Page 13 of Pucking Around

I inch away from him, my body stiff.

“Are you okay?” he murmurs, his hand raising to brush softly along my jaw.

I close my eyes at the gentle touch. “Don’t be nice to me,” I murmur. “Please—”

He stills. Then his hand is under my chin, tipping it up. “Look at me, Hurricane.”

Hurricane?Is that supposed to be me? Why does the nickname make my pulse flutter?

I open my eyes and glance up at him. The light from his apartment is soft, casting half his face in shadow. He’s beautiful. Those sharp cheekbones and dark eyes put me in mind of a fae prince, cold and mysterious. Not to mention those pouty, kissable lips.

“Are you okay?” he repeats.

I nod. Then after a moment, I shake my head.

I don’t even know how it happens, but in moments I’m back in his arms, crying against his chest as he holds me, his hand soothing down my back. I cling to him as I let loose all my exhaustion and stress and pain. When nothing is left to feel, only one thought remains.

“You wanna talk about it?” he murmurs.

I let out a soft sigh, my body relaxing against him. “I miss him.”

He stiffens slightly. “Miss who? Your boyfriend?”

I shake my head. No. Not my boyfriend. Not my anything.

“Your husband?”

I smile, pushing off his chest. “Nope. Never married.”

“Me neither. Brother then?”

I laugh, shaking my head again. “No. He’s…no one,” I reply, even as my heart says the word I really mean.

Someone.

He’s my someone. Somewhere out there, he’s being a whole person. And I’m here, afraid to let myself give in to the energy sparking between me and this beautiful man. Who knows, maybe this surly equipment manager is meant to be mynewsomeone.

But I’m not ready for new. I’m not ready for any of the changes life has suddenly thrown my way. And yet, I have to find a way to fake it until I make it, because my life is happening right now. I’ve got the throbbing shins to prove it.

“Come on,” Caleb says, offering out his hand. “You’re dead on your feet, Doc. Let’s get you set up on the sofa, huh? Live to fight another day.”

Nodding, I take his hand.

6

“Ready to go?” Caleb is standing in my doorway holding a travel mug. He’s dressed in a Jacksonville Rays tech shirt, a pair of workout pants, and trainers. His coppery brown hair is slightly damp, curling at his nape, and he didn’t bother to shave. His five o’clock shadow from yesterday is officially stubble today, and I don’t hate it.

“Yeah, just give me a sec,” I say, leaving the door open as I dart back in to grab all my stuff off the counter.

I only left his apartment about an hour ago. I spent the night on his couch wearing a pair of his grey sweatpants to hide my bare ass. At some point in the night, Sy joined me. I woke up to my alarm, body sweating, with sixty pounds of dog tangled between my legs.

I slipped out while Caleb was still sleeping and did a barefoot walk of shame down to the leasing office. I was ready and waiting the moment the guy arrived at 7:00AM. He was cool about it, dropping everything to help me get back inside my unit. I barely had time to shower and get dressed before Caleb was knocking on my door, ready to drive me over to the arena.

“Here,” I say, hurrying back over.

He holds out his free hand and I give him my spare key. “What the hell is this?” he mutters, looking down at it like it’s a live tarantula. “A little forward don’t you think, Hurricane?”

“Ha ha,” I say drolly, closing the door behind me. “Look, you’re literally the only person I know in this city, okay? We work together and now we share a wall. For now, you’re my person. The moment I find someone to relieve you of this heavy responsibility, I’ll take the key back, thus sparing you the continued horror of being associated with me.”

---