Her fingers tightened around the clutch in her hand. “Thanks. You too.”
She stepped toward me, and I caught the scent of her. That same scent I’d been searching for all week. Sweet but sharp too, kind of like limes or sour apples. Like some kind of possessed addict, I had the urge to bury my head into the crook of her neckand inhale… but I didn’t because that for sure would’ve sent her running before the night had even begun.
“Shall we?” I asked instead, offering my hand to her.
She hesitated for a second, but slid her hand in mine. The moment our skin collided, something hot and tingly shot up my arm, like I’d grabbed a live wire. I knew she’d felt it too when a gasp left her lips, her eyes locked on our hands. But she didn’t pull away. I wasn’t prepared for what that did to me. Her palm was warm, and I had this ridiculous thought that I could stay here all night, learning the shape of her hand in mine.
I didn’t think Teddy and I ever touched in the years we’d known each other. There were moments during college when I’d thought about it, she was a beautiful girl then and she was even more stunning now. Back then, those thoughts were fleeting and immature. Yet, in the last few weeks, we’d been forced to cross that boundary, and I didn’t know what to do with all these new feelings.
I needed to get myself together, and fast. My pulse was hammering hard enough to shake the buttons loose in my shirt. I forced myself to let go of her when we reached the curb as I opened the passenger door and she slid inside.
Closing the door, I held on to the cool handle for a second longer than needed just to calm myself down.
Because if holding her hand did that to me? I was probably in more trouble than I’d be able to admit.
I exhaled, circled to the driver’s side, and climbed in. As I pulled out onto the street, her presence took shape beside me, all controlled energy and quiet focus. I’d seen this version of her before her games as she stepped onto the pitch, but I wasn’t sure if this was just another defense mechanism right now. Had I made her more uncomfortable?
“You feeling okay?” I asked.
Her head was down as she picked at her cuticles. “By okay, you mean anxious? By okay, you mean wearing heels I’m sure I’m going to fall over in?”
I laughed at her honesty. “The heels look great,” I said without thinking. “All of you looks great.”
Her pause had me rethinking my compliment.
“Connor O’Riley complimenting me,” she said with a vulnerability I don’t think I’d heard from her before. I’d thought a hundred things about her over the years we’d known each other, some good, some annoying, some more recently X-rated. But I’d never said any of them out loud. Not that I was planning on leading the conversation tonight with,“So I keep having sex dreams about you. Let’s unpack that.”She’d hang me by my balls, for sure.
But beneath that humor was a truth I couldn’t ignore. I hadn’t complimented her. I didn’t see the point in telling her there were many times I’d watched her argue her point to other classmates and been impressed. Because back then, I was young and stupidly proud, and because I didn’t know how to say good job without it sounding insincere.
But tonight, knowing she was uncomfortable and still got into my car, still made the effort to be here tonight, that was progress for us. Sure, she’d be doing this for her team, but with me, that made my heart beat a little faster.
“Well,” I said quietly. “I guess I owe you a few then.”
She didn’t look at me, but I noticed her shoulders lower a fraction, maybe a small crack in her armor she wore so well. “It might seem dishonest if you keep complimenting me, given our history.”
I stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. The glow from the signal washed across her face, catching on her lips, her cheekbones, the line of her throat. My eyes dragged down her body; my brain needed proof she was really sitting there.
When I spoke, my voice came out lower than I intended.
“It’d be dishonest to pretend I didn’t notice you, Teddy.”
Her breath hitched, and the red glow from the traffic light painted her cheeks. Only, as the light switched to green, the color didn’t fade.
That was all her.
17
Teddy
I was thankful the rest of the ride to the restaurant was fast and scenic. I loved watching the moon shine over the ocean, it helped even out my racing heart.
I wasn’t sure what to do with what Connor had said so I just pressed my lips together. I wasn’t the most experienced with reading people—no surprise there, given my sunshine nature. Relationships didn’t come that easy to me and sex was just sex. Any hookups from my past were one-night stands, and no sleepovers. Maybe that made me cold-hearted, but I didn’t need another person to look after in my life.
By the time Connor pulled up outside the restaurant, my heartbeat had finally stopped trying to escape my chest. I stepped out of the car as he handed the keys to the valet. The salt air was strong up here. I inhaled and let it ground me. The smell of the ocean always did that when I was growing up, and I needed it now too.
When Connor met me on the sidewalk, I smoothed my jumpsuit and pushed my shoulders back. We walked togethertoward the high-rise building, and once we were inside, it felt like we’d stepped into another world. The lighting was romantic, the floors gleaming marble, there were flowers all in the entrance foyer, each resting in glistening vases. This place was fancy.
“Good evening, do you have a reservation with us tonight?” the hostess asked. When her eyes lifted, there was a flicker of recognition—either she knew exactly who Connor was, or she was reacting to the suit, the pushed-back hair, the clean shave. Honestly, fair enough. He looked good tonight.
