He didn’t look at me as he fastened his pants and restrung his belt. “Rain check.” He hadn’t removed his shirt, it remained untucked; he stuffed his feet in his trainers.
“I don’t understand.” My heart drained its contents into my stomach, quivered and went numb. My hands shook.Is he seriously leaving instead of sleeping with me?My skin flushed hot then cold.
“I can’t, Ella. It’s not…I have to focus, put the team first. That’s not fair to you.” He met my gaze and his blue-grey eyes said everything…haunted, hazy, hollow.
He didn’t feel the same way I did for him.
“Really, Maddox?” My heart stopped, and my lungs starved for breath. I felt “outside” myself—like this couldn’t possibly be happening. It couldn’t be real.
“I don’t?—“
I clutched my hands against my bare chest. “Just get out.”
I opened my eyes and mentally slapped myself.You declared yourself over him. Be "over" him.
I grabbed my coat from the closet and remembered that I needed water. I moved to the kitchen, retrieved a sports bottle from the cupboard and turned—my gaze caught on the pot of lavender-pink mini roses in the window.
A different kind of warmth flooded my insides and pricked at my eyes. “You're as beautiful as the day he gave them to me," I spoke to the blooms. I brought the bottle to them and sprinkled the soil with water.
“I’ll always treasure you.” The ghost of my reflection shimmered in the window.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Dark chestnut hair dusted his forehead. He handed me the clay pot. A flowering shrub presented mini pinkish-lavender buds and perfectly formed, tiny roses.
My heart skipped ahead of its regular pace. "Oh." I breathed intheir scent. "They’re amazing. And this color is. . ." I clutched the pot to my chest.Just friends, remember? We're supposed to be taking things slow.
"Breathtaking." His grey-blue eyes smoldered. The word hung, hopeful and heated in the silence.
I turned away as my heart tumbled and fell. "Can they survive here? Out of the greenhouse, I mean." I placed the plant in the window. "I'm not really good at keeping delicate things alive. With my travel schedule and?—"
His hand on my arm was everything. He pulled me around to face him. "They’re stronger than they look." He gave me a lopsided grin that made my heart bloom like those flowers.
His mouth caught mine into a rough kiss.
An invisible band tightened around my chest, crushing my insides to the point of pain. I fought back the choking sob as my lungs emptied, burned. I’d been so sure he wanted me the same way I wanted…to be with him.
My coat slipped to the floor as I caught myself against the wall.Why am I not enough?
I let the tears fall for a few minutes before shutting off the memories. I wiped my eyes, pulled my jacket on and headed out.
We just weren't meant to be.
Chapter Three
MADDOX
February 14
Charity Flag Football Game
Icontinued working through my warm-up, backpedaling in a line before spinning around. A short sprint to the sideline. My legs accelerated and so did the pounding in my chest. I reached the line and slowed to a jog.
That stupid banner fluttered and flapped, wind rippling the words "Valentine's Day Charity Game & Group Date." Why Sato’s chick thought this was a good idea…
"Women like football. And they like well-dressed footballplayers."
I frowned. "Well-dressed?"
She rolled her eyes and held up one finger. "Don't look at me like that. We give them a friendly game and a fancy dinnerevent, and they can flirt with you fools and feel like it's no big deal they don't have a date." She gave me a smile a tiger might give an antelope at dinner time.
