The Tip-Off (Smart Jocks, #3)

by Rebecca Jenshak

I know that underneath the jokes, no one has my back like Wes does.

Her gaze meets mine over Nathan’s shoulder and I hold my breath. I don’t know what it is about her, but when she’s in the room, my palms tingle with anticipation like I’m about to walk out on the floor before a game.

Going to college via online classes has one big disadvantage – no boys.

Zeke’s eyes are a light brown, warm and soulful, and right now they’re finally on me. Wow. The force of a thousand suns. All that intensity focused on me, I was not prepared for it.

“Tall and muscular, for sure. I’m curvy and I don’t want to feel like I’m going to crush some poor guy if I straddle him while doing the reverse cowgirl.”

“Has she stopped tracking your location when you don’t answer her calls?” She isn’t quite that bad, but Blair isn’t far off. Nearly losing their only child made my parents a tad overprotective. Okay, not a tad. A lot overprotective.

“It’ll be fun on June twentieth.” The date of the draft. Until then, it’s a singular focus. I’m so close, no holding back now.

Is it pathetic to be excited that I’m the first person the great Zeke Sweets followed on Instagram?

Shaw raises his eyebrows and nods toward Gabby. “Not that I can blame you. She’s the hottest girl here. Hottest girl at Valley, probably, at least from the right side.”

Wowww dick!

She’s reckless and naïve. So desperate to make a mark on the world she doesn’t realize she already has.

Zeke is a boob guy. Interesting. I file that away in the very short list of things I know about him.

She giggles and the smile on my face gets bigger in response. I love being the reason she laughs.

It’s not about the time, though, it’s that at any time things can change on a dime. I don’t want to forget that. Every moment counts.”

And those words she’d chosen to have placed on her body forever, Beauty in imperfection. I can’t decide if it’s supposed to be inspiring or depressing.

When it’s all said and done, it’s the human interaction you remember the most. Personal goals, awards, they don’t mean anything without people to share them with.”

“Before we go back. I, uh, made you a playlist.”

Relationships are a distraction and it’s never been more critical that I keep focused than now when I’m so close. Is it possible to juggle the NBA and be in a relationship? Maybe. But is it really worth the risk to find out?

I think Gabby likes the thrill, the possibility of being caught, and God help me because I want nothing more than to keep her safe while she explores every sordid fantasy.

“Was that your first selfie?” “That obvious?” She giggles. “Is that for your adoring fans?” “Nah, that was for me.”

When I open my playlist, my gaze snags on the sub-title, You’re beautiful on the outside too. My heart is pounding as I scan the list of songs. Each one has the word beautiful, sexy, hot, gorgeous, and my personal favorite, bootylicious, in the title.

When she’s close, I start to forget my reasons for not making a move on her.

Why couldn’t I just lie and tell him my license was expired or something not as embarrassing as the fact I haven’t been able to get back behind the wheel since my car accident?

A full-body tremor takes over at the memory. The out of control feeling as the car had hydroplaned and then the moment just before impact when I had been helpless to do anything but brace myself for the worst.

“Attend a frat party is on my list,” she says excitedly, her eyes taking it all in. “Is it?” I ask like I don’t have the damn list memorized.

You can’t lie next to a hot chick and not think about sex, and you can’t sleep with a boner. You just can’t. It’s science.

“You’re stunning in that dress. Scratch that, you’re stunning. The dress is just along for the ride.”

Being with Gabby is like wearing my headphones except instead of music drowning out the noise, it’s her making everything else fade to the background.

When the man makes a move, he makes a freaking move.

It’s the smallest bit of contact, but the adrenaline rush I feel at our connection is big and exciting

“Just because this thing between us is temporary, it doesn’t make this, tonight, our time together, any less special. It’s more than okay. It’s perfect.”

I can’t believe I ever considered losing my virginity any other way. This is perfect. With someone I trust and like, someone I can be unapologetically myself around, and someone who makes me feel safe. When I jump, he’s always there to catch me.

He lifts my chin with a finger. “I’m glad you waited and I’m glad I got to be your first.”

As eager as she is to try it all, she’s a constant contradiction of reckless and afraid. Eager and reserved.

He said that just because what we’re doing is casual that it was still special and he was right, but I’ve done a shitty job of showing it.

“How was the combine? Is it over already? I thought you were staying ‘til Sunday.” “It was great.” My chest squeezes. I don’t know what the repercussions are going to be for walking out like I did, but I can’t think about that now.

I leave out the worry that my leaving like I did cost me a shot at my dream, but what I told her was true. I didn’t think – just knew I had to get to her.

They’re part of her. Maybe not a part she likes, but they make up the person I know as Gabby and I don’t secretly wish she were any different than she is.

“They mean that you lived. You’re here with me right now. If you think that your scars make me want you any less, you’re wrong. I want you because of them. I want you because you’re here and you’ve made me feel more alive in the past month than I have my entire life. You lived and you brought me to life.”

People tell me beauty is skin deep. They’re wrong. The longing I feel to be seen as beautiful is rooted deep in my soul.

I want someone to love me for the ugly and the beautiful, and every shade in between.

I laugh, but purely for his benefit. I don’t feel anything but sad that he’s leaving, and I can’t tell him that or it sounds like I’m not excited for his future.

Inside my room, I stop short at the pink bike with a big red bow stuck to the basket, just like I said I wanted. A card pokes out of the basket and I grab it and sit on the bed, reading through the sobs: Someday I’m going to buy you a cherry red convertible. Until then… Zeke

“So, you either sacrifice career or family?” “It’s not a sacrifice, honey, it’s prioritizing what’s important to you.”

I used to think when I made it to the NBA, I’d surprise her with a brand-new fancy-ass house or car, but I think she might kick my ass if I do that. Instead, I think I’ll just add a big chunk of change to her bank account. I’m finally going to be able to repay her for not being as selfish as my father and for just… everything.

When she faces me, I see everything I ever wanted right in front of me. I made one dream come true and all I need for this day to be perfect is her by my side. “Come with me.”

Zeke is hot, he just signed a multi-million-dollar contract, and he wants to share all that hotness and money with you. It seems like a no-brainer to me.”

I don’t want to be a guy she hooks up with when it’s convenient for our schedules. I want to fit everything else in between moments with her.

I told him once that it was the moments spent with other people that mattered and I was right, but the people you give your time to matter more. A million nights with people who only know me from the surface are worth so much less than one night with Zeke who sees me for everything I am and everything I am not.

She meets my gaze and smiles, love and trouble written all over her beautiful face.

Marry me because if it came between you or food, I’d pick you every time.” Her smile stretches wider. “You’d die without food.” “Some things are worth dying for.”