Never Said I Didn't Chapter 8

This picture makes me giggle every time I look at it!

Chapter 8

After practice I lose my shirt and wait for her outside the locker rooms. It won’t hurt being half naked, right? I mean, if she wanted to be half naked I wouldn’t complain, so . . .

She’s walking with her teammate, Claire, their cleats hitting the concrete as they get closer. “Hi, Edward,” Claire says, with a flourishy wave, looking me up and down.

“Um, hi,” I say, looking at Bella though speaking to Claire.

“You need help in the shower?” she asks, giggling.

“Not unless Bella’s available,” I quip.

“Lucky bitch.” Claire bumps Bella with her shoulder playfully and saunters away.

“What are you doing?” Bella questions suspiciously, trying to avert her eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, pulling my hat off and messing up my hair. I tuck the brim into the back of my pants.

“You don’t know what . . . are you kidding me?”

“No. I have no clue what you’re—”

I can’t finish because Jake shows up. Perfect. He must have been watching her practice. What a loser. Then again, if Bella hung around watching me practice, I wouldn’t mind. But she has her own practice. This is stupid.

“It’s hot out here,” Bella says, wiping her brow dramatically. She’s a terrible actress.

“Sure is,” Jake agrees.

“Wish I was a boy so I could just . . .” Bella mimes whipping off her shirt.

“It is nice; you should try it,” Jake says and takes off his shirt with a wink. It’s not even pervy when he does it. And, damn, he’s built. I knew he was, but this is ridiculous. At least he’s shorter than I am.

Emmett, my team captain, bellows my name as he comes upon us. “Yo, why are we getting naked?”

“Them. Not me,” Bella says innocently. “Edward might know, though.”

Emmett looks to me, and I manage, “I was just hot and, um, yeah.” Bella’s turned me into an imbecile.

“Me, too.” Emmett smoothes his shirt over his head, and Bella smiles, taking a long, hard look at all three of us. I didn’t think over this well enough.