Similar to the San Jose State game but without my crazy extended family present, we traveled the next weekend up north to Pullman, Washington for the Saturday night game against Washington State. Unlike UW, which was right near the city of Seattle and close to the Pacific coastline, their cross-state rival WSU was the main attraction within a small town near the eastern corner of the state.

After our ninety-minute bus ride from the closest airport, I stayed with Drake again Friday night. We remained a lot quieter in the room. Well, he ignored me like usual, so technically I was a lot quieter. While I wished I hadn't, I looked at him differently after he admitted he'd hacked my phone, even if just for a school project.

Drake hadn't really apologized and I'd always considered the guy a friend, but now I doubted my easygoing lack of judgment. After a week where I'd silently studied him, I now realized I barely knew anything about the quiet, introverted guy who lived on the same floor as me but kept his room locked up like a vault.

"Hey Drake?" I sat down on my bed, my knees facing him.

We'd finished our weekend supply of homework as usual but neither of us felt tired enough. My legs twitched from all the travel, since generally planes and buses weren't comfortably tailored to my height.

As usual, London's eyes were glued to his phone. The white glare from his screen cast a shadow around the edge of his profile and over his ears. With his gaze fixed down, his eyebrows drew together and he absently mumbled, "Hmm?"

My own brows furrowed. "Do you want to go do something?"

He snorted softly but looked up from his screen. In a dry voice, he looked completely unamused, "Like what, work out in the hotel gym?"

"Let's go to the pool area," I offered with a slight shoulder shrug.

After a grumbled, 'why not,' we both changed and grabbed some white bathroom towels that barely covered half of us. A few fists pounded on some other guys' doors, Drake and I were joined by Griff and Jackson. Evan's eyes lit up at the idea of privacy within the room he shared with Griff. His roommate looked just as excited to leave, slammed the door behind him, and ran down the hallway like a little kid.

"Do I even want to know?" I raised my eyebrows at him while we marinated in the hotel's hot tub.

"Bro, it's Evan," he spat out in a sarcastic voice, tipped his head back onto the hot tub's edge, and groaned quietly. "Why don't we have one of these at the house?"

"'Cause it would get nasty," Jackson pointed out the obvious as his fingers tapped on his phone screen. "I ain't cleaning one either."

"Don't drop that," I warned him with a low chuckle.

"Just checking up on my girl," he mumbled, then cursed a few times and gripped his phone tighter. "Why the fuck does she do this!? Showing me how much fun she's having without me."

"Savage, bro." Griff smirked at the photo Jackson flashed at us, where Nevaeh either wore the tightest dress I'd ever seen or had just painted her body red. Either way, she danced with someone's large hand clutched over her stomach. My lips rolled inward at Jax's nine 'the fuck!?!?!?' responses.

"Smooth," I teased him.

He just groaned, turned his phone off, and hopped out of the hot tub. His wet feet puddled a trail across the floor to where we'd dropped our towels on some chairs and my lips twitched at his longer trail of curse words.

"She's just playing," he growled in a low voice that obviously indicated he wasn't a fan of that game, then hopped back in next to Griff.

Like he doesn't play it either.

Jackson and Neveah both fed off each other's insane level of jealousy, usually in the form of innocent victims attracted to one of them at a party. The usual flash of anger burned in Jackson's eyes as he reared his head back. His Adam's apple bobbed as he groaned and the tips of his dreads lingered near the water as he cracked his knuckles one at a time.

"Like you weren't on the plane." Griff snorted quietly. "What did you say? Catching mile-high honeys with my thirst trap."

I barked out a loud laugh, which drew Jax's narrow eyes in my direction. "You did say that," I reminded him as my shoulders and chest bounced.

Steam swirled up under my armpits and off my chest from the searing hot water that bubbled around us. Griff requested that we cranked the jets up to high and, like a fast-moving river current, the water rushed around my left side and on either side of my calves.

The contrast of the cooler air felt like a chill and raised goosebumps on my shoulders and upper arms. I moved my legs around the jets so they hit each of my calves. The relentless water massaged out the stiffness from how my knees had been sandwiched into the seat ahead for most of the trip up here.

The hotel's glass-enclosed indoor pool area left little privacy but it was quiet and empty. Besides the four of us, we only saw an occasional stare or round of giggling, depending on who passed by.

"Nope, nope, nope." Jackson shook his head so quickly I was surprised he hadn't snapped his neck. "Nevaeh will skin both my sacs if I'd been serious."

My eyes closed at the mention of his sacs, since I currently floated in the same hot water tub as both his and Griff's. Drake sat on the edge of the tub, with just his knees down underwater. He lifted his legs in slow kicks like he stretched out his calves and rotated his feet in both directions at the ankle joints. He was actually the most flexible player on the team and the guy put his leg in positions mine never stretched into.

"Thanks for the visual, Jax." Griff rolled his eyes, then focused them on me. "No happy Harper time tonight?"

"What? No." I shook my head. While I wouldn't have minded a dirty video session, Accounting and Calculus homework plus Drake right next to me couldn't have put me further from aroused and needing a release.

"Ghosted, huh?" he teased with a smirk.

"Says the guy who just got tossed out by Evan for -" I reminded him when the pool's glass entrance doors opened to the sound of soft giggles.

So much for relaxing.

Five girls, roughly our age or a little younger, walked in together. Huddled together like a small herd, a few clutched each other's arms or giggled behind their hands.

All of them focused their eyes on us as they not at all subtly stripped off their clothes in slow movements that shifted their hips, flashed their assets, and bounced their breasts. I rolled my eyes since plastic chairs surrounded the entire oval-shaped swimming pool, but they tossed theirs onto the ones right near ours then headed straight for the hot tub. Soft splash sounds from their footsteps in Jax's puddles got louder as they approached.

A tall, thin, flatter-chested girl dressed in a tiny slit of a black bikini swayed her hips as she led the group down the steps and into the water. Her brown eyes thankfully fixated right on Griff, who threw her a smirk. He slid sideways so she had room, not that she needed any because she plopped right down practically on his lap. He kept both his elbows where they rested on the back of the tub, bent so his fingers grazed the water. From her obvious positioning, it looked like one of his arms slipped over her shoulders and his hand brushed against her back.

She leaned over, pressed her lack of a chest against his side, and whispered into his ear. What she said I couldn't have cared less about. My feet planted flat to stand up when two wet, slippery bodies sandwiched mine. A blonde-haired girl with platinum highlights in her messy bun sat on my right. Her rack screamed for attention the way it pinched her bikini straps tightly into the skin on her shoulders. Her blue eyes raked over my bare chest and abs from under her thick, black lashes.

Other than I imagined what flotation-device inspired insults Harper threw out if she was here, my only reaction was I stood up. Before I stepped out, probably with a grunt of disapproval, she reached under the water and tugged on the bottom of my board shorts like she wanted me to sit back down.

"Stay," she cooed out coyly, with another tug on my shorts. "I'm -"

Whatever the fuck she said her name was died before it hit my ears. I'd never been so glad for my 'dump truck-sized ass,' thanks Harper, because another set of tugs yanked on my left side.

I turned around and a girl with beautiful, glowing dark skin twirled a strand of black hair around her index finger. Her shoulders relaxed down until her breasts sat strategically half-submerged in the white, bubbly water.

With a lift of her arms, she rolled her red string bikini top into a soggy ball and tossed it right into the center of my chest. "Oops," she giggled from under her lashes and dunked her shoulders underwater, but not before she'd flashed me.

The old me would have applauded such bold efforts and at least considered an equally bold follow-up, even with the guys present. Yet now, my ass was out of the tub faster than those girls crooked their fingers at me. Their suggestive smiles only earned them a view of my back.

"Not interested." I tossed her bathing suit back over my shoulder and was pretty sure I hit Griff or Jax with it by the low grunt that followed the sound of the impact. "Night everyone."

The only thing I felt when I returned to my and Drake's hotel room was tired. The smell of chlorine filled my nose as I leaned against the elevator wall and I rubbed at the dryness that sat inside corners of my eyes.

As the doors closed, a hand snuck out in between them and I was thankful it was attached to Drake.

"Not interested?" I teased.

"No." He scowled and dipped his head down to his phone. With a quick look, I was surprised at the three hundred new messages he sorted through.

The two of us rode the rest of the way up and walked back to our room in silence. While I showered and hung my wet suit up, my thoughts drifted back to Harper. I wasn't sure what her Friday night plans were and considered the idea that I broke my day-before phone-off policy tonight.

I should ask how she's doing.

Typical Harper left after the silence between us became uncomfortable. An adorable shade of pink tinted her cheeks when I kissed them though.

I'd always thought that sex was my way past Harper's hard exterior but I was wrong. She communicated her true intentions and opinions more with actions. After I'd essentially narrowed out what hadn't worked - apologizing, talking, taking action myself with the dates - I finally realized how much touch was what really affected her.

Sure took a fuck lot of patience but... It was worth it.

She'll deny liking it but I'm going to hug the fuck out of her moving forwards.

My lips tugged upwards as I remembered when Harper curled up against me, clothed. My balls throbbed painfully from where she'd kneed me right in between them but I ignored the pain since she stayed on my lap. Part of me sagged with relief when she had.

Not that I had the right words in mind, but words wouldn't have reassured whatever internal storm she fought against herself when Emily came up again. It was probably best that I sat silent because, stupidly, my first thought was whether Harper not being my 'real' girlfriend bothered her.

Bothers me but that doesn't mean it bothers her.

Because, fuck, she is in every definition I think the word means.

On my end, I'd used my best attempts to divert unwanted attention away from her all season. In particular, I never answered any reporter's questions on the topic, even though I was asked about my relationship status before and after every game and occasionally after practice.

On the plane ride up here, I'd thought about Harper, in relation to the other guy's girlfriends, and very quickly concluded that there was absolutely no comparison. If I ended up NFL-bound as I dreamed, then I couldn't have pictured anyone else I wanted by my side, a strong-willed, independent person who fought from my corner. Even better, she fought against my own stupidity because fuck, I probably needed that going forward in my life if I reached the level of success and financial stability that I'd hoped for and dreamed of.

Just have to get her to agree to be my girlfriend first... Fuck, this feel ass-backwards.

Had Harper spent the night? No, but she had made small progress. She'd also indirectly turned me into some soft cuddler because I liked our post-sex bodies intertwined almost as much as I liked when they connected. I'd always only taken care of myself but the way she'd relaxed against me, closed her eyes, and let me hold her...

Made me feel... special... No, important.

I stared down at my phone, which I hadn't even noticed I'd turned on until my text message screen opened, and my shoulders dropped when I saw Harper hadn't responded other than her simple 'good luck' message from two days ago. I'd responded and asked if she planned to watch the game but she left my question on read.

My eyes closed for a moment at the idiocy of a sarcastic 'thinking of you-type' message that she for sure roasted me about, then I closed out my messages with a sigh.

Can't expect her to change overnight.

Unexpectedly, my phone rang in my hand, with Harper's contact. "Hey," I answered right away.

At my voice, Drake's head shot up from his screen. "I'll be in the shower."

"Hey..." Harper paused for a moment, so I nodded thanks at Drake and sat on my bed. "Didn't think you'd answer."

"I can hang up," I teased, but rubbed over the warmth that crept into my chest at the idea she'd also thought about me long distance. "Or you can tell me what you did tonight because I almost just texted you to ask."

A quiet scoff muffled the start of Harper's response, followed by a few rustled paper sounds. "Homework, if you believe me."

"I do." I leaned back against my pillows. "That's all I did today, other than travel. Is that all you have planned for tomorrow?"

"Li mentioned wanting to take me to see Santa Monica pier, but I -" Harper stopped when I laughed quietly. "What?"

"That's where I was going to take you on our next date," I admitted and ran my free hand through my damp hair. "Since it reminds me -"

"- of Santa Cruz," she finished my sentence. "That's what Li said, at least. But I can tell her no if you want."

"Nah, go." I cupped my hand behind my neck and reclined slightly against my bed's four pillows. Why hotels gave us so many thin, flimsy pillows, I wasn't sure. "I doubt you'd have the same experience."

Soft laughs hit my ear. "I highly doubt that I'd have the same experience with my roommate and my..." she paused.

"Say it," I challenged her with a grin. While this conversation bordered on what I'd planned we talked about on our date, I wasn't against testing the waters of how she felt about us.

"Fuck buddy who's not really a buddy?" Harper's tease cut through my thoughts.

"I'd better be more than that," I threw back at her but my dumbass grin widened.

"Guess you'll have to prove it to me." She laughed quietly again, which faded quickly. "Can you tell me where you'd planned to take me at least?"

In seven years, I hadn't forgotten the way Harper had told me that just a beach date was where she'd first wanted me to take her. While I easily counted the number of dates I'd taken girls on using one hand, I'd never planned one much. Brit's dream date social media lists had always handled that part of our short relationship. In hindsight, none of her events had brought us closer, only given her more photo ops than any one person needed.

And if I asked Harper what I needed to, told her that I wanted her as more than our arrangement and well past the end of the season, then I probably needed to be at least fifty feet away from water she potentially drowned me in.

At the risk I'd turned into an absolute sap, I also wanted to see the sunset with Harper. The cool, salty breeze, soft sand, and backdrop of crashed waves that turned aquamarine in color wasn't a sight I saw very often down here.

"Anywhere you wanted," I admitted the truth. "There's a pier, the same beach stuff as back home, even a boardwalk and small roller coaster rides. You want to make every guy there jealous as I rub sun lotion on your back and ass, sure. But if you also wanted to just sit on the beach and -"

In a quiet but steady voice, Harper interrupted me with a 'poke the bear and you're getting the claws'-type warning, "Don't, Jake."

"I meant it when I was sorry," I challenged her back and clenched my molars tighter together. "And I'll keep trying to prove it until you believe me."

"Fuck..." My ear crackled with static as she exhaled loudly. "This was a bad -"

"No, it wasn't," I insisted. My spine stiffened and I sat up at the tension that clenched harder into my stomach. "I'm glad you called, thanks."

"'Bye Jake," she threw out, then hung up before I responded.

Fuck, she's not going to make this easy.

My eyes slid lazily closed as I dropped my phone on the bed and raked both hands' fingers through my hair.

Wouldn't be Harper if it was.