My lips draw in a thin line, not knowing how to save the precarious situation.
“So we’re going to ignore this too?” His voice is an angry growl reverberating through my insides.
I look down, incapable of holding his intense gaze. “We were high on your win.”
“Fine,” he says with a bite of frustration.
Why did I have to give in to temptation? I could cost us the easy-going relationship we have. But again, we are a ticking time bomb due to explode. Something tells me another timer has just been activated.
“I’m sorry,” I sigh, my arms falling to my side, limp.
“Don’t be sorry for something you have wanted to do for a while,” he snaps.
I open my mouth when he cuts me off. “And don’t you dare deny it. I felt it in every lap of your tongue, in every mold of your body against mine. If it were up to me, I would take you to bed and fuck you all day long until we’d both forget why we can’t be together. I’ve reached my limit of accepting this bullshit of an excuse, keeping us apart. We’re both grown-ups.”
And we’re supposed to leave for vacation shortly. Maybe I shouldn’t go.
In one swift moment, he grabs my hands and pins them above my head, backing me against the wall.
“I know what you’re thinking, and if you say it, I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you through the airport.”
I jerk my chin at him, hot and bothered by his display of possession. “And what would the people say about your caveman attitude? Not to mention the spectacle we’d make.”
His eyes bore into mine. “They would take one look at my face and know exactly why. Because you drive me crazy.”
“What’s gotten into you?” I huff to mask the real issue. That I am just as annoyed with our unfair situation as he is.
He shoves himself of me. “Stop pretending you don’t know. You have gotten inside me, so fucking deep, you lodged yourself into my damn marrow. Maybe I am done keeping everything bottled up.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, swiftly changing the heated topic. “I’m almost done packing.”
He raises a knowing brow. Dipping his face, he stares me down. “Your ass will be on the plane today. I’ll be ready to go in an hour.”
He disappears behind the closed door, leaving me with the ghost of his lips on mine, an achy body, a jumbled mind, and a hungry heart.
I slump against the door, trying to gather myself. Knowing him, if I’m not ready, he’ll just drag me out—more or less willing—it wouldn’t matter.
I call my best friend and the words rush out, “I kissed him.”
“About time. It had to happen. Actually, it was long overdue.”
“You’re not helping, Kat.”
“What about fucking each other out of your system? Ten days, and when you come back, you continue being just friends.”
That’s actually a good idea. Maybe it’s the forbidden aspect. Fact is, I need him in my life, but this constant sexual pull between us complicates our friendship. We’re humans, we have needs—some of them animalistic. Afterward, we can return to a platonic friendship. Easy. We could date other people. But thinking about him with someone else breaks my heart.
“You’re considering it. Good,” Kat says, dragging me out of my frayed thoughts.
We end the call, and my dad calls next.
“Congratulations, Dad.”
“Thank you, baby girl,” his voice breaks with emotion. “It was close, but I’m glad the guys pulled it off. I had my doubts about Ian, but he eviscerated them. I just came from a meeting with the owner. They’re planning to extend his contract for two more seasons. But the investment is worth it.”
Two more years with Dad as his head coach. I am happy for Ian, dejected for me.
“That’s great,” I say, pushing through the onslaught of emotions. Maybe this is what we need, these ten days and then… My brain flashesBad Ideain neon colors, while my heart and body stare in rationality’s face, wearing rose-colored glasses, too opaque to see through.
