“You’ll laugh at me.”
“I already am.” A mix of humor and challenge flash in her eyes.
I’m seriously loving how she does that. “No, you’re not.”
Her expression turns smug. “Inside I am.”
“Why?”
She grins. “That was my question.”
I let out a chuckle, then regret it. A groan slips out before I can stop it. I clutch my side. “Take a littlepity on me, please.”
“Fine.” She sighs, then stands.
I make a spinning motion with my hand, asking her to turn around.
She rolls her eyes again, then turns her back to me as she tugs her ponytail out of the way.
And there it is. My last name riding across the top of her shoulders like a declaration of possession. Maybe I should thank Jennings for busting my ribs because I don’t think I’d do a very good job keeping myself in check around Lily right now.
She glances over her shoulder at me. “Happy now?”
If only she knew the chaos she’s causing. We’re not technically a couple, but being together all the time is making it harder and harder to remember that. The line of separation is definitely blurring.
“Yes. Now I can survive the rest of the game.” I keep my humor and sarcasm at an even balance.
She spins back around. “You’re not honestly thinking of going back out there, are you?”
“As soon as the medic clears me.”
Speaking of whom, he walks over, carrying a tablet with X-ray images filling the screen. “Not happening, Pay. Can’t just tape you up for this one. You need to lie low for at least a few days, maybe longer. Then we’ll decide when you can resume playing.”
I groan again, but not out of pain.
Lily holds her hands out. “See? Worked out for the best.”
“How so?” She’s right, in a way. At least it’s an exhibition game. I should be fine in a couple of weeks when the season officially starts.
“You don’t have to deal with that brute anymore tonight.”
No. But I still have to navigate the tall beauty wearing my jersey as if she owned it.
Lily maneuvers me in and out of the car like a pro. Once inside my apartment, she helps me sit on the bed and then removes my shoes. Getting my shirt off doesn’t hurt nearly as much as I expected. Probably a combo of the rib strap the medic gave me and the painkillers working.
Letting Lily undress me like this feels…intimate. She’s caring and slow in her movements to cause me as little pain as possible. Thankfully, I had a pair of joggers in my locker that I could sleep in. Otherwise, that would be downright awkward.
After arranging several pillows, she helps me lie back on the bed. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll go get you a glass of water in case you need to take another pill during the night.”
I close my eyes and listen to her movements in the kitchen. Luke won’t return for a while, so I’ll have to check the score on my phone or wait until morning. Between the exertion from the game and the painkiller, I’m floating in a very pleasant state of happy sleepiness.
She walks back in and sets a glass of water on the nightstand. “Let me know if you need anything else, okay? Doesn’t matter what time it is. I know how hard it is to navigate up and down with one of those.” She gestures to my midsection.
“You’ve experienced the joy of broken ribs?” I shift on the bed, trying to get my pillow in the right place, but wind up grunting like an angry pig.
“A few times.” She leans over to help me get more settled, engulfing me in her subtle scent of vanilla and musk. It’s maddening, honestly. She’s as fierce as they come, yet graceful and gorgeous enough to knock me completely off my game.
