“You said you plan to watch the game in a bar in Tempe. Anyidea which one yet?” My gut churned. The idea of him hanging out in a bar when I wasn’t around was unsettling. What if he met a woman he liked better than Sara? He’d be with a professional fucking hockey player. I knew how those guys were. Fuck me. He wasn’t mine. We hooked up once, and I already wanted to own him?
“No, can you recommend someplace?” He ate more food and then sipped his wine.
With a chuckle, I shook my head. “Sorry, but I’m always at the games.” I thought for a moment. “I’ve heard Varsity Tavern is a suitable spot.” Oh hell, he’d get hit on there for sure. “Why don’t you just watch it at Evan’s place again?” That seemed safe. I ate another bite of my food.
“I don’t know. I think he’s trying to get me out more. Sort of like you.” He lifted his brows at me.
If he ended up at Varsity Tavern, I’d have to do my best to focus on the game. This could make it tough. But at least he wouldn’t be with Sara. Unless he ended up inviting her. Damn my head for going there. I sucked in a breath. “You don’t think you’d, uh, invite Sara out with you and Evan, do you?”
He snapped his brows together and cut his gaze to mine. “No. Why?”
Shrugging a shoulder, I said, “You never know.” I licked a breadcrumb from my thumb. “She might use her womanly charms to change your mind about things and then you’d introduce her to?—”
Scoffing, he said, “Stop it, Tex. It won’t happen. I have no interest in her, and I’ll end the dates at lunch on Saturday.” He ticked his head as if making his statement final.
He called me Tex. The last time he did that, we were getting off in his kitchen. It meant something, right? He’d let his guard down. I shifted closer to him. Could I make him say it again? “Well, if you end up at the Varsity Tavern, be careful. You don’t want to repeat the situation you had with Sara.”
“There’s no need to worry about that. Women aren’t liningup around the block trying to get dates with me.” He huffed a laugh. “As if.”
“Are you sure about that?” I let my shoulder brush his. I could tease him but also be serious. “Don’t sell yourself short, Colton. You’re a very attractive man.”
As his breath caught, he faced me. “Do you really think so?” Creasing his brows, his gaze dropped to my lips and returned.
How many times had he looked at my damn mouth? He gave himself away every time. “Yes, I really think so. And my friends consider me a connoisseur of men, so that says something.” I gave him a cheeky grin.
“Oh, stop it.” With a sharp laugh, he pushed my shoulder. “You’re ridiculous.”
Leaning in, my lips brushed the shell of his ear. I whispered, “But not about this.” I couldn’t wait to see him for ourtutoring sessiontomorrow when we’d be alone.
He shivered and adjusted himself. “You might be the only one who thinks that.” He ate more food.
God, didn’t he know what he did to me, saying things like that? How could he be so clueless? He had two people pursuing him right now. How many people had liked him in the past that he was unaware of? I straightened as my eyes popped open. Fuck, how many of his new students would be interested in him? Damn Sara and her being helpful.
A woman looking a lot like Sara pranced into the bar, swaying her head and scanning the place, her yoga pants hugging her hips and crop top revealing a flat stomach. “Fuck.” Yep, it was her. Was she stalking Colton now?
As her gaze met mine, a smirk spread across her mouth, and she bounded toward us.
“What?” Colton’s gaze followed mine. “Oh, no.” With a scoff, he hung his head.
“Hello, boys. Are you having another casual study session?” She set her purse on the coffee table and fell into the lounge chair across from us.
“What are you doing here?” Colton glared at her.
“I saw your car in the lot when I drove by, so I thought I’d pop in and say hello.” With a wry grin, she flagged down the server. “Can I join you?”
I gaped. Could we tell her no? I watched her order a glass of white wine. Too late now. “Sure.”
“Well? What subject are we discussing tonight?” She crossed her arms on her chest and glanced at each of us.
“N-nothing, we were just hanging out tonight.” Colton’s lips formed a grim line. “I decided I needed to get out more and he?—”
“Took you here? A nice wine bar? Seems like an odd place for two college buddies to hang out. Why didn’t you go to one of the college bars, like, I don’t know, Devil’s Hideaway, or something? I mean, Tex is a footballer. It seems like he’d get free beers in a place like that.” She pressed her tongue inside her cheek. As the server set her wine down, she peered at our food. “Mind if I have a piece?” She picked up a slice of the pesto bruschetta and bit into it.
Jesus fucking Christ. Who does this?I hadn’t been sure I’d liked her very much, but now? I was sure I didn’t. “Please, help yourself.” Pressing my lips together, I tilted my head.
“Thanks.” She smacked her lips and wiped her fingers on one of the extra napkins at the table. “So, I thought you’d be busy with students tonight, Colton.” Her gaze grew hard as she sipped her wine.
“I…I have two students tomorrow afternoon. I needed to work on my thesis today.” He slumped his shoulders.