A Different Side (University Park #4) (3 page)

“Just throw them my way for a while.” Shawn smiled.

“Alright, man. That petite reporter…you know, the one I hooked up with after the game? You can have her.”

He eyed me suspiciously. “Why, what’s wrong with her?”

“Nothing. Just give her a call. I’m not messing with her again. All she wants is info and I’m not telling her shit.”

“Okay, give me her number. I’ll take care of her.” Shawn pointed to my phone.

I started to scroll through my contacts and stopped. “Crap, I can’t remember her name.”

Shawn waved me off. “Forget it, man. I’ll get it later.”

One o’clock flashed on my phone and my heart jumped. “I gotta go. I’m going to be late.”

“See ya later,” Josh said as I darted across campus.

It didn’t take me long to get to Ramsey Hall. I threw open the doors and took the stairs two at a time to the second floor, waving at a few teammates along the way. I hated running late. No matter how hard I tried, I always seemed to get caught up somewhere.

I hurried down the hall and entered the writing lab. The office was small and cramped, and I didn’t like being there, but I didn’t have much of choice. I really was at the mercy of Dr. Phillips and I hoped the tutor he assigned would work out this time. An office door opened and a girl with wavy brown hair rushed out, slamming the door behind her.

My eyes traveled up the length of her long, slender legs, and I imagined what it would feel like to have them wrapped around me. She had a hoodie tied around her waist, but she looked cute despite her efforts to conceal her curves. My gaze rested on her soft brown eyes and immediately, I wanted to get to know this girl. Her lips moved and it took me a second to realize she was talking to me. I towered over her short frame, but by her feisty stance, I knew she meant business.

Damn, not another Lisa Jenkins.

“Hi, I’m Lexi Thompson and I’ve been asked to consult with you.” She sounded a little peeved that she had to tutor me. I decided to let her know it wouldn’t be that bad.

“Lexi. Hmm, I like that name.”

She glared at me, but remained quiet. Freakishly quiet. I smiled, hoping to take the edge off whatever had her so uptight. What was it with these tutors?

“I’m Raven.” I gave her a thorough once over, allowing my name to supersede my reputation. She remained tight-lipped and I wondered what it would take to get those nice, plump lips on mine. When my name didn’t ring a bell, I gave her gentle reminder. “Raven Davenport.” I ran my hand over my hair, wondering if my new haircut made me look that different. She had to know who I was, right?

“Are you ready to get started? We only have an hour.” She held out her hand, motioning to the table in the corner.

My ears perked up. She did know who I was, and she wasn’t wasting any time.

“That’s plenty of time.” I cocked a brow, taking note of who was in the lab.

Spinning on her heels, she headed to the table, not responding to my comment. I wasn’t sure what to think. She had made a pass at me, hadn’t she? Sitting down, she shuffled through a few papers and then scribbled her name. “Please sign this,” she said, shoving the papers in front of me.

I decided to give this one more shot. I leaned over the table, testing it to make sure it would hold our weight. “I was thinking you might want to do this somewhere more private.” I grinned at her, knowing she wouldn’t be able to resist
The Raven.

Her jaw dropped and a look of disgust washed over her face. Her hand twitched and I prepared myself for the slap I deserved.

“Excuse me, Mr. Davenport?” Her voice lilted and her eyes narrowed. This girl wasn’t making a pass at me after all.

Shit. Why am I such an idiot?

I pulled out a chair and sat down, praying I could make this right. If she refused to help me, I’d be so screwed. “You can call me Raven,” I said in a gentle manner, waiting for her to tell me everything was okay.

“Please read the agreement and let me know if you have any questions. I indicated we would meet twice a week for an hour, and more if a mutual agreement can be established.”

I took a hard swallow. This tutor was hardcore. At least Lisa flirted with me. I’d just have to work harder at charming her. Damn, this was a first.

“Okay. Sounds fair. Do you have a pen?” I held out my hand.

She hesitated for a second and then handed it to me. I slipped it from her dainty fingers, taking it with ease. “Thank you, Lexi.”

I signed the paper and handed it back to her without even looking at what it said. I wanted her to know I was serious about this tutoring partnership.

A perplexed expression formed on her face. “Aren’t you going to read it?”

I shook my head. “No, I trust you.”

Her head jutted back and I got the sense I’d done something wrong again. What would it take to get things right with this girl? “You don’t even know me.”

She was one-hundred percent correct. I didn’t know her, but something about her gutsy, no-nonsense attitude told me she wasn’t like the other girls. That made me want to know her more. Even though I liked easy, I was up for this challenge. And Lexi Thompson seemed like a good challenge.

“Not yet.” I connected my eyes to hers. “But my gut tells me we’re going to get to know each other real well.”

I smiled, hoping that would soften the hardness inside of her.

“Whatever.” She waved me off.

I hit the back of the chair, the strike to my ego taking me by shock. That hadn’t happened in a long time. Maybe I was losing my touch, or my aim was totally off.

Damn.

She dug in her backpack and removed a textbook and another pen, leaving the one I used next to me. Man, she didn’t even want her pen back. Usually girls wanted everything and anything my hands had touched, but not Lexi. I slipped my hands under the desk, making sure I didn’t do anything else wrong. She focused on her task, removing a manila folder with several papers inside.

“I reviewed your file and—”

“You and everybody else.” I heaved a sigh and looked down at my hands. No wonder she didn’t want anything to do with me. My file was thick with issues and I wondered what the coach allowed her and Dr. Phillips to see. I guess I couldn’t blame her for not wanting to flirt with me.

Thumbing through the papers, she said, “I have an idea of where you need the most help with your writing.”

Those words reverberated around in my head. She was referring to my English Comp class, not my university file. She really wanted to help me and had taken the time to see what I struggled with — not like the other tutors. Coach had done well. Lexi just might be the one to help me pass my class. With a hopeful voice, I said, “You do?”

“Yes. I think we should start with some grammar basics.” She opened the book and moved it between us. She positioned one of my papers underneath the book, keeping the red marks and large
60
in clear view, which made me feel like an even bigger loser. “First, I’ll give you a quick and dirty overview of the parts of speech.”

Now she was talking my language. I moved closer, giving her every indication that I wanted help. She fidgeted in her chair and I noticed the slight tremble in her hands. Her breathing became ragged and the size of her breasts increased as she took in deep breaths. I watched her through the corner of my eye, not sure what to do. I didn’t know whether she was going to hyperventilate or pass out. Finally, we made eye contact, and I caught her checking me out. Yes! I was back in the game.

I flashed a big grin. “I like it quick and dirty.”

She blinked a few times, as though trying to compose herself. “I’m sure you do, Raven. I mean, you’re a guy and a football player.” Her voice rattled, but I wasn’t ready to stop messing with her. Things were just getting started.

“True,” I shot her a slight smile, “but not every guy likes to do things quickly or get messy while doing them.”

Tiny dots of sweat formed across her forehead and her cheeks flushed a bright red. I held back the laugh dying to escape. I still had it. She quickly pulled her hair up and wrapped a rubber band around it several times. It was messy and strands of hair curled around the sides of her face. Damn, she was beautiful. She pushed up her sleeves and I had to stop before she either toppled me or passed out. Internally, I smiled in delight. It was a proven fact; I knew how to charm any girl.

She kept her head low and her nose in the textbook, explaining grammar rules. They were boring as hell, but for some reason, she made them sound sexy and interesting. Maybe it was her voice, or the way she explained it. Whatever it was, she had my full attention. Occasionally, I’d notice her eyeing me, and she’d quickly divert her attention to the book. I asked questions, and took notes, determined to learn what she was teaching me.

Maybe getting tutored isn’t so bad after all.

My phone kept vibrating in my pocket, but I didn’t check it. I figured it was Joni, impatiently waiting to get me in bed. I pushed those thoughts aside, determined to learn something today. After forty minutes of grammar instruction, I yawned and stretched. I don’t think I had ever given English this much attention, but Lexi sure made it easy. My phone began to buzz repeatedly, so I pulled it out of my pocket. Joni’s number flashed across the screen. Damn, this girl was persistent.

“Excuse me. I need to take this call.” I hit the answer button.

“Why are you ignoring me?” A seductive voice filtered through the phone.

“Hey, baby, what’s up?”

“When can we meet? I’m getting impatient over here.”

I cast a quick glance at Lexi. She looked pissed as she pointed to a sign on the wall that said, “No Phone Calls”. I cringed as I looked for Dr. Phillips. The last thing I needed was to break more rules and have Lexi stop tutoring me.

“Um, well I have practice at three today, so that doesn’t give me much time. I also need to get something to eat.”

“That’s no fun,” Joni sighed. “If you come over, I promise I’ll make it worth your time. Not only will you get a good workout, but you’ll also get something tasty to eat.”

My jaw dropped. This girl was a handful, and she wasn’t letting up until she got a piece of me. I needed to get rid of her quickly, so without much thought, I said, “Well, baby, I’m sure you can work me out really good, and I’m positive your juices will fill me until I can’t drink anymore.”

“Oh, Raven. You have no idea,” Joni moaned, breathing heavily into the phone. “Tell me more. I want to feel your body all over me as I stroke you until you can’t take it anymore.”

Holy shit.

I shifted in my chair, feeling that familiar rise in my pants. Damn, this girl was ready to work me out. Seriously. I turned my head, not wanting Lexi to hear, and bit down on my knuckle. Damn it. What the hell was I supposed to do?

“Oh, yeah, baby, you know it,” I agreed, listening to her moans intensify. I was positive she was getting herself off.

“Oh, Raven. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. No matter how much you scream and yell. I’m going to ride you just like I drive a ball to the goal line,” I teased.

Joni moaned louder. So loud, I was sure Lexi heard. “Oh yes! That’s it. Right there.”

I turned toward Lexi, wondering what she was thinking. Her face was beet red and she looked just as hot and bothered as Joni. She was huddled over, hugging her body, and her legs were tightly crossed. Apparently, I got to her, too. Score.

“Yeah, baby, right there.” I winked at Lexi, and she gasped.

“I’ll be right back.” Lexi hopped up from her chair and rushed out of the room. Based on her reaction, I wasn’t sure whether she was about to climax or throw up.

Joni hit a high a note and I knew my job was done. “Gotta go.” I hung up the phone and darted out of the writing lab. I looked left, then right, and saw Lexi push through a door. Wasting no time, I raced down the hall and skidded to a stop in front of the ladies’ room.

“Damn it!” I slammed my hand against the door. I thought about going in to check on her, but decided it was probably best I leave her alone. I could only hope I hadn’t ruin this tutoring relationship, too.

Σ

Chapter 2

Perfection is not attainable,

but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.

~Vince Lombardi

After a quick bite to eat, I headed to the stadium for practice. I tried not to think about what happened, but I felt bad, and I wanted to punch myself. Normally, I didn’t care whether I offended a girl, but I cared about Lexi. There was something about her, and that something made me a little nervous.

I shook my head and pushed through the doors to the team meeting room. Josh and Shawn were already there and so were most of the guys on the team. Practice usually consisted of reviewing new plays for the upcoming game and watching replays from previous games. After that, we hit the field and practiced what we reviewed. Some practice sessions were harder than others, depending on what the coaches had in mind for that week.

“Raven, where were you today?” Coach Stevens, the university’s strength and conditioning coach, held a stern expression as he folded his arms across his chest.

I dropped my backpack next to a chair. I preferred not to discuss my tutoring sessions and wondered why Coach Anderson hadn’t informed him in private. “Um, Coach Anderson didn’t mention I wouldn’t be working out with you on Tuesdays and Thursdays?”

Stevens slapped his forehead. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot.” I wasn’t sure why Coach kept him on staff. The guy could never remember a damn thing and his workout methods were ridiculously old school. Since he and Coach played football in college together, I’m sure that was the reason. “Make sure you get your workouts in because I won’t be hanging around after practice.”

“Yes, sir.” I nodded and hit the chair. Working out after practice, totally sucked. I’d be dead tired.

Josh leaned over. “Hey, we got the hook up.”