“Rest. Mental and physical, Romano.” The trainer squeezed my leg. “No practice for ten days. We’ll check then andmaybebring you back.”
“Ten days?” I groaned. “For real?”
“That’s an order. Nothing physical.” Something clicked, and I imagined she held a clipboard. I put my arm over my eyes to block the light so I couldn’t see what she was doing. “Your brother is outside, waiting to take you home. I have a list of recommendations for your care the next ten days. I’ll go over it with him too. You have someone who can watch over you tonight to ensure you don’t get worse?”
“Yes.” My fuzzy brain thought of Luca, his strong hands and heated gaze. But that made the pounding worse. No. I thought of Dean instead. “My brother. I live with him.”
“Excellent.”
She helped me sit up, and I winced at the brightness.
“Lorelei.” Dean came in the room, his hand going toward my shoulder. “Are you okay? They didn’t tell me shit.”
“Concussion.” Our trainer clicked her tongue. “I’m going to go over care instructions with you. She said she lives with you?”
“Yes. Tell me what you need.”
I tuned them out, my brain on a hiatus. She was tired. Their voices faded to cartoonish ones, and I swayed, dreaming of my bed and my pillows. Yes, they were feathers. Weightless. So comfy. Sighing, I rested my head on my brother’s shoulder. He’d get me home. Safe. I was grateful. My brother was the best. “Thanks, Dean. I love you.”
He patted my hand, and the rest of the night was hazy. I somehow got into his car. Someone strong carried me to my room. They smelled like home, but that couldn’t be Dean. He always smelled like too much cologne, but my brain wasn’t right.
“Mm.” I snuggled into the shoulders of whoever carried me. Their fabric was soft. It reminded me of Luca, but he wouldn’t do that. Dean would see us. Luca and I were done. “Pillow.”
“Almost to your room, Lo.”
God,my brain was playing tricks on me. Why did it want me to think of him when it hurt so much?
“So much light.” My headache throbbed from the brightness.
“I’m so sorry,” a deep voice said. Something soft touched my temple, like a kiss. Would Dean do that? No. That’d be strange as hell. “I’m going to set you in your bed, but we should change you out of your clothes. You don’t want to wear your jersey, do you?”
My face touched my bedsheets, and I sighed, so happy to be here. “Dean, why do you smell like Luca? Is my mind playing tricks on me?”
“No, baby, it’s me. I begged him to let me help you. I needed to make sure you were okay.” The voice grew soft, warm, and breath hit my face. “I’m going to take care of you tonight, okay?”
He cupped my face, running his fingers over my jaw and lips. I leaned into it, a purr coming out of me. “God, I fucking missed you.”
I smiled, hoping he’d see that in the dark. There was no way this was happening. It was a lucid dream or something. My Luca wouldn’t be this open with me.
“Can you sit up for a bit to take off your shirt?”
“No. Tired. Want sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll wake you up in a bit, and we’ll change you then.”
I briefly recalled him sliding into my bed with me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me against him. He was like my favorite sweatshirt, my favorite season, and favorite song all rolled into one. He was comfort and love, and I fell asleep within seconds, feeling safe in his arms.
* * *
“Hey.”
A gentle touch moved up and down my face, then around my ear. Goose bumps exploded down my body, and I opened my eyes. I was in my room, it was dark, and my head hurt like I had a migraine on steroids. “Ugh.”
“Can you sit up for me, please?”
“Luca.”
“Yeah, baby?”
