I wave.

“Dude, this place is packed,” Dillon says. He’s got that glazed-over, I’m-going-to-party-till-I’m-trashed look in his eye as he takes everything in. Tall and muscular with a freshly shaved head—he promised he’d shave off his blond dreadlocks if we won the championship—he’s originally a California surfer boy who moved to Alabama when he was ten just to play football in the South, a rich kid. We came from completely different backgrounds, but he’s the closest thing I have to a brother.

I grin. “Wish Mav and Ryker were here. Losers.”

“Yeah, well, they’re getting some girlfriend action right now. Their player days are over.”

True. Maverick practically bolted off the bus and ran straight into Delaney’s arms as she waited for him in the parking lot, and Ryker was pretty much the same. He didn’t even say goodbye before peeling out to go to Penelope’s.

Dillon grins at a pretty, brunette co-ed who rushes up and throws her arms around his big frame.

The athletes run this small, exclusive university, and football really is king. I roll my shoulders. I’d do well to remember that. No matter my family and scholastic shortcomings, this year is mine.

At the end of the big game, I started doing the Miss America wave for the fans, and the crowd in the bar goes nuts when I whip it out. I’m feeling good, then my eyes sweep the room and land on a table near the front.

Charisma.

I freeze.

I haven’t seen her—even in passing—for months, and the effect is like a bucket of cold water in my face.

She flips me off, and I feel red starting at my neck and rising up to my face. Something about her always…always…

“You good?” Dillon asks me, his gaze following mine.

“Fresh as a goddamn daisy.”

“Charisma is over there.”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.”

His eyes check her out. “Can’t blame you, man. She’s not my usual, but I’d tap it. I tried sophomore year. She turned me down cold, said I was too popular. Weird.”

“Don’t even think about her like that.” I frown. “And why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Didn’t seem important. You were only with her for a hot second.”

“It is important. And it was three weeks. Stay away from her.”

His lips kick up. “Didn’t think you cared, dude.”

“I don’t. I’ve moved on.”

“Then why can’t I even talk about her—”

“No,” I snap. “End of.”

“Fine, chill out.” He eyeballs Dani and Candi chatting with their sorority sisters as they hang on to me. “You’re winning if it’s a competition. You have two and she has none.”

“It isn’t a pissing contest.”

I can’t help but stare in her direction. Jealousy pulls at me when I see how some of the guys with Connor are giving Charisma little glances. With long nearly black hair that has pale pink streaks scattered throughout, she’s a petite thing but feisty as a colt. I take in the creamy pale skin, intelligent light brown eyes that don’t miss a thing, and that perfect pink bow of a mouth. Yeah, she got under my skin so fucking bad last semester I thought I was going to lose my mind—until I cut her loose.

A beer gets pushed into my hands by Dani, and I lean down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks.”

“I’ve missed you,” she murmurs, her hand caressing my jaw.

I pull back before she can take it any further. “Yeah. Time to party,” I say.

Maybe five minutes pass, and when a break appears in the crowd around us, I step away from the girls and my feet lead me to Charisma’s side of the room.

Sure, I shouldn’t talk to her. I really shouldn’t, but hell, it’s been three months and I’m over her. She doesn’t have power over me. No one does. I haven’t thought of her since…shit, since right before we walked into this place. I saw her car in the parking lot, and unease mixed with something darker took up residence in my bones. Might as well get it over with and rip the Band-Aid off. I wince. More like wax ripping off my chest hairs.

She watches me approach, her face flat and expressionless before she drops her gaze and looks down at her phone, scrolling. Her grip is tight, fingers white with pressure.

Margo jumps up and throws her arms around me with a big hug.

“Blaze! You guys played amazing,” she says. “I’m so stoked for you!”

I smile and give her man Connor a fist bump. “Thanks. Greatest day of my life when we won.”

I reset my gaze on Charisma.

Pretend like nothing happened between us, I tell myself. Be cool. She’s not anyone important, just a blip on your way to the NFL.

“What’s up, city girl?” My voice is gruffer than I intended.

She tosses her head back and looks up at me. “The sky. Heard you had a good game.”

“Good game?” interjects Conner. “He only set the record for number of touchdowns and yards from scrimmage during the game. You were on fire, Blaze—no pun intended.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate that.” I smirk. “So you didn’t watch the game?” I ask her, sticking my hand in my pocket. My fingers brush over the secret note I keep tucked in there, hidden away.

“Missed it.”

“Not surprised. We never did have much in common—oh, except for that one thing.”

She flutters long lashes. “You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take tonight off?”

I throw my head back and laugh before sobering and leveling my eyes back on her. Damn, she’s funny. I recall an hour-long giggling session we had in the library once about the weirdest dreams we’d ever had. Mine was about cows who took over the world by killing humans with their methane farts. Hers involved golf-ball-headed aliens kidnapping her and sending her back to Earth to become the next female Tiger Woods.

My chest tightens at the memory, and I shove it away from me, stuffing it deep inside my box of Charisma memories.

“Still quick-witted,” I say. “Haven’t seen you around much. You look good.” My gaze holds hers.

“You gonna ask me about the weather next?” She cocks her hip.

“I’m just being pleasant. Am I annoying you?”

“Annoyance would imply I care.”

My teeth grit when my eyes betray me and land on her tits. Her curves are insanely lush, full hips and breasts, a Marilyn Monroe type. “You’re soaked. Planning on entering a wet dress contest?”

“As if. One of your fans spilled a beer on me,” she says just as Dani appears, her smell arriving first, a floral perfume, sweet and thick.

“Blaze! Thought I lost you. Hey, guys, so glad you came out to celebrate,” she gushes at the group, her hand curving around my bicep.

Charisma’s eyes watch Dani. “Yes, you did find him. A plus. He’s all yours.”

There are a few moments of tense silence as we all look at each other. Margo and Connor have wide eyes on us, and even the guys in the back seem to be waiting for something to happen. One of them keeps giving Charisma a sheepish grin, a clear look of appreciation on his face. Heat rises inside me. He’s right up her alley: nice, subdued, smart…malleable. Everything I’m not.

“Aw, thanks, honey. What’s your name?” Dani says as she gives Charisma a quick, assessing look, sizing her up.

“Charisma. No ‘i’ on the end, in case you were wondering.” Her elegant brows arch. “My friends call me Charm. You don’t have to.”

“Lovely name with just a touch of tacky. Very hipster.” Dani scrunches up her pretty face.

I watch Charisma—you never know what she might do—but there’s no discernible reaction to Dani except a slight curl of those pink lips.

Charisma grabs a glass off the table and raises it. “To tacky names, Blaze’s included,” she says dryly.

Touché.

I lift my own glass. “My mom was stoned when she picked mine. She said the world was ‘ablaze’ when I came out.”

“I had my pop’s eyes, and that’s why Ma gave me mine. He’s one charismatic guy,” Charisma mutters before tossing back her drink.

“Both of you have lovely names,” says Margo, her eyes bouncing between us.

“At least it’s not Dimpleshitz,” Connor adds, and everyone laughs—everyone except for Charisma and me.

I stare at her. Fuck, I can’t help it. My hands twitch at my sides and the muscles in my jaw tighten while her face is void of emotion, carefully blank, her eyes leveled at some point across my shoulder.

How can she keep her cool when she hasn’t seen me in months?

She’s ice. Subzero. Antarctica in a wet dress.

She hates you.

Dani clears her throat. “They cleared a big table for us, Blazey. Let’s do some shots.” She attempts to tug me away from the group.

I don’t budge.

“You guys wanna join us?” My gaze sweeps over them, lingering on Charisma.

“No,” she says coolly.

Margo and Connor say they’re in and the chess guys look semi-interested, except for the one who keeps giving Charisma Hey, wanna play with my knight later glances.

Whatever.

I should walk away, but I want a reaction from her, and I don’t even know why.

I lean into her space, pulling Dani along with me. “Sure, babe? The owner said all drinks are free for us.”