The instant his face disappears from the screen; I slam my head backwards and shut my eyes.
What the hell am I doing?
I can’t actually date Thayne.
Not while he plays for my brother.
Not while it’sclearlya conflict of interest.
And it is.
Like the cliffhanger on every episode ofLa Hermana Amorosait’s a guaranteed setup for disaster.
My bathroom door squeaking slightly precedes a cautiously muttered, “’Light of a Clear Blue Morning’?”
Fairly certain that’s a song reference I don’t know, I open my eyes and prepare to inquire about it only to be diverted by something too disgusting to ignore. “Is that my toothbrush?!”
Thayne continues to brush on a casual nod.
“You’re using my toothbrush?!”
A second unbothered nod.
“That’s so fucking gross!” I squeak in outrage at the top of my lungs.
He holds up a finger, backtracks into the bathroom to spit in the sink, and then steps back into the entry way. “I had my tongue in your ass for hours last night but me usin’ your toothbrush is gross?”
“Extremely.”
“Extremely gross?”
“That’s the grossest fucking thing I’ve ever personally encountered.”
Amusement and confusion clamor in his expression as he leans against the edge of the frame. “That’s a new one.”
“And that’syournew toothbrush.” Laughter begins in us both. “Make sure you take it with you.”
“Or,” he bashfully bounces his head around, “I could leave ithere.” His music note bearing arms innocently fold across his bare chest. “For the next time we spend the night together.”
The paradoxical yearning at the pit of my stomach and panging in the center of my chest pushes me to sink further beneath the cover.
Crumple over the clashing notions.
How can I continue anything with him knowing M would lose his shit about it?
How can I basically betray my brother by dating one of his players, which I’m pretty sure is infinitely worse than dating one of his teammates.
He completely lost his shit the one time an attempt was made.
Not only did he punch out his own captain – a major unspoken crime in the barn – he refused to talk to me for over a week.
Mari and Mom had to trick him into a family dinner to simply give me a chance to be heard.
M explained how he felt lines had been crossed and that trust was now in question and that he needed certain things separate in his life.
He didn’t ask me what I needed.
Or wanted.
