I gulped, my heart racing. “I thought things were different this time between us, but three days… I’m scared to get hurt again.”
He winced before lowering his mouth to mine and then waited for me to complete the kiss. I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his, breathing him in as relief and happiness spread through my body.
“I missed your mouth.”
I giggled. “I forced myself not to think about yours.”
“Were you successful? Because I can spend the next hour reminding you of all the things I can do with it that you seem to like.” He wiggled his brows and gave me another quick kiss. “I’ll admit I was a bit of an immature dick on the drive back. I didn’t know how to handle what I was feeling. You were so focused on getting back to the house, and I assumed it was because you wanted to go back to how things were.”
“What?” I raised my voice and pinched his side. “You idiot. I was talking about the house because I was sure you were going to try and let me down gently or something, since I’d overheard thejust sexconversation.”
He closed his eyes with nostrils flared. “We’re no better than the kids, are we? It was all a misunderstanding. I never wanted you to go back to the house.”
I rested my head against his chest and replayed the conversation in the truck that day. “We both assumed the other wanted to end it. That’s funny.”
“I wouldn’t say funny, because I’ve been stewing over this fucking note you left.”
“Well, I didn’t have your number!” I defended my decision, but my quick temper disappeared when he held out his phone just inches from my face.
“Give me your number right now.” His face was set in serious lines again. “I wish I could’ve called you and kept you in the loop about everything.”
“You can always mail a letter, Harrison.”
“I’m not going to mail a letter.” He rolled his eyes. “Here, come sit down. I need to tell you what’s going on.”
“Is Blair okay? Your family?”
He pulled me into his lap on the couch, and I snuggled into his chest, inhaling his delicious scent. Laundry, wood,mine.
He rested his chin on top of my head and took a deep breath. “Minutes after we returned from Blair’s, I received a text that one of my players, Dexter, got into a serious car accident. He drove drunk, crashed into a house, and flew through the windshield. I called my assistant coach who updated me. Between the hospital visits and the team dinners at the house, I haven’t had a second to come here. Until now.”
“And Dexter?”
He tightened his embrace. “He’ll never play a sport again. I’m thankful he’s alive, though. That wasn’t a given.”
“Holy shit.”
Poor Harrison. My stomach bottomed out. I could only imagine the stress, worry, and anxiety running through his body. Just thinking about that happening to one of the girls filled me with an agonizing dread. “Are you okay?”
He sighed, and his muscles relaxed. “The fact you asked me that means a lot.”
“You didn’t answer the question, though.”
“I will be. You’d be shocked with the guys. Everyone is coming together, supporting each other, and helping out. I hate that this happened to Dexter, but the team unity? The dynamics? They are there for each other in a way I’ve never witnessed.”
“Tragedy can do that to people.” I rubbed my hands over his shoulders, hating the pain and worry etched on his face. “Do you need anything from me? Food? Cleaning the house? I can get stuff for the guys, too. Hey! The girls come back soon, and we can do anything you need.”
He smiled and squeezed his arms tighter around me. “This is why we’re perfect together. You aren’t mad or annoyed I had to be there for the team.”
My mouth fell open. “No, I’m not mad at all. What type of person would be?”
“People from my past, but that doesn’t matter. We cleared the air and can be together, yes?”
“Yes.”
He positioned me so my back lay flat on the cushions, his arms caging me beneath him. “Damn, I’ve missed you.” He bent low and ran his nose along my jawline up to my ear. “You smell so good.”
I clung to him, my heart hammering wildly. “I missed you.”
