“I like the way you think, Solver. Interviews went great. I answered a couple of questions, but since Hanley broke a school record, they’re more interested in him tonight.” I frowned. My PR brain was already working to think up ways to make the media interested in Oakley. “Let me grab a quick shower, and Coach wants to chat for a minute, then we can go!” he added.

I was already hot and bothered. Picturing Oakley and his vagina miner in the shower was not going to help. I needed a distraction. Most of the other guys were already in the showers, so I pulled out my phone to keep me occupied. I texted Dad to make sure they got to a hotel okay and then looked at my calendar for tomorrow. All I had was a late breakfast with my parents and then seeing them off to the airport. I opened YouTube and saw that there were a few new mantra videos in my favorite channels. Huh. I hadn’t watched one in days.

I had done such a good job of distracting myself that I didn’t even notice when Oakley walked over to me. He cleared his throat and bowed deeply, extending his hand to me. “M’lady, are you ready to go?” Weirdo.

I didn’t take his hand. I was too busy staring at him now. Oakley looked good. His hair was effortlessly styled. His shirt was way too tight. His jeans hugged his long legs. I felt tiny standing next to him. “I’m taking you to dinner first,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Huh?”

“I’m hungry,” Oakley explained with a smile. “I'm always starving after a game. And since our date that wasn’t really a date was interrupted by Dale, I figured we could grab a bite to eat.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Oakley cupped my cheeks.

Oh yeah, this would definitely get some curious stares. The locker room was still a flutter of activity. Some players were getting prepped for ice baths. Some were getting cuts and bruises tended to. One was having his groin stretched. And I wish that were a euphemism, because the way the middle-aged trainer was up in his no-no zone just looked wrong.

“I’m taking you out, Solver. I’ll even go over the interview with you so you can pretend it’s work.” He pulled me out of the main area of the lockers and toward the outside hallway. All of the coeds and press had filtered out, so we were alone.