Playing Hard to Get (The Players)

ONE MONTH later

“Aw, you two are so cute.” Cam waves his hand at us, his sugary tone making me think he’s being sarcastic. “It’s really true love, huh?”

We’re at a local pizza restaurant downtown, where I met the guys after their practice to grab a quick dinner. Knox asked me to come and this is the first time I’ve hung out with them like this after practice. I never want to intrude, but he insisted I go so here I am.

“Definitely,” Knox says firmly, his gaze shifting to mine, going soft and hazy the longer he looks at me. “I’m in love with her.”

Aw.

I rest my hand over where his rests on the table, interlacing our fingers together. “And I’m in love with you.”

Knox starts kissing me right there in the booth and Cam groans as if he’s in complete agony.

“Save it for the bedroom, you two. It’s bad enough I have to listen to your escapades on a nightly basis,” he complains.

Knox glances over at his best friend. “You listen to us?”

“It can’t be helped. The walls are thin and my bedroom is right next to yours.” Cam shakes his head. “I invested in new AirPods with noise cancellation to save me from having to hear you two.”

“Every night, Cam? Come on. You’re not around much lately anyway,” I point out, my voice casual.

But really, I’m curious. What is Cam up to exactly? Where does he go that he’s out all night long? When I asked Knox about it, he just sent me a knowing look and basically implied if he has to explain where Cam is, then I’m far more naïve than he originally thought.

I’m definitely not naïve. I’m suspicious. Big difference.

Do I think Cam is out hooking up with a different woman every night?

No.

Do I believe he might be sneaking around and possibly seeing Knox’s little sister?

Yes, I think so.

This is all based on gut feelings and a few things Blair has said in the past. Oh, and that moment I caught them together at the apartment, looking guilty as hell. And mad. Cam just stormed off, which he seems to do a lot when Blair is around. What’s up with that?

Does she push him away?

Does he feel guilty for messing around with his best friend’s sister? Knox is overly protective of her. He’d probably lose his mind if he found out Cam is messing around with Blair.

Knox is completely distracted by football, school and me, so I don’t think he sees it. Not like I do.

“Yeah, I go out a lot.” That’s Cam’s answer.

As evasive as ever.

“But where do you go?” I ask, needing more.

Knox chuckles nervously, squeezing my hand. “Come on, Jo Jo. Don’t give the man the third degree.”

“I was just curious.” I smile at my boyfriend—it’s really fun thinking of Knox like that—and lean in to give him a quick kiss on his cheek. “Where’s Blair tonight?”

My gaze immediately shifts to Cam and I notice how his expression shifts and changes, going completely neutral.

Hmm.

“Not sure.” Knox grabs his phone and starts tapping on it, sending a quick text. He waits, the response immediate and he says, “She’s at home.”

“You should invite her to hang out with us.” My attention remains solely focused on Cam and when his gaze meets mine, I see something in his eyes that makes me think he might be on to my game. I flash him a sweet smile. “I miss her.”

Knox keeps tapping at his phone, Cam and I studying each other, that same sweet smile plastered on my face while he wears a faint scowl.

The phone rings and Knox answers it, putting it on speaker so we can hear Blair’s voice in midsentence.

“…stop bugging me, Knox. I don’t want to go out tonight.”

“Come on, B. Just get your butt over here,” Knox encourages.

“Who are you with?”

“Who else would I be with? Jo Jo and the Duke of Camden.” Knox grins at us.

Cam keeps his scowl firmly in place.

“Oh.” Blair is quiet for a moment. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like pizza.”

“Give me a break. You love pizza.”

“And I look terrible.”

“It’s just us, Blair. We don’t care what you look like.” Knox’s gaze lifts to Cam’s. “You don’t care what my sister looks like, right?”

I hold my breath, waiting for his answer, knowing it could be damaging with Blair about to hear what he’ll say.

Cam drains the beer he’s been sipping on, slamming the bottle onto the table with a loud thunk. “Nope. Don’t care at all.”

“Really?” Blair sounds…pissed, not that I can blame her. Not that I can blame Cam for what he said either. “Are you drunk, Camden?”

“I’ve had one beer, Blair. Give me a fucking break,” Cam mutters.

“Hey, language,” Knox says mildly.

“I’m not a baby, Knox. I can handle it when Cam drops a fuck here and there,” Blair says snippily.

“Ouch, okay sorry.” Knox’s gaze meets mine, and I can tell he’s confused. “Are you coming or not?”

“You know what yes, I’m coming. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The phone goes dead.

“Good. She needs to get out more. I’ve been worried about her.” Knox leans back in his seat, stretching out his legs, his thigh bumping against mine. “She never goes anywhere lately, and when I asked her about it, she got all sensitive on me.”

Cam makes a noise in agreement and I stare at him, just daring him to say something. Anything.

Of course he doesn’t.

Men. They’re absolutely clueless.

Fifteen minutes later and Blair is entering the restaurant, gorgeous as usual despite her protests on the phone that she looked terrible. Her dark blonde hair flows down her back over the dark blue and green plaid jacket she’s wearing and when she slips it off, she reveals a tight black long-sleeved turtleneck shirt that emphasizes her curves.

As in, she looks smoking hot, without trying too hard.

Cam stares at her chest for a moment too long and I notice the smug look on Blair’s face. It’s all the confirmation I need.

These two have most definitely hooked up.

“Scoot over,” Blair demands and Cam does so without protest, allowing her to sit next to him. The distance between them isn’t much, and I can feel the sexual tension crackling between them. She won’t look in his direction, her gaze only for me as she smiles and reaches across the table, squeezing my arm. “It’s so good to see you, Joanna.”

“It’s been forever,” I tell her with a faint smile. “What have you been up to?”

“Nothing in particular,” she says vaguely. “School has been kicking my butt lately.”

A sigh leaves me. I don’t think she’s going to come clean either. “Mine too.”

“Not mine,” Knox chimes in with a smug smile. “Thanks to Joanna. She’s a huge help.”

Blair rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You two are so lucky and in love. Blah, blah, blah. I’ve heard it all before already from you.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Knox glances over at me. “I don’t think I can stop talking about you.”

“Oh yeah?” We both ignore Cam and Blair, completely focused on each other. “Are you that in love with me?”

I’m teasing him, but there’s a serious glow in Knox’s beautiful green eyes that has my smile fading.

“Yeah, I am. I didn’t think it would happen like this,” he admits.

“Like what?” I ask quietly.

“Like all I want to do is tell everyone that you’re mine.” Dipping his head, he kisses me quickly. “I think I’m addicted to you.”

“There are worse things you could end up addicted to,” I point out with a grin.

“No shit.” We both glance up to see the server standing beside our table, holding a steaming hot pizza. “Blair, your timing is impeccable.”

“Yay, I’m starving,” Blair says, turning away from Cam, her gaze zeroed in on the pizza as the server sets it on the table.

Pretty sure they were talking when Knox and I were, and I’m dying to know what they said to each other. Not that I’ll ever get the chance to find out.

“That was weird,” Knox says later, after we’ve gone back to my apartment and locked ourselves away in my bedroom. Natalie is working tonight so we have the place to ourselves, which is nice. No forcing Cam to hear us getting up to our usual antics.

“What was weird?” I’m playing dumb on purpose. It was so obvious something was going on between Cam and Blair, and I want to know if Knox noticed.

“Blair was kind of bitchy—but that’s normal. And Cam was so damn quiet. He’s been quiet a lot lately, which isn’t like him. I wonder if he’s worried about something.” Knox scratches the back of his neck, and I realize he’s truly worried about his friend.

Should I tell him what I suspect? Or is that opening a can of worms I might later regret?

“Football stuff?” I ask, not knowing how else to describe it.

He smiles, reaching for me and I go into his arms willingly, a contented sigh leaving him when he holds me close. “Football stuff. You mean his future? The possibility that he could get drafted?”

I nod, trying to ignore the fear trickling inside of me at the idea of Knox getting drafted and becoming too busy for me. “Maybe that’s stressing him out.”

“Maybe.” Knox pulls away slightly so he can look at me. “Does it stress you out? The idea of me getting drafted into the NFL?”

I pluck at the front of his shirt, keeping my gaze focused on my busy fingers. “Maybe.”

He cups my chin, tilting my face up so I have to look at him. “Nothing is going to change how I feel about you, Jo Jo. I know you still have one year left after I graduate, but I’ll be waiting for you to join me on this wild ride called life when you’re ready.”

Tears spring to my eyes at his softly spoken words and the look on his face. He’s so serious, so sweet, so gone over me. I can see it. Feel it.

And I feel the same way.

“I love you so much,” I whisper.

He smiles, gently wiping the falling tears from my cheeks with his thumb. “I love you too. Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.” I shake my head, kissing the tip of his thumb when he drags it across my lips. “I think I’m overwhelmed by you sometimes.”

His brows draw together in concern. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

I reach up to wrap my arms around his neck, my face in his when I murmur, “It’s the very best thing.”

Right before I kiss him.