My phone vibrates the same time he looks up from his, those deep blue eyes flicking over to me instantly.
“Oh good. Now I don’t have to hunt through the arena to find you.” His voice is loud, carrying down the hallway.
“Shh!” I shout-whisper. “Shut up!”
He chuckles, smirking. “Why? You embarrassed about us?”
“Bates, I swear to God …” I don’t even realize I’ve stood up until I step forward, turning to face him as he closes in, the nearness cutting off every coherent thought in my mind.
The second his body wash hits my nose, my knees wobble, and heat floods my core. I inhale again, and this time, the back of my throat burns.
I’ve missed it. Missed him.
But I won’t run back into his arms because I’m lonely.
“God, you’re so fucking beautiful.” His hand snakes around my waist, readying to lift me up into his chest, but I shove him back.
“Umm,no.” I bop his forehead. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you after the game, but I’m not here foryou. I’m meeting my dad.”
He rolls his eyes, like he expected that answer. “I should have known your stubborn ass wouldn’t give in this easily. You’re going to make me earn it. And I plan to; don’t worry.”
A door swings shut in the distance, and voices echo toward us. My dad and more than likely his assistant coaches.
“You need to leave,” I whisper, looking straight up at him, anxiety creeping into my core as they get closer and closer.
A devilish grin flashes across his face. “Perfect. Let’s go.”
Without skipping a beat, he grabs my hand and tugs me behind him, dragging me as my feet slide along the tiled flooring.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whisper, trying to uncurl his fingers from me.
Kerrigan giggles behind us, clearly enjoying the show.
I’m going to have to yell at her later for not coming to my rescue.
“Shh. Or Daddy’s going to find out about your dirty little secret.” He chuckles, pulling me farther down the hallway, in the direction of my father.
“Bates,” I beg desperately, true panic starting to set in that my dad is going to round that corner and catch us like this.
He throws a door open to our left and steps through, bringing me along with him. Eventually, we’re going to stop having moments like this, right?
The door shuts behind us, and my back rests against the door at the same time I hear my dad greet Kerrigan in the hallway.
Shit.
“What thefuckare you doing?” My whisper is harsh, filled with rage, as I look up, searching the nearly pitch-black room for Bates’s face.
The only light filtering in is through the small vertical window on the door. But it’s doing little to help me see. Even so, I can spot his damn cocky-ass, aggravating little smirk from here.
He cages me in, his forearms pressed against the door, his hands overlapping above my head. “Getting some alone time with my girl.”
“I told you, there’s nothing going on between us.”
He rolls his eyes. “Mmhmm. That’s why you came here tonight—because you didn’t want to watch me play?”
I cross my arms over the Saint Paul Sinners crewneck. “So arrogant. Do you think everyone in that arena came to just watch you?”
Shrugging, he purses his lips with a smugness that I want to slap off his face. “Yeah, kind of.”
