Page 77 of Her Football Star Ex

Sure, our chemistry was off the charts and could apparently be ignited with the simplest of gestures, but that didn’t mean we needed to act on it.

We were adults. We would act like it.

I peeked sideways at him, just to see if he seemed to be amped up about any of this like I was.

And when I did, he was looking at me, too.

I quickly turned back to the screen, which now had a woman in a 1920’s flapper dress whispering something into the ear of a butler.

“You feel as awkward as I do?” he asked.

“Yes.” I sighed, relieved that he had been the first to say it. But then I hurried to say, “Not that watching a movie with you is weird. Because it’s not. It’s good. And I’m glad we can do this. It’s just…”

“It’s just been a while.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well,” he said with a sigh. “How about we don’t think about how long it’s been? Or any of the other things we might be worried about and just enjoy the movie?”

Other things we might be worried about?

Could he be thinking about the same things I was?

I pushed the thought away, because we were trying not to think about those things right now, and said, “Yes, let’s do that.”

With that seemingly settled, I allowed myself to nestle a little closer to his side and grabbed a handful of popcorn out of the bowl. I had waited months to watch this movie. I was determined to enjoy it.

And when the fancy guests on the screen started to arrive at the dinner party, Vincent lifted his arm and put it around my shoulders.

“Is this okay?” he whispered, the hesitant note in his voice totally melting my heart because it reminded me so much of the first time he’d done this very thing all those years ago.

“Yes, that’s okay.” I snuggled in closer, my heart beating faster.

How was it that so much could have happened between us and so much could have changed, yet he could still feel the same?

If Ivy hadn’t said what she said earlier today, I probably would be questioning everything right now. Probably wouldn’t have invited him inside in the first place.

But I was glad that I had. Because even if nothing ever happened between us after tonight, I was happy in this small moment in time. And being happy was something I hadn’t truly felt for a very long time.

30

Vincent

“Emerson,”I said, gently rubbing her back a few hours later. “We fell asleep.”

But she didn’t stir.

We had started watching a second movie after the first one ended, and apparently, we had both drifted off in the middle of it.

I was stretched across all three couch cushions on my side with a pillow tucked under my head, and she was nestled against me, her face curled into my chest. It was actually amazing she hadn’t fallen off the couch from how little space there was for two people.

The TV logo bounced across the gray screen, telling me the movie must have ended a while ago. I looked at my watch. It was after two.

I really should get home.

So I rubbed my hand along her arm and tried to wake her again. “It’s late. I should go.”

But she just nestled even closer against me. And if my arm hadn’t been falling asleep from the position I was in, I would probably just stay here forever.

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