Page 69 of Your Pucking Mom

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After we got back to the bedroom area of the hotel room, with her wearing one of my shirts, it was already well into the early hours of the morning. I needed to be at practice in just a few hours with her son.

“I’ll see you in the morning…” Auburn pulled at her curls while shuffling her feet on the carpet.

“Get in,” I urged, my tone firm yet tinged with desperation, as if the closeness could erase the chasm between us.

She hesitated, uncertainty etched in every line of her face, her fingers pressed to her temple. “I…I should go…”

My heart clenched at her hesitation. “You don’t have to go anywhere, Auburn.” My voice softened, coaxing her closer.

Her gaze met mine, searching for answers in the depths of my eyes. “But we can’t…”

I sat up, determined to bridge the gap between us, inviting her with a gesture to the empty space beside me. “We don’t need labels,” I insisted, the words rushing out in a fervent plea. “Tonight was…indescribable. Let’s keep it between us, at our own pace. But I can’t imagine going back to a world where you’re not a part of it. In public, we can be friends, but in my bed, you are mine.”

A heavy silence hung between us as I lowered my voice, almost afraid to express my deepest fear. “Please don’t let me lose you. I promise to be just…a friend.”

Her tears mirrored mine as she nodded, her resolve softening and arms falling to her sides as she approached the bed.

She settled beside me, the soft contours of her body settling into the bed and crossed her legs in that familiar crisscross style. Her presence beside me was a soothing balm to my restless soul.

“A friend,” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, but inside, my heart was a storm of conflicting emotions. “In public,” I clarified.

“And in private, I’ll be…”

“Mine.”

No labels meant no expectations, no constraints, but it also meant uncertainty. There was no answer about what would happen if Coach’s suspicions were to grow. We’d need to tread lightly, but I just wanted to sleep with her next to me.

“That means you cannot leave because we’re still in bed,” I added in jest, trying to conceal the desperation seeping into my voice.

A moment of silence hung between us, pregnant with unspoken truths and unfulfilled desires. Then, with a quiet resolve, she met my gaze and uttered a simple word, one that held the promise of an unwavering bond: “Deal.”

Her assurance washed over me like a gentle wave, soothing the ache of my restless heart. As I pulled her close, I enveloped her in the warmth of my embrace. No matter what lay ahead, we would face it together.

34

auburn

I woke up the following morning and outstretched my hands to realize that my giant man who had spent the night holding me as if I was the last thing he’d ever feel was no longer providing warmth next to me.

I expected this to be too good to be true, and that resounding guilt started to seep through my pores. Why did something so wrong feel so right?

I rolled over, rubbing my eyes when I spotted a piece of paper on the nightstand with some dark handwriting on it. I picked it up, slowly reading what it said.

Sunshine—

There’s breakfast in your room. I had to go to practice this morning and you looked too adorable to wake. I’ll look for you in the stands.

Love, your dirty little secret.

The message was a lot to digest, but the scent of coffee seeping through the door between our rooms was a welcome distraction to the swirling thoughts. Although, admittedly, I’d become somewhat of a coffee snob after working in the cafe for the last month, and this wouldn’t compare.

I reached for the handle on the door connecting our rooms and quietly opened it. Inside, I found he’d arranged for room service to be delivered next door, sparing me from having to be seen in the hallway. He must’ve unlocked my door when he set this up.

My eyes landed on a platter filled with every breakfast item imaginable—warm coffee, pastries, fruit, eggs still hot, and an array of jams and juices.

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