“I can’t leave her alone, not with that monster—Keelie. Hi.” Maxim frowned, glancing back and forth between Cormac, who lounged against the counter in just his towel, and me.
His frown deepened. “Sorry. I interrupted. I’ll go.”
Cormac shot me a look, one full of heat but also apology. “Why don’t you ask Keelie what she thinks?”
My eyes widened. “Um, what?”
Cormac slid a glass of something light pink toward me. “Grapefruit juice and seltzer. You need to hydrate after the sauna.”
“He didn’t tell you the grapefruit is fresh-squeezed,” Maxim said. “And that he doesn’t share it with anyone. Ever.”
Cormac stretched, and I enjoyed the bunching of his muscles, the drink nowhere near as interesting. I took my time, soaking in his thick shoulders and ridged abdominals, down to his hips… My cheeks heated as I noted Cormac’s package pressed against the terry cloth. I was aware of his girth, but seeing it, right there, with Maxim in the room… I grabbed the drink and gulped.
“Whoa. You got a cat?” Maxim asked.
Cormac scratched his belly, seemingly unconcerned by his state of undress. “Slippers is Keelie’s. Since Keelie’s here for the weekend, so is the cat.”
He said it like he’d enjoyed moving the litter box and cat food and bowls to his place. Maxim bent down and scratched Slippers under the chin.
He glanced up at us, a smile flirting at the corners of his lips. “She’s cute.”
Cormac’s brows puckered as he noted my heated cheeks. “You okay?”
“Y-yes,” I squeaked. “Fine.” I took another sip of the drink, desperate for my face to cool. “Just, um, still a little warm.” And turned on, which needed to stop. Pronto. “Well, I need to get dressed.” I clutched the top of my robe together. Unlike these men, who showered together all season long, I wasn’t comfortable without layers of clothing. Whatever Maxim might ask me about would have to wait.
Chapter36
Cormac
Iled Keelie down the hall toward my room. Nerves made my belly tumble, but Maxim being here meant Keelie and I wouldn’t get carried away. I needed that safeguard.
Once inside my bedroom, I turned toward her. “You know Shannon had an affair with Dukovsky.”
She nodded, her brows pinching. “Yes, you told me.”
I told her—she hadn’t learned from the sports tabloids. Crazy. “Normally, nudity doesn’t bother me. I mean, the guys and I change in front of each other every day, but you…being in that robe in front of Maxim… It bothered me. A lot.”
She laid her hand on my arm. “I was uncomfortable, too. I’m sure Maxim’s nice, but he’s not you.” She held my gaze, and I saw the honesty there.
I exhaled a harsh sigh. “I didn’t realize how much it would bother me. Maybe I should power through—”
“There’s nothing wrong with feelings, Cormac.” She nibbled her lower lip. “I need to tell you about my parents. And I will, but I will say this now: I don’t talk to either of them for very different reasons. Their—our—history is why I’ve never been in a long-term relationship before, and it’s why I get skittish, why I struggle to believe what you tell me.”
She needed reassurances from me. I hugged her, rubbing my hand up and down her back, soothing us both. “I was worried you’d be upset that I was jealous.”
“No, I’m relieved. It means you care about me.”
“I do.”
She smiled. “I’m seeing that. In everything you do.”
Leading her into my closet first, I hoped she’d like this surprise. “I got you some things. I hope I did okay. I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable.”
She gasped and her fingers pressed to her lips, eyes round as she stared at the couple of shirts, blouses, skirts, and pants I’d neatly arranged on the left side of the closet. They were the only clothes there, making them seem even sparser. I frowned. Maybe I should have bought more…
“You went shopping…for me?”
“Sort of. I called Naomi before the game. I, ah, talked to her about some things for you, and well, I asked her to get a personal shopper from the store next door to pick out a few more things. Just some basics…”
