Page 82 of Body Shot

ANDERS: We don’t really use that term anymore, but if we did, the answer would be no. I’ll drop the gloves if I have to, though, so I just want you to be prepared. I don’t know if that’s the kind of thing that might freak you out.

CLAUDIA: Don’t be silly. I know it’s part of the game. I might cover my eyes the whole time, but it’s fine. You do you and don’t worry about me.

ANDERS: Talk soon, sweetheart.

I close the texting app just as Johan comes in. He drops down beside me and arches a brow.

“How’s Claudia?”

“She’s good. Loving her new job and excited to watch us play tonight. She has to go to a sports bar because the game is blacked out in her area.”

He scowls. “This is something the league needs to fix. I understand it’s a business, but if we want to grow the popularity of the sport, all teams should be accessible to everyone. Not just the local teams.”

“Yeah, well, I think that’s above our pay grade.”

“Probably.” He pauses. “So, things are still going well between you?”

“Yeah, really good.” I nod. “Approximately 14,000 minutes until we see each other again.” I keep a straight face to get his reaction.

I expect laughter but instead he just meets my gaze. “So she’s the one.”

I can’t deny it.

And the funny is, I don’t want to.

“Well, yeah. I knew it the minute I saw her sitting under that tree at the beach.”

“I knew as soon as I met Sloane as well.”

“I want to make excuses and explain that we know it’s too soon, but…why? I’m crazy about her. I think we’re too old to play games.”

“Agreed. It happened very quickly, so you need to be careful to take the time to continue to get to know each other. Otherwise, problems will pop up that you are not expecting.”

He has a valid point.

“Absolutely. We talk a lot, on and off all day, and I’m going to meet her parents when we get to Philly weekend after this one.”

“That’s great. I’m happy for both of you. Claudia is lovely, I have always liked her.”

“But not romantically?” I ask curiously. “You’ve known her for a lot longer than you’ve known Sloane—there was never any interest?”

“She and Hana were kids… not literally, because they were technically adults, but I met Claudia when she was eighteen, and barely beginning to find herself as a woman. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, she’s a bit insecure and not very worldly, so she was far too young for me emotionally back then. Now I look at her as a sister. But that’s not to say I don’t think she’s beautiful or that you’re doing something inappropriate.”

“That makes sense.” I pause. “I like that’s she not worldly, that she hasn’t been around the block a dozen times. And I’m not talking about sex. I don’t care about that. What I’m talking about is her emotional bandwidth. It’s nice that she hasn’t had a million negative life experiences that make her less likely to trust. The one she did have was enough.”

He grunts. “I would have done anything to beat the shit out of Seth Crandall.”

I gape at him. “You know about him?”

He frowns. “I just told you—she’s like a little sister to me. Of course, I met her first boyfriend. I don’t know the details about what happened between them, but I know about her surgery, so I can put two and two together.”

Thank fuck.

If he already knows the basics, I don’t have to betray her trust, which means I can talk to him about more than just the basics.

“It took a little bit to get her to trust me in the bedroom.” I make a face. “He made her really insecure about her body in general, and then the medical part of it compounded everything.”

“She’s okay now? You know, sexually.” He looks pained asking the question, but I know it’s coming from a place of concern.

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