The moment I turn the corner from the kitchen to the hallway, I spot Wren and Fitz in the foyer.
“Rorryyyyyyyy! My favorite girl,” Fitz says with a wide, cheeky smile. He tosses a heavy arm over my shoulder, dragging me against his side. And for a second, I stay there, letting the comfort of my best friend surround me. I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed him until now.
Things have just been so… busy the last few weeks, I feel like I haven’t seen much of anyone besides Cillian. He’s been occupying nearly every minute of my free time.
And most of that free time includes mind-blowing orgasms, so no complaints from me.
“Oh, yourfavorite? Does this have anything to do with certain cookies, maybe?”
He has the audacity to look offended, like I can’t see right through his facade. Best friends, remember?
“Can you blame me, Ror? Those things are literally the highlight of my month. Either way, you know you’re my favorite girl. Always have been, always will be.”
“Hey, she’smyfavorite too,” Wren interjects, elbowing Fitz just as the doorbell rings.
“Well, good thing I love you both equally. Which means equal amount of cookies,” I quip as I duck under Fitz’s arm, tossing them a grin over my shoulder, before I walk to the front door.
Soon the house and backyard are filled with most of the team, except for… Cillian.
He hasn’t shown up yet, and I’m starting to worry that he might not show up at all.
I check my phone again, sighing when I see that he hasn’t sent me a text, and then shove it back into my pocket. I guess he could’ve changed his mind. It’s not like tonight is mandatory attendance, more of something casual and fun we like to do together outside of the pitch.
“Ror?” Fitz calls from the barstool beside me, his thick brows pinched together beneath the brown beanie he’s wearing.
I hum. “Hmm?”
“Everything good?”
I force a small smile and nod as the white lie spills from my lips. “Yeah, of course. Just thinking about the mountain of homework I have to work on later.”
He laughs. “Worry about it later. Have fun with us tonight, Ror. Give it a rest, and think about it tomorrow.”
Then Wren walks out of the house carrying a huge bowl full of salad and a few steps behind him is Cillian.
He came.
My heart gallops wildly in my chest, and for a moment, I almost forget that I can’t just get up and go to him, throw my arms around his neck, and tell him how glad I am he’s here.
That’s the hard part about… falling for someone in secret.
His eyes find mine from across the yard, and his lips tilt slightly.
“Look who’s here,” Wren says, glancing at Cillian, who looks slightly uncomfortable at the sudden attention. He’s wearing a pair of relaxed, dark-washed jeans, with a thick burgundy sweater and a thick black jacket.
Though I’ve spent the last week having hot, sweaty sex on every surface of my apartment with him, the sight of him still makes my pulse race.
He’s the most attractive man I’ve ever seen, and even more so now that I’ve gotten to know him… beyond those concrete walls he puts up that I think have slowly begun to crumble.
Cillian lifts his hand in a small wave as he looks out around the backyard, pausing on Brooks and Ezra, who are sitting under the outdoor heaters.
I shift my attention to the two of them, watching as their expressions stay neutral. Brooks nods at him before going back to his conversation.
And Ezra just looks bored, barely acknowledging him.
While most of the guys on the team have made so much of an effort with Cillian, there’s still a slight tension among the three of them. I think I can tell because I know all of them so well. They’re not icing him out any longer, at least from what I can see, but things are definitely not rainbows and sunshine between them by any means. I don’t think it ever will be, if I’m being honest.
The other night when we were lying in bed, I finally pulled out of Cillian what happened when he first got here… and where the black eyeactuallycame from, since I know there’s no way he fell into a locker.
