Chapter 22

chapter twenty-two

Quinn

When I walk through the door of Gavin's apartment it isn't at all what I expected. There's not a single thing out of place. Clean counters, nice aesthetic with a couch that doesn't look like a bunch of bachelors sleep on it.

"No one is here," Gavin says, flipping a lamp on. "Levi takes forever after the game talking with the coaches."

"You don't have other roommates?"

"Nope. Just me and Levi. We have an extra bedroom in case some of the guys stay over."

I follow him up the stairs to his room, and feel my heart thrash against my ribcage when he opens the door. I'd never been in a guy's room that wasn't situated in their parent's house. This is Gavin's room, in his own apartment.

I'm freaking out a little.

The room is clean, like spotless, with different hues of green. There's even artwork on the wall. Not something I would've expected for a nineteen year old college kid.

Like, where's the football posters? Or posters of half-naked girls?

"You alright?" He asks, pulling me closer to him.

"Your room is really clean. I wasn't expecting it to be so put together."

He laughs, "I just don't like the frat house vibe. It's not me."

I get that. With him, honestly, this is exactly the type of room I'd imagine for him. Like Gavin, his room is mature.

I sit down on his bed, and smooth my hand over the comforter. It might be the softest thing I've ever touched. I sink into his mattress too, but I might just be delusional, since I've basically been sleeping on a piece of plywood in the dorms.

"Your bed is soft," I state, watching him. "Feels like a fluffy cloud."

Gavin lifts the blanket off the edge of the bed and pulls it back, "These sheets are the best. I could sleep in here for days."

"Me too," I smile.

A wicked grin spreads across his face as he winks, "That could be arranged."

My cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink as I try my best to hide my smile. Because I would love for that to be arranged, even if it might be too soon.

"You wanna watch a movie?"

He fidgets nervously, knowing that I'm still thinking about that comment.

"Sure," I agree.

He grabs the remote off the tv stand and takes the spot next to me on the bed. His legs are so much longer than mine, and I can't help but admire his muscular frame. The way his calves are so defined and the way his shorts flirt with the skin just above his knees makes me ache to touch him.

But I don't.

He lets me pick the movie and I try to argue about it, but he keeps insisting, so I pick the obvious choice.

The Sandlot.

We both laugh when Squints pretends to drown and by the time the movie is over we are cuddled into each other.

"That is such a good movie," he laughs. "Brilliant choice."

I tilt my head up to look at him, "Yeah, I can see you acting just like Squints when you were younger."

He beams. "And Levi, he was like Benny."

I suddenly feel a little sad because that comment takes me back to what he said on the cruise. How Levi was the one his dad was taking to football camps.

"Stop looking at me like that," He sighs. "I was okay with being the nerd. I didn't want to play football like it was my job."

"And you do now?"

His eyes lock with mine, a sense of longing behind them that I can't quite put my finger on.

"I just want to focus on other shit."

"Like what?" I ask, genuinely wanting to know.

He blows out a deep breath, "I don't know. School. Life. How am I supposed to figure out what I want to do if I'm constantly playing ball?"

"You could quit," I say. "Would it really be the worst thing to quit?"

He shakes his head adamantly, "I can't quit. It's paying for school."

I may have forgotten that minor detail.

"Then you just make time for other things. What do you want to do?"

He sits up excitedly.

"I want to volunteer at the animal shelter, or open up an animal shelter, or start a nonprofit that helps animals."

I feel my ovaries explode with the thought of Gavin and a puppy.

"So do it," I shrug. "Set aside time to go visit the animals."

He rolls his eyes, "Yeah right, it's nearly impossible to do that during the season."

"You have to make time for yourself. If you don't you are gonna keep on resenting football. You'll hate it even more."

He just stares at me, and I can tell the wheels are turning inside his head. Thinking hard about what I said.

"I'm serious, Phoenix. If you start to take your life back, football won't be as bad."

A smile flirts with his perfect lips, "I know it's ridiculous, but I love when you call me Phoenix."

As weird as it sounds, I love the way the word love rolls off his lips. I can't help but imagine him using it in a different context. It makes me wonder if he's ever said it to anyone. If he's ever truly been in love.

I'm staring into his perfect eyes and it doesn't take long for me to realize the way he's looking back at me. I'm not an obligation to him. I'm not some chore or an item he has to check off his to-do list for the day. No. He's truly interested in me. He wants to spend his time with me.

"What are you thinkin' about pretty girl?"

I fucking melt when he calls me that. I'm obsessed with it.

"I was just thinking about how nice it is when you look at me like that."

His brows furrow, "Like what?"

"Like I'm someone you want to hang out with."

He pushes my blonde hair behind my ear, trailing his fingertip down my neck. "I've wanted to hang out with you since the first time I saw you."

"Well, lucky you. Here we are, in real life, not just a summer accident."

He shakes his head, "Nothing about this is an accident."

I chuckle, "Come on Bob Ross, it totally is."

"Who the hell is Bob Ross?"

My eyes bulge, "Oh Em Gee. How do you not know who Bob Ross is? He painted trees. Happy Accidents?"

He just stares at me like I've lost my fucking mind. "Nevermind. So I've decided that we are going to volunteer at the animal shelter together."

He raises his brow, "We are?"

"Yep," I say nonchalantly. "What day works best for you? I'm thinking Sundays."

I can tell he is ripping apart his work out schedule in his head, trying to figure out how he can squeeze it in.

"Stop thinking," I sigh. "Just commit. The gym can wait."

Lifting his hand, he drags the back of his fingers up my bicep and back down, "Why would you want to do that, I mean I'm sure you have better things to do than clean up after a bunch of dogs."

I shrug, "Not really. I don't plan on going home on the weekends. Plus, we can get to know each other better."

His face begins to turn a little red, "Are you saying you wanna watch me trip over my words more often?"

"It's actually pretty adorable."

His eyes fall so delicately to my lips, and I feel time stand still for a brief moment, before he presses them against mine.

For a second, I forget about the lies, the betrayal, all of the shit I just dealt with earlier today.

He makes me forget and just be present, in the moment.