“Nope.”
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
Closing my eyes, I pull the pillow from my legs and tuck it in my arms, squeezing it for comfort. “I want whatever she’s willing to give me. That’s all I want.”
“While that’s honorable”—Jensen pauses—“that’s not a real answer.”
“I’m fine exactly how we are,” I add, truly unsure of what to say.
But I don’t have a real answer. I haven’t let myself think about it for long enough to even wonder what anything but our current situation would look like. And I’m scared to start.
The lock opening on the door kills the conversation, thankfully, as Alec and Luca burst in like the Kool-Aid Man with arms full of takeout bags.
“Let’s go, boys! Dinner of champions!”
Thankfully, the guys don’t push it further, turning their attention to the food and their growling stomachs. Eventually, the room is quiet as ever, aside from the TV playing the start ofSpider-Man: No Way Home. Before we know it, we’re all full and quietly watching our movie.
Costy’s the first to pass out, and Burnsy is damn near cuddling him by the time we reach halfway through the movie. JD heads back to his room shortly after that, and I’m behind him a few minutes later.
Strolling down the hallway, I get a craving for something sweet, so instead of walking farther down the hallway to my room with Huang, I hop in the elevator and head to the lobby to get a treat.
The place is almost eerily quiet as I step onto the ground floor and make my way to the Stop Shop. Thankfully, they’re still open, and I quickly find my go-to treat—Reese’s Cups. Since I’m here, I also grab a Gatorade and a backup pack of Reese’s Cups, just in case.
“Excuse me,” I murmur, bumping into someone behind me as I grab my bag of goodies and turn away from the register.
I swear my soul somehow knows it’s her before my gaze drinks her in.
Shay.
There she is, in an outfit I’ve certainly never seen her in.
Taking a moment to fully drink her in, I do something I probably shouldn’t. But apparently, that seems to be my thing when I’m around her.
She’s wearing a set of matching satin pajamas—a short-sleeved top and wide-legged bottoms that hug her thighs. I’d hate for her to turn around right now. I might pass out if I see her ass in those.
My gaze devours her from head to toe and back up to the top few unbuttoned buttons, giving me the tiniest glimpse at her full chest.
“Couldn’t sleep?” I ask her.
She looks up, just now registering who’s in front of her. Her eyes are clouded over, like she was miles away until I spoke to her. But the fog clears, and she blinks it away, only for it to be instantly replaced with a wave of vulnerability.
“Oh, hey,” she murmurs before glancing down at the stash of goodies in her hand. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“Me neither,” I tell her as she checks out with the clerk.
I should walk away and head back to my room. There doesn’t need to be a formal goodbye or a pleasantry. I wouldn’t be waiting around if it were any other coach. So, why her?
A dumb question. I’m aware of that. Evidently, I just like playing this game with myself.
Collecting her bag, she digs the Snickers out and holds it, not planning on letting it survive the trek back to her room.
She turns to me, her eyes slowly drifting up my torso, slower than it should. “Reese’s Cups, huh? I don’t know why I didn’t take you to be a chocolate lover.”
I scoff, grabbing my chest like I’m offended. “I’ll have you know that chocolate is my favorite food group.”
She rolls her eyes. “Chocolate isn’t a food group, you nut.”
