Chapter 20
SPENCER
It sounded like a cat dying. Slowly. Painfully. Pitifully. I laughed as I pulled on my jeans and jumper. I hadn’t planned on going to the game tonight yet somehow Zoe had found out about it and wanted to go. Even though I knew she was a big girl who could look after herself and that she didn’t need me to babysit her, I wasn’t about to let her out of my sight. As that thought settled in, I realised I felt like I’d taken a punch to the stomach. It knocked the wind out of me. For the first time I realised how hard tomorrow was going to be when she packed up and headed home.
I told Zoe half an hour, so forty-five minutes later she stepped out of my bedroom looking good. Damn good. With jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and knee high boots, she looked comfortable, casual, but the way the denim clung to her hips made my mouth water and my fingers itch.
As we drove towards the field, Zoe did nothing but criticise the music in my stereo. Nothing was up to standard. Not U2. Not the Boss. Not even some classic Cold Chisel. “Damn, woman, you’re hard to please,” I grumbled.
“Not hard to please, I just know what I like.” She smiled sickeningly sweetly.
“You frustrate me.”
“Yeah. You love me anyway.”
And when she fluttered those impossibly long eyelashes I knew she won. It didn’t matter what she wanted or what the game we were playing, she won. “Yeah, I guess I do,” I admitted, as I reached over and squeezed her knee. Zoe stayed silent but flashed me a quick, sly smile as I pulled the truck into the gravel parking lot.
After I parked the car, I looked over the field. The players had just run out and it surprised me that I didn’t have any compulsion at all to be out there with them. I was more than quite content where I was sitting right now.
I’m not sure why I hesitated getting out, but for some reason, Zoe was pulling open my door before I knew what was happening. “You coming?” she asked with a concerned look on her pretty face.
“Yep,” I muttered, shaking myself out of my day dream.
Before jumping out, I reached into the backseat and grabbed my jacket. I knew it would be too big for her, but at least it would keep her warm and safe. The macho side of me didn’t mind in the slightest that she would be walking around with my name emblazoned across her shoulders. I didn’t care if someone thought I was claiming her as my own. In a way, that’s exactly what I was doing.
“Here you go. Put this on. It should keep you warm,” I offered, holding it open for her. Zoe surprised me when she didn’t argue. She usually did. Instead, she dropped her purse on my seat and slipped her arms in before zipping it up all the way to her throat.
I couldn’t help but feel consumed by a sly satisfaction. My girl was wearing my jacket and the best part about it…it was too big. It hid all of those luscious curves I knew were underneath but now no one else had an opportunity to see how well the denim of her jeans cupped her magnificent ass. Shutting the door a little harder than I’d intended, I adjusted myself as discreetly as possible. Zoe didn’t know that the sight of her in her jeans was making mine a little too tight.
“Ready?” She smiled, holding out her hand.
Slipping my hand in hers, we began making our way towards the grandstand. The night was cool and the breeze wasn’t helping. There weren’t many people there yet but I knew it wouldn’t be long before the crowd gathered. If we didn’t want to stand all night, we needed to claim our seats now. The mob parted as we made our way through. Some patted me on the back, others shot me bewildered looks. I knew what they were silently asking but all I could hope was that those questions remained exactly that. Silent. I just wanted to enjoy the night. I didn’t need Zoe feeling guilty for me spending the night on the sidelines.
As we approached the bar, I felt Zoe tense and snuggle close to me. Her grip on my hand tightened and her breaths came in short, shallow gasps. She was afraid of something. Without a word, I dropped her hand and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, tucking her under my arm. “You’re fine. Just keep walking,” I assured her, looking down into her wide, worried eyes.
Fuck, it was hard keeping my shit together. I wanted to ask her what was wrong. What had triggered that reaction? Who had made her react that way? Did she recognise the asshole who’d hurt her? ’Cause if she did, I had absolutely no issues in pummelling his ass into the middle of next week. I couldn’t. That wouldn’t help her. Instead I had to bite the inside of my cheek, hold my temper in check, and keep Zoe moving. One foot in front of the other.
Thankfully, a moment later we reached the metal grandstand and climbed a few rows before settling ourselves at the end. Zoe wedged herself between the railing and my shoulder, barely giving herself enough room to breathe, but when I tried to move away she just tugged me closer. I hated everything. All I wanted to do was sweep her up in my arms and run like a bat out of hell until I got her out of there. Get her home and lock the door behind us. Make her feel special. Make her feel safe. Wipe that fear from her face. I couldn’t force it. That wouldn’t help her…but I’d be damned if it didn’t help me.
Instead I forced my attention to the field where Kane was strutting towards the centre of the field to take the toss. Arrogance rolled off him in waves, so toxic I could feel it even from my seat.
“Is Kane the captain?” Zoe asked meekly, her voice cracking under the strain.
Nodding, I offered her a strained smile, “He is tonight.”
“Oh.”
Zoe trembled beside me. Kane won the toss and I could have sworn his head swelled, if that was at all possible. “You cold?”
Zoe blinked up at me. Without thinking, I shifted to the bench behind her and pulled her between my legs before wrapping my arms around her. I’d give her anything. Right now it was body heat she needed, so that’s what she was getting.
The umpire bounced the ball and a cheer went up and the crowd swelled. People who’d been hiding out in their cars from the elements descended on the field, offering their opinions. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Usually it annoyed the shit out of me, everyone thinking they knew who to kick it to, or asking why a tackle was missed, or how you could have possibly dropped the mark. Tonight was different. Being on the other side of the fence, it was a completely different experience. A different point of view. Definitely educational.
The quarter time siren went and I’ll admit I was glad. I’d chewed off most of my finger nails and my heart was racing. I was hanging for a beer, but I wasn’t about to leave Zoe to fend for herself just so I could go to the bar. Not here. Not tonight. So instead I sat there, wrapped around her, watching as Kane ranted and raved at the team.
When a large, heavy hand landed on my shoulder, I almost shit myself.
“Holy fuck!” I growled as my eyes settled on Derek. The bastard just chuckled deeply. My reaction had obviously been a complete amusement to him. “Don’t fucking do that!”
