“Definitely. Just watching Shadow and Isaac last week made me tired.” Lainey smiles knowingly and I laugh. “Nope.” I shake my head, anticipating her question. “I’m not thinking about kids…or pets. Yet. But for the first time, I have someone that I might want to explore that with.”
“And have fun practicing in the meantime.” She winks and I giggle, remembering the way Reed blew my mind this morning. I don’t even recognize the woman I become when he speaks dirty to me.
“Exactly,” I agree with a smile.
After the guys leave the field, I wait around with Lainey and Keeley while they finish with their media commitments, and the second I see Reed, I greet him with my usual response, jumping into his arms.
“I am definitely getting used to this,” Reed says as he catches me. “You know I’m going to expect this after every game.” He chuckles to himself before his smile fades. “Not that you have to come to all of my games. I know you’ve got other stuff going on and—”
“Whoa. Hold up. I’ll be coming to as many games as I can. I just got your name on my back.” I wriggle out of his arms and spin, gathering my hair in my hands, glancing over my shoulder. Reed’s eyes fall to his name and he groans.
“Fuck, I’m glad I didn’t know that untilafterthe game.” He steps forward until he’s close enough for only me to hear. “I would have been distracted thinking about what I’m going to do to you in this jersey.”
My eyes widen until his sad face flits back to my mind. “We have time for that later. For now, I’m here to support you, Reed. I’ll be here as often as I can.”
“Thank you, Hayls. It’s nice to know I have someone in the stands.”
“Do your parents ever go when they’re visiting you or when you play near your hometown?” The question leaves my mouth and his nose immediately scrunches.
“They’ve been to a couple, but…” He trails off and I get it.
“How come Bria never went? If she knew you didn’t have anyone, you’d think she’d go for you.”
“She wasn’t…isn’t a huge football fan. And she worked so hard during the week that she said she needed her Sundays to herself.”
“God, you were so pussy-whipped and you never had any pussy.” I fold my arms over my chest and huff, pissed off on his behalf. But it has the opposite effect, making Reed burst out laughing.
“I let her get away with a lot for sure, but the only person that could ever pussy-whip me…is you.”
“Good to know, Reedy boy. Good to know.”
“It’s time to par-tay!” Luke calls out, his hands in the air, waving around as though he’s already listening to music.
“You wanna head out?” Reed asks, but after the pussy-whipped comment, I have other ideas.
“I do. But I left my purse at the hotel and—”
“Believe it or not, I’ve got money.”
“But you don’t have my ID.”
“Damn. Okay.” He grabs my hand as he turns to Luke. “We’ll be there. We just have to go back to the hotel first.”
“I bet you do.” Luke bounces his eyebrows and I grin while Reed’s quick to clarify.
“Hayls needs her ID.”
“Poor excuse.” Luke shakes his head. “Everyone knows who she is.”
“We’ll meet you there.” Reed stays firm, no room for arguments, not that Luke cares.
“You better.”
As we’re about to leave, Reed gets caught up in a conversation with Landon, while I hover, only partially listening in.
“Hayley?” Reed says my name, confusion in his expression.
“Sorry, what? I was in my own world.”
