Unintended Consequences

Chapter 22

"Hey,"-Archer removed his arm from my shoulders and squeezed my thigh-"you good?"

"Oh yeah... Just, uh, thinking about driving home tomorrow."

Archer nodded and turned back to James who was reliving the game with Emmett and Tyler. Archer's hand remained on my thigh, pulling all of my attention. He held the leg farthest from him, causing his arm to stretch across my body. His thumb dropped to my inner thigh as he traced the seam of my jeans. Butterflies erupted in my stomach while I tried to focus on Madeline. When Archer had his arm around me, it felt protective. Like he thought I might get lost or something if he didn't hold onto me. But this felt... possessive.

Heat rushed across my collarbone and up my neck as Archer's thumb lazily caressed me. Every small movement sent static tingles surging up my spine making my brain go hazy. Did he know what he was doing to me? I peeked up at him through my hair and saw he was still engaged with the boys, nodding his head as James spoke. He seemed tense though. His sharp jaw was locked tightly while his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Archer must have felt my eyes on him because he dropped his gaze back to me. Something passed between us that I didn't understand. There was a darkness to Archer's eyes and a flush to his cheeks that was unfamiliar. It was as though an electric current had built up as he rubbed my thigh, and when our eyes met, the energy exploded. It was a wonder no one else could hear my pulse throbbing in my throat.

I gulped and my eyes widened as his grip on me tightened. The veins on his forearm popped as though he was tensing every muscle in his body. We were locked in a staring contest that neither of us could break. Then, just as soon as it had happened, it was over. Archer cleared his throat and removed his hand from my thigh. He gave his head a small shake before turning back to the table and returning to the conversation.

A small nudge to my right stole my attention. Madeline was staring at me with raised eyebrows and a secretive smile. Okay, apparently someone else had felt the electrical current between Archer and I. I raised my shoulders in a small shrug, unsure how to explain what just happened. My heart raced aggressively and I didn't know if words would even come out if I tried to speak.

Thankfully, our food arrived and we all were distracted by the thick smell of grease, meat, and cheese. James cleared his throat before we could all dig in and raised his glass.

"Alright, cheers to Emmett! That was one hell of a touchdown for a rookie!" We all echoed his cheers. "And also," James added giving me a sneaky grin, "Cheers to Charlotte! Whatever you did to our QB at halftime helped us win, so thanks for being the only person who can handle him." The other football players all laughed and cheered as I sank into my chair with a deep red blush.

Teela audibly scoffed from her seat causing Emmett to shoot her a glare. When we made eye contact I rolled my eyes to let him know to ignore it. The clatter of forks and knives overtook the table as everyone began to eat. I nibbled at a tortilla chip as I braved a peek over to Archer. He seemed more relaxed now, devouring his overstuffed burger. When our eyes connected again, I felt the uncertainty in his gaze. I smiled weakly, trying to grab onto any normalcy. He seemed to appreciate that as he let out a small breath and smiled back.

Dinner passed quickly after that. Archer didn't speak to me—or anyone else—until it was time to go. To be fair, when he stood up to grab his jacket he acted as usual, placing his hand against my back to guide me to his truck. But his fingertips barely grazed my shoulder blades, and I sensed his restraint in the tense way he was holding his shoulders.

The truck ride back to the USC Village was quiet. The clicking of Madeline's nails on her phone screen bled into my consciousness as I combed over every detail of the night in my mind. It had started so well... Archer had been genuinely happy after we made up—which was so rare, especially in groups like that. Then that weird staring contest had ruined everything.