Dauntless High School

Chapter 52

TRIS

"God, the things you do to me," Tobias pants, resting his sweaty brow on my bare shoulder. "This is why I was avoiding you."

"Me!" I exclaim in outrage. "That was all you. I was the voice of reason, reminding you about what Amar said."

He lifts his head, grinning at me impishly. "I can't help it. I just can't keep my hands off you." He runs his hand down the bare skin of my torso, emphasizing his point. "I'll have to hide it better tomorrow or Amar will kick my ass. At practice that day it was like I was wearing a sign on my back announcing that I had sex."

I giggle. "I can see why, with that goofy smile on your face. You may as well scream, 'I got laid!'"

"Well," he presses a quick kiss to my collarbone and flops onto his back, using one arm to pull me against him. I curl into his side. "That's just how happy you make me."

I sigh and close my eyes, feeling completely content. His hand traces my spine and back with a feather-light touch. A few hours ago I would never have believed that this was how the night would end. I was convinced that he was done with me, that he didn't care about me anymore and maybe never had to begin with. The thought makes me frown. I was so happy to learn that I was wrong that I may have forgiven him too easily.

"Tobias," I say quietly. He hums in response. He is so relaxed―an unusual state of being for him. I watch him for a moment, until he cracks one eye open to look at me. Things are too perfect in this moment; this is a discussion that can wait for later. "I could use a shower. Care to join me?"

"Do you really have to ask?" he smirks. I smile back and climb out of bed, reaching out a hand to pull him behind me.

Half an hour later, we are back in my bed. Tobias's bare skin feels cool and clean against mine. My head rests on his chest, my hair fanned out behind me over his shoulder and arm. We didn't realize until we were already in the shower that he had left his gym bag in the car, so he had to use my body wash and shampoo. I can't help smiling my amusement at the floral scent that has strongly attached itself to his skin.

"Marcus took me to meet some 'colleagues' last night," he admits. I tilt my face up so I can see his. He is staring at the ceiling, fingers absently carding through my damp hair.

"Who were they?" I ask. We discovered last week that Marcus took over my father's job when he took the promotion in New York, and I have many times attended dinners with my father's Chicago colleagues in the past. I probably know most of the executives and upper-management in the office.

Tobias shakes his head. "That's the thing. I don't think they were from work. They didn't ever introduce themselves, but I heard them call one another Max and Rigs. And..." I can feel the tension in his muscled chest and arms. "And we met in this seedy bar. They asked a lot of questions about football and scouts and college plans."

I frown. In my experience, business dinners have always taken place in either fancy restaurants downtown. The only exceptions were the few times that Dad brought someone home for dinner. It was always someone he worked closely with, and Caleb and I were expected to dress in nice clothing and follow a strict code of conduct. We were never included in the conversation beyond a few polite questions about school.

"What did they want?" I wonder.

Tobias is silent for a long moment, then finally looks at me. "They didn't ask me for anything," he says slowly, "but after they left... Marcus told me, in no uncertain terms, that I am to fail at a pass in the third quarter and turn the ball over to Erudite."