Page 22 of Off Season

And his ass?

Holy. Shit.

It fills out his jeans to an inch of their life. I have to stop myself from reaching out to pinch it to see how firm it is.

Needing to distract my brain from giving into the urge, I ask. “Will I get to meet your mom today?”

“Yeah, she’ll be over a little later.” Ethan pushes a door open and walks inside, placing my bags at the end of a king-size bed. “This is your room.”

I toe off my sneakers and fall face down into the plush white bedding.

“Omigod, it’s like a cloud,” I mumble into the sheets.

He chuckles under his breath. “Go ahead and get some rest. I’ll get you some water.” He pauses in the doorframe. “Her name’s Jennifer.”

I look over to him, confused.

“My mom. Her name’s Jennifer.”

I nod into the bedding.

Jennifer. Such a pretty name.

I think I say it out loud, but I can’t be sure. My eyes suddenly feel so heavy, tiredness taking over me in a rush. I manage to strip down to my briefs and slip under the covers, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. I’m floating on the edge of unconsciousness when there’s a clink from what I think is Ethan placing a glass on the nightstand.

“Thank you for being here,” I hear him whisper, and I’m not sure if the gentle press of his lips to my forehead is real or if I’ve already drifted off into a blissful dream.

Chapter Eight

Ethan

Fuck. I don’t know why I did that.

No, that’s a lie—I know exactly why I did it.

I gave in to the urge that’s been bubbling inside me since I saw the fear in his eyes on the plane.

It made me feel like a prized asshole because I forgot what it was like to fly for the first time—the nerves, the anxiety at every strange sound—and when you add that first turbulence experience, it’s no wonder he was nervous.

Flying is so common in my life, with traveling for away games and visiting Mom, that it didn’t occur to me how Jacob would take it.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how his hand felt in mine, holding on tight, even while he was asleep. Like I was his anchor in a storm, and he was afraid to let go.

So, seeing him lying there, so peacefully, so relaxed, didsomething crazy to the stupid organ in my chest. But kissing him was a foolish move on my part.

Rubbing my face with my hands, I head to my room and distract myself by unpacking my suitcase before taking a quick shower to get rid of the plane stench. Knowing my mom, she’ll be here any minute. She normally gives me an hour to sort myself out before she rushes over, and thankfully, she’s stocked up the fridge and pantry, so I put a record on and start preparing lunch.

No more than five minutes later, I hear the telltale sound of the front door opening and closing and my mom’s voice filtering down the hall.

“There he is!” She practically skips across the kitchen, reaching up on tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck in a tight hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too, Mom.” I return her hug, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

Her face lights up. “You’ve got a boyfriend?”

I roll my eyes, snorting a laugh. “Well, not exactly.”

She gasps. Her hands fly to her face, and her eyes fill with joy.

---