Page 73 of Resisting the Running Back

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her a few times, and in truth, Cassie once tried to set us up, but I politely and respectfully declined since my mind was on Sophie.

I can’t say I’vealwaysdeclined invitations because of Sophie. I neverreallythought we had a chance, but something made me say no to every opportunity that came my way with the fairer sex over the half year before Sophie broke it off with her ex, and somehow that felt right. Like I was saving myself for her, and then she happened to come along.

I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell her that I’m in love with her. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

It’s a secret I’ve kept hidden away for more than half my life, and to admit it to the one person I’ve worked hardest to keep it from feels like it would be quite the shock.

I know I should just tell her.

Losing Eddie before we got the chance to know him should’ve been a clear reminder about how short life really is, but instead I let it fuck with me in other ways.

Regardless, I’m thankful that it connected us to the four brothers we didn’t get to have growing up. Tanner and I always liked our small family, but I still wanted more—something like this, where I walk into a room and immediately find five close friends who share interests and blood even if we didn’t share a childhood.

Everything that’s happened over the last year and a half has only bonded the six of us, and the next eleven days will only bring us even closer together. In fact, I’m not sure why we didn’t come up with the idea to take a family vacation sooner. Leave it to the women to come up with this plan.

Our group of thirteen meets at the restaurant in the Bellagio that Tanner and Cassie chose for tonight, and we begin the night with drinks, naturally. It’s a party, and we’re here to celebrate.

Sophie is caught up in a conversation with Cassie about how she’s doing an in-store event with one of the Vegas Aces team members’ wives when Jess smiles at me from across the table.

“Congratulations on your engagement. You seem really happy,” she says, angling her head between Sophie and me.

I slip an arm around the back of Sophie’s chair. “I am.”

“I’m happy for you. Is this why you and I never…?” She trails off with a question at the end, and I lift a shoulder as I glance at Sophie.

It seems like she knows about my feelings for Sophie, and it makes me wonder whether she knows the truth about the engagement, too.

Though to be fair, I’m not sure I even know the truth about the engagement at this point.

I guess I’m just living in the moment and hoping for the best. It’s not the greatest plan, but I’m trying to manage all this the right way. I want to continue being there for Sophie as the friend I’ve always been, but I want to explore this new side of things more and more with her without scaring her off.

And sex. I want sex. With her. Now. All the time.

I glance back at Jess and give her a small nod. I don’t want her saying anything I’m not ready for Sophie to hear, so I turn to my other side and join in on the conversation with my brothers about some of the offseason coaching changes around the league.

Dinner is served, and more drinks are, too. Our large table gets louder with laughter the more drinks are served, and once the last dessert plate has been cleared away, Tanner stands and tugs on Cassie’s hand. She stands, too, as he begins a short speech.

“Thank you all for spending this night with us. Now before we havetoomany drinks and my future bride gets mad because we’re all hungover tomorrow at the wedding, I think we’re going to call it an early night.”

The twinkle in his eye gives him away—to me, at least, since I know him better than I know myself sometimes. He’s probably had his hand up her skirt all night, and now he’s ready to take it to the privacy of their hotel room, so he’s making an excuse and skipping out on the plans he had for all of us to go to some club after dinner.

And it’s fine. Really. I’m not much of a club guy anyway, and getting Sophie up to the privacy of a hotel room sounds pretty damn perfect to me.

“To the bride and groom,” I say, holding up my nearly empty drink, and everyone at the table holds up their glasses as they repeat my toast.

I’ll have a longer, more meaningful speech tomorrow night, but I can see Tanner is antsy to get the hell out of here, so I leave it at that.

They head out first, and I look around the table as everyone starts to make plans.

I glance at Sophie. Her eyes are warm when they meet mine, and I lean in a little closer and murmur, “Do you want to go to the club, or do you want to head upstairs?” I press a little kiss just under her ear, and she shivers.

“Upstairs.” Her voice is a whispered plea.

“We’re going to head up, too. Best man duties bright and early tomorrow,” I announce, and Grayson gives me that oldyeah, brokind of look that tells me everyone knows I don’t have any early duties tomorrow since it’s an evening wedding, but we’re all grown adults here. I bet every single dude at this table is itching to get his significant other somewhere private.

Except Asher. He strikes me as the type to just do it right here.

Sort of like we did at that club that one night.

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