“Coach?” I whispered. “We didn’t discuss this. If I’m managing the image of the entire team, I need to be prepped. How do you expect me to keep them out of trouble if I don’t have advanced notice?”

Coach leaned over to look at me. “I have complete faith in your ability to wrangle them. It’s one night. Keep my team out of trouble. Sit in the hallway if you have to. I’ll have a very positive letter of recommendation if you do.”

I gritted my teeth. “Got it.”

Oakley squeezed my hand and smiled. I supposed I would be spending my evening in the hallway tonight.

* * *

The carpet in the hallway was so gross. I mean, it looked fine, but it had a faint smell of dog piss and spray deodorizer. For the last hour, I had been sitting on the floor, leaning up against the door to my room, trying not to think about the last time it was actually shampooed. Since my room was at the end of the hall, anyone trying to leave would have to go past me.

So far, all of the guys were behaving. I could see all of their doors from my spot, and every now and again, one of them would pop their head out to see if I was still playing watchdog.

“I see you, Liam. Don’t even think about it!” I shouted as one of the players opened his door and peeked out. The escape attempts had died down since they figured out I really was going to sit in the damn hallway on the disgusting floor.

Oakley slowly opened the door from the inside of our room and gave me the chance to sit up before opening it all the way. He was holding a Styrofoam cup of the terrible complimentary coffee brewed inside the nineteen-ninety-something coffee maker in our room.

“I thought you could use this,” he said, handing me the coffee. “You’ve been out here forever. How about I text the guys and tell them that we need some alone time and to keep their asses in their rooms? Then we can go inside, and I can do that thing you like with my tongue,” he teased.

“No,” I said firmly. “I need the recommendation. I can’t fuck up. Again.” At this moment, I really hated Coach. That recommendation had better fucking sing.

Oakley crouched beside me and started slowly kissing my neck, sending shivers down my spine. He made his way up to my mouth, and his skilled tongue started to weaken my resolve.

“Are you sure you can’t come back inside? Just twenty minutes…” Oakley said in a throaty voice between kisses. “In fact, I bet I could make you come in five…”