Page 25 of Campus Heat

His face twitched, and I instantly knew that I had gone too far. I pushed buttons that should’ve stayed untouched. And with the mood he was already in, I could only imagine that I had set myself up for a world of trouble.

“That came out wrong,” I whispered, turning to face him. “I just mean that you shouldn’t give up on this team too quickly because it might end up being the best thing that ever happened to you. Who knows, you might actually lead them to winning the championship but you'll only find out if you stick it out and help them grow.”

He turned as well. “Why are you always fighting for this team? You were the reason we had the car wash, and I know you are there in other things you do behind the scenes to help us succeed and become closer. Like I’m still sure you were behind the pool night but nobody will admit to it.”

“Yeah, I actually had nothing to do with that, by the way. We just happened to be at the same place at the same time. And I don’t do anything behind the scenes. Malik asked for help and I tried my best to provide it.”

He gave me a look that said he didn’t believe a word I said but I didn’t care. I knew the truth, and it wasn’t going to change just because he wanted it to. If he wanted to keep believing I was some football mastermind, then that was what he had to do. Maybe it helped him sleep better at night. Maybe it gave him someone to blame. Whatever the reason, it was his to live with.

“If you say so,” he said skeptically. “You didn’t answer the question. Why are you doing all these things for the team? It’s not like the cheer squad will dismantle if we fail. So what do you get out of it?”

“I’m sorry to burst your ego bubble, but I’m not getting anything out of it. I just believe that the Highlanders have what it takes to make a name for themselves. You guys just need to find it but that’s never going to happen if you let your failures drag you down. If an opponent pushes you down, get back up and make them regret even having the thought. That’s how you become a team. That’s how you win.”

Ethan let out a strangled laugh. “I can’t believe I actually thought I could talk to you. You’re just like everyone else.”

I stared at him. I was too shocked by his reaction to respond. All I had been trying to do this entire time was help but instead of seeing it for what it was, he lost it. He stood up and started gathering his things.

“That’s a nice fantasy you have in your mind. And it’s easy to believe something like that when all you have to do is dance on the sideline. But it’s not as simple when you’re on that field trying to save your team from even more embarrassment. When you’re in that position, you might look at things differently.”

With that, he walked away and left me to ponder my words. My gaze followed him, and I saw him taking a seat by himself at the back of the bus. It broke my heart that he reacted that way but I felt like it was the right thing to do because he seemed to be in denial.

I just hoped it wouldn’t put us back to square one or worse.

11

Ethan

My eyes flickered over the empty gym. I hadn’t meant to be there that early. The sky outside was still gray. We were in that in-between hour where the world was still deciding what it wanted to be, and I hadn’t slept a wink. Every time I tried to drift off, my mind bombarded me with things I had no business focusing on at night.

I watched the team miss throws. Saw scholarship emails I hadn’t opened and heard that godforsaken bus rattling through the darkness. They were hidden fears. Decisions about my future in football weighed on me, and I couldn’t just lie there while they consumed me. I had to do something, to sweat it out because it felt like my future was slipping through my fingers.

So I picked up the weights and started lifting. All I focused on was raising the metal, breathing, and the control I had over the situation. That was something I could understand, and my mind needed something to ground it. I had already been at it for an hour. I had long abandoned my shirt, and I wasn’t expecting anyone to join me anytime soon, but then the door opened.

I knew her frame before I fully looked up. It was steady and unhurried, as if the room had given itself over to her, but she wasn’t alone. Elizabeth and Jenna headed over to the treadmills without acknowledging my presence. They faced the long wall of mirrors that ran behind the free weights. Which meant her reflection was right next to mine when she stepped on and pressed start.

I tried not to look, but it was impossible. The belt beneath her feet moved. It was slow at first, but her ponytail still swayed with each step she took. Then she increased her speed. Her focus lingered on the machine, but then her gaze flickered in my direction. She wasn’t looking directly at me, though. She was looking at my reflection. And then, as if on cue, our eyes met in the mirror.

My grip on the bar tightened. And for a second, neither of us moved differently. The gym was quiet. Jenna had vanished, so it was just the sound of the machine and her feet striking the band. Then she increased the incline, and the shift changed everything. Her posture angled as her muscles engaged in a controlled effort. I shouldn’t have noticed the way her body moved, but I did, and suddenly the entire room got hotter.

Heat coiled low in my stomach as my cock hardened. I tried to think of something else to stop it from getting worse, but nothing worked. And she wasn’t helping matters at all. In the mirror, her gaze didn’t just shift. It slowly traveled, taking in every inch of my sweat-covered frame. She started with my shoulders, then she leisurely moved down my chest before going back up again.

She wasn’t shy or accidental. She was being intentional, and it affected me in ways I never would’ve imagined. My breath shortened, and it had nothing to do with the weight in my hands. Distracted, I racked the bar harder than necessary. She noticed that, too. The corner of her mouth curved. It wasn’t quite a smile. It was more of a knowing look.

I wanted to die right there on the spot, but I didn’t know if it was because of bliss or pure torture. I knew what I truly wanted. My career, a well-balanced team. A future in the sport. And I knew what it took to achieve my goals, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny that there was something going on between me and Elizabeth.

The treadmill kept moving, and so did her eyes. There was something reckless about the way things were unfolding. There were no words or gestures, just a shared awareness that kept building and building. We were electric before. The day in the bar when I pressed my body against hers; yesterday on the bus when my fingers grazed her thigh, and she held my hand. And yet this was more powerful than anything else that had happened between us.

The warmth that passed between us lingered for days. And I didn’t even want to be reminded of the way she had invaded my mind. She was all I could think about. Both in a good way and in a bad one. Like the argument we had. I hated to admit it, but it was one of the main reasons I couldn’t sleep. I knew I overreacted, and I felt really bad, but I didn’t know how it affected her.

I wished I could take it back. That I could explain why I acted like such an idiot, but I didn’t even know if she’d be willing to listen. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t. I sighed. Sometimes my actions were so moronic. Perhaps it would’ve helped if I thought things through instead of just acting on my emotions.

There were so many sharp words. And that was without the distance I had put between us, just as we were getting close. On top of all that, I took my frustration out on her too. And she wasn’t the only one who suffered because of that. The guys had gone through the same thing, but for some odd reason, it was her reaction that mattered the most.

I was cold, and she was angry, but beneath her tough facade, I could tell that my words cut deep. Far deeper than I had intended. I actually hurt her, and that was completely unfair because all she tried to do was help me. And then we had that moment in the gym. It was completely different from anything else we had before.

I picked up a dumbbell because I needed to do something with my hands. If I hadn’t, they would’ve roamed, and that wasn’t something I needed her to see. Elizabeth adjusted her pace again. She was moving faster. Her firm breasts bounced deliciously with each step she took. I swallowed hard. This was more than I could handle.

Her gaze dropped to my bare chest once more, but this time it was slower. It felt like a caress, and the mirror only made it worse. It made it feel safer and more dangerous at the same time. The air had gotten thicker, making it impossible to breathe. So I exhaled through my nose. My jaw clenched tight.