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“A few days ago, she was a rebound. Before that, she was a friend. Sooo, sure man. Sure.”
Cruz patted my back as we stood and made our way down the bleachers. I didn’t even give him a response to his summary, just let him have his fun.
Standing outside in the parking lot, a few people recognized us and we posed for autographs and signed a few things. It helped us kill time while Ash showered and did whatever else her post game routine consisted of.
When she finally emerged, her eyes started scanning the crowds and she smiled when they found me.
“Sorry,” I said, interrupting the last few fans. “I need to see my friend.”
Cruz pushed me in jest and I tilted my head up at him, thanking him for coming and not depending on me to get him home. I didn't want to waste any time getting Ash back to my place so I could praise her for a job well done.
When she saw me approaching, she looked around to make sure none of her teammates were there, then started running. She leapt into my arms and I swung her around, refraining myself from kissing her senseless.
“Good game, baby.” The sentiment fell off my lips without meaning to. It was one thing when we were naked in the bed, but another when we were celebrating her win—as friends. “Sorry,” I mumbled, putting her back on her feet.
If she heard me, she didn’t let on. Just grabbed my arm and pulled me further into the parking lot toward my car. “Let’s get out of here before Hunter is done talking to the press.”
When we were safely behind the tinted windows of my car, we turned and looked at each other. Both of us with goofy smiles and awkward silence.
“Was that Cruz with you?”
“Yeah he wanted to come. Hell, I think he wants to come back. He loved it.”
“What about you?”
“I stopped paying attention after the seventieth minute.”
She bit her lip and smiled sheepishly, making me reach across the console and run my thumb on her cheek. I had to know if she was as warm as she was red when she blushed like that.
“Come home with me again.”
She lifted her bag that sat in her lap. “I packed extra clothes like you told me to.”
“Yeah my bad, you won’t need them.”
ChapterTwenty-Three
Ash
“So what did Hunter say to you right before the game?”
I knew he would be curious when Hunter singled me out. I did a good job not looking bothered, though. I had to make sure Rhys didn’t let Hunter know we slept together. If I had shown any sign of discomfort, I was afraid Rhys would come barreling down to the field. If the way he acted the night before was any indication, Hunter was a trigger for Rhys.
“He told me he saw that you were there. Then he asked why.”
Rhys’ knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel, his jaw had a slight tick in it. He had waited until we were almost to his place to ask, and I bet he did that on purpose. Distance seemed to tame Rhys’ crazy.
“Relax. I told him you were there to see how yourstudentwas doing since we worked all weekend on my lefty push kick.”
The car grew quiet after that. Rhys was probably mulling over Hunter, but I was enjoying the music that was playing softly as we drove—Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers. It was my grandma’s favorite and I knew every word by heart. It was soothing, taking me on a trip down memory lane.
A tear fell from my eye and Rhys put his finger under it to catch it. I hadn’t even realized he was paying that much attention. “Tell me.”
I laughed and wiped my eyes. “Did you forget we aren't the sharing type of friends?”
“Then what are we?”
My silence lasted until we turned into the parking garage and into his designated spot. He turned to me, still waiting for my answer so I shrugged. “Friends who play soccer, and apparently, have sex.”
