Page 21 of The Double Play

Something tickles my chin, and I crane my neck to see what it is. Or ratherwhoit is. Sweet little June is snuggled up against me, her face soft and angelic in the low light. So this is why I feel like I just ran a summer marathon in Florida. How does such a small person emit so much body heat?

I shift my arm out from underneath her to try and cool down. As I do, my eye catches a figure across the room. I freeze. My heart drops. There, asleep in a too-small hotel chair, is Emmett. His legs are propped up on the ottoman, his arms crossed over his chest. He somehow manages to maintain his intimidating posture even while asleep, but his face has softened. The resemblance between him and June is much more evident with him so relaxed.

It feels wrong to watch him like this when he seems more vulnerable than ever before. But I can’t tear my eyes away. During all of our interactions, it’s been difficult to truly look at him because he makes me so nervous. Now that he can’t do that, I find myself drinking in his appearance. The yellow light from the cracked bathroom door casts him in a warm glow, deepening his sun-tanned skin. His hat sits on the end table next to him, putting his wavy locks on display. The urge to run my fingers through them wraps around me like an unexpected hug.

From the moment I met Emmett, I knew he was attractive. Painfully so. But seeing him so soft is opening up something within me, terrain I can’t afford to explore.

June rolls over, drawing me out of my hazy dream. The nerves come rushing back, shocking my system like I stepped into a too-cold shower. I fell asleep here. InEmmett’sroom. My boss is sleeping in a hotel chair because I stole his bed.

Slowly, I slide off the mattress and pad over to Emmett. My heart gallops in my chest, but I know what I have to do. I reach out and place a hand on his large bicep.

“Emmett,” I whisper, running my hand up and down his arm. His muscles tense as his dark eyes pop open. He draws back in surprise.

“Hazel?” The raspy way he says my name sends tingles across my skin.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your room, I’m sorry,” I say in a low voice, careful not to wake June up. “I’ll go to my room now.”

His gaze flicks from my eyes to my hand that’s still on his arm. I yank it away and take a step back. He shifts in the chair, sitting up more fully before raking a hand through his hair.

“What time is it?” he asks, still in that delicious, raspy voice that sounds far too intimate.

I glance at the bedside clock. “A little past two. I’m sorry again. I know you have several big games coming up. You shouldn’t have slept in that chair. You could have woken me up,” I ramble, wringing my hands.

He stands up, wincing with the movement. I bite my lip. I’m sure he’s sore after sleeping there for so long.

“You and June looked so peaceful, I thought it better not to wake you.”

“Why didn’t you trade rooms with me for the night?” I ask as the thought dawns on me. He could have simply went across the hall to my room and stayed there.

He scrubs a hand over his face. “I didn’t want to worry you or June if you woke up and I was gone. I guess I could have left a note.” One of his shoulders lifts in a shrug. “I ended up falling asleep pretty quickly anyway.”

“I’m amazed you fell asleep in that torture instrument,” I say with a soft laugh.

His mouth quirks up on one side. “When you travel as much as I do, you learn to sleep anywhere. It was no big deal.”

Maybe not to him, but to me it is. He could have woken me up right away and told me to go to my room, but he didn’t. He could have gone across the hall and had a good night’s sleep in a soft hotel bed, but he didn’t. Instead, he let June and me steal his bed and stayed here so we wouldn’t worry about him being gone.He cares, I realize. Beneath his reserved exterior is a man who cares for those around him. I’m not delusional enough to think he feels anything for me, but maybe we’re becoming friends.

“Well, I appreciate it.” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I’ll let you get some more sleep. I’ll see you in a few hours to get June up.”

I turn and walk toward the door.

“Wait, Hazel,” Emmett says, and I turn around to find him walking toward me. “It’s late, and this is a nice hotel, but something could still happen. Mind if I make sure you get to your room okay?”

“Oh.” Heat spreads across my chest. “Sure, that’s kind of you.”

He brushes off my compliment. We walk to the door together and he opens it for me. I murmur my thanks, then step out. My room key is tucked into the pocket of my leggings, so I pull it out before taking the three steps from Emmett’s door to mine. The soft beep of the door accepting the key punctures the silence of the hallway. I push the handle down and turn to face Emmett.

His expression is unreadable as he leans against the doorframe of his room, the door resting against his foot so it doesn’t shut all the way.

“Thanks again,” I say quietly.

He nods. “Sleep well, Hazel.”

“You too,” I whisper before escaping into my room. The door clicks shut behind me and I press my back against it, drawing in a shaky breath.

What was that?

The next morning, I’m up well before June is scheduled to come over for the day. I found that after returning to my room, I wasn’t able to sleep much. I tossed and turned, then gave up and pulled my Nintendo Switch out of my backpack to play games until my bleary eyes couldn’t see straight. The attempt at distracting myself was futile though. I still can’t stop thinking about Emmett.

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