Page 49 of Shot Taker

Nova’s gaze goes to me, as if she’s gauging my reaction.

I look between the guys. “I’m gonna pass.”

Rookie’s got my back, and with only a little needling, they continue without me.

“Your game was good,” she says when it’s the two of us alone in the massive hallway.

“Not as good as yours. What’d you get?”

“Twelve percent.” Her face screws up. “I asked for twenty. He countered at five.”

“That’s my girl.” The words are out before I think, but her eyes brighten. “Let me drive you home,” I say.

She collects her jacket, and we head for the parking garage side by side.

As we get into the car, I clear my throat, preparing to say what I practiced on the plane.

“I know you said you needed time to think, but I’ve been thinking too. The night of the wedding, there were a few things going on.”

She straightens in her seat but doesn’t look at me.

“But the most important one was that I cared about you, and instead of seeing that through, I panicked.”

“I forgive you.”

“You do?” I echo, wary.

“Yes. We can be friends.”

Her words are like an axe to my damned chest as I pull into the parking garage and into my spot. “I don’t want to be your friend.”

She leans an elbow against the window frame and peers back at me, smiling. “You want me to text you naked pics?”

The fuck is she playing at?

I’ll go along with it for now. “Yeah. That’d be good.”

“Okay, then.”

I cut the engine and lean my head back against the seat as she lets her words sink in.

“There’s obviously still a connection between us,” Nova goes on while I’m still speechless. “If we focus on the physical, I think it would keep things simple. Protect everyone,” she goes on in a rush.

Well, fuck.

Now I’m the one on my heels.

With any other woman any other time, I’d be relieved she wants to keep boundaries clear.

But with Nova, it bothers me.

When I said I wanted her, I meant all of her.

Is it even possible to draw a line through this woman that separates her heart from the rest of her?

Why the hell would anyone try?

We get out of the car and walk in silence to the elevator. I wait for her to go first, holding the door.

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