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Reed’s lips curl downward. “Is that the reason they gave? Jesus, way to make me sound like an old man.” I stare at him in bewilderment. What does he mean, thereason they gave? Was it not the truth? He shakes his head and takes a breath, and my curiosity spikes because something tells me what Reed is about to tell me isn’t known by many. And the fact that he’s telling me. . . the trust that goes into that. . . just, wow.
“I get migraines. They’re not too frequent or too severe, but sometimes they’ll hit during a game, and it’s better if I step aside rather than continue to play and aggravate it. Only a few people know about them, because I don’t want to make it a big thing and have everyone who watches me play bring it up. And I’m not a rookie–it doesn’t look good for an aging athlete to have public health issues.” He shoots me a small smile, and I wonder if I’m imagining the hint of nerves that flashes through his eyes. “So, now you’re one of the very few people who know about them. Becausethat’show sure I am that I want you.”
My throat locks up at his words, my head spinning at the new information. I understand why Reed wouldn’t want the world to know about his migraines; they are so stigmatized in the sports industry, especially when it comes to male athletes suffering through them. I don’t blame him for keeping quiet about them, but it’s not lost on me the amount of trust Reed must have in me to tell me about them. Which is fucking dizzying. It warms me from the inside out, and my heart squeezes.
I turn my hand in his grip so I’m holding onto his as well, a smile tilting my lips upwards as I take a breath and nod. “Thank you for telling me,” I say, my voice quiet. Reed trusted me with a secret of his, and it ends up pushing me to look past my fear of my future. If people were to find out about us, it probably wouldn’t be the end of my career—it would just make it a little more difficult. But why worry about something that hasn’t happened, and let it prevent me from exploring this new path of happiness?
So, I look at him and smile, “You and me—I want to give us a shot.”
Reed takes a breath, surprised and relieved. “Yeah?” he asks, leaning toward me.
I nod, grinning. “Yeah.”
I barely can get the word out when he covers my mouth with his, kissing me so deeply and soundly that every thought flies out of my head and I’m consumed by Reed. I let him pull me out of my chair and onto his lap, straddling him as my hands cup his jaw, feeling the delicious prickle of his stubble against my palms as his tongue tangles with mine. He tastes like the red wine we had been drinking, and like him, and I melt into his touch when his hands go from my hips to my ass, cupping me and pulling me into him.
I moan at the feel of his hardening length beneath me, grinding my hips down on him and smirking at the rough groan that escapes him. “Bedroom?” he rasps against my lips.
“Bedroom.”
Chapter 13
Reed
Wakingupinabedroom that isn’t my own has become a normal occurrence over the last few weeks. Instead of waking up to my white walls, I wake up to a bedroom painted pastel blue, with floral curtains and a few bookshelves that cover half of one of the walls. I run a hand down my face, rubbing the sleep away as I turn my head to catch sight of the woman sleeping next to me.
A smile tugs at my mouth at the sight of Willow’s beautiful sleeping face, strawberry blonde hair a mess and her head tilted towards me. The comforter just barely covers the swells of her breasts, and my smile turns into a sleepy smirk at the few discolorations on her neck, courtesy of my mouth. The sight of her stirs my cock awake, but I won’t wake her up. My girl’s not a morning person.
Glancing at the clock at her bedside, I know I need to get a move on to meet the guys at Leo’s home gym for a workout session. We don’t have practice with the team today, but Leo, Caden, JJ, and I like to meet up on our off days for some short training sessions. Careful not to disturb Willow, I get up from the bed and put on my clothes, strewn all over the room, before pocketing my wallet, phone, and keys. I bend over the bed and press a kiss to her forehead before quietly exiting the room.
I shut the door behind me and walk out, only to spot Willow’s roommate and best friend, Vick, in the kitchen, still in her pajamas as she brews some coffee. I met her for the first time last week, along with Willow’s other best friend Clare, and the two women had been nothing but kind, welcoming, and teasing. Willow and I had agreed that we would tell a few people about us, which included her two friends and Leo, Caden, and JJ, because those were the people we trusted most. Later on, as time went on, we’d introduce each other to our families. I already had no doubt my folks would love her.
“Morning, QB,” Vick greets with her usual nickname for me. It’s kind of grown on me. “Coffee?”
I shake my head. “No, thanks. I gotta hit the gym with the guys,” I tell her.
Vick nods with a hum as she pours herself a mug. “Willow’s still asleep?” she asks and I nod in confirmation. She lets out a groan. “Great. Now I’m the one who’s gonna have to wake her up for our nail appointment and risk a pillow to the head.”
A smile curls at my mouth, chuckling quietly. “She looks pretty peaceful. Good luck,” I add with a smirk.
Vick rolls her eyes, though she’s smiling. She nods and puts the mug down, bracing her hands on the counter and fixing me with a look. “Since it’s been a week since we met, I think it’s about time I give you the best friend speech.”
“The best friend speech?” I ask with an arch of my brow.
She nods once more. “Don’t hurt her,” she starts, all traces of humor gone from her eyes. My own smile flattens as I listen. “She looks really happy with you. I haven’t seen her like that in a long time. So, don’t fuck it up.”
I nod, lips pursed. “I won’t.”
Vick stares at me for another few seconds before nodding. “Good.” She grins brightly, and I blink at the sudden change in demeanor. “Just keep her happy and be her hot date to Clare’s wedding—oh, wait.” She blinks in realization. “If you guys are a secret, you wouldn’t be at the wedding, would you? Damn, bummer,” she pouts, her shoulders falling.
A corner of my mouth twitches up into a half-assed smile. “Unfortunately, yeah.”
Vick huffs out a breath, shaking her head. “Shit sucks,” she mutters.
I pull out my keys and offer a shrug. “As long as I can be with her, I don’t really mind.”
She grins. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Sneaking out of Willow’s apartment isn’t too difficult. Nobody would expect me to be at a random apartment complex, but I do exit with a beanie and the hood of my sweatshirt covering my head, and sunglasses to keep myself from being recognized. The car I drive is one of my inconspicuous SUVs rather than one of my more recognizable vehicles, and for the few weeks I’ve been doing this, no one has caught on.
