Page 26 of The Goalie

How was I supposed to describe the emotion?

When we finished, I pulled myself up and headed to her bathroom. I cleaned myself off before returning to the couch and doing the same with her. I carried her to her bed and placed her on top of the covers.

I moved to leave, but she reached for me.

“Stay.” One word. That was all it took.

“Absolutely.”

12

Sam

I didn’t wantto wake up. I wanted to pretend that this was all a dream, that this wasn’t just something we would eventually have to talk about. I wanted to pretend that my heart wouldn’t break.

“I know you’re awake.” Dan pressed a gentle kiss on my bare shoulder and I closed my eyes, reveling in the moment, trying to memorize it.

“Yes.” I nodded once, my hair falling in my face.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

The corner of my lips turned up. “I’m sorry, isn’t that my line?” I asked. I propped my elbow on my bed and rested my head in my palm.

I blinked once before settling my eyes back on Dan. I liked looking at him more than I initially realized. He was beautiful, in a rough sort of way. Before I could stop myself, I caressed the lower half of his face, the stubble scuffing against my free hand.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. His voice was low but tense.

I sucked in a breath. “I thought about what you said,” I told him, “about this whole thing regarding you and me and what this is.” I swallowed, moistening my throat. “Luc came by last night.”

“Oh, God,” he said, though his eyes sparkled with amusement. “What did she say?”

“She seemed to know about you and me,” I said.

“She did.” A beat. “She called me and somehow, she knew about everything.”

“You mean she had a hunch and did her bulldozer thing where she starts fishing and judging by tone, then she picks up clues and before you even get a word in, somehow knows everything from what you ate for breakfast to who you slept with the night before.”

“Ah, so you’re familiar with her methods.” He smirked and extended his arm so it rested on my bare hip. “Everything okay between the two of you? What, did she tell you she didn’t approve and try to guilt you over what happened between us?”

I shook my head. “Well, yes, at first. But then, I don’t know, she seemed open to maybe there being something between us.”

His eyes widened. “That doesn’t sound like her,” he said.

“Lucy can be sweet when she wants to be,” I pointed out. I wasn’t trying to be defensive, but it occurred to me that he didn’t know this side of his sister. “I know it doesn’t come across much because she can be intense, to say the least, but she seemed…understanding? If that even makes sense? She tried to lecture me about this being her business and how disappointed she was that she didn’t know, but as we talked and I told her my opinion on the matter, she softened. Weird, right? I don’t want to say she was supportive, exactly, but she was open to the possibility that maybe she would be okay with things if there were something between us.”

“And is there something between us?” he asked.

His hands moved from my hip across my back.

I tensed, but not because I was uncomfortable. I wasn’t. Far from it.

The way he made me feel wasn’t like anything I had ever felt before. And I didn’t want to let that go. Not now. Not if I could help it.

“I think there is.” I closed my eyes, reveling in the way his fingers danced on the base of my spine. “And I don’t want to give that up any time soon.”

He nodded once, twice. A small smile slid onto his face and I felt my heart swell. I was worried I was being too cheesy. I was worried that he would think my feelings were too much too soon, especially after a breakup.

“Me either.” He sucked in a breath. “Sam, I don’t want to be weird or anything. I know you and I haven’t always gotten along.”

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