Page 34 of Second Shot

“If you’d rather just go back to your condo and have a pity party, you can do that. I’ll just drop you off and find someone else to keep me company tonight.”

Jealousy eats at me hearing those words. “Excuse me?” Does he seriously think any guy will do? Am I that easily replaced? “Why would you say that?”

He scowls. “Because I invited you home with me to have fun. Not to obsess about the game.”

“Fine,” I say gruffly. “I won’t talk about the game.” I’m still seething that he’s so willing to trade me out for some other dude.

He huffs. “I mean, the point of my invite was so we couldforgetthe damn game. But if you’re too obsessed with losing and you’re not up for that—”

“Jacobs,” I growl as anxiety and irritation washes through me. “I said I’m fine not talking about the game. Okay?”

“Okay,” he says, sounding calmer. We ride in tense silence for a few minutes, then he says, “And for the record, I… I want you in my bed, not some other guy.”

His words make me feel a little better, but not completely. “You sure about that?” I cross my arms, feeling grumpy. “You were awfully quick to say it.”

He glances over. “I’m positive. I only want you tonight. And don’t pout.”

“I can pout if I want,” I grumble. “You seriously think you can just drop me off, and go find someone else to fuck? Where do you get off? What am I, a disposable toothbrush?”

He gives a guilty laugh. “I shouldn’t have said that, okay? I was just trying to get through to you.”

“Well, it wasn’t a very nice thing to say,” I mutter.

“No, it wasn’t. Which is why I said I’m sorry.”

I scowl. “I can’t believe you just threw that out there so flippantly.”

“Ryan,”he says, sounding frustrated. “I told you I’m sorry. It was a tactless thing to say, and I sincerely regret saying it. Are you going to accept my apology or not?”

I hesitate but then give a grudging, “Yes.”

“Good.” He reaches over and squeezes my thigh. “I really am sorry, okay? It was a tactless thing to say.”

“Okay.” I feel better when he touches me, and he does sound sincerely sorry. But there’s still a bad taste in my mouth at the veryideahe’d prefer some other man in his bed over me. However, I’m not going to rock the boat by saying anything. He apologized and that’s the best he can do. He doesn’t owe me a thousand reassurances, even if I’d like that.

As we climb into the hills, something in my chest starts to unknot. The noise of the city fades behind us, replaced by the whisper of wind through trees and the distant sound of waves. The street lights become fewer and farther between, and the air that flows through my cracked window carries hints of something floral.

“This is beautiful,” I say softly, rolling my shoulders. “I had no idea this existed up here.”

“Most people don’t. That’s kind of the point.”

He turns onto a winding road lined with mature oak trees that form a canopy overhead, their branches lit by occasional streetlamps. The houses here are different from downtown, older, with actual yards and character that you can see even in the darkness.

When he pulls into a driveway at the end of a cul-de-sac, I lean forward to get a better look at his home.

“Wow,” I breathe.

The house is gorgeous in a way that has nothing to do with showing off. Porch lights illuminate a Craftsman-style home with clean lines and natural materials, the kind of architecture that looks like it grew out of the landscape instead of being imposed on it. Landscape lighting subtly highlights gardens where I can make out the shapes of mature plants swaying in the evening breeze.

“This is yours?” I ask, genuine surprise in my voice.

“Bought it three years ago. It was a disaster when I found it. The previous owners let everything go to hell. But the bones were good.” He turns off the engine, and I catch something almost shy in his expression. “I don’t usually bring guys here.”

“No?” That admission has me ridiculously happy. It makes up for his earlier comment by making me feel special. I have to try hard not to grin like a fool.

“Nope.” He opens his car door. “Shall we go inside?”

“Absolutely.”

---