The Wrong Quarterback (The Wrong Player #1)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

PARKER

“ Y ou’re in a chipper chapper mood,” Jace commented as I threw him the ball. We were doing a few warm-up passes before drills started, and he was wincing every time he caught the ball from how hard I was throwing.

I couldn’t help it, though. It felt like last night had been this huge turning point, and I couldn’t wait to start the next step.

“Just really excited about life right now, Thatcher,” I told him as he broke left, and I launched the ball. Jace reached up and caught it mid-air over his shoulder.

And that’s why he was the best.

Jace was grinning as he jogged back toward me.

“Sure it doesn’t have to do with a certain girl? And the fact that her certain boyfriend fucked up big time last night?” asked Jace, fluttering his eyelashes at me obnoxiously.

“Why do you keep on saying ‘certain’ like that?” asked Matty.

“Or is it the fact that you were the one that made the boyfriend fuck up in the first place?” Jace continued, ignoring Matty completely.

I huffed out a laugh. Jace’s brother was basically a pharmaceutical company unto himself, so I’d had my pick of drugs to choose from. Unfortunately, that meant Jace knew all about my plan. Which led to Matty being told as well.

Good thing I trusted these guys with my life.

“So that’s it, we’re just crazy now?” Matty asked, grabbing the football from me and beginning to toss it in the air. “We’re just talking about this like it’s nothing?”

Jace stole the football from him. “It’s called true love, Matthew . Just wait, you’re going to crack one of these days over Ms. Stalker, and it’s all going to be over. You’re going to be insufferable.”

The three of us glanced over to where the blond was sitting in her car, watching us closely.

Matty growled when she ducked down in her car, and Jace grinned because one of his favorite activities in life was annoying him.

“Ooh, I have a good one. It perfectly fits this situation,” Jace said, right as Coach blew on his whistle.

“What?” I asked, as we began to jog over to where the team was gathering.

“How does a wiener go camping?”

“How does this have anything to do with Parker literally stealing someone’s girlfriend?”

Matty complained.

“You can’t steal something that belongs to you,” I told them, and they both blinked at me…looking concerned.

“The delusion is setting in. We’d better call a doctor,” Jace whisper-yelled.

“We can’t. They would lock him up,” added Matty.

“Are you going to finish the joke or what?” I asked.

“In a Wiener-bago,” Jace said quickly.

We both stared at him.

“It’s not funny because you ruined it with all your talking. But I’ll forgive you this time. What I really want to know is how exactly are you going to make her your girl? I know what happens in these situations. She’s going to be telling herself that all men are ogres. And you, my friend, are going to be the ogre-ist.”

“Ogre-ist. That’s definitely not a word,” I told him.

“He has a big brain, he would know,” said Matty.

“Can you answer the question?” Jace sighed.

I grinned.

“Is that…a dick reference…when you smile like that?” Matty asked. “Because it’s a little creepy.”

“I’m glad someone said it,” Jace commented.

Coach’s whistle pierced the air again, cutting through the scattered chatter on the field. “Quit your fucking yapping and start drills, gentlemen! Hustle up—let’s see if any of you can actually move today.”

Jace shot me a look, rolling his eyes. “This isn’t over. If you’ve got a master plan, I want to hear it, Davis.”

I chuckled and winked before lining up as Coach Everett barked out the next set. “Sprints first! I want to see speed—down and back in under twelve seconds. If you’re late, we’re doing it again.”

We took off at the whistle, feet pounding against the turf, the steady rhythm broken only by the slap of cleats and heavy breaths. I kept my pace, pushing hard, glancing around to clock who was dragging behind. Jace was keeping up, stride for stride, his eyes narrowed, challenging me with every step.

As we crossed the line, Coach’s voice boomed again. “Good, now we’re going through passing drills! Davis, take lead. Receivers—run those routes clean, or we’re starting over.”

I nodded, grabbing a ball and huddling with the receivers. “Alright, quick slants to start. I want those cuts sharp. No sloppy routes, or Coach is gonna have us doing burpees ’til tomorrow.”

The receivers grumbled but nodded, spreading out as I lined up. Jace was first, lining up on the left. He took off at the snap, darting inside, making a tight, precise cut, and I fired the ball right into his chest. He caught it clean, tucking it in and turning upfield before sprinting back, giving me a quick nod.

And so the drills continued, each one faster than the last, Coach’s voice keeping us in line.

When he finally whistled that practice was over, I was the first one off the field.

After all…I couldn’t be late. I had a tutoring session to get to.

I’d been a little afraid Casey was going to ghost me tonight, and I would have to track her down. But there she was, sitting at the same table by the window, where the light softened everything, and she looked like an angel I didn’t deserve.

Good thing I didn’t care about things like what I deserved—I’d always been more of the make your own fate kind of guy.

Casey looked up from her notes as I slid into the seat next to her. I flashed her my best smile and considered it a win when she still blushed after everything that had happened last night, even if she did eye me warily while doing it. I made a show of pulling out my math textbook. I’d already doctored my answers so I could keep her busy for a long time trying to teach me all the things I already knew.

“Hey,” I said, nodding at her pile of notes. “Hope you’re ready to help me out again. I’ve half convinced my professor I’m not an idiot.”

At least I could say it wasn’t the worst lie that I’d told her, right?

A small laugh fell from her lips, and I soaked in the sound like a druggie finally getting his next fix.

I loved everything about her. Her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes crinkled when she thought something was funny. Sometimes it hurt being this close to her because all I wanted was for her to be mine. I wanted to latch myself onto her and stitch her to my side so we were never apart.

That sounded creepy, but I obviously meant it in the most obsessed, deranged, love-struck way, of course.

“I thought we went over this concept last time. You’re going to fire me as a tutor soon,” she huffed, biting down on her lip as she glanced over the problems.

I didn’t miss the way she stiffened as I moved closer to her—close enough that every inhale gave me her scent.

“No, I don’t think we covered that. You helped me with exponential functions, and look at this grade. Best teacher ever,” I told her, nudging her shoulder as I showed her the A+ on the two-year-old worksheet I could have done in my sleep.

Her pretty eyes widened, and I got a little lost staring at the blue ring around the silver. “Wow, I don’t think I could even get that high of a grade,” she murmured, a frown staining her lips.

Shit. I should have changed it to a B.

“It’s only because of you, I could even get that grade. But I still have a long way to go to keep up in this class. We'll have to keep working hard.”

She nodded, dragging her gaze from the paper to my face, her pupils expanding as she stared at me.

Quit fighting this so hard, Silver, I cajoled in my head, doing everything I could not to lean forward and taste those lips.

We went to work, me pretending to nod and listen to what she was saying as I daydreamed that we were fucking against the stacks.

My dick was so hard and out of control, I was afraid that I was going to pass out. My gaze kept darting from her to the shelves…and finally I couldn’t stop myself anymore.

“How are you doing?” I asked, and she stiffened.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she finally answered.

“You know, I’ve been told I’m a very good listener.”

Casey set the pencil down, and I got a little lost for a minute. Her hair was down, framing her face with untamed waves. It didn’t look like she was wearing any makeup, but her skin was so smooth looking I kind of wanted to rub it to make sure.

Because no one could be that perfect, right?

“I don’t think you want to hear anything I have to say right now,” she said, and I blinked because I realized I’d gone into some kind of trance staring at her.

“I want to hear everything,” I quickly sputtered out.

She sighed and hung her head, and when she finally glanced back at me, I knew what she was about to say wasn’t going to be good.

“Stop playing games with me,” she said in a choked voice, her eyes growing wild. “I’m not some stupid toy for you to play with!”

I gaped at her. I guess this is what Jace had meant when he said she was going to think I was the ogre-ist.

“Why do you think I’m playing games with you?” I asked, sitting back in my seat.

She blinked at me, like she’d expected me to admit it and now I was shocking her.

“Well, I—” she stuttered.

“Tell me, baby, what about me says that I’m playing games? Is it because your asshole ex was just that lame, and now you’re having trouble believing that someone as awesome as me would want you?” I raised an eyebrow and watched as she dropped her eyes.

Clearly, I’d hit it right on the head.

I tipped up her chin, forcing her to look at me. “You blow my mind every time I see you. You’re the one who’s out of my league.”

She blinked, her lips parting as she stared at me, surprised, and completely taken aback. “What?” she murmured, a hint of confusion mixed with disbelief in her voice.

I shrugged, unable to hold back a smile. “I’m just trying to keep myself in the game, baby, before you realize that you’re too good for me. You’re too good for anyone…”

“You’re out of your mind, Parker Davis,” she finally said, picking up her pencil and pretending I couldn’t see the way her pulse was going out of control in her neck.

“I am out of my mind, Casey Larsen. I’m glad you finally noticed.”

I closed the textbook in front of me. “You know, I’ve got to track down this one book, and I have no idea where to look. Want to help me find it?”

She looked relieved, like this was going to be a break from everything I’d been saying.

“Sure,” she said, pushing away from the table. “Which one is it?”

I rattled off a title that I was pretty sure didn’t exist, knowing she wouldn’t question it. I led her deeper into the stacks, weaving through the narrow rows and heading down the stairs to the rooms that no one was ever in. The noise of the main library faded, replaced by the kind of quiet that I was looking for.

“Bet you haven’t been down here before?” I said, watching her admire all the old books. I bet she was a girl who wanted one of those libraries with the ladder that moved along the walls like the girl in Beauty and the Beast .

I would definitely have to make that happen for her.

“I just started here, of course I haven’t been down here, yet,” she murmured. “I didn’t even know about this level.”

I had been down here only once, when Matty got drunk and hooked up with some girl in one of these stacks. He’d passed out on the floor, and when Jace had realized he hadn’t come home and practice was about to start…I’d been dragged down here to save our best friend.

Did I mention that Jace only knew where he was because he’d added both of us to his Find My Friends app without asking permission…because apparently stalking was our thing?

I leaned against one of the shelves, watching her peruse the books with an awestruck look in her eyes.

I wanted her to look at me like that.

“You want to know something that’s guaranteed to make you feel better?” I told her after my dick could no longer keep his distance.

“What?” she asked, frowning when she saw I was staring at her.

“It’s simple, really,” I said as I began to stalk over to where she was standing.

She stared at me wide-eyed, not blinking until I was right in front of her, cornering her against the books, caging her in with my arms above her head so she couldn’t run away.

“The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new,” I murmured in her ear, making sure that my lips brushed against her skin with every word.

Casey went very still, and I waited patiently. I needed her to make this move. I needed her to break through whatever barriers she’d put up in her brain because I knew if I could just get her to give in by even an inch…

I’d be able to keep her forever.

“Who exactly says that?” she finally whispered, and I could see it, there in her silver gaze…she was close.

“Everyone,” I told her, my lips now brushing her cheek. “Absolutely everyone.”

“Sounds like I should find someone to help me with that then.”

I grinned, pulling away so I could look at her, and I growled. “Except, I’m not about to let anyone else have that fucking privilege.”