Page 19 of Courtside

Ah fuck.

“I mean —” She came to a sudden stop as she stumbled over her words, feeling her cheeks heat beyond what should be physically possible to endure without bursting into flames. “Coach Hughes. You’re Coach Hughes.” She shook her head. “Shit. I just mean, there’s no reason to be vague. We both knew where that night was ending.”

He reached a hand up to scratch his beard as he looked away from her, and she noticed his own face was flushed. “Yeah. We both knew, Sage.” He exhaled loudly, turning back to look her directly in the eye. “What do you want to do about the fact that we have a history — even though it’s very brief — of being interested in each other?”

Sage blinked up at him. She hadn’t been expecting that question. Men like David Hughes were supposed to say“So here’s how this is going to go”and lay down all the rules. But here he was asking whatshewanted to do about it. It was an odd sense of power she’d never felt, like she held the future in the palm of her hand.

“I,” she began, hesitating as she tried to organize her thoughts. “I would like for us to be however we want to be with each other.” When David opened his mouth, his brow furrowing, she held up a hand to stop him. “Nothing physical. I’m not saying that,” she rushed to explain, internally berating herself for her clumsy attempt to explain what was in her head. “If you feel friendly towards me, then act friendly. If you just want to keep a polite distance, then do that.” She looked into his brown eyes, losing herself for a moment in their maple-syrup warmth. “If that’s alright with you, then that’s what I’d like to do.”

He seemed to search her face, his expression unreadable, and then his mouth slowly curved up into a reluctant smile. “That works for me.” He shook his head, and for a moment something that looked a lot like regret flashed in his eyes. Her face must have held a silent question, because he grimaced as he added, “I really did enjoy meeting you. Just so you know.”

She felt her own lips quirk up, a pang of something constricting her chest. “Me too.”

Again, quiet stretched between them, only this time it was obvious that they were both thinking about whatalmostwas. It was a monumental task to take someone who you had very neatly grouped in your head and re-categorize them. In this case, it was changing:David: hot, good chemistry, and very interestedtoCoach Hughes: colleague, kind, and off limits.

“Are you one of those farmers market girls?” David’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“What?” She had no idea what he was…oh. She pointed at her canvas bag that touted the fadedSanta Barbara Farmers Marketlogo. “This?”

He nodded, and then did a thing where he scrunched up his nose in an almost-grimace, like he’d just replayed his words in his head. “I like the farmers market. It’s good.” Again, that fuckingadorableexpression that was so at odds with the formidable bulk of him. “I mean, I was just trying to make conversation.” He shook his head. “Shit.”

Sage felt the laugh bubble up out of her throat. “Yeah, I guess you could say that I am one of those farmer’s market girls.”

“Nice.” He looked relieved at her reaction, his smile widening as his eyes crinkled in the corners. “Let me guess: you’ve got a house full of plants and you eat granola for breakfast every morning.”

She raised a brow at him. “Only one of those is accurate.”

“My money’s on the granola,” he said, his tone teasing.

“Guess you’ll have to wonder, then.” She shrugged, a warmth under her skin at howeasyit was to share air with this man.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, turning and beginning to walk slowly down the hallway. She fell into step beside him, unable to look away from the relaxed smile on his face.

“You have friends coming back this weekend?” he asked.

Sage shook her head. “None can make it this year,” she admitted. She hated the fact that none of her roommates were going to be back in Charleston for their first weekend as official alumni. She understood that they were busy, but she still hated it. “My older sister is coming, though.”

David looked surprised. “She went here?”

“Yep,” she replied. She couldn’t help but smile when she thought of her older sister. “She graduated in 2007, but she still has a ton of friends around here.”

“Nice. I hope you have a good visit with her.”

“Thanks.”

They’d reached the top of the stairs.When had they climbed the fucking stairs?

Talking to David Hughes was easy and comfortable and weirdly normal, like for a few minutes she’d been able to forget all about the almost-sex and simply enjoy his company. Well, she hadn’t completely forgotten about the almost-sex. How could she when he was all huge andhimself?

“I guess I’ll see you next week,” David said, tipping his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the athletic offices. “Have a nice weekend?”

Based on the pained expression on his face, she guessed that he hadn’t intended for that to be a question. “You too.” She gave him a quick nod, turning away quickly, not wanting to prolong the moment.

Only shewantedto prolong the moment, but she knew she shouldn’t.

Couldn’t.

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