Dare To Stay

by Phillips, Carly

She reached her office, unlocked the door, and Cole joined her inside. She tucked her carry-on against the wall and was about to sit down at her desk when he grasped her hands.

  “So promise me you’ll make time for us when you get back?”

  She looked into his brown eyes and forced a smile. Yes, they would talk on her return, she thought. He deserved as much. He deserved better than a woman who couldn’t reciprocate his feelings.

  “Knock knock,” a familiar male voice said before she could answer. “Am I interrupting something?”

  Dammit, Braden. Did the man have radar? She stepped away from Cole, not that she had been going to kiss him, but Braden had walked in on a private moment.

  “Yes,” Cole said.

  “No,” she uttered at the same time. They were at work. They couldn’t admit to having private moments. “It’s fine. What can I do for you?”

  Braden looked from her to Cole, his expression suspicious. “I wanted to discuss the players and schedule for the weekend. Since we didn’t have time to talk about them at dinner the other night.”

  Oh, he did not just do that, she thought, narrowing her gaze.

  “I realize we had other things to discuss. Private things,” Braden continued, clearly determined to make a point in front of the other man.

  She stiffened at his insinuation that there had been something personal between them.

  “What’s going on? Do you two know each other outside of work?” Cole asked.

  “We do,” she said, keeping things deliberately vague, and her pointed stare warned Braden to keep his mouth shut about their past.

  He treated her to a curt nod.

  “Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Cole sounded as hurt as he was confused.

  Guilt filled her. “It’s complicated and I’ll explain everything when I get back, okay? In the meantime, Dr. Prescott and I need to talk.”

  Taking a step back, Cole looked between them, giving her a chance to contrast the two men.

  There were obvious differences, the hair and eye color, the fact that Cole was lean with more of a golfer’s build whereas Braden was built more like his brother Damon and worked out, giving him a more muscled appearance. Personality wise, they couldn’t be more opposite, either. Cole was more of a relaxed, beta type, where Braden opted for a take-charge attitude.

  One guess which she was more attracted to. She sighed and faced Cole.

  “If I don’t see you before you go, have a good trip,” he said.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll touch base when I get back.” Or more likely she’d see him at work first.

  One last glance at them both and Cole strode out. She could only imagine the conclusions he’d drawn.

  Furious, she braced her hands on her hips and turned to Braden. “What was that about? Peeing on your territory, which I am not?”

  “Babe, he ran out with his tail between his legs. He’s not the guy for you.”

  She held back a growl of frustration, refusing to admit Braden had a point. “What did you want?”

  He sat down on the edge of her desk, looking comfortable and at ease. “I wanted to say hello and see if you were ready to go. Which I see from your bag that you are.”

  “What happened to discussing players and the weekend schedule?” She tapped her foot against the floor, already knowing it had been an excuse to interrupt them.

  “I just wanted to come by and say hi.” He shrugged. “Don’t blame me if Mr. Nice Guy let himself be run off. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Looking forward to your first away game?” she asked.

  “Hoping you’ll show me the ropes. Are these away weekends really jam-packed?”

  She nodded. “We’ll touch down, get to the hotel, and the players and coaches will go into meetings. There’s a dinner and curfew. Then we’ll be at the stadium bright and early, taking care of business, and fly home that same night.”

  His phone buzzed and he glanced at the text. “I’m being summoned. See you on the bus and, if not, on the plane,” he said because they took multiple buses to the airport.

  She nodded and walked over to her desk, sitting down in her chair.

  “Willow?”

  She jerked her head up, surprised to see he hadn’t yet left.

  “Save me a seat on the plane,” he said with a wink.

  And then he was gone.

  “Argh.” She laid her head down on the desk and groaned.

  The man was a tease and he tested her restraint. But at least she knew, with well over one hundred people traveling with the team, she wouldn’t have to spend time with him except when their paths crossed on the field or during conversation over certain players.

  She’d have no problem keeping him at a distance.

  * * *

  The trip to Denver was long, and the team rented its own huge plane. Braden boarded late, having been held up by a quick meeting with the other doctors traveling with him. He wasn’t surprised to see that Willow had chosen an aisle seat next to one of her trainers, leaving no room for him to join her.

  He stifled a grin. She really was making him work for the smallest inroads, and he sobered at the reason why. During their time together, she’d given him a small grasp on her history. She never liked to talk about her childhood. He just knew she’d grown up in foster care and not with a big family like he’d had around him.

  For all that Jesse Prescott had been a difficult father, Braden had had his mother, his four siblings, and his uncle Paul and his partner, Ron. He and his siblings had only recently discovered that Paul was their biological father via sperm donation. Another story for another time, he thought, wryly. But their lives would have been much different had Paul raised them instead.

  Either way, though, Braden had had love and he’d had people he could count on. Willow had had no one. At least not until Dr. Jonas and his wife took her in, but by then the emotional damage had been done. She expected people to leave and kept them at a distance in anticipation. He’d played right into her expectations.

  He was ready to work for his redemption.

  When they arrived at the hotel, room keys were handed out. Rookies shared a room. Veteran players had their own rooms. As it turned out, he was solo, which he appreciated. Since leaving Brazil, he’d gotten used to the peace and quiet of being on his own and not sharing a tent.

  As he entered the elevator and pulled his suitcase to the back, other people piled in, the last being Willow.

  He didn’t think she noticed him.

  “Can you press fifteen?” she asked someone standing closer to the panel, facing forward.

  Braden glanced at the paper key holder with his room number written on it and grinned. The elevator stopped on various floors, and people pushed their way out until the car finally paused on fifteen. Since she was at the front, Willow walked out without looking behind her.

  He excused himself, and someone had to step out for Braden to finally exit the elevator car and follow the signs to his room. As he made his way to the end of the hall, he couldn’t believe his eyes or his luck.

  Willow had just pulled her key from her purse and was inserting the card into the lock in the room next to his. “Hey, neighbor,” he said, unable to hide his pleasure.

  “You have got to be kidding me. Did you arrange this?” she asked as she pushed open her door, propping it with her suitcase.

  “Nope. Just pure luck.”

  “All of it bad,” she muttered, but he didn’t take her words all that seriously.

  Did she want anything to do with him? Probably not, but he’d been there for their goodbye earlier in the week. He’d heard the hitch in her breath as he’d moved in closer. The trembling of her body as his lips touched her cheek. And when he’d stood up? The pebbling of her nipples visible through her shirt.

  If it were just sexual desire he had to worry about, he could break through her walls, but he wanted more. And for that he needed to prove to her he was a man she could rely on. One who woul
dn’t abandon her again.

  He opened his own door and immediately caught sight of the connecting door to her room.

  Things just kept getting better and better.

  * * *

  Of all the rooms in this massive hotel, how had Braden ended up adjoining hers? Willow glanced at the closed door that not only separated her and Braden but mocked her because it would be so easy to unlock it and knock on his side. Nope. She wasn’t doing it. This was a business weekend, and that’s how she would treat it.

  After unpacking, she headed downstairs for dinner, sitting at a table with her fellow trainers and physical therapists who’d come on the trip. She was aware of Braden nearby with the doctors and some staff from the front office, but she did her best to focus on the conversation around her and contribute where she could.

  After dinner, she retreated to her room, determined to get a good night’s sleep in preparation for an early game day tomorrow. She showered and changed into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top, pulling her hair into a damp bun on top of her head. To be sure she woke up on time, she set up her phone’s alarm for repeat after the first five minutes and plugged in the charging cord.

  She was about to climb into bed when a dull knock sounded, and it wasn’t coming from the door to the hallway, either. She waited, and the sound came again from the room next door, and her stomach did a flip.

  She walked over to the adjoining wall and placed her hand on the door.

  “Willow, open up,” Braden’s deep, masculine voice called out, sounding muffled from the wall between the rooms.

  She glanced down at her outfit, decided she was covered enough, drew a deep breath, unlocked and opened the door.

  Braden stood waiting, wearing a pair of sweats that rode low on his hips, and there was no denying the bulge in his pants. His chest was bare and tanned, the muscles in his forearms and abs a sight to behold.

  She swallowed hard. “Hi.”

  “Hi. I ordered us dessert.” He turned and gestured to the small room-service cart behind him. “Your favorite. Vanilla ice cream brownie sundae. Your room or mine?” he asked.

  Her stomach rumbled, completely on board with his gesture. Her emotions were much more wary, but she wasn’t about to let the dessert melt. “Come on in.” She swept her arm toward her room.

  With her help, they maneuvered the cart into the small room and settled it in front of the double beds so they could sit down and eat. There wasn’t enough room to pull up two chairs, and they wound up side by side on the edge of one bed.

  “You really didn’t need to do this,” she said as she picked up a spoon.

  He shrugged. “I wanted to. Besides, I figured you wouldn’t slam the door in my face if I came bearing food.”

  He knew her too well. “You’re right. This looks delicious. Thank you.”

  “Can we consider it a peace offering?” He met her gaze, sincerity and a genuine need to make things right in his expression, and she sighed.

  She certainly couldn’t go on with an angry wall between them. He’d lived his life as he chose, and she couldn’t hold that against him any longer.

  “Peace,” she murmured in agreement.

  He held her stare, his answering smile full of warmth in a way that spoke to her soul.

  It unnerved her, and unable to look into his eyes any longer, she focused on the ice cream, taking a spoonful, making sure to get the brownie on it, too. She put the treat into her mouth and moaned at the mixture of chocolate, cold vanilla flavor.

  “What did I tell you about that sound?” he asked, his voice a low growl.

  Her stomach flipped at the distinct memory. Do not make that sound around me unless you’re prepared for what happens next.

  The following moments were sexually charged, her body suddenly tingling with awareness with his gaze still hot on hers. Mesmerized by the intensity sizzling between them, she couldn’t break eye contact, memories of the past colliding in her mind. His hands cupping her face, his mouth devouring hers, their bodies meshing perfectly in bed. A hot flush rose to her cheeks, and she felt the puckering of her nipples beneath her flimsy tank top.

  Watching her, he cupped the back of her head. She didn’t pull away, so he urged her to lean forward, his breath warm and oh so close. A voice in the back of her head asked her what in the world she was doing, but she couldn’t stop what was happening between them.

  And when his mouth touched hers, all thoughts, good and bad, fled completely. His tongue slid across her lips and she moaned. He stiffened at the sound and then began to kiss her in earnest, their tongues tangling as he tasted her, devoured her. He kissed like a dream, even better than in her memories, and she melted into him, wanting more, and he seemed all too willing to give her what she needed.

  He tipped her head to the side, giving himself deeper access, and he swept his tongue throughout her mouth. They stayed that way for a long while, making out like two people who’d been apart for a long time. And that was the thought that brought her back to her senses. They had been separated because he’d easily walked away.

  Who was to say he wouldn’t do it again?

  She was about to pull back when he did it first, but not before sweeping his tongue over her lips once more.

  “You taste like the sweetest dessert,” he said, running a hand through her hair.

  He tasted so delicious she wanted to dive in for more. But her heart reminded her of all the reasons she shouldn’t. “Mind if I finish the ice cream before it melts?”

  “Go for it.” He released her, and she felt his stare as she took another bite of the brownie, the vanilla already melting over the warm chocolate.

  “You didn’t get yourself one?”

  He shook his head. “Still full from dinner.”

  She nodded. “So what are your plans beyond working for the team? I know most of the doctors have practices they’re at when they aren’t needed at the stadium.”

  Leaning back on one hand, he said, “Hudson and I found a health center downtown that’s in need of doctors. We’re going to stop by this week and see if we can donate our time now and add more hours when the season is over.”

  Interesting, she thought. “So you liked the humanitarian aspect of the work you did for MSF?” She tilted her head, truly curious about how he’d changed since his time away.

  He nodded. “I want to help people who need it, and I can do that here, too.”

  She admired his dedication to helping others. He’d done charitable work all through his med school years, and it had ultimately led him to Doctors Without Borders. He was a good, compassionate man, and knowing that made it even harder to remain angry. The hurt still remained, duller now but no less present.

  “Do you miss being away?” she asked.

  He immediately shook his head. “No. I’m happy to be back with my family.” He paused, waiting for her to meet his gaze before continuing. “And with you.”

  She slid her tongue over her lips and put the spoon down on the makeshift table. “I think we should call it a night. We have to be up early.” Things had gotten carried away and deep enough for one night. At least for her.

  He took the hint and stood. “Let’s pull this outside,” he said of the room-service cart.

  She opened the hall door for him, and he eased the cart outside before returning.

  “About the kiss…” she began.

  He leaned against the entry leading to his room, looking extremely sexy as his intent gaze met hers. “You’re going to say it shouldn’t have happened, but I disagree. And I’m sure when you’re lying in bed tonight thinking of my mouth on yours, you’ll feel differently. Even if it kills you to admit it.”

  He leaned in and briefly touched his lips to hers before walking into his room and closing the door behind him.

  And as she shut her side of the connecting doors, her lips weren’t the only part of her body tingling.

  * * *

  Braden sat down on his bed and groaned, adjusting his
cock behind his sweats. Walking out of Willow’s room hadn’t been easy, but it had definitely been the right thing to do. Though he’d allowed himself to get lost in the kiss, he’d remained attuned to her feelings every step of the way and sensed the minute she mentally and emotionally disconnected. Her body had stiffened, and before she could stop kissing him, he’d broken contact and backed away first.

  She didn’t trust him, and to push harder or to sleep with her would only lead to her having regrets. He wanted to build something solid, not have things break down even further. So here he was, alone in his hotel room, with the woman he wanted on the other side of the wall.

  Besides, she might not be in a serious relationship with another man, but there was something between Willow and Cole, and it needed to end before they progressed sexually. She wasn’t the type of woman to cheat on a man, and he had a feeling once the adrenaline from their kiss wore off, she wouldn’t be happy with herself. Braden could only hope that kiss showed her what was missing in her life and push her to end things with Cole.

  The night passed, and before he knew it, they were on the field for the game the next day. They worked as a team through injuries—one concussion, a high ankle sprain, and myriad of other issues—and after a win, they were back on the plane and headed home.

  No sooner had he walked into his apartment than his phone rang. He glanced down to see his mother calling. Christine Prescott was a good parent who’d done her best despite a challenging marriage to a tough man, and Braden didn’t hold his father’s behavior against her. She knew his schedule so he wasn’t concerned about her calling so late.

  He hit reply. “Hey, Mom,” he said as he locked up and headed straight to his bedroom.

  “Welcome home.”

  He chuckled. “Do you have radar? I just got here.” He dropped his bag on the floor of his bedroom, leaving the unpacking for another time.

  “I figured as much. Did you have a good trip?” she asked.

  “It’s a whirlwind,” he said of his time in Denver. “I can’t believe they play, turn around, and return on the same night only to practice again first thing Monday morning. It’s crazy.”

  “You sound like it was fun, though.”