“Worried I’ll oversleep and make you late for your interview?”
Her responding laugh is low and husky, as if she’s already on the cusp of sleep.
I’ve never slept with a woman before—never had the urge to stay over—but I want this. I want to fall asleep with Sutton’s head on my chest, her naked body pressed to mine.
I don’t want this thing between us to end.
Not tomorrow. Not the day after.
I want more. Have for a while now.
More late-night study sessions. More banter. More everything.
My chest tightens at the realization and I open my mouth to tell her, but then she exhales and her eyelids flutter.
Not tonight.
She’s got enough on her mind with the interview tomorrow. We both do.
So even though I want to slice my chest open and let all those messy emotions come pouring out, I’ll wait. After all, it’s just one day. I’ve waited this long. I can wait a little longer.
Once the interviews are done, though, all bets are off.
Easy for you to say. Your season is winding down.
Not really. We’ve got the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis Saturday. Then, with any luck, the CFP Semi-Finals and the championship game.
Still, my season will be over by the time spring semester starts and Sutton’s will just be ramping up.
It doesn’t matter. We’ll figure it out. Make it work somehow.
We have a good thing going, and I’m not about to let it slip away.
40
SUTTON
“I thinkI’m going to be sick.”
Devin turns to me, concern etched in the lines of his face. “Do you want to sit down? Go back to the Jeep?”
We had to park a block from the Sports Stream offices. There’s no time to go back to the garage. Thanks to rush hour traffic, we’re already cutting it close.
If you’re not five minutes early, you’re already late.
“No.” I close my eyes and suck in a breath, which proves to be a mistake because I get a lungful of exhaust fumes from a passing bus.Welcome to the Steel City. “Just give me a minute.”
I shouldn’t be this nervous. I’ve competed before thousands of people on a national stage. By comparison, a panel interview with a few stuffed shirts is nothing.
But I was prepared for those competitions. I spent months perfecting my routines. Knew them inside out.
This is no different.
Right. I’ve done the work. Researched Sports Stream. Practiced interview questions. Triple checked my résumé.
“You can do this.” Devin’s words are brimming with confidence and when his fingers brush my cheek, I smile.
“Sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me this morning.” Truth. Last night was incredible. It was the first time I’ve given oral, and it was empowering to discover I could unravel the powerful man at my side with a simple flick of my tongue, but even better was drifting off in his arms. Waking to find him curled against my back, the big spoon to my little one. But now everything just feels off. Me. The internship. The fact that I’m going to sabotage both our chances if we don’t get moving. “Let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”
