The elevator opened and I got in, excited to see Brigham and tell him about the place, but I needed to get my shit together. I got off on the floor and took a few steps before he walked out of his apartment, all smiles, until his gaze landed on my face. “Blue Bell, what happened?”
“It’s nothing.” I sniffed and tried to ignore the ball in my throat. It grew the harder I tried to stop it. “It’s stupid.”
“Baby, it’s not stupid. Come here.” He pulled me into a hug that felt so damn right, I wanted to stay there like that forever. My face pressed against his red shirt, the smell of his cologne and soap tickling my nose, the way he rested his chin on my head… It was perfect. “I was expecting you to be geeking out over the house. Did it not go well?”
“It was great.” I closed my eyes. “I invited my parents, you know, as an olive branch, and it was disappointing. They…well, my mom. I just…maybe I have to accept they don’t want to be a part of my life.”
“I’m so fucking sorry. That sucks.”
“It does.”
He squeezed me tighter and picked me up off the ground, using one arm to reach around me. “What’s the code?”
“Eight seven four three.”
He pressed it, walked into the place and kept me pressed against him. “What’s your go-to pick-me-up thing? Mine is Cheetos.”
“What? That’s awful.” I laughed and wiped my eyes. “You need something sweet.”
“Nope. I want Cheetos and chips and Cheez-Its. I might have a thing for salty snacks.” He set me on the counter so I was still face-to-face with him. “Ice cream? Cookies? Cupcakes? What do you want? I’ll go out and get it.”
“You’re wonderful.” I sniffed again, so overwhelmed by my strong feelings for him and the disappointment from my parents. “Stop it.”
“Stop being wonderful? Nope. I can’t help it.”
I shoved him and found myself smiling at his charm. I pointed my finger at his chest and tried to look as tough as I could. “You’re dangerous for me, Brigham Monaghan.”
“As are you to me, Blue Bell.” He smirked and leaned down for a quick kiss before patting my thighs. “You walk the dogs. I’ll get the treats. Let’s go to my place tonight. I have something I think you’ll like.”
“We can have sex here, you know.”
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Blue.” He wiggled his eyebrows and bit down on his bottom lip. “It is sexy, though, that you’re already thinking about getting me naked.”
“It never leaves my mind.”
“Atta girl. Okay, my place, twenty minutes. Go team!” He high-fived himself before leaving, and despite the unsettled feeling in my stomach about the day, he’d already improved my mood.
* * * *
An hour later, filled with ice cream and chocolate brownies, we sprawled out on his bed withThe Officerunning in the background. Watching a shirtless Brigham let ice cream drip into his mouth was my kinda porn. He hummed in delight and gave me a wicked look. “You’re drooling, Blue.”
“It’s easy to, watching you eat.” I took a bite of my own mixture, ninety percent fudge with the rest ice cream. “It makes me thirsty.”
“Unintended benefit.” He set his dish on the side table and dug into the brownies. “I’m gonna pay for all these calories tomorrow.”
“Worth it.” I held up my fist for a bump and he obliged, chuckling and making my heart pitter-patter in my chest like a teenage girl seeing her crush in the cafeteria. “So you leave tomorrow for six days?”
“Yes. Three-game series in Miami then Atlanta.”
“I was thinking.” I paused, almost backing out. What if he said no? Or that it was dumb? My palms sweated but I had to finish. “No pressure, okay? You can say no.”
“All right.” He sat crisscross and placed his chin on his hands, watching me with a half-smile. “I’m curious because you’re so nervous.”
I half-laughed, kinda snorted and blew out a breath. “Maybe, after you get back, I could try coming to a game?”
“To see me play?” he asked, slowly and in a deep voice.
“Yes?”
