Page 107 of Catching Feelings

I feel his presence before I see him. His tall frame fills my periphery, and I tilt my head to take him in.

“Hey.” The corner of his lip lifts and my heart flutters in my chest.

“Hey,” I repeat, sounding like an idiot.

“You coming out with us, gorgeous?” Dec asks.

Miles’s eyes drop to Dec’s arm around my waist and he clenches his jaw. Miles knows I would never have a relationship with any of his teammates, especially Dec.

“Sure.”

“Nice. You drive in?”

“No. I rode with Kendall and Riley.”

“I’ll let you have shotgun.” Without waiting for a response, Brock tugs me away from Dec’s arm and Miles’s intense stare.

A few minutes later, I’m seated in the front seat of Brock’s low-slung sports car.

“Great win tonight.” I twist my hands in my lap, unsure what to say. I’ve hung out with Brock plenty of times before, but always in a big group. We’ve never been one-on-one. And while I don’t think he’s interested in me romantically, it’s still a little awkward.

“Thanks, babe.” Brock cranks up the music and peels out of the parking lot.

Babe? Yeah, something weird is going on.

I shift in my seat, and when we’re cruising down the highway, Brock finally turns down the music.

“So. I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Yikes. Now it’s really awkward. Brock is great, but he’s not my type.

“Um, Brock, so, you’re a really nice guy but—”

“Oh, shit, Row.” Brock starts coughing or laughing. It’s hard to tell, and he thumps his chest with his fist. “Fuck. That’s not...” He clears his throat. “I have a favor to ask. That’s it. A platonic one.”

Heat rushes to my face. Of course he’s not hitting on me. It’s not like I’m some sex goddess or anything.

“Um. Okay. What is it?”

“So, I’ve got this fancy post-holiday party on Friday and I need a date.”

“I can’t imagine it’s hard for you to find one, Brock.”

“Ah, sugar. Are you calling me a hottie?”

I snort. “I didn’t call you a hottie.”

“But you wanted to. Admit it, Row. You think I’m hot.”

“You’re not bad to look at, but you already know that.” With his tanned skin, light-blue eyes, and muscles for days, his face—and body—is often plastered all over social media. And all over the Boston news coverage.

“And with you on my arm, we’ll be the best-looking couple there.”

He could easily find another woman who is leaner and curvier in all the right places. He’s usually photographed with a blonde who has legs for days. There’s another reason he wants me to attend, and I wait him out until he confesses.

“Mhm.” I wait for him to continue.

“Okay. Fine. Busted. So, the guys have a wager going.”

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