It’s at that moment we break apart, and we speak simultaneously.
“Ask me inside,” he commands, while I say, “Fraternization.”
“What?” he asks with a confused laugh.
“Rules. We can’t be together. I’ll lose my job.” I look at him, but he shakes his head.
“I mean, I know teams have those rules, but I think they’re more of a suggestion, right? We’re all adults. Clearly, they can’t demand that two consenting adults not have a sexual relationship.” He pauses, but continues to hold me against him. “It’s gotta be in case a woman files a sexual harassment lawsuit. If it’s in the rules, then the team isn’t liable for anything.”
I’m well aware of that fact. Can’t have America’s favorite pastime coming into hot water for rape allegations. “Yes, I’m aware of that. It doesn’t matter why they have the rules, Max. It only matters that I’ll lose my job. I can’t lose this one.” Even so, my body reflexively leans toward him, craving his touch and attention. God, I want to invite him in so badly. I want to know what it’s like to be surrounded by him, to give myself over to him completely. But it’s too high-risk.
His eyes dance back and forth between mine, and I know the minute it finally sinks in, because he sighs deeply, his shoulders dropping. “We can still be friends. I’ll hike with you so you don’t break a leg or something.”
I smile sadly. “I think it’s best if we don’t have any interactions outside of work.”
He sighs again. “I figured you’d say that.”
Max steps away from me, gives me a small smile, and gets back into his car. Opening his passenger window, he shouts, “I’m not leaving until you’re inside the door.”
I shake my head while laughing as I grab my things from the back seat. Savior complex indeed.
Hobbling up to the common door for my building, I turn to wave to Max. Opening the door, I walk inside, carefully going up the stairs to my second-floor apartment, then listen as my two guinea pigs begin to make noise as I unlock the door. “Hi, girls. I know. You want food.”
Muriel and Marilyn used to be my neighbor’s guinea pigs, but when she was arrested and sent to prison for some kind of drug offense, I took the piggies. They originally had the most ridiculous names of Brown Spot and Dippy Do, which I’d immediately changed. I’d recently put my sweet cat to sleep, and missed having an animal in my space, so it was perfect timing.
I laugh to myself when I think about Max finding out how I acquired these critters. He’d probably blow a gasket.
Muriel continues to squeak at me until I approach with a strawberry, but Marilyn looks at me and grunts. She’s the less social one, the pig who is most likely to glare at me for some minor infraction that she’ll undoubtedly hold against me for ages.
After feeding the pigs, I’m collapsing onto my couch when I hear my phone buzz with a text. I just know it’s Max.
Sunshine
Please tell me I missed you unlocking that door, and that it isn’t unlocked all the time.
Me
I promised my mom I wouldn’t lie, so I shall remain silent.
Sunshine
Dammit, Layla. Now I’m tempted to come back there and force you to come home with me.
Me
You know that can’t happen.
Sunshine
From a safety perspective, it absolutely can. I have no problem going to Coach and telling him you’re living in squalor, so you’ll be renting a bedroom from me for the time being.
Shit. That sounds blissful. I don’t know where Max lives, but I have to imagine he’s in an amazing apartment with every amenity in the world.
Sunshine
You know I live three blocks from the field?
Sunshine
