Silver by K.A. Linde Page A

Pace asked, interjecting.
    “No,” she said flatly.
    “I just transferred,” Boomer said.
    “Coach Galloway is going to let you play at LV State?” Her shock was blatant and intended this time.
    “Best running back in the country,” Boomer boasted. He held out his long arms and cocked his head to the side, as if no one in the world could argue with him.
    And he wasn’t far off. He was incredible. He could barrel through people as if they weren’t even there, trying to stop him. She’d seen him do one too many unbelievable breakaways and hurdles, so she couldn’t completely discredit him, but still, she found it hard to believe he was here.
    His indiscretions were legendary. And everything she had heard about his character was that he was a horrible, horrible individual who was completely self-interested. Not the kind of player Coach Galloway usually recruited.
    “And since that’s all out of the way,” Boomer said, grabbing Stacia around the middle, “why don’t you and I go fuck?”
    Pace and Derek were there in a second, breathing down Boomer’s neck and reaching for him.
    “Watch it!” Derek cried.
    “Get your hands off her,” Pace growled.
    “Whoa there,” Boomer said with an interested smirk on his face. “I didn’t know she belonged to anyone. She didn’t have a label on her.”
    “Um…I don’t belong to anyone,” Stacia said.
    Jordan took her arm and pulled her back some. “Now is not the best time.”
    “She does belong to someone, and you’ll go through me next time you touch her,” Pace threatened.
    Boomer looked between Pace and Derek and then started laughing. “Chill, man. She’s just a hot piece of ass. No need for this.” He pointed his finger at Derek. “You’re Derek Palmer, right?”
    “Yeah,” Derek said.
    “Aren’t you in enemy territory?”
    “That’s my sister.” Derek crossed his arms and straightened to his imposing height.
    “Oh, I see. It’s all coming together for me,” Boomer said. His eyes landed back on Stacia, and they crawled over her body. “She’s the slut who Marshall Matthews just ditched and upgraded from.”
    Both guys bucked up like they were going to fight Boomer right then and there.
    Stacia broke free from Jordan and got between them. “Testosterone show over. Get back to your regularly scheduled programs.” She glanced at Boomer with disgust. “Clearly, the rumors were true about you. How disappointing.”
    “I don’t hide who I am,” Boomer said. “You should look into it, sweetness. We’d have a lot of fucking fun.”
    “Not in a million years.”
    “Don’t say something you’ll come to regret,” he said.
    As she dragged the boys away from Boomer, his laugh followed them the whole way, grating on their last nerves.
    “Can we just forget that happened and try to have a good time for the rest of the night?” Stacia asked with an irritated sigh. “Christ, I left my drink.”
    “I don’t know how I’m going to work with him all season,” Pace growled, pacing in frustration. “Coach wants him to fucking start, and I’m going insane from being in his presence for a few minutes.”
    “Start?” Stacia gasped.
    “Yeah, baby, I’m starting. All your dreams have come true.”
    Pace eyed Stacia with interest, and she quickly averted her eyes. There was no way that was happening either.
    “You don’t know anything about my dreams.”
    “Beg to differ.”
    “Okay, let’s all stop before I vomit,” Derek said.
    “Seriously,” Jordan said. “Maybe shots, and everyone can explain to me what just happened. I do not football well.”
    Stacia shook her head. “It was more boys being boys anyway. One thing is for certain; I need another fucking drink.”
    Derek went with Jordan back to the bar to get them shots, which left Stacia alone with Pace. He took a step forward, and she stopped breathing for a second, as his nearness affected her. God, she wished he wasn’t capable of that.
    “I don’t give a shit that