Page 72 of Matched By My Rival
“Just right here.” Simon took a seat in the first row of seats. He rested his forearms on the desk, leaning forward a little, his eyes on me. “Hi.”
A laugh burbled up. He honestly was so sweet sometimes. “Hi.”
“How are you?”
Despite the playful small talk, his words weren’t the empty platitude I often heard from friends. He wanted to know. His eyes were full of warm concern, and he was about as far from the hostile Simon I’d first known as was possible. This Simon was genuine, sincere.
I knew, instinctively, this Simon cared about me.
“Lonely,” I said honestly. “I have this great guy who hooks up with me and texts me every day. He’s seriously great.”
He nodded. “But?”
“We can’t really just be together, you know? We never hang out. When we see one another, it’s always hurried. Secretive.”
“He might wish it was different too.”
“Yeah?”
Simon unfolded himself from the desk to approach me. He cupped my face. “That weekend in Riverton broke me.”
My heart skipped. “What do you mean?”
His eyes searched mine. “I want another weekend like that. All the weekends. All the days.”
It was my turn to ask. “But?”
He smiled wistfully. “You’re the star wide receiver here. Not exactly low profile. You need to stay on the down low. I can’t change the fact we can’t date openly.”
“I know.”
He studied me for a minute. “But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. Publicly, I mean.”
“Friends?”
His lips quirked. “Friends who meet up for lunch now and then. Or catch a movie. Or grab coffee. Friends who hang out.”
“Friends,” I repeated, my spirits lifting. “So you’re saying Simon Prentiss can forgive Parker Reed? People will be shocked.”
Simon laughed. “I bet they will. But even assholes can turn over a new leaf.”
“Is that what you’re doing?”
“More like a whole tree,” he said, leaning in to brush a kiss over my lips. “You bring out things in me I never would have expected, Parker. I wish…”
“What?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper against his lips.
“I just wish things were easier, that’s all.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. “This part is pretty easy.”
“Yeah.” He put his hands on my waist, squeezing as he lifted me back onto the edge of the desk. Damn. He really was strong. “Never felt so close to anyone before.”
I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him tight against me. “Yeah? Tell me more.”
He laughed huskily. “I miss being inside you.”
A shudder ran through me. “I miss that too.”
