Playing to Win (The Players #3)

by Monica Murphy

We stop in front of the newly, publicly launched couple, a pang in my heart when I see the way Cam looks at my sister. As if the sun rises and sets on her head. Like she’s the only person he sees. That’s another thing I want…eventually.

Don’t know how that’ll be possible with Ruby. I mean, look at her. How can I not notice her?

“He openly flirted with you,” Gwen points out. I turn to her. “Doesn’t he flirt with everyone?” “Not me,” she’s quick to answer. “No one flirts with you, G.” This comes from Eric, who has his back to us but must still be listening to our conversation. “You scare the shit out of every guy on campus.” “I do not.” “You kind of do,” I say quietly. She turns to glare at me and I shrug. “I barely know you and you terrify me.”

“That is a dumb nickname,” I murmur, refusing to let his words make me feel a certain way. “People won’t get it.” “We don’t need anyone else to get it.” His smile is small and a little sneaky and a lot sexy. Ugh. “It’ll be our little secret.”

I have a feeling we’d be so damn good together. Like we have the potential to burn down the world, if she’d just let me show her.

Taylor Swift’s voice booms from the speakers and I slide lower in my seat, closing my eyes. I don’t mind that this girl is a Swiftie, but I don’t really know much of her music. And women who are Taylor Swift fans always get offended when I admit I don’t know whatever song is playing. I brace myself for Ruby to do the same.

Tay tay reference

“You were a big help to me today at practice.” “I did nothing.” You exist, is what I want to tell her. Just looking at you calms my chaotic thoughts. Like right now.

I am blown away that this big, beautiful, sexy man crawled through my window late at night just to stare at me and ask me on a date with so much sincerity in his voice, it made my heart ache. For whatever reason, he’s into me, and while I am definitely attracted to him and even might like him as a person—fine, I totally like him as a person—I am going to have to say no. And it hurts. It hurts to turn him down and see the crushed expression currently on his face. I feel like a shithead.