“Nothing much.” He kissed the top of her head. She smelled like flowers and Kassidy. He never wanted to let go, because as long as he held her, she would never hug other men who might be better for her than he was. “I missed you, so I figured I’d stop by and spend a few minutes with you before my practice.”
She snuggled even closer, her glasses digging into his chest and her body loosening. “Hmm. I’m glad you did. I have the place to myself, so no one will bother us.”
“Do you have time for lunch now?” He lifted the bag he carried. He was dying to ask who the guy was who had been with her earlier, but if she didn’t want to mention it, then he had no right to demand answers from her, so he kept his mouth shut. “I brought Panera.”
“I always have time for lunch with you.” She walked to the front, locked the door, and flipped the sign to closed. Turning back to face him, she smiled. “Let’s go in my office.”
He swallowed hard. Who was that man who was just here? “Sounds good.”
“How’s your day going?” she asked.
“Good.” He tightened his grip on the bag as he trailed behind her, watching the swing of her hips. “Yours? Anything fun or exciting? Do anything life-changing today?”
Like go on a date with a guy who wasn’t unwilling to commit himself to you?
“Uh…” She laughed uneasily. “Nope, not really. Just working.”
Clearly, then, she didn’t want to tell him about her visitor.
Why not?
If she was seeing another dude, she had every right to do so. He’d told her time and again that he didn’t want anything serious, so if she decided to try to find something with someone else, then he certainly couldn’t blame her for it.
If she wasn’t mentioning this other guy, did that mean she hadn’t found something special? Were they just messing around, like he and Kassidy were? If so, why bother?
She already had one uncommitted man at her side.
Why have two?
“Same.” They went into her office, and he glanced around, absorbing every piece of herself that she’d put into this small, square room. There were fresh flowers on her desk. A framed picture of herself, her parents, and her brother. A decorative piece that held spare ponytail holders and an extra pair of glasses. There was even a Saviors poster on the wall.
She closed the door to her office and leaned against it, crossing her arms. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
She tipped her head to the side. “You just seem…upset or something.”
“No.” He forced a smile and turned away, glancing in the bag. “You mentioned wanting to try their mac and cheese in a bread bowl.”
He felt her approach. That’s right. Felt. “Let me guess. That’s what you got me?”
“Yep.” He handed her the food. “I also got a turkey and cheese sandwich in case you don’t like it, though. Tomatoes, lettuce, light mayo, no onion. Chocolate chip cookie as the side. We can switch if need be.”
She didn’t move, just blinked. “You remembered my favorite sandwich order?”
“Of course I do,” he said dismissively, sitting down on the chair that was in front of her desk. “I remember everything you tell me.”
She still didn’t move. “Everything?”
“Everything.”
When she stood there without moving or talking, he gestured her toward her chair. “Don’t you want to—?” He cut off because she set her food down, took his out of his hand, and put that on her desk, too. “What are you doing?”
“You’re too good to me,” she said, her voice a mere whisper. Climbing onto his lap, she straddled him and cupped his cheeks with her tiny hands. “When this is over, and the only time I ever see you is on TV on Sundays, I will still smile, because this time with you has been magical.”
He swallowed hard because that sounded a hell of a lot like a good-bye. Maybe she had found that special something with that other dude after all. “You’re the magical one.”
She shook her head slowly, smiling sadly. “The fact that you think that makes you even more magical.”
Before he could reply, she melded her lips to his, kissing him. There was something different about this kiss, something unspoken that scared the shit out of him. But at the same time, it drew him in deeper and made him want to reciprocate in kind. He also wanted to pull her closer and never let go. So, he did it.
But they both knew he’d let go.
He skimmed his hands up her thighs, over the sides of her hips, and across her ribs. Threading his fingers through her long blond hair, he closed his eyes and kissed her back with the same unspoken thing that hummed beneath the surface of her skin.
She stiffened for a second, then melted against him, rocking her hips and riding him through the fabric of their clothing. He moaned deep in his throat, deepening the kiss, and thrust up against her, hitting her exactly where she needed him most.
The whimper she let out did things to him—things her kiss had already begun to unravel.
If he wasn’t careful, he’d let her pull him completely apart.
Hands shaking, she pulled his shirt over his head, breaking off lip contact only long enough to remove it. The second it hit the floor, she was on him again, skimming her fingers over his abs. Slowly, he slid his hand under her shirt and up over her ribs until he closed his palms over her breasts, teasing her until she made that sexy little sound that always drove him—
“Kassidy, where are those—?” The door hit the wall, and a man made a strangled sound. “Holy shit.”
Kassidy let out a squeal and hopped off him, tugging her shirt down frantically.
“I’ll kill you,” Caleb growled, dropping whatever he’d been holding in his hands. “You’re a dead man for touching my sister.”
“Caleb!”
Wyatt didn’t say a word. Hell, he got the whole overprotective brother thing. He’d written the book on it. When his little sister Anna had decided to sleep with the family best friend, a guy he’d actually grown up with, he’d been all too quick to kick Brett’s ass. And Brett’s intentions had been a hell of a lot more admirable than his own were.
He deserved an ass-kicking.
“Who the fuck is this guy?” Caleb stomped around the chair, hands fisted, and stopped the second he saw who was sitting shirtless in the chair. When he realized it was Wyatt, he froze, jaw hanging, hands still fisted, cheeks still flushed with anger. “What. The. Hell?”
Wyatt stood slowly, making sure not to make any quick motions. He might deserve an ass-kicking, but he didn’t want one. He had a big game in a couple of days. “Hi, Caleb. We met before. Remember—?”
“Of course, I remember,” Caleb snapped.
Wyatt held his hand out. “It’s nice to—”
“No, it’s not.” He turned to Kassidy. “Really? Out of all the men in the country for you to mess around with, you had to ruin this one for me?”
Kassidy crossed her arms. “I didn’t ruin anything.”
“Yes, you did, because now when I see him, all I can picture is him with his tongue in your mouth and his hand up your shirt.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Wyatt Hamilton’s girlfriend?”
She winced. “Because I’m not.”
“What?” Caleb glanced at Wyatt. “What the hell does that mean?”
Wyatt swallowed hard. “We’re just…friends.”
“Friends.” Caleb took a step closer. “Funny, I don’t stick my tongue down my friends’ throats. Maybe I’m doing it all wrong—”
Kassidy flushed. “Caleb.”
“So, let me get this straight. My sister isn’t good enough for you. She’s not good enough to be your girlfriend. Is that what you’re telling me?”
Kassidy tugged him back, cheeks bright red. “Ignore him, Wyatt.”
Wyatt didn’t ignore him. “It’s not like that.”
“What’s it like, then?” Caleb snarled, probably about two seconds fr
om jumping at him with fists flying. He was shorter than Wyatt, and not very muscular, but he never underestimated an opponent…especially when angered.
“Don’t answer him,” Kassidy said, smacking her brother on the arm. “I’m a grown woman, and he’s a free man, and we don’t owe you any explanations.”
Caleb said nothing, just flexed his jaw.
He didn’t look any less angered.
“But I do.” Wyatt cleared his throat. “I’m married to the game, man. It’s as simple as that.”
Kassidy let go of her brother and gave him a narrow-eyed glare. “Wyatt.”
Caleb said nothing. Just stood there.
Finally, he said, “You like her?”
Wyatt nodded.
“You respect her?”
Again, he nodded.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I’m sorry, man.” Wyatt focused on Kassidy, whose eyes welled with tears. “I do like your sister, a lot, but I can’t be with her like that. She understands. Nothing has changed between us to make her think otherwise.” A weird hollow ache in his chest ripped through him where his heart should have been. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” she said, tears in her eyes but not spilling out of them.
Seeing those tears, the slight tremor of her lips, made his heart clench into a tight fist. “Kass—” Wyatt said, taking a step closer to her.
“Kassidy—” Caleb started at the same time.
“Don’t even start talking to me in that tone of voice,” she warned, pointing a shaking finger at her brother…or at him. He wasn’t really sure which. “You know what? I’m leaving. I think I’ve had enough of one of you acting like me having a sex life is a bad thing, and the other acting like he did something wrong by touching me. Have fun feeling sorry for yourselves.”
And then she stormed out.
It was a breathtaking exit.
Wyatt cursed under his breath and started to follow her, even though he wasn’t sure what he was going to say if he managed to catch her.
Caleb put a hand on his chest. “Hamilton.”
Wyatt stopped instantly, even though he could have easily pushed past the smaller man. “Yeah?”
“I don’t like this, but I’m not stupid enough to think I have a say in what my sister does or doesn’t do with her life,” he said slowly, never breaking eye contact. He had the same blue eyes as Kassidy did, but they weren’t as soft or warm. They hinted at a life lived fully, without regret, but also hinted that he’d seen some shit he wished he hadn’t. “But if you hurt her—if you make her cry one tear that she wouldn’t have cried without you in her life—I don’t care who the hell you are, or how good your stats are. I’ll fucking kill you.”
Wyatt clenched his jaw. “Understood.”
Chapter Fourteen
Today had been a disaster.
A complete, utter, embarrassing, awful disaster.
First, her ex had decided to stop in and make a passionate plea about how much he regretted walking away from her, and how he’d written her a note, and how she had to read it. She had. It hadn’t changed her opinion about him being an asshole for leaving her. The only reason he was coming around again was because big-boobed Becky had left him.
So, he’d come running back to her, expecting her to be waiting for him.
She wasn’t.
Then, as if that hadn’t been bad enough, Caleb had crashed her and Wyatt’s make-out session and probably scared her secret lover off for good. Why would he stick around for some “fun” with her after dealing with a stupidly overprotective brother who threatened to kill him?
It was over, and Caleb had been the impetus behind the ending, so she’d ignored every phone call, knock on the door, and text she’d gotten from him. She had nothing to say to anyone…
Except maybe Wyatt.
But he hadn’t called or texted once.
It was well after midnight, and she’d been wallowing in self-pity and anger all day, but now that she was crawling into bed alone, she was losing the anger and going deeper into the self-pity party. Being with Wyatt had been incredible. Losing him? A little less so.
Still, it had been bound to happen eventually.
Might as well be now.
Rolling over, she sighed and checked her phone for the millionth time. There was still nothing from Wyatt. His silence spoke louder than any words could.
After putting it on do not disturb so she could sleep, she set it down, closed her eyes, and tried to shut off her mind. She’d almost succeeded when something hit her bedroom window, jerking her out of her almost slumber. “What the—?”
Something hit the glass again, and she stood, creeping toward it, heart racing. Slowly, hesitantly, she pushed the curtains back…and couldn’t believe her eyes. She pushed the window open and called out, “Did you seriously throw pebbles at my window?”
“Yes. Did I wake you up?” Wyatt asked, still holding a pile of rocks in his hands.
“Yes,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. It was chilly outside.
“I’m not sorry.”
She snorted. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
In other words, he’d come here to break it off officially. Regret had probably hit him, and he didn’t want to upset her, so he’d come to tell her in person. “We don’t, really.”
“Yes, we do.” He replaced the rocks he’d taken out of her flower bed and stepped back, craning his neck. “I’m always begging you to let me in your house, but that won’t stop me from doing it again. Can I please come in, Kass?”
“I don’t see the point.” She rubbed the goose bumps off her arms. “I mean, if you’re here to tell me we’re done, I kind of already figured that out for myself, so there’s nothing to say—”
“Kass.”
She sucked in a breath. “What?”
“Let me in.”
For a second, she didn’t move.
Letting him in was a horrible idea. If she did that, there would be nothing to hold on to anymore. If she let him in, and he officially ended it like she figured he would, there would be no room left for hope anymore. Once he said the words, she’d only see him on TV from now on. She wasn’t ready for that yet.
Then again, she didn’t think she ever would be.
She closed the window and made her way downstairs. When she opened the door, he stood there, wearing his usual post-practice clothes. His face was shadowed, and he had bags under his eyes. The second they locked eyes, he closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her. “I’m sorry.”
She closed her eyes, enjoying his arms around her again. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. If anything, I’m the one who should apologize.”
“What? No.” He pulled back, resting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m the one who said those terrible things.”
She blinked. “You didn’t—”
“Yes, I did. I said that nothing between us has changed.” His grip on her shifted, and he ran his thumbs over the skin on her bare shoulders, slipping under the thin strap of her nightgown. “That’s not true. That was a lie.”
She swallowed hard, her heart skipping a couple of beats. His eyes held a warmth inside them that threatened to set her on fire. “Wyatt…”
“I promised to never lie to you, and I broke that promise.” He stepped closer, the toes of his sneakers touching her bare ones. “I think about you all the time, Kass. Even when I’m not with you. Your laugh. Your hair. Your touch. The way your eyes light up when I say something funny. And then I spend hours trying of think of something funny to say next time I see you so they light up again. You’re always on my mind. Even when I sleep…I dream of you. In my mind, it’s all Kassidy, all the time. I only have one channel.”
She didn’t say anything.
To be honest, she was incapable of speaking.
“I’m still not ready to slap a label on us, or to change the
fact that football comes first in my life and always will…” He flexed his jaw, locking eyes with her again. “But things have changed. You changed me, and I think I’ve changed you, too.”
She licked her lips. “You have.”
“I’m sorry I’m an asshole who can’t admit when someone in his life means something to him, but I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that, for the first time ever, football isn’t the only thing on my mind.”
And that right there?
Was more than she could ever have hoped for.
“I think about you a lot, too. When I’m awake. At work. In the shower. Brushing my teeth. In my head, it’s all Wyatt, all the time.” She lifted her chin. “I like you. A lot.”
He rested his forehead on hers. “I like you a lot, too. I don’t want to ruin this. Don’t want to hurt you. But I also don’t want to lead you on. Football is my life. It’s always—”
“I’m aware of all this,” she interrupted, brushing her lips against his. “I’m not asking for more than what you’re already giving me. I’ve never asked for more from you, and I never will. I’m happy with you just the way you are.”
“But you deserve more.” He hesitated. “Maybe that other guy can give you more than I can.”
She tipped her head to the side. “What other guy?”
“When I got to the flower shop, you were with someone. He was hugging you…and he kissed your cheek.” He stepped back, rubbing his jaw. “I assume you’re seeing him, too?”
Her jaw dropped. “No. God, no.”
He continued as if he hadn’t heard her, and started pacing. “The idea of another man touching you makes me want to kill someone. I’ve never been jealous before, but with you, I am. When he hugged you… I guess what I’m saying is, I’d like you to be exclusive with me while we figure this out. Unless you like him more. Unless he can offer you more than I—”
“Wyatt.”
He broke off, his cheeks red. “Yes?”
“I’m not seeing anyone else. I don’t want to see anyone else.”
Catching the Player (Hamilton Family) Page 11