“Must be nice, to be part of something. A team.”

“Depends on the team, I guess.” He shrugs. “Don’t confuse teammates with friends. Some of the guys are pricks, some are decent. But we’re definitely not all tight.”

“Oh.” That’s a surprise. From the outside, they’re one big family. “Have you always been a…a…” I know his position, but I’m struggling to remember the name of it.

“I’m a cornerback.” He fills in the blank. “And yes, I’ve had the same position since high school. I’ve got great hands and legendary stamina.” He turns to show me his giant hands, wiggling his fingers with a glint in his eyes and a smile on his lips. I drag my mind out of the gutter, where it would’ve been happy to dream up activities for Austin’s fingers all night.

Trying hard to ignore his sexual innuendo despite my blushing, I ask, “You must be good to get a scholarship. Is your family proud?”

“Orphan, remember?” he says with zero emotion.

“Shit! I’m such an ass.” I facepalm, shaking my head in disbelief at my own utter stupidity. “You said…literally a minute ago!” I throw my hands up in the air in disgust. “I was listening, I swear. I’m just an idiot.” I bury my face in my hands, hiding the shameful blush on my checks. “I’m sorry. I’m such an ass.” It’s a surprising amount of word vomit I manage to get out considering I’ve got both feet crammed in my mouth.

“Don’t worry about it.” He seems oddly indifferent. “It was a long time ago.”

“My mother died six years ago,” I confess as a penance. I know the pain in my heart is painted across my face. In some ways, it feels like I just lost her yesterday. In others, I never had a mother at all.

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes sincerely, making sure his eyes meet mine before turning back to the stove.

“Thanks.” I try to shake off the emotion in my voice. “We weren’t close. But, you know, she was my mother.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

I can see his head nodding, though his back is to me.

I’m too happy to move on to a less dramatic topic, but nothing new comes to mind. I’m almost willing to go back to the awkward questions about my porn preferences. We’re both quiet until the food is done.

“Dinner is served,” he announces and we eat quietly sitting next to each other at the kitchen counter. He eats fast and finishes before me again. This guy has an insatiable appetite and now he turns his hungry eyes on me. It’s making me self-conscious.

“Why do you dress like that?” he questions.

“Because I’m comfortable. Why do you dress like that?” I retort defensively, gesturing to his standard attire, gym shorts and a plain T-shirt. It happens to be sexy as hell on him, T-shirt snug on his broad shoulders and shorts low around his hips, but I don’t mention that part.