Cold As Ice || Joe Burrow

Chapter 6 - Chicks Dig That Stuff

Joe's POV
"Hold on. She kissed you and then told you to leave?" Sam asks. I nod.

"Yeah. I don't know why," I mutter. Ja'Marr shakes his head.

"You should talk to her about it. She obviously loves you. There has to be something bothering her that's holding her back from being in a relationship with you," Ja'Marr explains. I frown.

"You think that something's bothering her?"

"Yeah. I agree with Ja'Marr. Something's holding her back, man." Sam adds.

"Just talk to her, man. You have PT today, right?" Ja'Marr asks. I nod.

"Yeah,"

"Well, when you go to PT, talk to her about it. Tell her that you're here for her through everything no matter what. Chicks dig that stuff," Sam explains. Ja'Marr nods.

"Sam's right," he adds.

"Got it. So I have to be sensitive in a way?" I question. Sam and Ja'Marr nod.

"Exactly," they say at the same time.

Mia's POV
"Screw that vow you made ten years ago! Just date Joe already! You literally kissed him," Kara snaps as I'm driving her to school. I sigh and shake my head.

"I can't, Kara. When I kissed Joe, I started thinking about Jack. I don't why. Maybe because Joe's a football player, but I'm not sure. It's stupid," I explain. Kara shrugs.

"I don't know, but you better figure it out soon. I'll see you later, Mia." Kara says as she gets out of my car to go to school.

"Have a good day!" I call to Kara who just gives me a thumbs up as she enters the school.

*

When I get to work, I go upstairs to my office to check what today's agenda is. As usual, I just have to watch the players practice for a little while and then I have to do physical therapy with Joe. I have a feeling that physical therapy with Joe is going to feel a bit awkward after last Friday.

I sit on the bench to watch the team practice. Joe is practicing a quarterback sneak right now although I don't think he should be.

I purse my lips, waiting for Joe to fall and hurt himself like he did last week. Joe leaps in the middle of the group of players and holds the ball out as far as he can.

Joe gets the touchdown and wiggles his way out of the pile of players. He cheers as he jogs over to Ja'Marr. I wave to Joe and am able to get his attention.

Joe hands Ja'Marr the football and I notice Ja'Marr saying something to Joe. Joe nods and jogs over to me.

"That was a pretty good quarterback sneak," I say with a smile. Joe nods.

"Thanks,"

"Ready for some physical therapy?" I ask. Joe shrugs.

"Sure. I'm ready," he says, clapping his hands together. I laugh and shake my head.

"Okay,"

Joe's POV
My hands are all sweaty and it's not because I was just outside running. It's because I'm nervous to talk to Mia. I run what Ja'Marr told me to say through my head a few times.

"So, we'll start with some leg stretches and then we'll go to the weight room and lift for a little while." Mia explain. I shrug.

"Sounds awesome," I mutter. Mia writes down a few things on a paper.

I know that I need to say something to Mia and it's overwhelming me. I can't take it anymore and I grab Mia's hand, rubbing my thumb over the back of her palm. She looks at me and frowns.

"What's wrong?"

"Mia, I know something's going on with you and I want you to know that I'm here for you as a friend. Tell me what's wrong, Mia. I'll listen to whatever you have to say," I explain. Mia shakes her head.

"Joe, please. If this is about what happened last Friday, I don't want to talk about it." She mutters. I sigh.

"Mia, I won't tell anyone about it, I swear. You're my friend. I just want to understand why you pushed me away that night,"

Mia shakes her head, her lip starting to tremble and tears starting to form in her eyes.

"It's okay, Mia. It's okay. I'm here for you," I whisper, giving Mia a hug. We pull out of the hug and I hold her hands in mine. "Tell me what's bothering you, Mia. I want to help,"

I look into Mia's bluish green eyes that are shiny with tears, a concerned look on my face. Mia sighs, still a little hesitant to tell me what's wrong.

"Fine. Ten years ago, I was dating one of the running backs at my school. I was a junior and he was a freshly graduated senior. His name was Jack Miller. Jack was a D1 athlete. He was going to the University of Florida to play football," Mia starts to explain. Tears pour down her cheeks and she tries to wipe them away. Mia then has to compose herself before she continues. "Jack broke up with me because he said that I would be a distraction. He also said that he was afraid that we would both find new people so it was best for us to break up with each other. Ever since then, I vowed to never date footballs players."

Mia breaks down in front of me, the tears flowing freely down her face. I pull her in for a hug and rub her back tenderly.

"I'm sorry, Joe. I'm a horrible mess. I really wish you didn't have to see me like this," Mia says as she pulls away from me and wipes her eyes. I shrug.

"It's okay. I don't care. I said I won't tell anyone about what happened, remember?" I say with a smile. Mia nods.

"I know. Thank you for that. You're a good friend, Joe. I'm gonna go clean myself up. My makeup's probably running. And, luckily, I have an emergency makeup kit in my bag." Mia explains as she rummages through her bag and pulls out a small makeup bag. "I'll be back. Start doing your stretches while I'm gone, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," I reply with a smirk. Mia laughs and walks out of the room.

Mia's POV
I'm still surprised that I told Joe everything about Jack. I guess I feel comfortable around him because he's my friend.

I clean off the eyeliner that had run down my face. I reapply it and inspect my face. My eyes are red from crying, but it doesn't bother me.

I come back into the training room and Joe is doing his stretches. He looks up at me and smiles.

"All fixed up now?" He asks. I nod.

"Yep,"

"That's good. I'm almost done with my stretches. We're going the weight room, right?" Joe says.

"Yes. According to my schedule, that's what we're doing next." I say with a smile.

"That's great because I'm done. And I'm so ready to go lift," Joe adds with a smile. I nod.

"Okay. Let's go,"

*

I sit on a bench near Joe and watch him lift. I bite my lip, mesmerized by Joe's biceps as he moves them up and down. He's doing squats as he lifts the weighted bar that has two weighted plates attached on each side. I'm not sure how much he's lifting, but he told me it's less than his PR is.

There are a few other players in the weight room lifting. One of our cornerbacks, Mike Hilton, is here along with Sam Hubbard, Ja'Marr Chase, and Joe Mixon.

As I watch Joe work out, I think about all that he said when we were in the training room.

Joe said that he was my friend and that he was here for me. I realize that when he said that he was my friend, I felt a little hurt. I guess I kind of deserve it though. I kicked him out of my house after he kissed me because I don't date football players.

To be completely honest, I feel as though my vow to never date football players is stupid. Not all football players are the same. Joe is nothing like Jack and I can't dwell on one bad experience with a jerk who happened to play football.