I kept my eyes forward. “You could’ve brought a car.”
“And miss this?” His voice dipped low, teasing, but there was something behind it. “No chance.”
The rain tapped against the nylon like a heartbeat, steady and unrelenting. Every drop seemed to amplify the silence between us.
“You’re ridiculous,” I said finally, wrapping my arms around myself.
“And yet,” Dante said, glancing down at me, his mouth curving in a half smile that looked too good in the shadows, “you’re still here.”
I hated how my pulse jumped at that. Hated it more when he tilted the umbrella again, so carefully angled that he was the one getting wet at the edge while I stayed dry.
“You don’t make sense,” I muttered.
“Neither do you, Sav.” His eyes caught mine in the dim light, and for one fragile second, the umbrella felt like a wall shutting us off from the rest of the world.
Just the two of us in our own storm.
I looked up at him, soaking in his cool blue eyes, sharp cheekbones, straight jaw, and kissable lips, and realized maybe the most dangerous part wasn’t who he was or how he looked, but rather how easily I could forget why I was supposed to stay away.
His gaze dipped to my mouth, just once, and my stomach bottomed out. I could’ve stepped into the rain and away from him, but instead I stood still as stone.
When he leaned in, it wasn’t the kind of kiss that crashed through walls. It was lighter than air, soft and testing, his lips brushing mine in the barest touch — like he was giving me every chance to pull away.
I didn’t.
The kiss lingered just long enough to feel like it rewrote every line I’d drawn in the sand. Then he pulled back, eyes searching mine with something I didn’t dare name.
The rain kept falling, but under the umbrella, the world had gone dangerously still.
Chapter 21
Dante
The music hit me before the door to the common room even opened. Bass thumped, glass rattled, and a chorus of voices spilled out into the night air. Typical team party — half the roster already drunk, the other half trying to prove they weren’t.
None of them cared that it was Tuesday night, because it was the offseason and only I and a few of the other starters still had the six a.m. starts.
I kept my hand on the small of Savannah’s back as we stepped inside. I wasn’t ready to stop touching her yet. Not after that kiss.
One kiss. One soft, stolen brush of her lips, and I couldn’t shake it.
She slipped out from under my hand the second we crossed the threshold, like she’d remembered herself, and I let her go. If I wanted to keep her here — and keep her from bolting the second she realized this wasn’t her scene — I had to play it smart.
“Spence!” someone shouted, and a couple of the guys clapped me on the back. Dustin materialized out of nowhere, already grinning like the life of the party. “About time. And you brought company?” His gaze flicked to Savannah. Sav stiffened, but Dust just winked at her.
“She’s with me,” I said, sharper than I meant to, and Dustin raised a brow but didn’t push it. “I thought we said aquietteam-building party,’’ I said as I looked around.
Dustin gave me a knowing look with a wide grin. “Dude, who brings a date to aquiet team-building party?”
Savannah giggled, and my hand reached out, snagging the back pocket of her jeans lightly but firm enough to pull her back a step so her back was to my chest.
Across the room, I caught Noah watching. He didn’t look surprised, exactly, but he definitely looked curious.
I kept hold of her, my hand slipping to her waist, and she didn’t move it away. I ignored the way the music pounded like a second heartbeat in my skull.
After the conversation with Noah and Dustin yesterday, today I had the bright idea that we should have a party. Just first team, and a few others, show a united front, and see if there were any ‘hidden’ things in plain sight.
Dustin’s question about Sav being in on it had rattled around my head like an unwelcome guest all night. After I spoke to her this afternoon and kissed her, I told myself I had reasons for bringing her here. I wasn't looking at this logic too closely.
