Fair Game (The Rules 1)

“I didn’t say thank you.” Though I guess I should be thankful for a glimpse of shirtless Shep. I can’t even look yet, I’m so afraid I’ll be dazzled to death.

“Well, you should because the man is a sex god. Seeing him without a shirt on makes me want to weep with joy.” She turns to stare out at the field, tipping her head to the side. “We need to figure out which one has the sexiest back. He’s a strong contender.”

“Sexiest back?” Slowly, carefully, I turn my head, my gaze snagging on him immediately.

Of course. It’s like I’m automatically drawn to him no matter what.

“Mmm, hmm. Haven’t you ever noticed how sexy a man’s back is? All sleek and full of muscle and covered in smooth, smooth skin.” She sighs dreamily, her gaze riveted on the field. “They’re all contenders. Look at them.”

I study them. Him. Damn it, just him. It’s like my eyes refuse to look at any of the others scrambling out on that field. He’s wearing black shorts that hang to his knees. That’s it. Oh, and shoes of course. But they don’t count because he’s not wearing a shirt and just like Kelli said, all I can see is sleek, smooth, smooth skin. His shoulders. His chest. His abs. Good lord, his abs. Defined with ridges of muscle and covered in the faintest sheen of sweat, accentuating every dip and curve of his body. He slows down some, resting his hands on his hips, lifting one bent arm to wipe the sweat off his brow, his hair a haphazard, damp mess.

I clamp my lips shut hard to prevent the drooling.

“Please tell me this isn’t the first time you’ve seen him without a shirt on,” Kelli says out of the side of her mouth.

“It’s the first time,” I admit, not bothering to look at her, afraid she’ll mock me.

She sighs. “You two seriously blow my mind. Why haven’t you done it yet? This goes against every Shep is a man-whore story I’ve ever heard. And I’ve heard a lot of stories about his man-whore status.”

I hate hearing about his man-whore status. It depresses me. He has all of this experience and I have so little. Worse, what if I don’t measure up? There’s a distinct possibility that could happen. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. And I have no clue what he wants from me.”

He starts to jog across the field, his head turning in my direction and I shrink into myself, dropping my head, hoping he doesn’t notice me.

“Uh oh,” Kelli murmurs and I know. I just know he spotted me.

It’s like I can feel his gaze on me, hot and intense. Awareness prickles over my skin, making every tiny hair on my body stand on end and slowly, I lift my head to find him staring at me. His mouth curls into this half smile that’s way too fucking cute and his eyes light up as he makes his way toward where I’m sitting. I smooth a hand over my hair, tuck a few wild strands behind my ears and pray to God he has a secret thing for girls who wear no makeup and holey clothes while out in public.

He stops just in front of us, his breathing accelerated, the now familiar scent of him surrounding me and I try my best to inhale as discreetly as possible because wow, he smells good. I can actually see sweat glisten on his belly and oh my God, I think my ovaries just exploded.

Or that could just be cramps.

I can’t really tell.

I couldn’t miss her if I tried. She’s the last person I expect to see sitting on the sidelines while I’m at soccer practice—shit, I don’t even think I’m going to stick around town this summer to play, though I did last year and had a blast—but there she is. You can’t hide all that glorious, vivid red hair from me. I’d know that pretty head from a mile away.

Jade. Looking flustered with her hair falling out of a braid. I don’t think she’s wearing any makeup and her freckles really stand out against her creamy skin. Her lips are this peachy pink color that I’m dying to kiss. I can’t stop staring at her and I try to catch my breath, calm my racing heart, which had started out racing because of the exercise. But is now racing because the girl I want more than anything I’ve ever wanted before in my entire fucking life is sitting right in front of me.

“Hey.” I take a deep breath, wipe at my forehead again with my arm. Fuck, I’m a mess. I bet I stink too. “What are you doing here?”

“I brought her.” Her roommate sends me a serene smile and a wink, like we had this planned all along. Which we so didn’t, but now I owe her one. “She’s been grumpy lately.”

Jade jabs her in the ribs with her elbow. “Shut up.”

“She’s been avoiding me,” I say, deciding to just lay it all out. Fuck it. Any other girl who didn’t reply to my texts, I would’ve said good riddance. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever texted another girl much unless it’s to say the following:

Wanna hook up?

Got any weed?

Aren’t you the girl I kissed in the men’s bathroom last night?

You know. Along those lines. This makes me sound like a shallow asshole and I’ll agree wholeheartedly. I’ve been a shallow asshole most of my life. A product of my environment, I’d say. But there is always that defining moment when a man decides he wants to change his ways.

Meeting Jade, spending time with Jade…has become that defining moment for me. Wild but true.

“I’ve been…” She sinks her teeth into her lower lip and I want to groan. It’s like she’s so incredibly sexy and doesn’t even realize it most of the time. “Busy.”

That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard. I’m not going to give her any grief for it though. I’m walking a delicate line right now. I can feel it. “Totally understandable.”