“Something like that.”
He moved around my kitchen like he belonged there. The illusion was broken only when he had to ask which cupboard held glasses and which dishes.
“So…” he said as we sat on the sofa with our food. “Have you been on social media today?”
His tone was curious, but he perched on the edge of his seat, body tense.
“No… actually, Dante told me to stay off it.”
Now he sat back, stretching his arm along the back of the sofa and crossing his ankles in front of him.
“Good. That’s good. How’s your sushi?”
I took a big bite and gave him a rice filled grin.
What could be trending that they didn’t want me to see? The only answers I could come up with were either a worldwide coffee shortage, or… me.
While Cian worked his chopsticks like a pro, picking up pieces of nigiri and popping them in his mouth like we were in an authentic restaurant, I slid my phone out of my pocket and fired up my social media page. The first photo on the feed was of Cian and me, but before I could read any comments, my phone disappeared from my hand.
“Nope. You do not need to read that.”
“Cian.” I held my hand out, giving him my bestdon’t fuck with meface.
“Sorry, babe. I’m doing this for your own good.”
“Weren’t you mad at me, like, yesterday? You should be happy that karma is coming for me.”
The scowl he turned on me was the same expression he wore when he first hit the ice for a game he didn’t know whether they would win. Determination to beat the odds.
“Never. I was mad you don’t trust me to tell you the truth. Doesn’t mean you need to read the inside thoughts these trolls thought everyone should have access to.”
So I was right. Someone, somewhere had caught us on our day out and decided to let the world know we don’t belong together. Like I couldn’t have told them that.
“Give me the phone. It’s better to deal with these things head-on.”
He stretched his arm a little further from me. “Nuh-uh. Dante told you to stay off it. I’m helping.”
“Cian.” I grabbed his arm, trying to pull his hand close enough to get my cell back. God, he was strong. Those muscles didn’t move an inch as I kneeled up and tried to find more leverage.
Nope.
Well, if I couldn’t bring it to me, I’d go to it. I crawled across his lap as I caught a hold on his hand and tried to pry the device from his fingers.
“Even your freaking fingers are strong! How?!”
Cian choked out a strangled laugh. The noise pulled me from my quest and I realized the position I’d put myself in. My breasts were all but pressed into his face as I’d stretched for his hand. My knees were on either side of his hips and beneath me he was hard.
“Oops,” I muttered, sitting back so we were almost nose to nose.
“I don’t mind.” His smile was tight.
“Please give me my phone.”
Those beautiful olive eyes flicked over my face, assessing. He really did think he was protecting me from whatever comments were on the photo. The fact was I was a big girl, and I had to be able to read criticism and not react to it if I wanted to continue to work in this field. If I took over from Dante at the end of the season, would I be able to help athletes if I was worried some internet troll was going to hurt my feelings?
Slowly, his arm dropped. His lips screwed tight as he handed the device to me, but when I made a move to get off him, he gripped my thighs in those ridiculously strong hands.
“If you’re reading that shit, you’re not going anywhere.”
