Playing Fate (Endgame Series Book 1) (4 page)

“Sorry. Just trying to help. Didn’t want you impaling yourself with a branch on my watch.” Her nose scrunches up, and her cheeks tinge with color.

“Thanks.” She glances up at me and immediately averts her gaze. I exhale a frustrated breath, and her eyes snap to mine. There’s so much fire there…so much she is holding back. Her lips twitch, and I want her to unload on me; I want to listen to every word she has to say. Her eyes dart behind me, staring at my door. Like a ninja, she extracts herself from my touch and steps back. I follow her stare and don’t see anything but know I need to unload the rest of my crap and get inside.

I step back. “See you tonight.” Turning to leave is hard. Those few seconds I touched her skin, stared at her, made me crave more. I shake those thoughts. I have my focus. Julie. School. Career.

Running the streets of my parents’ neighborhood, my thoughts don’t stray from the green-eyed imp who captured my attention. Her head lands below my chest. I dwarf her with my body. Standing over six foot five that isn’t hard to do, but I’d never noticed how it made me feel. Protective. Proud. Like if I stood by her, nothing could get her. Nothing could harm her. Shit! I can’t go down that lane . . . anger would cloud my mind, and I need my A-game for dinner tonight.

“I’ll be back before ten.” I kiss my mom’s cheek.

“We’ll be fine. No rush.” She’d rather I leave Julie here and just go home…be a college kid, but that isn’t what I want.

Walking into the restaurant, they’re seated waiting for me, and Saylor took the end of the circle booth. Easy escape—or so she thought. I nod my head to Mason, and he reads me like a book, scooting down, shoving Avery to the opposite end. Everyone else slides, and I stand next to Saylor, indicating for her to move so I can sit down. Basically trapping her. Her face is so readable, she can’t hide her feelings . . . she is like a caged animal looking all around and going to stand up. I don’t move back, so she has nowhere to go. Sighing, she gives in, and I’m sitting so close to her our legs touching. On purpose.

Nobody studies the menu but her. We all know what we want; this is a regular haunt for us. She’s picking at her nails, fingers fidgeting. “What can I get for you?” Our waitress interrupts my perusal. Avery starts and it continues until it’s Saylor’s turn. She licks her lips, “Uh, just a Coke and Caesar salad. No croutons.” I give my order and before the waitress leaves I lean in close, “You sure that’s all you want?” She nods, so I signal to the waitress that we’re done.

“Girl, I saw you scarf down a double cheeseburger and fries today at lunch. I know you aren’t on a diet.” Avery throws her straw wrapper at Saylor. She ducks her head and blushes.

“It’s fine. I’m not that hungry.”

“Liar, newbie. I heard you talking about eating the ass out of an elephant on the way over,” Mason calls her out. Damn it, I offered to pay for her dinner. I swear if she isn’t eating because of money, I’ll throttle her. If I don’t control myself and figure out this fucking attraction to her, I’m liable to drive myself insane.

“Drop it.” She begs with her eyes.

“Dinner’s on me, remember. Order what you want.” I level her with my gaze, hoping to convey that I’m not playing around.

Rolling her eyes, she admits, “Oh my gosh. I’m a picky eater. I don’t like frou-frou stuff. I like beef. Not chicken. Not fish. Grade-A American beef.” She throws her dramatic self back against the booth and hides her face.

“I got some Grade-A American beef over here, newbie. Just waiting for you,” Mason teases her, grabbing his dick while we all laugh. Well, they laugh, I glare. Mason is a douche.

“I didn’t say I wanted a pig in a blanket or a Vienna sausage.” Her eyes hold his. This game could get interesting. She’s challenging him where we ignore him; we are used to his arrogance and antics. She’s fresh meat, so he’s going to try, and she isn’t reacting the way he’s used to. She’s reacting like she’s been part of this group forever . . . and I can’t help but smile at that. Piece by piece I want to drag her from the shell she’s imposed on herself and watch her blossom.

Mason caves first and busts out laughing. “I like you, newbie.”

“Saylor.” She corrects him.

His eyes narrow. “Don’t push it. Nicknames mean I like you.”

“Yay, me. Come up with something else.”

“Shortstop.” I choke on my drink. That’s my fucking position, and I love him calling her that.

“You okay?” She seems to have relaxed, and I lean back next to her.

“Yeah. I like that name.”

“I guess it’s better than newbie.”

Mason chuckles, “Yep, and it’s DD’s position.”

“Oh, you can change it.” Her entire face flushes.

“Nope. Shortstop it is.” I grin at her and hear Mason and Caden chuckling. I look over to Avery, and she’s smiling at me. Her thumb comes up, and she nods. Looking back at Saylor she suddenly has found her shorts interesting and is picking at them. I reach over and take her hand. “Relax.”

“I’m starting.” Avery announces. We all groan, minus Saylor. She’s staring at Avery, clueless.

“Starting what?”

“Random question game.” That explains it . . . I chuckle.

“Huh?”

“Saylor, we go in order. We each ask every person here a question, and everyone has to answer.”

“Oh, I don’t like this game.” She’s cute.

“Have you played?”

“No.”

Mason is quick to be the smart ass. “You don’t know unless you try. Come over here, and I’ll let you try something.”

“Dude, give it a rest.” I cut him a look so he knows I’m not bullshitting. I turn to her “If you play, I’ll make sure Caden stops by and gets you a burger on the way home.” I want to be the one driving her home, but that can’t happen tonight. I have to get Julie after dinner.

“You drive a hard bargain, but for beef I’ll do just about anything.”

“Like I said—”

“Knock it off, Mason.” My temper is at the boiling point. I usually don’t care what he says but saying that shit to her pisses me off.

Holding up his hands in surrender, he says, “Avery you’re up.” He smirks at me, and I know I’ll hear shit from him later.

I don’t hear much of Avery’s questions; we know everything there is to know about one another. When she gets to Saylor, my attention is laser focused. “When did you lose your virginity?”

Caden groans, “Why do chicks always ask that?” Avery laughs, and Saylor turns red.

“Seventeen. Last year.” She starts sucking her Coke through her straw, her embarrassment evident.

“Deacon, when are you happiest?” That’s a no-brainer.

“When I’m with Julie.” Everyone nods, except Saylor. She looks to Mason and reminds him it’s his turn.

Once he gets to Saylor, of course it’s sexual. “Have you ever fucked a guy with a ten-inch dick?”

“Why…you offering?” This line of questioning doesn’t sit well with me.

“Hell yeah.” He chuckles.

“And you have ten inches to offer?”

Grabbing his dick like it’s his pride and joy, “Yep. All yours, Shortstop.”

“Ah, that’s sweet,” her voice laced with sugar – the South’s equivalent to ‘bless your heart.’ “But I’m an above average girl, and you’re not packing enough for me to break my rules.” She smiles at him and leans back.

“Damn, dude,” Caden whispers. Avery is choking on laughter, Mason looks crestfallen and for some reason I swell with pride.

“Ten inches isn’t average.” Mason is sulking. This girl puts him in his place.

“Maybe not in Kansas . . .” And she doesn’t quit.

“I have a girl crush on you. Why couldn’t you have been here all along? If you grew up with us, we wouldn’t have had Adriane.” I go stiff at the mention of that name. The table goes silent. “Sorry,” Avery looks at me with tears forming.

I shake my head. “Who’s that?” Hearing her innocent voice usually makes me tune into her every word, but I don’t want her involved in this conversation. Nothing to do with that name.

“Deacon’s ex.” Mason is curt. Her name leaves a sour taste in all of our mouths. Except Emberlee. Those two were thick as thieves. “This game is stupid.” He nudges Avery to move, and he heads to the bathroom. Mason took our change of plans the hardest. As long as I could remember, we were all going to the major leagues. Our junior year we were scouted, and we all had the future laid out in front of us. Cue Adriane . . . she blew my world apart, changed my plans, and Mason and Caden weren’t ready to give up the dream. They took it in stride when I couldn’t go to the majors. They followed me to college, and we are still learning to navigate this world. Caden has accepted it, but he doesn’t let much bother him. He just ducks and rolls . . . blocks anything that will leave a lasting impression in his life.

“This got awkward,” I hear Saylor mumble as our food arrives. That’s a no-shitter. Nobody speaks as we all eat, mostly rearranging our food and not ingesting any of it.

Tonight was going so great, and I have to salvage it. “Favorite color?” I ask her.

“Blue.”

“Favorite food?”

“Steak.”

“Major?”

“Why am I getting all the questions?”

I wave her off. “We all know each other.”

“That’s nice, but that’s unfair. I don’t know y’all, and this is all directed towards me.”

“Fine. Green. Pizza. Biomedical Engineering.” I nod for all of them to follow suit. Once their answers have been given, I ask her again. “Major?”

“Marketing.”

“See, not so bad,” I tease.

“I could be up for some one-on-one tutoring if you find yourself in need of help, Shortstop,” Mason offers. I respond with a grimace and a growl.

“Mace,” she winks, “I’m sure it doesn’t take much for you to be
up
, but I like more of a challenge. Besides, you’re fucking Emberlee, and three’s a crowd.” He smiles and rubs his chin.

“Damn, Saylor. I’d say you just made this group a lot more interesting.”

“I concur.” Lifting up my glass, I ‘cheers’ him. Looks like I just added another thing to my plate. Get Saylor Lewis. Maybe for keeps.

This week flew by, and instead of a Saturday night party, the guys insisted it be Friday night. Well, Mason and Caden did. Deacon is elusive and isn’t with us like they are. He is like a shadow; he is always there, but sometimes I can’t see him. Maybe because he invades my thoughts, even though he shouldn’t. Emberlee isn’t warming up that much, but I try to ignore it. She spends a lot of time in Mason’s bed or at Deacon’s house. I haven’t ventured over there yet, not that I’ve received an invitation. Sometimes their routine—the closeness they all have, is intimidating.