The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders 2)

Me: Don’t play dumb, Giles. Do. You. Want. Him?

Felicity: Careful, Jason. You sound awfully jealous for someone who doesn’t care...

My jaw clenched, anger radiating through me. She knew exactly which strings to pluck to get a reaction. But jealous?

I didn’t get jealous.

I was Jason fucking Ford.

But as I moved down the hall, kids diving out of the way to make room for me, all I could picture was Felicity smiling up at Asher, his arm hung over her shoulder. And I wanted to kill something.

“Run it again,” Coach yelled from the sideline. There wasn’t a muscle in my body that didn’t ache, but I welcomed the burn. The burn numbed everything else. Tamped down all the unfamiliar emotions that had taken root in my chest, snaking through me like slow acting poison.

“If I didn’t know better,” Asher taunted from the scrimmage line. “I’d say you had a bad case of blue balls.”

“Fuck off, Bennet,” I snapped, getting ready to call the play.

“I’m just saying, you don’t seem yourself.”

“Ash,” Cam warned from his wide position.

“Chill, he knows I’m only yanking his chain.” He flashed me a smug grin.

I called the play and barked, “Hut,” as I received the ball and dropped back to make the pass to Cam.

“Nice,” Coach boomed. “Keep playing like this and we won’t have anything to worry about Friday. Everyone hit the showers, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Yanking off my helmet, I tucked it under my arm and started toward the locker room.

“Hey,” Ash jogged up beside me, “Serious talk. You okay? I was only—”

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Don’t give me that bull.” My eyes slid to his, narrowing. “You’re pushing me. Why?”

“I’m not...” He pressed his lips together, mulling over his reply. “Fine. I don’t get it, okay? You like her. I know you do. And for some bizarre reason, she likes you too.”

“And?”

“You’re too fucking stubborn to do anything about it.”

“Maybe I don’t want to do anything about it.” The lie soured on my tongue. I wanted to do something about it all right, but I knew I shouldn’t.

The rest of the guys gave us a wide berth as we slowed down.

“Come on, Jase, this is me. I know you better than that and I know no girl has ever got under your skin the way she has. Tell me I’m wrong?” His brow rose.

It was my turn to smother my reply.

“Didn’t think so.” He flashed me a knowing grin.

“You like her,” I said.

“It doesn’t matter.” Asher shrugged in that easy laidback way of his, but I saw the tightness around his eyes.

He did like her.