The Wrong Quarterback (The Wrong Player #1)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

CASEY

N atalie stood in front of me, hands on her hips, a wicked grin lighting up her face. “Roomie, we’re going to this party if I have to drag you there myself.”

I yawned. It was a freaking Wednesday. I didn’t know if I had it in me to party on a Wednesday.

Especially after how little sleep I’d gotten last night.

Nat dropped to her knees, clasping her hands in front of her. “Please, please, please,” she begged. “We need some bonding time. Don’t make me go with the weirdos down the hall. They smell like cheese.”

I snorted and shook my head in mock exasperation. I was positive that the girls down the hall—who were cheerleaders—did not smell like cheese. But it did make me feel like she really wanted me to go.

Natalie must have smelled victory because she leapt to her feet and started frantically rifling through her makeup bag, humming some pop song under her breath. Before I knew it, she’d pulled me in front of the tiny dorm mirror and was inspecting my face like it was a canvas.

“Okay, first things first. Close your eyes.”

I obeyed, feeling the light dusting of a brush sweep across my eyes. Natalie’s chatter filled the silence, a constant stream of comments and stories that were all incredibly amusing.

“How did you hear about this party again?” I interjected, as she started on my eyeliner.

“I’ll never forget it until the day I die,” she swooned dramatically. I popped open an eye, and she bopped me on the nose. “Keep your eyes closed.”

“Yes, ma’am," I sighed.

“Anyways…as I was saying . I was eating some pizza in the dining hall, when all of a sudden, Jace Thatcher, the star running back from the Tigers, sits down across from me and starts talking.”

My eyes flew open at that, and she almost stabbed me with the eyeliner stick. Jace Thatcher had been that guy in the library that was friends with Parker. There’s no way Parker had asked him to invite my roommate so I would come…right?

I snorted as Nat freaked out about almost blinding me for life. There’s no way that was what happened.

“Sorry, continue,” I told her.

She humphed as she finished my eyeliner a little aggressively.

“You have no idea how lucky you are, Casey,” she said, leaning in closer as she added eyeliner with a steady hand. “These cheekbones, this skin—fuck, if I didn’t love you already, I’d be jealous.”

I blinked at her reflection, surprised. Compliments weren’t something I was used to. “Thanks,” I mumbled, my voice coming out shy and awkward.

“Okay, but you were saying, about Jace,” I prodded, pretending I didn’t see her knowing grin.

“He just talked to me for like ten minutes about how school was going and where I was from…and then he invited me to the party he and his teammate are throwing tonight and told me to bring a friend.” She clapped her hands together, powder flying off her brush.

“Who’s his friend?” I asked.

“Matty Adler, the Tiger’s star tight end.”

I nodded, pretending that I knew who she was talking about.

“I’m going to point out all these guys tonight, or at the next game if some of them aren’t there,” she told me, grinning as she stepped back to admire her work before tilting her head thoughtfully. “Oh, you’re going to break hearts tonight,” she declared, swiping on a last touch of lip gloss. “Trust me, by the end of the night, you’re going to have lots of names to remember.”

A nervous laugh bubbled up out of me. I’d never done this before—never sat with a girlfriend and shared makeup, never had someone fuss over my appearance with that kind of affection. It felt…nice. It had been something I’d hoped I’d experience someday, but I hadn’t thought it would happen.

Natalie turned to grab her own lipstick, chattering on about who would probably be at the party and who to avoid. “Parker Davis will probably be there,” she added, raising an eyebrow at me with a teasing, knowing smirk.

My stomach flipped at the mention of him, and I felt my cheeks heat up. “Gray and his friends are also going to be there,” I said, pretending that Parker’s name didn’t do anything for me.

I was half-convinced Parker wasn’t real.

There was no way that someone existed that hot…and that sweet. There was no way how he’d been acting was real. Or at least that’s what I was telling myself.

“Casey, please,” she said, rolling her eyes dramatically. “I say this as your new best friend and the girl you’re going to be stuck with for the rest of your life. Are you sure that Gray’s what you want?”

I blinked at her, surprised she would come out and say it like that. “Gray’s just been busy with the pledge term,” I told her. “You’ll like him when you see what he’s really like.”

“You mean when he’s not drunk all the time and ditching you every time you make plans.”

I flushed at that comment…because it wasn’t not true.

“You’ll see. It will be different,” I finally said, not sure who I was trying to convince. Gray had called and apologized this morning after he’d woken up and I’d been gone. But it seemed like all he’d been doing since I’d gotten to campus was apologizing, didn’t it?

She frowned, but didn’t say anything else, and we finished getting ready for the party in relative silence.

“I’m sorry,” she finally blurted out as we were getting ready to leave the room.

“For what?” I asked, confused.

“For not being supportive about Gray. I’ll—try harder. For your sake,” she added.

I surprised myself by giving her a quick hug. “I’ve never really had a good friend, Nat,” I told her honestly. “I’m thinking I finally have one.”

Natalie’s eyes welled up, and her lower lip trembled…like she was going to cry. “I think I got one, too.”

I smiled, and she huffed at me, waving her hand at her eyes. “Now enough of this mushy stuff. We are not messing up our makeup. We are going to this party. And we are going to slay!”

“Did you just say slay ?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as she literally pushed me out of our room.

“I did, and feel free to adopt it. It’s what all the cool kids say,” she winked.

As we walked down the street, I realized I was actually feeling…anticipation. Maybe this party wouldn’t be so bad after all.

The music pounded through the house, loud enough to make the walls vibrate and people shout over it just to be heard. The party smelled like spilled beer, sweat, and a hint of someone’s cologne that was way too strong. I leaned against the wall, taking small sips from the red cup Nat had handed me…trying not to look as out of place as I felt.

Beside me, Nat was buzzing with energy, her eyes scanning the room like a hunter looking for her next target. Then, out of nowhere, she elbowed me, her eyes wide and gleaming.

“I want him,” Nat announced, practically bouncing on her toes.

I glanced over to the kitchen where she was staring lustfully, expecting it to be some smooth frat boy like the one she’d hooked up with during orientation…

But it was not.

Instead, my eyes landed on a massive guy, one of the football team’s offensive linemen by the looks of it. The guy was easily over six feet tall and built like a mountain. He had on a ratty cutoff shirt that barely covered his enormous, hairy belly, which peeked out from underneath.

“Him?” I asked, half laughing, half choking on my drink.

Nat nodded, completely serious. “Yes. I want to climb him.”

I stared at her, trying to decide if she was joking. But Nat was already smoothing down her skirt and adjusting her bandeau top, eyes locked on her target like she was about to go win a prize.

“Where are you going?” I asked as she started strutting across the room with all the confidence in the world, her sights set on the human mountain who looked like he could bench press a truck.

“Wish me luck,” she called over her shoulder.

Nat weaved her way through the crowd like she owned the room. The giant offensive lineman was mid-laugh, holding a can of cheap beer. I watched as she sidled up to him, all smiles and hair flips, and he looked down at her, eyebrows shooting up in surprise before breaking into a wide grin.

She said something to him that made his smile falter for a split second before turning into a wide, surprised grin. From where I was standing, I could swear her lips formed the words, “Hey big bear, I want to climb you like a tree.”

My eyes went wide. There was no way she’d said that…

The lineman set his beer down so fast it wobbled on the table, and without missing a beat, he held his massive arms out. Nat didn’t hesitate. She jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist as he caught her effortlessly. The room erupted in laughter, hoots, and cheers as they started making out feverishly. Nat was indeed, literally trying to climb him as he grabbed her ass with both hands.

I choked on my drink, half-laughing, half in shock.

I wondered what it would be like to be that confident in yourself, to see something you wanted, and actually go after it.

Natalie was pretty freaking awesome.

With the exception that I was now at this party by myself…

I’d just pulled out my phone to see where Gray was when his arms slid around my waist. “Case,” he murmured, pressing a kiss against my neck that had me squirming uncomfortably.

Because based on what I was smelling…he was already drunk.

“Hi,” he said, grinning handsomely at me when I turned around to face him.

I didn’t want to be the nag, who got mad at her boyfriend every single day, so I just pressed a kiss against his lips and didn’t mention his bloodshot eyes.

“Hi, yourself,” I told him with a soft grin.

His eyes raked up and down my body. “I’m the luckiest guy at this fucking school,” he said, his hands sliding up my sides.

I closed my eyes, trying to enjoy it, Gray’s lips pressed against mine, messy and eager, his breath hot and tinged with beer and whatever else he’d pregamed before he’d come here. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer. The room was a blur of pulsing lights and sweaty bodies, music thumping hard enough to rattle in my chest, drowning out coherent thought.

But then, I opened my eyes…

Parker stood across the room, half in the shadows, his face carved into an expression I hadn’t seen before. His jaw was tight, muscles flexed under the sharp lines of his cheekbones. His eyes…they were burning holes through me. It was more than anger; it was fury tempered with something darker, something that made my pulse stutter.

For a moment, the noise around me muted, the thrum of the bass and chatter dimming to nothing. It was just Parker and that look, the heat in his gaze pinning me in place, making my skin flush and prickle under the intensity as Gray kissed down my neck and my chest. Parker didn’t move, he didn’t blink, he just watched me.

Gray shifted, pulling back to mumble something against my lips, oblivious to the shift in the air, but I couldn’t focus on him. I couldn’t focus on anything but Parker, standing there, as if he was daring me to look away first, to pretend this moment hadn’t just shifted the entire room off its axis. I could read his mind from here.

What are you doing?

How could you kiss him?

And worst of all… you belong to me.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I said suddenly, pushing away from Gray. I needed a break, a moment to get myself under control, a moment away from Gray…and Parker.

“Hurry back,” he told me, for the first time since I’d come to school not seeming like he wanted to get away from me and be with his friends.

Which was just another reason that I couldn’t look at Parker.

The room spun with heat and the aftermath of too many eyes, Parker’s gaze still burning into my skin even as I wove through the crowd.

I made it out of the living room, but a line of impatient girls were waiting for the bathroom, stretched down the entire hallway.

“You can use mine,” a voice cut through the noise, low and smooth. I turned, startled, and found myself staring at Parker’s friend from the library, Jace. He leaned against the wall, freakishly hot looking, a smug smile on his lips like he knew something I didn’t.

“Oh, um—” I stammered.

He leaned a little closer, that easy grin not faltering. “Don’t worry, it’s just down the hall. No line, and I promise, I don’t bite.” He cocked his head, mischief flickering in his expression.

“Can I use your restroom?” a girl asked, stumbling into me as she tried to get Jace’s attention.

“No, sorry, only Inner Sanctum members are allowed,” he told her with a charming smile.

“Huh?” she asked, but he was already pushing me past the hallway and leaving her behind.

“What’s the Inner Sanctum ?” I asked, confused.

“Is that one not doing it for you? Do you like the Loyalty League more…or the Silent Syndicate ? Oooh, what about the No Drama Llamas ?” he asked innocently.

“Ummm. I’m not sure I’m qualified to make this decision for you. Who exactly is in the… No Drama Llamas ?”

“You’re right. That one sounds ridiculous,” Jace said, fixing the bun on top of his head.

I’d never been a fan of long hair on guys, but I didn’t think a world existed where Jace Thatcher wasn’t considered hot.

Not Parker Davis hot, obviously.

But still hot.

Oh, shit. I definitely shouldn’t be thinking that.

“Well, it’s Parker, Matty, me of course…and hear me out on this, I’m thinking… you ,” Jace commented, pulling me out of my inner freak-out.

“Wait…what about me?” I asked as we got to a door at the end of the hallway.

Jace was whistling as he took a key out of his pocket and then unlocked the door.

“Just lock it behind you right now, and then lock it again when you leave, and come find me if you need to use it later,” he told me, throwing open the door with a flourish and beginning to head back down the hallway.

“Thanks,” I said, still really confused by what he said.

“And I’ll keep brainstorming our team name,” he called to me.

“Okay,” I said softly, watching him for a moment before some girls noticed the open door and started to head my way.

I slammed the door shut with a thud , and locked it…right before someone tried the door handle.

Leaning my forehead against the door, I took a few deep breaths. I’d go to the bathroom, get my head on straight…and then get back to my boyfriend.

Everything was going to be okay.