“How was your first day of practice?”
He chuckled as he sat next to me.
What was up with him sitting so close? Danny never crowded me. If anything he made sure to keep his distance.
“This is really good. You want a taste before I finish it off?” he asked, offering me his cup.
“Thanks, but I’ve had my quota for the day. You go ahead and enjoy that.”
He leaned back and sipped more flavored steamed milk.
“Practice was that bad, huh?” I asked when he remained silent.
“Practice was great, actually. I moved from the sixth row to the third.” He finished his drink and walked the empty cup to a nearby trash can. When he returned, he sat a touch closer.
Why was he sitting so close? Damn, he smelled good—clean and something uniquely Danny. It was all I could do to keep myself from closing the miniscule distance between us, stuffing my nose into his skin, and sucking in a lungful of his scent.
“What does that mean, you ‘moved from sixth row to third?’”
“In the meeting room, I started at the back with all the freshmen, transfers, and other walk-ons. By the end of the first practice, the coaches had moved me into the second string, one row behind the starters.” The pride in his voice brought a smile to my mouth.
“So you made an impression right out of the gate. Nice work.” I held up my fist for him to bump. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, T.” His smile dropped along with his voice. “So why have you been avoiding me?”
My whole head rolled with my eyes. “I was in town when you came home after your discharge. We had dinner, remember?” I shot him a side-eye. “I asked for time off on the Fourth and got one day off, which I spent with my family and you. You arrived on campus yesterday, yeah?”
He nodded.
“Kinda short notice for me to ask for time off, so you’ll have to get over it that I wasn’t standing in front of your dorm to welcome you to Mountain State.” Yes, I hid behind snark. No, I wasn’t apologizing. Why was he trying to back me into a corner?
“Taryn.” Something in the way he drew out my name had me looking into his eyes at last. “You’re avoiding me right now.”
“Danny.” I mimicked his intonation. “You’re making zero sense. I was exactly where I told you I’d be, and now I’m sitting right here with you.”
Clasping his hands between his knees, he cleared his throat and seemed to think about what he wanted to say. “Are you dating someone? Someone you don’t want to tell me about?”
As a serial dater himself, of course he’d go there.
“Are you asking if I’ve gone back to Aaron?”
“Yeah.” He put his hands up. “I saw the devastation on your face when you FaceTimed me after he walked out. If you’re back with him, we’re having words.” His eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me—because you’re back with that dickhead and don’t want to hear about it?”
He thought I was avoiding him because of Aaron. At least my ability to keep my feelings to myself hadn’t let me down.
“I’m not dating anyone right now.” I caught myself picking at a tiny hole in my jeans and slid my hands beneath my thighs.
That tidbit seemed to relax him, yet he kept coming. “What’s the problem then?”
I shook my head and attempted a grin. “Wedon’t have a problem.Ihave a job and school. Once classes begin for you in the fall, you’ll see. Tack on football, and I’ll be the one bugging you about avoiding me.” For good measure, I bumped his shoulder with mine and fisted my hand under my thigh as a tingle of awareness shot down my arm.
“Not gonna happen.” He turned those arresting silver-gray eyes full force on me. “I’ll always have time for you.”
I blinked. “Ouch.”
His brow shot up in a kind of “if the shoe fits” expression, and I didn’t think, just reacted.
“We aren’t in high school anymore. While you were off doing your thing in the Air Force, I was finding my own way here at Mountain State. I have goals too, you know. And I’m not seventeen anymore.”
