Page 40 of A Whole New Game

I scowl, grateful the bus blocks us from the view of everyone on the field. Still, we’re in public. We need to be careful not to create a scene. “You know exactly what I mean. What’s gotten into you, Corey? First, you tell a reporter we grew up together, and then you wrap your arm around me. What is going on? Why are you acting like this?”

“Acting like what?”

“I don’t know.” I toss my hands in the air. “Like you like me or something.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Like we’re suddenly best friends again after a decade of not speaking.”

“I do like you.”

I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean. If you keep this up, people are going to start thinking there’s something between us.”

“So what?”

“Excuse me?”

Corey dares to keep a straight face as he says, “So what if someone thinks there is something between us?”

I gape at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Let’s pretend I am,” he replies. “What would be the problem with people thinking there’s something between us? Or, better yet, what would be the problem if therewassomething between us?”

My ears start to ring. My pulse skyrockets. There’s no way I heard him right. I’m imagining things…

Corey’s next words prove that’s not the case.

“Look, Carlee…” He runs his uninjured hand over his sweaty hair. “I think we need to talk about the kiss.”

I stiffen. “No,” I clip. “Don’t go there.”

He doesn’t listen. He rarely does. “I never should have kissed you, Carlee. Not there. Not like that.”

The rejection stings. I blink back tears forming in my eyes. “Nice, Corey.” This is even more mortifying than I imagined. “Real nice.”

I can’t afford to break down here. Not just in public, but in front ofhim. I’ve spent ten years trying to forget my heartbreak or, at the very least, not let it define who I am now. I refuse to be the pathetic woman who cries over a high school heartbreak because she hears the guy say he regrets sharing her first kiss with her.

“Carlee, that’s not what I meant.” His forehead furrows. “This is coming out wrong.”

“I doubt there’s a right way to say it,” I snap back, then jerk my head once. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I need to get back to the field to take a few more pictures.” That’s not true, but I’ll do or say anything to save myself from enduring this conversation a moment longer.

I go to step around him, but Corey’s long fingers wrap around my arm and gently hold me in place. “Carlee, wait.”

Frustration overcomes me. I look up into his eyes, uncaring that he can see the tears brewing in mine. “Wait for what, Corey? I waited years for you to get your head on straight and talk to me, but you never did. Now, you want to talk? Well, I’m not interested in digging up the past. Especially when it’s so painful for me and so regretful for you.”

I try to pull away, but his grip tightens just enough to keep me from breaking free. “Carlee, please just listen to me.”

“No. You had ten years to talk. I’m not interested in hearing what you have to say.” How could I believe we could go back to being friends? I’m an idiot, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve always been a fool for this man.

Corey releases a resigned sigh. “Then I guess I have to show you.”

I frown. “What does that?—”

The words are cut off when Corey tugs me forward. I press my hands against his torso to catch myself from crashing into his chest, gasping as his lips dip down and collide with mine.

14

COREY

Carlee’s lipsare unmoving as mine press against hers, trying to convey the depth of feeling I have for her but can’t put into words. This wasn’t part of the plan. I wanted to take my time to ease Carlee into the idea of being with me. I know the hurt I caused all those years ago lingers. I could see it in her face the moment we ran into each other at that Midtown bar.

The desire to take that pain away is what leads me to kiss her. And now that I’ve started, I don’t know if I can stop.

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