“Floor unit, this is Susan,” Susan answers.
“Hi Susan. This is Maverick Jennings. How’s my mother today?”
She clears her throat, and my chest tightens with a bit of anxiety. “She’s having a bit of a tough day. The doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia, and she’s been moreconfused and agitated than usual. We just got her comfortable enough for sleep.”
“Oh, I see. Okay. Can you let her know I called and have her call me when she’s awake?” I ask.
“Of course. Great win, by the way. We had the game on for her, and we all cheered you on.”
“Thanks,” I say softly. It’s nice to hear, but it doesn’t mean as much if it isn’t coming from my own mother’s mouth.
We hang up, and I head home with a bit of the wind knocked out of my sails.
I figure I’ll just call it a night, but when the elevator doors open on my floor, I’m surprised to see Everleigh Bradley standing next to her door, leaning on the wall as she scrolls her phone. When the elevator doors slide open and she spots me, she slips her phone into her pocket.
I stare at her for a beat. Jesus, she’s pretty. That long, dark hair tumbles in waves past her shoulders, curling down by her tits. Her lips are cherry red to match her nails—maybe in homage to the colors of the team she cheered for today. My team. While she wore my number, and she’s still wearing it. And her eyes, those dark brown eyes with the long lashes and a bit of mystery or mischief orsomethingbehind them, they pin me to my place.
“Good game,” she says quietly.
“How long have you been standing out here waiting for me?” I ask.
“I asked Milton to text me when you got in,” she admits.
“Why?” I grunt, narrowing my eyes at her.
“Because I haven’t seen you all day. Because I…I—”
I raise both brows. “You?” I prompt. There are a million and one ways she could end that sentence, but the one she chooses sort of stuns me.
“I missed you.”
My jaw slackens a little. I can’t remember the last time someone told me they missed me.
I don’t get close enough for anyone to even think those words, let alone say them aloud. And after they register and swirl around in my head for a beat, I realize something. I take a step toward her. “I missed you, too.”
Hope seems to blossom in her eyes as they meet mine. “You did? You just seemed so…”
“Focused? I was. When I was on the field, I was focused on the game, but make no mistake, Ev. I was feeling every emotion that I’ve pushed out for a decade. I was in the moment. The adrenaline rushed like it used to. The celebration after scoring was genuine. I’ve been slaughtered by my coaches for returning to the sidelines without giving credit where it was due and instead discussing what we could’ve done differently, but not today. Today was…I don’t know. It was filled with something I lost a long time ago.”
Her voice is small and tentative when she makes her suggestion. “Joy?”
I stare at her as I let the word register. Joy. Is that what Everleigh is bringing back to me?
I remember smiling with that little girl at the Hope Gala. Wanting to spend time with Everleigh. Feeling everything on the field today.
I think she might be right.
I can’t bring myself to repeat the word in fear that it’ll slip away again, but I do know one thing that’ll bring it to me—or will bring me satisfaction, anyway.
I move toward her and wrap my arm around her waist to haul her into me, and my mouth crashes down to hers. She doesn’t hesitate a single beat as she lifts herself up and wraps her legs around my torso. Her hands are on my jaw as she kisses me back with all this pent-up energy that we’ve bothhad to put on the back burner all day. For the last couple days, really.
But now? The game’s over. I don’t have practice tomorrow. We’ll spend the day together either way—and I’d much rather spend it naked than working on mybrand.
My brand will work itself out with her by my side. This is more important.
This hallway is ours, but that doesn’t mean those elevator doors won’t open. People could see, and that’s not something either one of us is ready to risk. With that in mind, I walk her over toward my door. I manage to fish my key out of my pocket and unlock my door, my mouth never leaving hers.
She grunts into me as I walk her into my condo, slamming the door behind us. I can’t make it to the bedroom. I need her here, now. I need to be inside her. I need to continue this high offeeling.
