Chapter 23
Guinevere
T he crowd roars to life as the Ellington Dodgers take the field. My heart races with anticipation as I watch Ryker stretch. Honestly, part of me wants to see him get tackled, but another part, a newer, more intriguing part, wants to tackle him myself.
The stands are packed with students, mainly girls who are dressed like it isn’t only fifty degrees outside, screaming the guy’s names and completely embarrassing themselves over guys that most likely have no clue they even exist.
Lainey and Ellie sit beside me screaming their heads off. I don’t think they even really know what’s going on. I wanted Haley to come because she’s so much more levelheaded. She’d tell me to pull my head out of my vagina and start thinking with my brain. If Damian wasn’t working on his project tonight, he’d be here too. But he’d join Lainey in telling me to ‘fuck Ryker Steele’s brains out’ as they like to say.
Ryker Steele isn’t a guy that dates. He isn’t a guy that brings you flowers, he isn’t the guy that opens car doors for you or makes you feel like you’re the only girl in the world.
No, Ryker is the type of guy to screw you over in the blink of an eye. He’ll push you off the cliff and laugh while you fall. He is not the type of guy that settles down, and that’s precisely why, among many other reasons, I cannot let myself go there. No matter how attractive I find him in that jersey. Holy Hell, that man is fucking sexy as sin.
Lainey elbows my arm, reminding me she’s there. She gives me a knowing grin, following my line of sight and then looking back to me.
“For someone that didn’t want to come, you sure look like you’re enjoying it,” she teases. I roll my eyes at her, trying not to give myself away.
The game begins and Ryker’s team dominates from the start. He’s seriously a force to be reckoned with on and off the field. He’s agile, strong, and really hard not to watch as his muscles flex beneath his green Ellington Dodgers jersey. I find myself watching his every move, my breath quickening as he runs across the field, passing and tackling with skill and precision.
Ryker looks like he was made for this. Made to play this game and lead a team, even if he’s not the captain. The guys seem to follow his directions and listen to his cues. He’s a natural leader, encouraging and strategizing the whole time.
His muscles move and flex, and his face drips with sweat. I wonder what it would be like to feel those powerful arms around me, to taste his sweat-dampened skin, to feel his nimble fingers between my legs .
The ball moves back and forth, the players running, tackling, and pushing their way towards the goal line. The other team is putting up a fight, but they’re flailing.
Groverland University is a good school, only about twenty miles from Ellington. I guess their skill isn’t rugby.
The crowd roars as Ryker runs down toward the goal line, determination written all over his handsome features, and then everyone jumps to their feet as the ball soars through the goal post, earning Ellington three points, making it a three to zero game.
“I have to pee,” Lainey shouts over the crowd, distracting me from the confusing thoughts running through my brain .
“Me too!” Ellie shouts. “Gwen, do you have to go?”
“No, I’m good,” I tell them as they stand from their seats. Ellie grabs Lainey’s hand, pulling her toward the exit.
“Okay, we’ll be right back!”
I watch as they fight through the crowd of students that are still screaming and jumping around the stands before turning my attention back to the game. Ryker looks tired, sweat pouring off his beat red face as he sits on the bench.
“Hey there,” a slightly familiar voice says from beside me, the sound making my hairs stand on the back of my neck. I turn to meet the gaze of the firefighter from the party on Halloween, Ashton.
Wonderful, just what I needed.
“You know, it wasn’t really nice of your boyfriend there to put me on my ass just for dancing with you,” he sneers. God, if he wasn’t such an ass, he’d be really attractive. His floppy blonde hair and brown eyes along with his chiseled jaw and perfect nose make him look like a model.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say sternly. This guy gives me the creeps, especially because he tried to force me to go upstairs with him at the party, despite my drunken state.
Ashton shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. I think you should make it up to me,” he suggests, bringing his finger to my neck and drawing a line down to my shoulder which is covered by my heavy coat.
I shiver at his touch, and not in a good way. Suddenly, the autumn air feels a lot colder.
Pulling away, I glare at him. Why do all the guys at this school feel entitled to everything?
“I’m not the one who touched you. Take it up with Ryker,” I tell him, focusing on the field in front of me. The game is heating up and from the looks of it, Groverland’s team is sinking.
“I’d rather take it up with you,” his hand skims my thigh and inches closer to the inside hem. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest and my breathing accelerating. He wouldn’t do anything here, right? We’re in the middle of a huge crowd .
I don’t think anyone would be stupid enough to do something such as touch someone against their will in the middle of college rugby game, surrounded by peers, faculty, and parents. But I’ve been wrong before.
I look down to Ashton’s hand resting on my thigh, my jaw tensing as I fight the bile rising in my throat. Where are Lainey and Ellie? They should be back by now.
“You’re a little tease, you know that? Acting like you don’t want me when I can clearly see you do. Come on, baby. Let’s ditch this game, and you can come back to my place. I’ll make it worth your while,” Ashton’s evil smirk makes my blood run cold. Christ, this guy just can’t take a fucking hint. I grimace.
“Not a chance, asshole. Now go away, I’m trying to watch the game.”
Ashton laughs snidely, rolling his eyes as his hand grows tighter on my leg. I hold back a wince. I don’t want him to see me rattled.
“We’ll see about that,” he says, his tone threatening.
Lainey and Ellie will be back any moment. But for some reason, I kind of want Ryker to notice so he can put Ashton in his place.
Why does the thought of Ryker beating Ashton’s ass turn me on?