Noa held her coffee in her hands. She was buzzing with excitement still from the night at the bar. “And then I heard that the brothers got sent to jail! But I know they're out because I saw Levi running this morning. I wonder who bailed them out.”

I just shrugged. I waited at the counter for the barista to finish my drink. It was summer and a little too warm for hot drinks, but Noa was a coffee drinker, and this was where she wanted to come. I hadn't mentioned my use of the car to Charity, so I was mostly relying on Noa to take me around.

“I just can't believe it all went down like that. You and Eli, I never saw that coming!”

“I don't think anybody did,” I mumbled. “Including me.”

“Have you seen him? Since that night?”

“Well, yeah, I saw Levi at the library…”

“You went to the library?” she asked in an amused tone.

“What is up with everyone thinking I can’t read?”

“I know you can read, I’ve just never known you to go on your own. When you asked me about book suggestions I assumed you were using an ereader or something. Anyway, back to…”

The woman behind the counter gave me my drink and I handed her my cash, waiting for the drink to cool down before I could take a swig. When I turned to follow Noa to the table to continue our conversation, I walked straight into the thick body of none other than Levi Jackson. When I smacked him in his hard muscled chest, I stumbled and dropped my drink. He had hot scalding coffee all down his pants. My mouth dropped open. I was so embarrassed that I stood completely frozen until he started to shake his legs, clearly trying to stop them from burning.

“Oh my God! I am so sorry!”

I grabbed some napkins from the counter and started to pat his pants, not realizing that probably caused the burning to be even worse.

“It's okay, it's okay,” he said, putting his hands up in surrender. He shook his head at me. The universe was messing with me, I was sure of it. First the library and now this? I thought I had made a point to not see him again.

“I’ll buy you new ones, I promise. I am such a klutz.”

Levi looked up at me, blue eyes sticking out from dark bangs. “You're going to buy me, the newly signed football star, new pants?”

Suddenly, I realized how stupid that sounded. “I guess so?”

He swept his bangs out of his eyes. He grabbed a napkin for himself and began to wipe his pants, which were still soaking wet with my drink. “I mean you totally can, I'm just thinking about the logistics of all that. Like we go to the store to get the new pants, or should I just tell you my size so we can meet up another time? Or we can call it even since I’m pretty sure I still owe you bail money.”

I smiled at him. “Huh, good point. I guess that would be your call, since you're the one receiving the pants.” Maybe hot coffee on the crotch was a good way for us to get over our issues. It was a start, at least.

“Well, before we talk about my pants anymore, I have this feeling we should discuss some other things.”

I looked back at Noa, who had mysteriously disappeared. That girl was a ninja, I swear.

“You wanna sit?”

I sat gingerly on an oversized armchair. We sat staring at each other for a moment, waiting for the other to speak.

“I’ve missed you,” he said finally, breaking the silence between us.

“You have?”

“More than you know.”

“Clearly, because honestly I’m surprised you’re even speaking to me. After…” I knew I had to own it. “After what I’ve done. And now two times in a week? I mean it’s more than I would have done.”

He sighed and dragged his fingers through his dark hair. I couldn’t help but be mesmerized. “I like your hair, it’s nice longer like that.” What a completely moronic thing to say in such a serious conversation. Way to go, Lila.

He smiled and my heart swelled. “My agent likes it this way. She thinks the girls find me friendlier, more attractive or something. I mean, I could care less. I just want to play ball.”

So his agent was a woman. Why did that suddenly make me feel protective?

“Of course.”

“Which is why I need to say I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” I couldn’t believe it; he had nothing to be sorry for.

“Yeah, about going to jail, about the fight, everything. I’m not sorry I found out about you and Eli, but I can move on. I have my career to think about. The team’s publicist can never find out I went to jail for a couple hours. I could lose my contract. Everything I’ve worked so hard for. You understand, don’t you?”

“Of course, I would never jeopardize your career. I know what sacrifices you made to get here.” The knee surgery, the months of rehab, the changing of colleges to get a better draft. I had watched it all go down on social media. It was a lot. I wouldn’t take that from him.

“But I want something else too.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. Would there be some sort of NDA? I would never talk about that night again; he didn’t need to worry.

“Once I’m a rookie, I won’t be able to date. I mean, really, I’ll be stuck on the playing field and everyone will be watching me all the time. Every move I make, someone will be there judging me. Making sure I’m following the rules. That I’m focused on the game.”

“So?” I didn’t understand where this was going.

“Since I saw you at the bar, I can’t get you out of my head. I want you, for the next three weeks, I want everything we were supposed to have. Then I go to training camp and you go home and we never have to wonder what could have been. It will have happened, and it will be over. For good. One month, no strings attached. No feelings this time around.”

“You’re kidding.”

He shook his head with a devilish smile playing on his lips. “Not even a little bit.”

“But our past…”

“Is in the past. We can leave it there. If you’re ready to, that is.”

Was I ever. I nodded vigorously. What the hell was I doing? What was I agreeing to? Did I even know?

“Only one rule, stay the hell away from Eli. He got the best of me the other night, and I won’t let that happen again.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The man whose heart I had smashed wanted me, all of me, for a limited time engagement. And then poof, it would all be gone again.

I looked into his clear blue eyes and considered his proposition. “One month? No strings? Is that even possible for us?”

“I’d like to find out.”

The truth was, so did I.