Page 16 of The Boyfriend Zone

"That's why I feel so bad about how I acted," I continued, the confession pouring out of me now. "That night at the club was the first time I'd ever... followed through on that part of myself. And it felt right, you know? Like finally exhaling after holding my breath for years."

"And then I turned up at your locker room the next day," Lucas said, understanding dawning. "Just when you'd taken this huge personal step."

"Exactly." The relief of being understood was almost overwhelming. "But that doesn't excuse how I treated you. I panicked, and I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

Lucas took a small step closer. "You know, I've been having a hard time forgetting about that kiss."

My heart rate kicked up several notches. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." His voice was softer now. "Which is a problem, since I've promised to pretend it never happened."

Maybe it was the way he was looking at me, but I found myself moving closer to him, drawn by an irresistible pull.

"Maybe..." I swallowed hard. "Maybe I could kiss you one more time. To help us both get it out of our systems."

Lucas's breath hitched, his eyes darkening. "That's your solution?"

"Unless you have a better one."

"I don't," he whispered, and that was all the invitation I needed.

I closed the distance between us, cupping his face with my good hand, and brought our lips together. The kiss was gentle at first, tentative, both of us aware that we were breaking the agreement we'd just reaffirmed. But then Lucas's hands came up to rest on my chest, and something inside me ignited.

I deepened the kiss, backing him up against the wall, losing myself in the taste and feel of him. His hands slid up to my shoulders, and I barely noticed the twinge of pain as his fingers brushed against my injury. All I could focus on was the soft sound he made when I nipped at his lower lip, the way his body fit perfectly against mine.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, I rested my forehead against his, eyes closed.

"Did that help?" I asked, my voice rougher than normal.

"Not even a little," Lucas replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I think I'm going to need several more of those before I can forget the first one."

I chuckled, opening my eyes to find him looking at me with a mix of desire and tenderness that made my chest constrict. "Me too."

The sound of the gym door opening jerked us apart. I stepped back hastily, nearly tripping over a weight bench in my panic.

"Good morning, early birds!" Dr. Shaw's cheerful voice echoed through the gym as he strolled in, a coffee cup in one hand and a clipboard in the other. "Fancy seeing you here, Sean. And...?"

"Lucas, sir. From the university paper." Lucas recovered more quickly than I did, extending his hand to the trainer. "I'm doing a piece on the team's training regimen."

"Ah, the press. Excellent." Dr. Shaw shook his hand enthusiastically. "Always good to see some coverage of the unsung aspects of athletic performance. Diet, sleep, proper form—all crucial elements that often get overlooked in favor of the flashy game-winning goals."

While they chatted, I gathered my things, shoving my resistance bands and the ice pack I'd discarded earlier into my gym bag. The last thing I needed was Dr. Shaw noticing me doing rehab exercises alone, without supervision.

"I should head out," I interrupted, slinging my bag over my uninjured shoulder. "Early class."

Dr. Shaw gave me a curious look. "How's that shoulder feeling today?"

My stomach dropped. "Fine. Just a little sore. Nothing some ice won't fix."

"Hmm." He didn't look convinced. "Stop by the training room later. I want to take another look."

"Will do," I lied, edging toward the door. "See you at practice, Doc. Nice seeing you, Lucas."

Lucas nodded, his expression carefully neutral. "You too, Sean."

I fled before either of them could ask any more questions, berating myself for my carelessness. Not only had I risked being caught doing unauthorized rehab, but I'd broken my own rule about keeping my distance from Lucas.

And the worst part? I couldn't bring myself to regret the kiss, even knowing how dangerous it was.

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