Page 119 of Red Zone
I shoot him a look, even though my cheeks are still hot.
I flop back against the pillows, burying my face in my hands.
“Oh my god,” I groan. “She’s never going to let me live this down.”
Beside me, Carter just smiles, completely unbothered, and shifts onto his back with his arms folded behind his head.
“She didn’t seem mad,” he teases.
I peek through my fingers to glare at him, his grin infuriatingly smug. “Don’t flatter yourself, Hayes.”
He smirks but doesn’t argue, just stretches like he’s got all the time in the world.
That is, until his phone buzzes on the nightstand.
He grabs it, squints at the screen…and freezes.
Then he sits straight up.
“Shit. What time is it?”
My eyes fly to the little clock on my dresser, and my stomach drops.
“9:43,” I say, already scrambling upright. “Film starts in?—”
“Seventeen minutes,” he finishes, already on his feet.
We both launch into motion at the same time—me sweeping my hair into a messy bun, him bending to grab his hoodie from the floor.
“You didn’t set an alarm?” I scold, wrapping the blanket tighter around myself as he fumbles with his sweatpants.
He shoots me a grin over his shoulder. “I was kind of distracted last night, if you recall.”
My cheeks flush as he straightens up and pulls his hoodie on over his head.
“Not my fault you’re bad at time management,” I mumble.
He just smirks, leaning down to grab his sneakers. “Worth it.”
When he’s dressed, he steps to the door, then pauses.
And turns back to me.
He crosses the room in two strides, cups my jaw in one hand, and kisses me—quick but firm, enough to make my stomach flip.
When he pulls back, his grin is still there, a little softer this time.
“I’ll see you at the game,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb over my cheek.
I swallow and manage to find my voice. “Don’t screw it up out there, Hayes.”
He shakes his head, backing toward the door. “Don’t worry, Harding. You’re my good luck charm now.”
And then he’s gone, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me standing there with my blanket wrapped around me, still feeling the imprint of his lips on mine.
And I have no idea how I’m supposed to focus on anything else today.
By the time I finish taking a shower and get dressed, the apartment is quiet again.
