“That’s great to hear.” There was a slight pause, and then Adam continued. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh?” She thought ahead to the coming week. The team was headed out of town, and she only had one tour scheduled. Since she’d been working the games and doing tours for the past two weeks, she had some comp time coming and planned to use it to get back on her bike.
“Liz, who usually travels with the team to oversee logistics, came down with some flu—she’s puking her guts out.”
“Oh no.”
“It’s horrible. So I need someone who can handle hotel reservations and talk to food vendors, and Mrs. Wolfe recommended you. Are you up for a road trip?”
She ran her hand through her hair. Getting away from Brayden and all this drama might be really good for her. Plus, Harper had put her name out there; that was a huge recommendation. “Sure.”
“Fantastic! Get packed—the bus leaves for Vegas at seven in the morning.”
Tilly nodded. “I’ll be on time. Don’t worry.”
Harper Wolfe had a private jet for the Redrocks, and they flew out of the Las Vegas airport. Tilly had driven Brayden into Vegas a couple of times just so they could spend another hour together before he left for a couple days. She’d hated saying goodbye to him, but it made saying hello all the sweeter. Besides, sometimes it was nice to have some space to herself. She always scheduled an expert climb during his time away. It kept her brain busy and worked her body hard enough that it didn’t yearn for him. Okay, it always yearned for him. Heck, she yearned right now. That would eventually go away, right?
Adam gave her a few more instructions and promised to send all the information she would need to her cell phone. When they hung up, she fell into bed, exhausted. She’d pack in the morning. As she was drifting off, her mind peeled back to the memories of kissing Brayden goodbye. They were always slow kisses full ofI love yousandI’ll miss yousand then more kissing. She used to think that no one could kiss like they could. Hours would pass and she’d have no idea. She drifted off, the memory of Brayden’s lips on hers carrying her off to a place where she didn’t have to yearn, because she was there in her dreams.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Brayden
Brayden pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine. He hadn’t driven himself to the bus for a road trip since he’d met Tilly. She’d always brought him here. They’d leave early enough that they could take their time saying goodbye. He’d make her park in the back of the lot so they wouldn’t be interrupted.
He smiled. Those were good times. Leaving her sucked. He jerked himself off that train of thought. Leaving today sucked. He’d never had to wonder if Tilly was out with some other guy—or kissing some other guy. Yeah, he’d seen the kiss. He’d been in the kitchen, heating up the plate Dad left for him in the fridge, when headlights swept through his living room. He’d known it was her and Rowdy and he’d bolted for the window, hiding like some jealous boyfriend. Then he’d slammed around his house like a bull, so angry he didn’t care if he knocked a hole in the wall. He hadn’t. His walls were safe. But he’d wanted to.
The kiss itself had been chaste. He could easily say that he and Tilly had had better.
What was killing him was wondering if she would say the same thing.
There were a couple reporters in the lot. The Redrocks were on a three-game winning streak, and for them, that was newsworthy. One of the reporters, probably the kid from the college paper, saw him coming and trotted over, his phone held out like a tape recorder. “Brayden Birks, how’s it going?”
“Better than I expected,” he said, giving his standard response.
The guy smiled. “I hear you’re doing some coaching—how’s that?”
“It’s good.” He was surprised to feel like the answer was true. Gunner fought him every step of the way, and Brayden had still refined his curveball. They continued arguing over the dumb cutter, but there was measurable progress and Brayden could take all the credit for that.
Tilly’s Jeep pulled into the parking lot, and his stomach flipped. How did she know he was leaving? Had she tried out Mr. Sweetheart and found him lacking? Man, he hoped Fuentes was seriously lacking. “Excuse me.” He left the reporter and made his way across the lot and pulled her door open. “What are you doing here?” he asked with a smile. His whole body tingled in anticipation of holding her close.
She scowled. “What areyoudoing here?”
He paused, realizing she was surprised to see him. “I’m going with the team.”
She dropped her head back. “You’re kidding me right now. I’m going as a travel assistant. Can you stay here?”
He rubbed his lips together, feeling the need to explain that he wasn’t following her around. “Coach Andres is staying behind. They asked me to fill in as assistant coach.”
Her face lit up. “You’ll be in uniform?”
He nodded. The idea of putting on the jersey was exciting, and the fact that Tilly understood just how exciting lifted his heavy heart. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get a chance again.”
She bolted from the car and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on just like she’d used to. If anyone but a doctor came close to his neck, he cringed away. But with Tilly, the trust ran so deep that he didn’t wonder if she’d be gentle. She was. Always. “I’m so happy for you.”
He dropped his duffel bag on the ground and gathered her close, burying his face in her neck. She smelled of cactus flowers and wind. He pressed his lips to her skin, the spot that made her melt and breathed in her nearness. Time stopped, and the air grew thick with desire. The love he felt for Tilly, his reason for breathing, burst out of him. “Tilly,” he whispered against her.
She whimpered, her body trembling next to his. For a moment, he forgot why they’d been apart. It was just him and her and their never-ending need for one another. Like a beautiful song written by the breeze, their notes danced in and around one another, building higher and higher still.
