Player (What Happens on Campus Book 1) by M L Sparrow Read Free Book Online Page A

frowned. “Parker, I’m not interested in being in anything less than a serious relationship. I’ve been straight with you from the start and, since the idea of committing obviously gives you the heebie jeebies, I’m happy to be friends, but nothing more. I want love, Parker. Maybe that’s stupid, but it’s what I want and I won’t settle for anything less.”
    The curse of being a book lover was that she was also a hopeless romantic.
    Nodding slowly, he reached out to brush her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “It’s not stupid and I kinda wish I was the guy who got to love you, but I don’t think I have it in me.” Smiling sadly, he turned and walked away.
    All Chloe could do was watch him go, standing there in a shock like state as his words echoed in her head. How could he say stuff like that, then turn around and act the way he did? It didn’t match up. God, he confused her!
    When he was gone from sight, she shuffled backwards into the room and eased the door shut. Riley was already asleep, sprawled awkwardly across the bed, her legs dangling over the edge. The nights were warm here, she’d already discovered, so instead of putting a cover over her, Chloe just slipped off Riley’s shoes, got changed into her own pyjamas, turned out the light and crawled into her own bed.
    She was exhausted, but as usual she had trouble getting to sleep; her mind just kept spinning and spinning and spinning. Kicking off the covers, she clambered to the end of the bed so that she could reach over on to her desk and lift the lid of her laptop. Selecting her ‘Sleep Playlist’, she lowered the volume so that the dulcet, soothing tones of Katie Melua and Norah Jones were barely audible and then hooked her arm under the bed to retrieve her hot water bottle. It was electric, therefore, didn’t need water, despite the name, and she cuddled it to her chest as she waited for it to warm, concentrating on the music flowing around the room.
    The two combined helped her drift off into an uneasy, restless sleep, which she was awoken from with a jolt a short while later when Riley bolted for the toilet, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
    Sitting up groggily, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Should she go in and see if Riley was okay? Would Riley mind if she went in there, Chloe knew she sure as hell wouldn’t want anyone seeing her puking her guts up?
    When her friend didn’t come out after a few minutes though, she went and opened the door a crack, poking her head inside and asking, “You okay?”
    Hunched over the toilet, her hands gripping it on either side, so tight that her knuckles had gone white, Riley shook her head. “No,” she managed to say between retching.
    Going to kneel beside her, Chloe pulled her hair back from her face and rubbed her back soothingly. “Get it all out, you’ll feel better afterwards.”
    “I’m dying,” her friend groaned.
    “Well, next time you’ll know not to drink so much.”
    Turning her head to look at her, Riley wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and said stoically, “I regret nothing.”
    The effect was somewhat ruined however by the next wave of vomit that came spewing from her mouth.

Chapter Six  
    Getting up the next morning for practice wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. He was tired, but he’d only had one beer last night, so at least he wasn’t hung-over. Chloe’s friend wouldn’t be so lucky, he thought, wincing in sympathy. She had been throwing them back like a demon – he was actually quite impressed she hadn’t passed out. Chloe didn’t drink though, so at least he didn’t have to worry about her getting drunk and landing herself in trouble. But he did wonder what the real reason for her abstinence was because he was almost certain she’d been lying to him last night.
    For once, Jet wasn’t up before him and Parker left the room quietly so as not to wake him, heading down towards the field at a jog. In the locker room, he found