would only vindicate him.
“Your silence is very loud, Eliza Pierce,” he says, briefly flashing his entire groin at me as he re-wraps his towel. “Makes me wonder how loud you can be in other ways.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“I guess we will.” He slides back toward his locker and pulls out his clothes. “You’re welcome to stay and watch me get dressed if you want.”
“Nope.” I brush past him, catching a quick whiff of his fresh deodorant, possibly some lingering cologne in the air as well.
Fuck, he smells good for a sweaty manwhore.
“I’ll see you tonight, then. Wait…”
I pause near the door, spinning back in a huff. “What now?”
Junior follows me to the door, clutching his towel as he reaches for the handle. “Hang on…” He gestures for me to stand back and he opens the door, peeking out into the hallway like a professional look-out. “It’s clear. Wouldn’t want daddy to see you walking out of here, would you?”
My lips curl on their own. “Thanks,” I say. “That’s very thoughtful.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am a little.”
He holds the door open for me. “Get used to it.”
I blink once, torn on whether to genuinely thank him again or issue a snarky comeback. I choose silence instead, nodding softly as I step through the doorway.
It closes behind me and I take a deep breath of cold, crisp, air-conditioned freedom, hoping it chills the dancing nerves inside of me.
My phone vibrates again in my hand. This time, I answer the call. “Hey, Dad.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at the athletic center looking for you—” I round the corner and come face-to-face with him. “And I found you!”
He sighs and lowers his phone from his ear.
“Sorry I missed your call,” I say, pulling a lie right out of my ass. “I was in the ladies’ room and—”
“Why are you wet?”
I freeze. “What?”
He juts his chin, gesturing down at my shirt.
Shiiiit. Junior Morgan’s hard, moist chest imprinted on my damn blouse.
“Oh!” I roll my eyes. “I spilled some water on me earlier. Still hasn’t dried yet…”
He shrugs and nudges toward the stairs. “What are you in the mood for? Salad, deli sandwich?”
I frown at his options. “Burgers.”
Dad grins with pride. “That’s my girl.”
Chapter 5
Junior
Eliza Pierce touched my dick.
I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be in class right now, but I honestly can’t tell you which one.
All I can think about is the way she quivered when I pressed her against those lockers. Pink cheeks. Glistening, sinful eyes. If the coach hadn’t of come in at that moment, she probably would have dropped to her knees and—
I feel a sharp punch on my shoulder, instantly bringing me out of my Eliza spiral.
“Hey, little brother.”
I glance up from my table and I smile. “Hey, Mag.”
Maggie slides into the chair across from me with a cup of cart coffee in each hand. “What are you doing over here?” she asks. “You’re staring off into space like a crazy person.”
Maggie is four years older than me, but she ages so well that most people think I’m older than she is. She’s got that cutesy vibe to her, along with a child-like voice and baby-fat cheeks, so she’s always had an issue with people not taking her seriously. Luckily, she’s got me and I’m more than willing to correct anyone that even scoffs in her direction.
“Just killing time,” I shrug, glancing around the very active student union food court. It was just coincidence that I happened to walk in here at the same time Eliza and her dad did. She hasn’t noticed me even though I’ve been gawking at them from across the room for the last twenty minutes.