Tempting the Player (Campus Wallflowers #4)

by Rebecca Jenshak

Where are you now? Hendrick Close. Me How close? Hendrick Close enough to know you need to put your phone away and get ready for class.

Me Class hasn’t started yet. What do you do while I’m in class, anyway? Hendrick Things. God, he’s so annoying. But I’m smiling so hard. Me You should go get coffee, maybe a muffin. Caffeine and food might improve your mood. Hendrick I’m in a fine mood.

“I feel very CIA, very covert.” He chuckles. “You’re about as discreet as a neon sign.”

“I’m not worried,” I say honestly as I get up and walk in the direction of my first class. “This is fun. Will you sing me a song or read me a book?” “I’m not your personal Spotify.”

Hendrick laughs in my ear. “I don’t have a favorite movie either. Gotta go. Good luck on your French test.” “Wait,” I whisper as my professor begins to hand out the test in the front of the room. “Favorite color?” He doesn’t answer right away, and I assume he’s not going to. He’s such a stickler. But just as a test paper is handed back to me, his voice is back in my ear. “Green.”

She hits the earpiece a couple times. “You there?” “Yep.” I tap my thumb against the side of my drink. “Only about fifteen minutes until your next class. We should get going.” “Thanks, Dad. I can keep track of the time.”

I take another sip and then grimace. “You don’t have to keep drinking it if it’s that terrible.” “It’s growing on me.” It’s definitely not.

I walk her all the way to the door of her sociology class. “Have fun.” “Fun?” She quirks a brow, but still smiles up at me in a way that has me reciprocating. “Learn something, I don’t know. See you after.” Her gaze drops to my mouth and then she looks up at me with those gorgeous green eyes. “See you after.”

“I’m not that interesting.” “You are to me.” I push back until I can lean back against the headboard.

“Who was performing at your first job?” “Paramore.” “Are you a fan?” “I know a couple songs.” “Did you get to meet them?” I can’t fire the questions out fast enough. “No.” He chuckles as he leans and props himself up with one arm. “I never even saw them. I was parked out front the entire time, checking people as they came in and then keeping an eye on the parking lot.” “Too bad. I love them.” I start singing “Misery Business.” I forgot how much I loved that song.

“We have lots of time to get to know each other. I’m not going anywhere.” “Okay.” My heart climbs up into my throat as his hand slips off my knee and he stands.

“Text me if you need anything.” He smiles. “And answer your phone when I call.” “Yes, sir.” I salute him with a playful smirk, then get up to walk him out.

She tries to take it from me. “Go. I can get home on my own. I’ll even text you when I’m there, so you know I made it.” It’s a reasonable request, but she had something to tell me, and I got the feeling it was important. “Come with me. We can pick up Flynn and drop him off at the house, and then I’ll take you to lunch so we can talk about whatever it is you wanted to talk about.” “Are you sure?” I’m already ushering her toward my truck. “Positive.”

“Hey.” She aims a small smile at me. Brogan pauses the video game. “How’s our little Rocky?” “They dragged the highlights out of me,” Jane confesses. “It’s fine,” I assure her.

“It’s sweet,” Jane says after I tell her the full story about Flynn. “This is the kind of stuff I missed out on in high school. No guy ever punched someone in my honor.” I find that incredibly hard to believe. “That you know about,” I say as I swirl a fry in a ketchup and mayo mixture before tossing it in my mouth. “Trust me. I would have known.”

“What if I just hang at the house with you guys?” “With me and Flynn?” “Yeah. I mean, I guess that’s presumptuous, but I could just chill there during the day. I won’t get in the way or anything. You won’t even know I’m there.” Yeah, right. There’s no room we could be in together that I wouldn’t be aware of her.

Jane eyes my fries. “That looks disgusting.” “Ketchup and mayo?” She nods. “Try it.” I push my tray toward her and watch as she carefully dips the very end of a french fry into the sauce before tasting it. She immediately makes a face. “Oh, no. No, no, no.” She takes a long drink of her lemonade before she speaks again. “Looks disgusting because it is.”

“Thank you,” I say softly. “And I’m⁠—” “Don’t say sorry. It’s literally my job.” I fall quiet because everything I want to say is me apologizing more. “And also,” he says, voice low. “Even if it wasn’t my job, I’d do whatever I could to keep you safe.”

I’m still tensed, mind reeling with scenarios, when Hendrick’s voice calls out. “I know you’re home, Jane. I saw you through the front window.” Cursing the open curtains, I get up and open the front door to a smiling Hendrick.

“A mess,” he finishes for me. “I was going to say brotherly banter, but you aren’t wrong.”

“It’s okay. I’ll manage. Go have a donut or three, and I got you a special coffee.” He walks over and picks up the coffee with the HH on the side of the cup. He sniffs it and makes a face. “Do I even want to know?” “It’s a salted caramel something or other.” “Salted caramel?” “At least try it before you decide you hate it.”

He takes a sip and waits a second before he says, “I hate it.”

“I don’t need a break. Besides, if you leave before I drop off Flynn, he’ll be disappointed.” That makes her laugh. “He’s sweet.” “My truck stinks from all the cologne he’s started wearing to practice.” I shake my head. “He has a crush on you. They all do.” “I think they’re being nice so I keep feeding them.”

“Thanks. You’re not so terrible either.” “High praise.” I laugh.

“Too bad. Hen smiles more when you’re around.” Jane looks at me with a happy, smug expression before giving my baby brother her attention again. “This is him smiling more? Wow. What a sad case he is, huh?” “Yeah, go ahead and talk about me like I’m not here,” I say dryly.

I take off after Jane, catching her as she’s starting her car. When she sees me, she rolls down the window. “Miss me already?” “Don’t go.”

“You can see that?” She glances at me and then away. “Guess I’m not that good of an actress anymore.” “I just know you.”

Not long after, my favorite Taylor Swift song starts. My chest fills with happiness and my eyes get a little misty as all three of my friends stand in front of me and belt out the first verse of Blank Space.

I don’t know why I love this song so much. Actually, that’s a lie. I love it because it’s so much fun to sing. I do not have a long list of ex-lovers, but T. Swift makes me feel like I can be anyone I want to be for a few minutes.

“Thank you,” I say, breathless from singing and from him. He leans closer so I can hear him. His lips ghost across my cheek. “You’re welcome.”

“Oh, I see, we’re playing the worst-case scenario game,” he says seriously, nodding and shooting me a sly smile. “You could also get struck by lightning while up there or a bear could rip through the crowd and attack. All equally likely.” I roll my eyes at him. “Those are not equally likely.”

“I could keep going. I like a lot of things about you.” “You’re drunk. You like everyone right now.” “Maybe, but not as much as I like you.”

“Are you ready to go?” Hendrick’s deep voice cuts through the night air. When I glance back at him, his gaze is hard with . . . jealousy? Maybe. Grumpiness at being out past his bedtime? Most likely.

You don’t know everything there is to know about me, Hendrick Holland.”

“I want to kiss you again more than I want my next breath,” I say the words with as little emotion as possible, but the air still crackles with tension between us.

“I want a lot of things, Jane. So be real sure that’s what you want before you make your next move.”

“I want all those things too. I always have. Being drunk didn’t change that.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll let you go back to sleep.” I turn, dying to get back to his room and hide. I only take one step before his fingers wrap around my forearm. Then his lips are on mine, catching the gasp that escapes as he pulls me back into his chest.

“I thought I was going to have to fire you again.” One side of his mouth hitches up higher. He gives my naked body a slow, appreciative once-over and then pulls the T-shirt over my head before kissing me again. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“There’s no line,” I say. “Not anymore.” The smile on her face widens as she brings her arms up around my neck. “Good. Because I would fight them all.”

“Any other dark, abandoned buildings you want to take me to tonight?”

“What?” I look from smiling face to smiling face, then back at Hendrick. “Happy birthday, Jane.” His knowing smirk sends a wave of realization over me. “You knew?!” “We had to guarantee you would show up,” Dahlia says, stepping forward. She places a party hat on my head and then hugs me. “My birthday isn’t for another week.”

“What are you, the color police?” I ask him and then burst out laughing.

“What will you do if he leaves?” Vi asks. “Cry,” I say with a small laugh.

“I thought so.” “That’s it?” “Yep.” I try to pull away and reach for my champagne, still in his right hand, but he holds on tight with his left. “Wait,” he says. “That’s not it.”

I’m yours and that’s all that matters. But to everyone else, I want them to know that I’m the guy they have to answer to if they hurt you.”

If there was any doubt that I was in love with him before, there isn’t now. The thought of anything happening to him makes me want to set the world on fire.

“But boyfriend has a better ring to it, so I think I’ll call you that. Hi, boyfriend.” His lips pull into a real, honest to God smile. “Hi, girlfriend.”

“I get it now,” I confess. “Get what?” “Why, at the end of the night, couples always sneak off together like they can’t wait another minute to be alone.” “Is that your way of saying you missed me?”

He has me in his arms in a flash. Pressed up against his chest, one of his big palms cradling my head to him. “I got you, sweetheart. I’m here.”