Page 52 of Ruck Me Harder

With a sigh, I pull my phone from my pocket. It’s not like I don’t have a way of contacting him.

To my surprise, I already have a text from him.

I’m working until ten, he’s written. Can I see you tomorrow? Coffee, same place?

You could come over after your shift, I offer.

That’s not a good idea. You have an early morning.

I like that he knows my practice schedule, that he cares about my routine.

We could just sleep.

We won’t be sleeping, he texts back immediately. Tomorrow. Coffee.

Shaking my head, I can’t help my smile as I text back, it’s a date.

twenty-two

. . .

Tony

I’m an idiot. That’s my only conclusion as I knock on Vivienne’s door at ten thirty. This is not a good idea. We both have training early tomorrow, plus⁠—

The door swings open. Her eyes widen at the sight of me.

She’s wearing a pair of soft cotton pajamas, her long hair tied up in a bun. Her face is free of makeup. It’s clear from the look on her face she wasn’t expecting me.

This was a bad idea. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.

Vivienne reaches for my jacket and yanks me bodily into her apartment. I can hardly breathe before she’s shoving me against the door and crashing her lips to mine. Sliding my hand to the back of her neck, I meet her halfway, and the second we connect might be the single best moment of my life. Even better than winning the bronze medal. Want bursts inside of me, flooding my body with anticipation.

Our time together three years ago was brief, a snapshot of time on the precipice of something immense. It hasn’t kept me from thinking about it all this time. None of the women I’ve dated since—the very few and far between—have held a candle to her. Our connection that night, it’s the kind of thing people write love songs about.

I’ve been waiting for her to get on my level. I think she might almost be there.

“I wasn’t expecting you,” Viv murmurs against my mouth.

Breathing hard, I pull back. “Should I leave?”

I don’t want to. It might kill me to walk away right now. But if that’s what she needs, who am I to stand in her way? I can’t put my wants above her needs.

“Fuck, no.” She tugs at my leather jacket, working it off my shoulders and dropping it on the floor.

She goes to kiss me again and I cup her face, running my thumb over her cheek.

“I wanted to see you,” I murmur. “I wasn’t expecting you, either.”

Her coming into my workplace? That wasn’t my idea of a good time, having to maintain a specter of professionalism when all I wanted to do was claim her in front of everyone.

More than that, I wasn’t expecting her to crash back into my life. I’d lulled myself into a false sense of complacency without her. Now that we’ve connected again, I don’t think I can let her go.

I have a job to do. Three of them, actually. I need to focus on training, on preparing for Worlds. I need…

Her soft brown eyes flicker up to mine, vulnerability shining in their depths.

I need her.