I wadded up a piece of paper and tossed it at him. “Get the hell out of here. I’ll be sure to remember this tomorrow morning.”
Zach groaned, but wisely chose to keep his mouth shut. I had no intentions of following through on my threat to work him into the ground tomorrow, but he didn’t need to know that. Let him think being a cocky little prick would earn him extra reps.
My mind wandered the rest of the morning. Today was a work day for me, which meant I wasn’t out on the field. I didn’t get many of them, but with the first game of the regular season just around the corner, Teddy wanted me to sit down and create a plan to keep some of our key players healthy and strong.
The only person I truly worried about was deShawn, who still seemed a bit slow and tight. We needed to figure that out, because ours was a team that prided itself on not shooting our players full of medication to help them get through game day. Sure, it’d help him while he was out on the field, but every time we resorted to such measures, I cringed, knowing we could ultimately be shortening a player’s career by sending him out there injured.
Late in the afternoon, I packed it up for the day. The rest of the team and coaching staff was still out on the field, which was a sure sign Teddy was nervous about starting the season with a win. He’d run the same plays over and over, until he was certain every single member of the line knew what was expected of them. It was boring as hell, but a necessary evil.
One of the benefits of having to get in before the rest of the coaches was the ability to duck out if I so chose. Most days, I stayed until Teddy left because there was nothing better for me to do.
Today, I wanted to be anywhere but in my office.
I wanted to get back to my place and make sure everything was in order and then maybe take advantage of the cooler than average day by going for a run. I needed to the feeling of my feet slapping against the pavement to help rid me of the nervous energy that’d filled me the moment Linc texted to let me know he was actually on his way here. I couldn’t wait to see him, but things between us were still fragile enough I worried we wouldn’t be able to recreate the magic of my visit to Alabama.
As I pulled into the driveway, I considered what my condo would look like through Lincoln’s eyes. It was modest and not at all my style, but it was home. A cute three-story unit sandwiched between countless other condos. I’d have much rather have bought something a bit plainer and more isolated, but the homes where I’d prefer to live were either monstrosities or showpieces, and I couldn’t justify the expense when I was the only one there.
Everything seemed in order as I made a quick pass through the house. The kitchen was clean, there were no dishes in the sink or forgotten crumbs from breakfast on the counter dividing the space from the rest of the living area. The windows were a bit hazy, but Linc would simply have to deal with that, because I wasn’t about to try and clean them.
I opened the door leading out to the balcony, allowing in some of the cooler air we were experiencing. Of course, that was a relative term for this time of year, but it wasn’t stifling, which was something to be celebrated.
All thoughts of going for a run fled the moment I stepped into my favorite space. I didn’t have a spectacular view from my balcony, but I loved relaxing, being outside without having to worry about other people taking that as an invitation to get to know me.
My requirements for a home were few, but having a balcony or deck where I could unwind after stressful days was a necessity.
I kicked my feet up on the table at the center of a grouping of chairs and pulled out my phone to see if there were any updates from Linc.
Nothing.
If he’d texted me before he left, it could easily be seven or eight before he arrived. The drive wasn’t as straightforward as GPS made it seem, so I wasn’t holding my breath that he’d arrive any earlier than that. I considered calling him, but didn’t want to come across as needy.
But God, Ineeded.
We’d only been apart a few days this time, but my body craved another taste of him, a repeat of everything we’d done on his last visit and more. I closed my eyes and tipped my head back, suddenly feeling exhausted after too many weeks in a row waking up before the sun.
* * *
I joltedawake at the feeling of firm lips pressing against mine. The sun was still out, but had begun its descent on the horizon. I looked up to see Linc standing over me. Shit, how long did I sleep? “What time is it?”
“Almost seven,” he told me, dropping a small bag on the floor next to me. He scooted a chair closer and reached for my hand once he’d settled. It was a foreign gesture, but not an unwelcome one. “You were really out of it. I rang the bell and tried calling. I was about to leave, but decided to snoop around.”
“Sorry, guess running nonstop is finally starting to take its toll.” Not to mention, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d fallen asleep without tossing and turning, my mind racing with thoughts of Linc. Okay, that was a lie; I’d slept like a baby Sunday night, but other than that brief reprieve, it’d been since before Teddy warned me he’d be coming to town. “You made good time. I was going to have dinner ready when you got here, but that obviously didn’t happen.”
“We can go out if you want.” That would’ve been the easy solution, but I wanted tonight to be special. He noticed my grimace at his suggestion. “Or we can stay in. It’s your call.”
“If you don’t mind waiting a bit longer, I’d stopped on my way home to pick up some steaks,” I told him. Tomorrow was my one day of the week I didn’t have to be out of the house by five thirty, so I wanted to wine and dine him tonight. It was stupid to think that was necessary, but it was all part of my plan to woo Lincoln a bit. I’d never done the relationship thing, so I was still fumbling around trying to figure out what I was supposed to do to convince him we’d be able to make an interstate relationship work. We’d have to, because I didn’t see Linc putting his house on the market anytime soon.
Lincoln leaned in, cupping my face in his hands before he kissed me. I sighed, my lips parting enough for his tongue to slip inside my mouth. He tasted like cinnamon and I had to chuckle. His weakness had always been the strongest cinnamon mints he could find. On long trips, he’d go through half a package of them.
I relaxed, reminding myself that Linc wasn’t some stranger to me, he was one of my best friends. We knew each other’s insecurities and little quirks. Everything would be fine, just as long as I didn’t fuck it all up. “I’m game for whatever you want to do. If you said we were going to eat peanut butter sandwiches, I’d be fine with that.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” I admitted. “It’s stupid, but I missed you. Before the plane even got off the ground, I was wishing I didn’t have to leave.”
“But you did,” Linc responded, taking my hand in his to pull me out of the chair. Without being asked, Linc stepped over to the grill.
When he crouched down to turn on the gas, I openly admired the way the cotton of his shorts stretched across his ass. Even years after he retired, it was obvious he spent a good deal of time staying in shape. He’d deny that, had complained when we saw one another during training camp that he’d let himself go.
As a trained professional, I had to disagree. Or maybe that was the part of my brain that lusted after him. Either way, I shook my head, trying to figure out how I’d gotten so lucky.
