Tempting the Player (Campus Wallflowers Book 4)

Early Monday morning, I get dressed in workout clothes and head out to the garage. Hendrick’s on the phone, his brothers are asleep, and I’m feeling antsy.

We’ve barely left the house since Flynn’s game Friday night. The only other place we’ve gone is to my house so I could grab some clean clothes and assure my friends I was still alive.

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging around his place with his brothers. It’s nonstop here. Someone is always coming or going. They’re rarely all home at the same time unless it’s to sleep. Still, I’ve enjoyed all the little moments getting to know them better. The way that they show each other they care is different than what I have with my friends, but no less real.

From Knox making dinner almost every night, Archer and Brogan always trying to lighten the mood, Flynn choosing the music he blasts from his room based on who’s home and their preferences, to Hendrick sitting at the table with Flynn all day yesterday to help get him caught up in school.

Their bond is tight, and I feel really lucky that I’ve been able to witness it. It’s been great being holed up in Hendrick’s little world where I feel like nothing bad can happen to me, but this morning I woke up knowing that I have to go back to classes and back to wondering when the next awful email or text is going to pop up. Or maybe the next time my harasser will decide to deliver the message in person. The thought sends a shiver through me.

“Hey,” Knox says, jutting his chin toward me as I step out into the garage. He places a hand on the punching bag to stop it swinging.

“Hey.” I walk around him and grab a dusty yoga mat resting against the wall. “I won’t get in your way.”

He nods and watches as I roll out the mat and lower myself to it. I place both legs out in front of me and lean forward. Knox peels off the boxing gloves and then grabs a water bottle over on the weight bench.

“Wanna do some yoga with me?” I ask, arching a brow in a silent challenge.

He lets out a soft chuckle. “Not really my idea of working out.”

“You’d rather punch things?”

One side of his mouth quirks up. “Exactly.”

While I move into another stretch, he takes a seat on the bench. “Hendrick let you out of his sight?”

“He’s on the phone.”

“Ah.” Knox takes another long drink. “His agent or his boss?”

“Logan. They’re trying to get more information from the school on anyone that logged into the computer the day the email was sent.” That uneasy feeling grows inside of me.

I shift into another stretch and give Knox a small smile. I don’t know how much he knows about everything that’s happened, but he doesn’t press for more.

Instead, he gets up and walks over to the workbench that runs along the back wall, then comes over to the front of the mat. “Stand up.”

“Change your mind on yoga?”

“Ever thrown a punch at someone?”

I drop my gaze to the black material in his hands. “No, but it seems like you Holland brothers spend an awful lot of time hitting things.”

His brows dance as a playful smirk stretches across his face. “Wanna punch me? It feels great. The third best way I know to blow off a little steam.”

Intrigued, I pull myself to my feet. “Third best way? Are the other two less hardcore? Because I’m not sure I have it in me to hit you.”

“Hendrick will kill me if I take you out on my bike or get you naked, so third best will have to do.” He winks. “And I said throw a punch. I’m not going to let you hit me.”

I let his comment about getting me naked go. I don’t really think he has any interest in me. I think he likes to rile up his brother by flirting, but something tells me I’m not Knox Holland’s type at all.

“Okay.” A little bit of excitement shoots through me, replacing some of the anxiousness. “What do I do?”

I don’t know how much time passes as Knox wraps my hands, explaining as he does, then shows me a few sparring moves. I’m sweaty and my arms feel heavy. I’m tired but also filled with energy. It feels good to try to punch at Knox, even if he blocks each one easily.

“That’s right. You’re not really trying to take me down, but you want my balance off when you throw the punch.” Knox doles out the praise as I attempt a footsweep followed by a darting cross. “That was good. Try it again.”

I do, summoning all my strength. He grins. “There’s some fire. Again.”

Before I can obey, Hendrick’s voice cuts through the garage. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

Knox is slow to let his gaze flick from me to his brother. His expression is harder with his brother than it is with me. I guess it isn’t surprising that he knows how to turn on the charm for the ladies, even those he isn’t planning on getting naked, but it seems like these two are always ready to trade verbal punches.

“Flynn has a late start day at school. I took the morning off.” Knox steps away from me and places both hands on his hips. “I thought your girl could stand to learn a few basic self-defense moves.”

In the back of my mind, I knew that’s why Knox was teaching me, but hearing it out loud makes me want to go back inside and hide for another week or two.

I turn away from Knox, letting my tired arms fall to my sides. When I do, Hendrick’s attention shifts from his brother to me, dipping down over my sports bra and shorts. He’s seen me much more naked, but his stare is slow and curious like he doesn’t want to let the opportunity pass him by.

Without taking his eyes off me, he says, “Knox, can you give us a few minutes?”

“Sure. I need to shower and get ready anyway.” He grabs his discarded shirt off the floor on his way inside. He turns to meet my gaze before stepping inside, wearing that cocky Knox smirk. “Nice job, Hollywood. You’ve got a pretty good right hook. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

Once the door closes behind Knox, Hendrick closes the distance between us. His eyes are dark, and I can’t read his expression. Is he mad that I was out here with Knox or about to kiss me? I really hope it’s the second.

He reaches for my hand and lifts it to inspect the black material wrapped around my wrist and fingers. “Is it too tight?”

“No. It feels okay.”

His thumb glides over the top of my bound hand before he drops it and moves into position in front of me like Knox had. “Show me what you learned?”

At first, I feel more self-conscious with Hendrick than I had his brother, but he praises me in the same way. He also gives me minor corrections here and there, but always with a gentle voice.

It isn’t long before he steps back, obviously satisfied with what he’s seen. “Knox is a pretty good teacher.” The words sound like they’re painful for him to admit. “And he’s right. It’s not a terrible idea for you to learn how to defend yourself.”

My stomach slowly fills with dread again. “I don’t know if I could hit someone for real.”

“And I hope you never need to.” Hendrick steps closer and cups my face. “My job is to prevent that, but I would feel better knowing that if I fail, you can pick up my slack.”

I doubt the man has slacked at anything in his life.

“But let me teach you instead of Knox.” He takes my hand again and starts to slowly unravel the wrap from my right hand, then he does the same for the left. When he’s done, he brings my hand up to ghost a kiss over my red knuckles.

“Why?”

He doesn’t answer, which makes me want to press him harder for the answer.

“Why don’t you want Knox to teach me?”

His mouth continues over my sweaty skin to my elbow and then my shoulder. “Because it makes me jealous as fuck.”

With that, he tugs me into him and then captures my mouth. His kisses never start slow. Sometimes they turn lazy, but they always start like he’s on the precipice of control and decided to catapult off.

And I am always ready to dive off the cliff with him.

My hands claw at his crisp white T-shirt and he skims his fingers over my back and down. The shorts aren’t super short, but the material is so tight and thin that it’s almost like skin-to-skin contact. Those powerful hands roam all over the backs of my legs and he grabs handfuls of my ass on the way up. Then he drags those rough palms around to my stomach.

“I think I like you jealous,” I say as he slides his hand under the elastic waist and down toward my pussy.

He wastes no time before gliding two fingers through me. I tighten my hold on him as my body sways. I’ve lost track of the number of orgasms he’s given me this weekend, but it hasn’t done anything to dull the ache I have each time he touches me. If anything, it just makes me want him that much more. I know what those talented fingers are capable of, the least of which is helping me forget about everything else for a few minutes.

He pinches my clit, then circles his thumb lazily over the sensitive nub. I’m so close so fast.

“Hendrick.” My voice is filled with so much need. I need him the same way I need air.

His hazel eyes meet mine. He drops a feather light kiss on my lips and then pulls back to stare at me as the pleasure builds between my legs.

“Hey, Hen⁠—”

I hear the words only second to realizing Hendrick has already pulled his hand out of my shorts and turned to block me from view.

“What?” he barks.

“Uhh . . .” Flynn’s voice is hesitant like he’s realized he walked in on something. I step out from behind Hendrick and smile at him. His cheeks are bright red. “Knox wanted me to tell you that the guy that was supposed to come fix the dishwasher cancelled again.”

Hendrick nods at him and his demeanor softens. “Thanks, Flynn. Are you ready for school? Jane and I can drop you on our way to campus.”

“Knox is going to give me a ride.” He looks from Hendrick to me and back to his brother, cheeks getting redder by the second. “Thanks, though.”

After he hurries back inside, I burrow my face into Hendrick’s back and giggle. “I think we traumatized your brother.”

“Fucking Knox.” He turns around. “I guarantee he sent him out here to mess with us.”

“Brothers are brutal.”

“You have no idea,” he says dryly, then runs his thumb over my bottom lip. “You better get ready. We need to leave in twenty so you’re not late.”

“Do I have to?” I whine.

“I thought you’d be dying to get back to classes by now. Are you worried about something happening? I won’t leave your side.”

“A little worried, I guess, but I’m more concerned about going hours without you kissing me or touching me. It sounds like a real bummer day.”

He chuckles softly and drops his mouth to mine. “How about tonight I take you out then, to make up for all the torturous hours you’ll have to endure today?”

I know he’s mocking me, but it’s going to feel pretty torturous. “Like a date?”

“Yeah, like a date.” His lips pull into a smile. “Sound good?”

It sounds freaking fantastic.