“That’s fine.”
The door closed behind us with a soft click.
His condo smelled like citrus and cedar, a little too clean to be accidental. Shoes by the door. Keys in a tray. One couch cushion dented like he always sat in the same spot. It was tidy. Predictable. The opposite of my spiraling brain.
I hovered inside the door, tablet still against my chest. This wasn’t protocol. I shouldn’t be here. This crossed every line I drew, yet my feet grew roots into his tiled floor.
We stood there for a second too long. His blue eyes flicked to mine, waiting for whatever I was going to say.
And God help me, I still wasn’t sure what it was. He grinned, his gaze moving from my face to my mouth, and heat exploded down my body, causing my stomach to swoop. I was inside a player’s apartment. At night. I was breaking probably every code in the handbook, yet I couldn’t get myself to leave. Oliver had a pull about him that I couldn’t ignore so that’s why I leaned against his closed door and said to hell with it.
Every seminar, every ethics lecture echoed in my head: dual relationships impair objectivity.
I ignored the rules anyway.
6
OLIVER
The door clicked shut behind us, and the silence pressed against my ears. I walked toward the kitchen, dropped the grocery bag on the counter, and peeled off the six-pack of sparkling water. I didn’t turn around right away. I needed a second to pull myself together. Sloane was in my place, with her floral perfume and tight bun. God, I wanted to yank that scrunchie out and find out how long her hair was, to see it hang over her shoulders.
Seeing her outside my place was a highlight, especially after the mental gymnastics I’d done all damn day.
Sloane stood inside the entryway, tablet still clutched in one hand. She didn’t seem at ease, but she didn’t look like she was ready to bolt either. She wore a cropped hoodie and leggings, and her sexy-ass toe ring shone with her slides on, and I took my time admiring her curvy legs, trim waist, and full lips pressed tightly together.
“Can I interest you in a fancy sparkling water?” I asked, grabbing one and twisting the cap. I didn’t wait for her to say yes. I handed it over, brushing her fingers with mine for a second too long. Her skin was warm, and she didn’t pull away.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice a little tighter than usual. “I won’t stay long. Two minutes, max. I promise.”
“I don’t mind you being here. Stay as long as you like,” I said, refusing to admit that being around someone right now was best for me. I didn’t want to be alone, and I was definitely avoiding Ivy and Callum’s texts. Today was huge for me in more ways than one.
My parents texted me good luck, which… that was a big deal. Silence from my sister, which hurt, but the fact I was starting tomorrow’s game was a dream come true. Everything I worked hard for—yet my damn body was resisting. “What’s on your mind, Doc? Want to ask me what my favorite color is and tell me what it means?”
She rolled her eyes, her shoulders finally relaxing. “If I didn’t know you were teasing me, I’d be offended, but it’s clear your favorite color is orange, which means you’re optimistic, extroverted, and pleasant to be around. Also means you’re a bit odd, but that’s fine.”
“Doc,” I said, placing a hand on my heart. “You like being around me? How sweet.”
“That is not what I said, and you know it.” She pursed those lips, tight lines around her mouth like she was trying not to laugh. Her eyes gave her away. They were a light brown, almost gray, and they danced with amusement.
“I needed one more thing for the report,” she said, tapping the tablet with her index finger. “I don’t have enough to justify pulling you or enough to green-light you without hesitation. It’s a gray area.”
“That’s my specialty.” I took a sip, hiding the way my entire body clenched. The thought of being pulled made me want to vomit. I worked too hard to get to this place, and I refused to let my stupid body get in the way. “Existing in gray areas.”
She didn’t smile. Just nodded once and stepped farther inside. Her eyes scanned the place. I wasn’t sure what she expected, but my condo was clean. Couch, TV, a row of shoes by the door. A Cubs cap hung on the hook.
“You don’t have a lot of stuff,” she said quietly.
“Don’t need much,” I answered. “Enough to reset and sleep.”
“Do you?” she asked, eyes flicking to mine. “Reset?”
The question landed harder than I expected. I looked down at the bottle in my hand and twisted the cap again, even though it was already open.
“In my own way.”
I didn’t elaborate that I didn’t know how to reset. I always kept busy. Made sure I wasn’t alone with my thoughts. Bothered my friends. All I had was football, and I wasn’t sure for how long.
She stepped closer, setting her tablet on the counter. “You don’t have to give me everything, Oliver. But I need something real. Something that helps me understand what’s going on when your heart rate spikes and your balance shifts.”
