Page 62 of The Way We Score

“Good, huh?” He nods, wide-eyed, and I can’t argue.

“It’s delicious!” I also haven’t eaten since breakfast.

I’m starving and exhausted and emotional, and the movieopens with a ridiculous fight at an over the top bar full of bad acting, bare breasts, and a band shielded behind chicken wire.

My mind drifts to Mom at home in Newhope with the chickens. Henny Lane was acting strangely, and I need to call and ask how she’s doing. She’s Mom’s favorite fancy chicken…

When I open my eyes again, I’m lying on the couch. The living room is dark except for the glow of city lights shining through the large windows.

I’m not surprised I fell asleep. I’m more surprised I lasted as long as I did. Every day after work, I’ve been getting home, lying down on the sofa, and falling dead asleep. I must’ve been running on adrenaline.

Garrett is on the floor beside me sleeping, just like we did at his house, and warmth settles deep in my chest.

I want to reach down and slide my fingers through his hair. I want to slide off the couch and let him hold me in his big strong arms and tell me everything’s going to be okay. Nothing can ever hurt me when he’s around.

Instead, I place my cheek on the cushion, smiling gently as I close my eyes again.

12

Garrett

Adumb redneck is trapped under a grizzly bear, and Patrick Swayze is standing on the banks of a lake after ripping a dude’s throat out.

Liv’s head is on my shoulder, and I’m about to sayA polar bear landed on me, when I hear a soft snore. It’s really more of a snortle, and it’s pretty damn adorable.

I know from experience Liv only snores when she’s really tired, so I carefully reach for the remote and turn off the movie. Moving slowly, I lift her off the floor and shift her onto the couch.

She’s not as skinny as she was when she was dancing off every calorie she ate in high school. She’s more womanly, less breakable, and it’s fucking sexy as hell. I’ve always loved her long body, her tall frame, her pretty strawberry hair.

I’m doing my best to walk the walk and be better than I was at nineteen. Hell, it’s taking every ounce of my strength not to kiss her. I got close so many times tonight. Thehardest was in the kitchen when she was being all sassy and saying I didn’t needDirty Dancingto get in her pants in high school.

Trust me, I remember how eager we always were back then—very well. And even though it was ridiculous, I was pretty stoked she got all jealous thinking I might have a girlfriend.

She knows me better than that. I would never have slept with her if I had a girlfriend.

My jaw tightens as I study the sleeping beauty on my couch, and I think it’s probably better not to test that statement. When it comes to Liv, I’m sorry to say I just might. No one has ever affected me like she does. I’d probably do anything for her.

She exhales a little noise, and her slim brows pull together like something’s bothering her, even in her sleep. The protective side of me surges to life, and I wish she’d tell me what’s really going on. I know she isn’t here for work, but what else could it be?

She’s acting the same way she did when I saw her for the first time in Newhope at Dylan’s wedding. She’s guarded and anxious, like something’s out of her control, and I know my girl well enough to know she hates being out of control.

Her fucking ex had better not be causing her problems again. Hell, if that’s what’s happening, and she ran here to me, it would be my pleasure to have her back.

I’ll personally fly her back to Birmingham and punch that guy in his fucking face.

Okay, it’s possibleRoad Househas me a little riled up, but from what I’ve heard of Warner Oberonthe Third, that guy’s a world-class dickhead. He’d better not try anything around me.

Taking the blanket off the back of the couch, I place it lightly over her, doing my best not to wake her. I silently collect our plates and carry them to the kitchen, then I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth and change into something comfortable.

My girl is out, because when I get back, she hasn’t moved. Her sweet face is less stressed, though, which makes me feelbetter. I rearrange the pillows and take up my usual spot on the floor beside her.

One thing Olivia Bankston can always count on—anything that might try to hurt her has to get through me first.

You can’t really seethe horizon in Midtown, but from this height, dawn shimmers off the smaller buildings, casting a golden glow across the high-rises.

I could sleep through it, but Liv exhales a noise, stirring on the couch. My eyes open, and I sit up from the floor beside her.

Her head drops, and she blinks hard, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you.”

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