Page 32 of Teasing the Winger

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. Did you have any other family that was better?” he asks.

“I had my grandpa, but he passed away. So now it’s just me, and I’m kind of scared to have to make this decision on my own,” I whisper.

Sasha rests his hand on my knee and gives it a squeeze. “But you’re not alone. You have me, and you also have some amazing friends,” he reminds me.

The corners of my lips turn upward, and I put my hand on top of his. “I really needed to hear that.”

“Even if our romantic relationship doesn’t work out, I’m always going to be your friend,” he reassures me.

“I appreciate that. What are your plans after you graduate?”

“I think I’m going to stay in Green Spring,” he tells me. “I also don’t have any family around. And I will never move back to California. Since my friends are all here, it doesn’t make sense for me to leave unless I can’t find a job.”

“You don’t miss the warm weather?” I check, earning me a shrug.

“I guess so, but that place holds too many bad memories for me. I don’t think I could even visit. I wouldn’t feel safe there.”

“Do you want to talk about why?” I ask him softly.

Sasha looks up at the ceiling and takes a deep inhale before slowly blowing it out and shaking his head. “Not tonight. I want to one day, but I also don’t want to bring the mood down. My past sucks, and it’s hard to talk about. Honestly, I haven’t talked about it much because of how painful it is to remember.”

I smile at him and nod, happy that he told me as much as he did. “I’m here when you’re ready,” I promise him.

“I appreciate that. How about you tell me how you got your nickname to brighten the mood?” he suggests, shooting me a toothy grin that makes me chuckle.

“Do you want to know why I don’t tell the story?” I ask him, and he nods like an eager kid. “Because it’s boring and stupid. By not telling it, people think it has to be something epic when in reality, it’s lame.”

“Well, now you have to tell me,” Sasha says, and I sigh.

I’m about to spill the beans when the door flies open. “I’m so sorry,” Hailey says while laughing, sprinting into the room completely naked.

“Where the hell are your clothes?” Sasha asks with wide eyes.

“BooBoo dared me to dart down the hall naked,” she explains while grabbing her bag and disappearing into the bathroom. She keeps the door cracked open so we can hear her as she continues the story. “I was on my way back to his room when Coach opened his door, and we made eye contact. Thankfully, I was smart enough to grab my keycard for this room before racing down the hall, and I didn’t have to run all the way back to BooBoo’s room.”

Sasha falls back on the bed, cackling. “Oh my god, you are too much.”

A loud pounding on the door has me grimacing, but Sasha doesn’t seem to be bothered as he walks over to open it.

Coach Rudder is standing there with a very pissed-off expression and a tick in his jaw. “Rio, I think it’s time for you to go back to your room,” he commands, and I nod slowly, standing. “And Hailey, I better not catch you outside of this room until morning,” he shouts so she can hear him.

“Yes, Sir,” she replies from the bathroom.

Coach sighs and shakes his head before leaving.

“Well, it looks like our night has been cut short,” I reply and pull Sasha toward me for a goodbye kiss.

“Goodbye for now, handsome. I look forward to hearing the story behind your nickname the next time we get together,” he tells me with a wink.

I land another peck on his lips before leaving his room and heading to mine.

BooBoo looks up with wide eyes when I enter our room. “Hailey’s been grounded thanks to your dare,” I tell him, which only makes him laugh.

“I really didn’t think she was going to do it, but damn, do I respect the shit out of her now for following through,” BooBoo says, and I chuckle along with him before sitting on my bed.

“We know now that she isn’t one to turn down a dare.”

BooBoo nods. “True story. Sorry about cutting your evening with Sasha short.”

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