Page 13 of The Hooker

Jamie

Ever since we found Westley under the bridge and broke our unspoken rule about no physical affection, things with Daisy have been amazing. Not that it isn’t always amazing, but I feel like I don’t need to hide my feelings as much. She hasn’t said anything about me kissing her hand at the end of our handshake, so I keep doing it. Every night, I kiss her hand and go home and jerk off to the sensation of her skin on my lips.

Pathetic, but also the only thing I’ve got.

At work it’s still the same, no hand kisses, and no staying at my place. The guest room doesn’t even smell like her because she used my soap and shampoo.

It’s wishful thinking, but I swear she looks at me differently. More…attentively maybe? Or with more interest? Or I could be making something out of nothing. But why would she let me kiss her hand the past three nights if she wasn’t interested?

I cross the airport lounge we’re waiting in to board our next gruelling flight to reach South Africa. Two eleven hour flights is too long to sit in a cubicle and play top game immediately after. Thank fuck management decided to send us early, so we have a free day when we arrive to acclimatise and explore before training starts for the two games coming up.

I shake the plastic cup with ice in front of her face, and Daisy’s eyes pop open. “I found some of the green shit you like.”

“Thank Jesus Christ, you found some,” she exclaims and takes the sweating cup, wrapping her lips around the straw and hollowing her cheeks.

I glance away and take a seat beside her and sip my coffee. The team, coaches, and medic team are scattered around the lounge, reminding me we are technically at work. “I don’t think Jesus Christ will care I found you matcha.”

“He should. It means I won’t murder my neighbours.” I roll my eyes at the butchered commandments and tense when her hand lands on mine, resting on my thigh. She brushes my hand quickly and retreats. “Thank you for finding it for me. I appreciate it. I hate flying.”

“I know, but we’re sitting together for the next leg, so we could watch a movie together and distract ourselves. And then, before you know it, you’ll be in a hotel bed with room service on the way.”

She sighs happily and settles deeper in the chair. “That sounds fantastic.”

We aren’t usually seated together, usually it’s random, but I asked management to seat us together. Besides a few raised eyebrows, no one said anything.

Suli keeps staring at me, his mouth buried under his beard, which I’ve decided to ignore and hope he forgets whatever has him looking like that. Pretty sure he’ll jump me as soon as training starts if his frown is anything to go by. Bloody captain knowing everything that goes on with his team.

He stares at the drink Daisy’s sipping and crosses his arms. I thought we’d been acting the same at work—nothing’s really changed—but something must be different if Suli’s dark eyes keep glaring at me whenever I get close to her. What’s worse is his glare is one of confusion and speculation, not of anger. If it were anger, we could work it out on the field. But I have a sinking feeling in my stomach he’s realised I havefeelingsfor Daisy. Ugh.

Can’t a guy buy his physiotherapist a matcha every once in a while?Withoutanyone questioning his intentions?

I glance at Daisy smiling around the straw at her phone and avert my eyes when her cheeks hollow again. Fuck. Probably not.

I slip my phone out of my pocket and open an ebook to avoid staring at her and pretend everything is normal. I’m not about to have a semi in the airport lounge surrounded by my teammates.

She laughs at something on her phone and nudges my arm. “Sounds like Liam and Hemi are having a great time.”

“I still can’t believe Hemi went to Wanaka.”

“He needs to get out of his head. They went hiking together,” Daisy whispers gleefully.

“And that’s big news because…?”

“Liam doesn’t hike. He hibernates when he’s drafting.”

“He lives in Wanaka and he doesn’t hike?” I hardly ever hike, but if you live by Lake Wanaka in the South Island, surrounded by the beautiful scenery, leading to alpine lakes and glaciers, you have to hike.

She shifts until her leg is on the chair, and her body faces mine. “I dragged him on a hike once when I visited him. Never again,” she swears with a laugh.

“Well done Hemi. At least he can check out the filming locations forTheLord of the Ringswhile he’s there if hiking is off the table now.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that! Liam would love that.” She types something on her phone quickly and stashes it in her bag when we’re called to board the plane while I’m still revelling in the sensation of being useful.

It’s an addicting sensation, one that spreads from my chest out to the rest of my body, leaving me hard-pressed to control my grin and the burn in my hand to hold hers. Instead, I busy myself with grabbing my bag and snagging hers. Holding her bag is fine, right? Just being polite.

My eyes scan the boys to see if anyone’s paying attention and cares. The only one who’s noticed is Suli. I sigh. I’m in for it now.

We show our tickets to the flight attendant, and she directs us to business class on the left. I follow Daisy to two seats halfway down the aisle and collapse into the aisle seat while she takes the window. I wriggle in the seat to get comfortable and spread my legs out, happy the aisle seat means there’s more legroom. Flying sucks. Flying when you’re a big guy is even worse, especially when you have to play a rugby game a few days after twenty-four hours of travel.

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