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“Someone hurt him.”
“Probably. Looking back, I’d say you’re right. At the time, we all just took it as a coach looking out for us. I told you about Jack getting that girl pregnant during our sophomore year in high school. After that, it just wasn’t worth it to me.”
“You were lucky. That he was looking out for all of you.”
“Yeah, I guess we were.”
“They do the same thing in the majors. I’m not sure if it’s the head coach, but they go to training for this kind of thing. I know my dad had to do it, and I’ve heard Cameron and Holden talk about it as well.”
“Yet some still fall victim.”
“There’s one in every crowd,” I say, lightening the mood.
“Are you waiting? For marriage?” he adds.
“Are you?”
He chuckles. “No. Not really. I’ve just never found someone who I trust is here for me and not what I can do for them. Not until I found you, that is.”
“I’m not either. I’m in the same boat. So many know who I am in our hometown, and they want to get closer to the game, my dad, my uncle, and my brothers-in-law. I’m including Holden in that,” I explain. “He might as well be married to my sister. He loves her fiercely.”
“We’re more alike than you thought, huh,” he asks.
“We are.”
“Stay with me.”
“What do you mean? I have to go home, Griffin. My family is there. I have school and the team.”
“Tonight. Stay with me tonight.”
“Your parents?”
“They know how much I like you. Besides, we’re both adults.”
“I’m not having sex with you.”
“I didn’t ask you to,” he counters. “What I am asking is for you to stay with me. I’m not ready for this night to end. I have tomorrow, and then I don’t know how long it will be before I can see you again. I just really want to hold you. I want to know for the first time in my life what it’s like to sleep with a woman in my arms and wake up with her the same way.”
“That’s hard to say no to.”
“Then say yes.”
“I’ll need to call Parker. Let her know I’m not coming back tonight.”
“Where’s your phone?” he asks.
“On the table.” I turn and grab it, almost falling off the couch in the process. My hands shake as I pull up Parker’s contact.
“Hey, if this makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to. I’ll take you home,” he says, placing his hand over mine.
“No. It’s not that. It’s just… a first for me too.”
“Good.” He kisses me quickly.
I hit send on Parker’s name and place the phone next to my ear. I could have texted her, but I know my sister. She would have called wanting to hear my voice to make sure that I’m okay.
“How was the steak?” she asks.
“So good. I was able to cut it with a fork,” I tell her. Griffin smiles and points at himself, causing me to shake my head at his antics. He didn’t do the cooking, but I have no doubt that the results would be the same. He learned from one of the best. “Hey, I wanted to tell you that I’m not coming back to the room tonight. I’m going to stay here. With Griffin.”
“Do you have protection?” she asks.
“I don’t need it.”
“Peyton” she starts.
“I’m not going to need it, Parker. Trust me.”
“Okay. If you need me at any time, you call me. Understand? I can be there in ten minutes.”
“I’ll be fine, but thank you.”
“I love you, lady,” she says with laughter in her voice.
“I love you too, duchess,” I reply, then end the call. I place my phone on the floor and turn back to Griffin.
“I still think your dad is a genius.” He grins.
“Make sure you tell him that if you ever meet him. That will give you brownie points.”
“I’m going to meet him, Peyton. We’re going to make this work.”
“I want it to,” I confess.
“Thank fuck,” he says, kissing the corner of my mouth. “That’s the first time you’ve let me know what you were thinking about this. About us.”
“It all seems too good to be true.”
“If we both want it… if we’re both willing to sacrifice and put in the work, we can do it.”
“You miss one hundred percent of the shots you never take,” I say.
“And we’re taking ours,” he says, pressing his lips to mine.
CHAPTER 10
Griffin
I don’t know what time it is. The house above us is quiet, and Peyton is sleeping peacefully in my arms. We kissed for hours. So long that I lost track of time. My lips are sore, and hers are red and swollen. We talked some more about life, and dreams, and family. You name it, we’ve talked about it.
The more I get to know her, the more this idea takes root inside my chest.
