Page 82 of Hat Trick
“I’d say it’s working. Moving is easier than it was in September. I hope it’s because I’m actually getting stronger, not the weather getting cooler. November is great, isn’t it?”
“Really great.”
I put my hand on his shoulders to keep his chest from lifting off the table. I can’t believe we’re talking about theweather. It’s like we’re both actively avoiding mentioning the elephant in the room, and I hate it.
I’m never sleeping with someone I work with ever again.
“How was your week?” I find myself asking, desperate to break the silence between us.
It’s not like us, and every second that passes where he doesn’t say anything, I’m transported back to his hotel room and the slick glide of his fingers. The sounds of his heavy breathing and the feel of his hands everywhere on my body.
My poor vibrator has been working overtime, and I only thought about him once when I got off last night.
Okay, twice, but only because I can’t get those words—I know exactly what you need—out of my goddamn head.
Fuck him and his dirty mouth to high heaven.
“Fine.” Riley grunts when I touch his residual limb to test his range of motion. “I FaceTimed my parents so they could see I’m surviving. Went to a therapy appointment. Hung out with Hudson, Madeline, and Lucy at the library.”
“Sounds like a busy week.”
“Yeah. It’s nice to be busy. Better than sitting on my couch and moping. What about you?”
“Nothing special. I started a new book. Taught four Pilates classes. Went on a run down by the Potomac.”
“What book did you start?”
“A romance book.”
“Vague. Which one?”
I forget Riley isn’t going to mock me for my literary choices. He—and the other guys on the team—are enthusiastic supporters of romance novels and the women who read them. I don’t have to brace myself for the teasing “romance books have no substance, so they don’t count as arealbook” that normally follows.
God forbid someone likes to pretend they’re in a fictional world where women are treated right and orgasms are plentiful, because no way in hell does that happens in the reality where I’m currently living.
Except for Riley.
“Lex?”
“Hm? Sorry,” I say.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine. I got distracted there for a minute.”
“I knew it.” Riley sighs and pushes up on his elbows. He positions his legs over the table and stares at me. “You regret last week.”
“What?No. I don’t. At all.”
“You don’t have to lie to protect my feelings, Lex, and if I’m making you uncomfortable, I can take my rehab back to an outpatient facility so you don’t have to deal with me.”
“Riley.” I step closer to him. “That’s not what’s going on here. I’m… confused how we’re supposed to act around each other because I’ve never seen the person I’ve hooked up with out in the real world after the fact, and I’m going to be seeing a lot of you.”
“You’re the one who said it was only one time.” His smile hitches. He leans back on his palms and watches me. “If I had it my way, we would be going back to your place after this and having round two.”
“That wouldn’t be very friendly of us, would it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never slept with a friend before.”
