“It’s not just his undeniable good looks that make him the most beloved Storm coach in franchise history,” Rory reads, and I get up, ready to leave, “it’s the way he’s more devoted to his team than anything that has every member of the organization deeply loyal to the eligible single father.Jordan, wait.”
Hayden makes ahurry upgesture to Rory and he clicks to the next slide.
“Tate Ward is so freaking cool!” the slide reads with a picture from some event of Tate in a tux, looking dashing. “He can bench press a lot. I bet he would make a great boyfriend. And look at that head of hair!—Luca ‘The Rookie’ Walker.”
“What are you doing?” I ask them, making my way to the aisle. “Why are you doing this? Are you trying to embarrass me or something?”
“What?” Rory blanches. “No, of course not. We just think you and Coach would be great together. You have a serious vibe.”
“We work together. There’s no vibe.”
“We won’t tell anyone,” Hayden says. “It’s no one’s business except all of ours.”
If I weren’t so embarrassed and frustrated, I would laugh. “It’s no one’s business except mine and Tate’s. Not that there’s anything to have business about. I don’t want this,” I tell them, like Tate told me. “It’s never going to happen.”
“We want you to be happy,” Luca says, giving me puppy dog eyes, and I think he’s actually being sincere.
“I am happy,” I tell them. “Please stop meddling. Focus on your own love lives.” On my way out of the room, I catch Alexei’s eye. He looks guilty. “I expected better of you, Volkov.”
CHAPTER 45
JORDAN
In the middleof the night, a crashing noise wakes me up in the guesthouse. With one eye open, I reach for the bedside lamp and flick it on.
Phoebe sits on the end of my bed, tail flicking and wonky eyes on me—and a wriggling mouse between her teeth.
A strangled shriek slips out of me, and I scramble up. My sudden flailing freaks Phoebe out, and she jumps—releasing the mouse. I shriek again as it races across the bed and over the other side.
Ten seconds later, I’ve got my shoes on and am marching in the cold dark to the main house. I don’t think I even closed the door behind me. Tate’s bedroom windows are dark, thank god.
At the front door, though, I try the code he told me weeks ago, but the lock makes an unhappy beep. I try the door—still locked. I key the code in again. Still no.
That’s not good. On the front step, I shiver, tucking my arms around myself, debating whether I should knock and wake him and probably Bea up?—
The door swings open, and there’s Tate with rumpled sex hair and a bare chest. There are those tattoos I wonder about sometimes. He’s wearing athletic joggers, and the waistband of his black boxer briefs is visible.
“Hi,” he says quietly, a mix of pleased amusement and curiosity in his expression.
“Hi,” I say back, like this is totally normal, trying to get into his house at one in the morning.
I doubt his hair is actually sex hair. I would have known if there was someone here. I would have seen the car, I hope. But the image of it pushed up on one side like someone’s been running their fingers through it sends my thoughts to dirty places.
“Did I wake you?”
He shakes his head, his eyes on my silky romper the stylist included in the wardrobe. “That’s what you sleep in?” he whispers. “That doesn’t look warm enough.” His eyes linger on the tiny straps on my shoulders, the neckline trimmed with lace, the shorts hem. “And why are you outside at this time of night? I was serious about the cougars, Jordan.”
He reaches out and guides me in with a hand on my shoulder, closing the door behind me, a divot between his eyebrows. “You’re cold,” he says, like I’ve done something wrong. He’s still keeping his voice low.
“Why are you whispering?” I don’t take my shoes off yet. So much for my plan of crashing on his couch and sneaking out before he got up.
He glances over his shoulder. “Bea’s having a sleepover with a few girls from school.”
I can’t help but smile, my heart lifting. “She is?” I’m whispering now, too. “That’s great.”
He smiles and nods before he laughs a little. “She crept up to her own bed about an hour ago, but the other two are sleeping downstairs.”
A moment passes where we just smile at each other, something warm looping between us, before it dawns on me and my smile falls.
