Sacked (Gridiron #1) by Jen Frederick Read Free Book Online Page B

calling my entire house to come and carry you out of here.” He holds up his phone and shakes it at me. He lives with half of the offensive starters.
    Jack doesn’t make idle threats, so I give in. “Okay. Fine.”
    What’ll one dinner with members of his team do to me? Besides, in junior college, Jack hung around solely with the offense and Masters plays defense, so I’m not worried I’ll see him. Still…
    “What’s the dress code here?”
    “Shorts, flips, T-shirt.”
    “For me, not you.” I throw a pencil at him that he snatches it out of the air. One of these days, I’ll learn not to throw things at a guy who wants to catch things for a living.
    “It’s pretty casual.”
    “I swear, if I show up and everyone wears a suit and tie, I’ll castrate you.” I shake my scissors at him before tucking them into the desk drawer.
    “Shit. Ties are for away games. I don’t know what the girls are wearing these days. This summer it’s been mostly nothing. I can tell you that there are a lot of thongs. I remember those.” His eyes get dreamy.
    “Jesus, Jack. I don’t want to hear that stuff.”
    He laughs and mock throws the football at me. I duck and scowl when he laughs even harder. After a few fakes, he sets the ball down and starts to leave. At the door, he turns back.
    “Thanks for coming tonight. I know you told me that you wanted to find a new—what did you call it?” He winds his hand in a circle.
    “Tribe?”
    He snaps his fingers and points one at me. “Yeah. I thought troop, but I knew that was wrong.”
    “I want to make sure I broaden my horizons. Find new people to hang around with.”
    “You know it's okay by me if you hang with us jocks. I’d be okay if you even wanted to date a football player.”
    “Well, I won’t. I went through that horror house and I don’t need to revisit it.”
    Once was enough, thank you very little, Travis F.
    “I don't know why you think a guy who plays chess will be better to you than one who plays football.” Jack sounds mildly annoyed.
    I shrug and pull out my favorite jean skirt. I wore this all summer long. It was the right length between sexy and sporty. I might as well go with something tried and true. Plus it has pockets, which means I can stuff my ID and keys in the skirt and forego a wristlet or purse. “Maybe they aren't, but I haven't ever dated a guy who played chess before.”
    “I’m all for you exploring new shit, but guys are dicks regardless of whether they wear a jock strap or a pocket protector.”
    “That's a ringing endorsement of your gender.”
    He walks toward the front door. “If you decide to take a vow of celibacy that'd be great, but I’m not that naïve.”
    “Maybe I should hang around with Masters,” I joke.
    Jack opens the door and steps into the hall. All the traffic stops and stares at him. He smiles and nods to the bangable girls, which it appears encompasses all of the females in the hall. “I thought you didn't believe him.”
    “Jury’s still out.”

5
Ellie
    “ H i , Eliot,” Masters murmurs as I wait for the food service employee to spoon a very bland piece of chicken onto a plate.
    “Masters.” I guess we’re skipping over exchanging names. I felt him at my back before he even opened his mouth. He carries a certain crackling energy with him. Tonight he smells freshly showered, which is as dangerous as the slightly sweaty, early morning Masters. I shudder lightly.
    “Anything wrong?” There’s light amusement in his voice. I’m sure if I turn around he’ll be grinning. Since my defenses are weak from the lack of food, I don’t even peek at him.
    “The food here is lousy.” Of course, I say it at the exact moment the server hands me my plate. “But this looks great.” I give her a big smile that she doesn’t return. Masters muffles a snort while I hurriedly grab my plate before the server tips the tray on my head.
    “It’s the hall closest to the athlete dorms, so there’s a lot of low