Page 71 of Force Play

When I return with a washcloth in hand, she lets me take care of her. She would never admit it, but I can see the nerves in the way she pins her swollen bottom lip between her teeth.

“Don’t hurt those lips. I like kissing them too much for you to chew a hole through them,” I warn, shooting the cloth into the hamper like a basketball.

“I’m just not sure what to say.”

“Then maybe you can just answer a question for me. Do you want to stay the night?”

“Yes.”

Relief washes over me with the immediate answer.

“And will you let me make you your coffee in the morning without making a run for it?”

“Also yes.” This time she smiles and everything is right in my world.

“Let’s just start there. We can take it one step at a time. You spend more time here, I spend more time at your place. When I’m not on the road, you let me take you out on a proper date.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Good, now how about you beg for my dick again and this time I’ll fuck you like you made me wait a whole year to have you again. Hard and dirty.”

Her pupils flare at the heat behind my words. She better believe I mean it. I might be patient, but this girl put me through the fucking wringer.

“Please, Dom,” is all she says before I pounce on her.

There’s a smile on my face when I wake up the next morning, the spot on the bed next to me still warm, but when I reach for the body beside mine I’m met with wiry hair that feels nothing like Indie’s smooth skin.

Panic takes over and I shoot up, scaring the shit about out of Ronnie, who jumps off the bed and runs out the door. It’s not until I hear the shower running that the alarms ringing in my head go silent.

She didn’t leave me.

Maybe both of us still have some healing to do to trust each other.

I’m pulling on a pair of basketball shorts and a clean t-shirt to start her coffee before I need to head to the stadium when I hear a sob that I can’t ignore.

Chapter 28

Indie

Sobs shake my body against the cold tile of Dom’s shower. My meltdown started quiet enough that I thought a shower might calm me down. But it only escalated with each intrusive thought that assaulted me, bringing me to my knees. Dom, having to watch me go through cancer treatments, my dad and Poppy at my bedside, me surviving but something happening to one of them. All of this being for nothing because he walks away when he realizes I’m not worth the work.

I don’t hear him come in over the sound of the water and my sobs, but suddenly his arms are pulling me into his strong chest.

“Baby, look at me.” He takes my tear-streaked face in his hands, trying to tilt my chin up, but I don’t let him. I’m not ready.

Last night was everything. I went in with open eyes and no delusions about what was happening, but Dom doesn’t know what he’s signing up for and that’s not fair.

We spent hours talking that first night, he knows what losing my mom did to me. But he might not be prepared to do it himself. There’s this little voice inside my head saying that this all could be temporary, that I could be more than he bargained for. Maybe it’s that or my impending period, but I’m a fucking mess.

“Indie. I need you to tell me what’s going on. If you’re scared . . . or having regrets.” He flinches like those words physically hurt him and that’s what does me in because even though I fought this tooth and nail, the last thing I want is to hurt him. “Talk to me, please.”

“Nothing like that.” I sniffle, my hands smoothing over the gray Bandits shirt that’s now stuck to him. “Oh god, you need to get to the stadium.”

“I’m not leaving here until I know you’re okay. Please tell me why you’re so upset?” he begs, still cradling my face.

“This is not a short discussion, but remember when my doctor called the other day?”

“Yes,” he drags out, sounding weary of where this conversation is going.

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