AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He watches her go.
I close the distance between us, looking up at him. Clay is both alert and exhausted at once. His tux jacket and bowtie are gone, his shirt open at the collar, swirls of ink flirting with his neck. “How did things go with your agent? And Coach?”
“Agent talked more.” He kicks off his shoes and crosses the carpet.
We meet in the middle, his hands finding my waist in a way that’s reassuring. He’s my anchor in this disconcerting storm.
“The deal’s done. LA picked up my contract. They were top of my trade list, so my agent never thought about pushing back when it came through earlier today.” He pauses. “They’re still a favorite to win the championship.”
He wants this. He’s just shocked by the way it went down.
“That’s good, then,” I manage.
Clay pulls me close, his arms tightening around me. “I’m sorry about tonight. It was supposed to be your night, and instead it’s been a shit show—”
I press up onto my toes and brush my lips over his.
He kisses me back, both comforting and a little desperate at once.
When he pulls away, he says, “They want me in LA tomorrow.”
My brows shoot up. “That’s fast.”
“That’s business. Millions on every game. They don’t like to wait around.”
I shake my head and think about Brooke’s words.
“I was going to give that to you tonight.” He nods to the key he gave me earlier glinting dully on the kitchen island.
It would have been mine.
And now it’s not. This place isn’t.
“What can I do?” I ask.
Clay rubs a hand across the dark shadow along his jaw, his eyes swirling with emotion. His grip on me tightens. “You came here for your sister. You have a friend in Brooke. You didn’t sign on for this life.”
The silence is loud, a buzz that drowns out logic and time. My blood pounds in my veins.
“But?” I prompt.
“But I don’t want to lose you. Not tonight. Not like this.” He tugs on his hair in frustration. “With you, things are finally starting to make sense. The only time I used to feel right was on the court. You changed that.”
The opening in my ribs is like a rush of water released from a dam. Wild and chaotic, unsure of a destination, but crashing forward at breakneck speed.
“I can’t promise it will be easy…” he goes on.
His voice is already fading, drowned out by the hammering of my heart.
I’ve finally started to feel settled in Denver with family and friends.
Except…
A huge part of that is this man.
He’s the brightest part of my day, and his hard-won smiles light me up like nothing else. The way he holds me as if I’m the only thing that matters makes me feel for the first time like I do matter.
Like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
