Page 24 of Play Maker

Running didn’t sound bad, and I enjoyed Adam’s company. I just didn’t respond well to surprises.

Instead of leaving me to wallow in my pissy attitude, he grinned. “I could, but I want to run with you.”

My cheeks heated, along with the rest of me, and I admitted his undivided attention was a dangerous thing. Especially in the tiny confines of my apartment.

With a grumble, I drained the last of my coffee and tossed the cup in the trash. “Fine. I’ll go running with you, but I want to stop at the Pancake Shack for breakfast.”

“No. Absolutely not. If we’re getting breakfast, we’re going to Whataburger.”

“I’m not running to Whataburger. It’s halfway across town.”

“It’s barely two miles from here.”

“Which is halfway across town.”

Adam grabbed the sneakers I kept by the door and cornered me in the kitchen to press them into my hands. “You can make it. We’ll walk if we have to, and I’ll pay for breakfast. No more excuses.”

I hadn’t had Whataburger in years, but a free breakfast was a free breakfast. The Pancake Shack wasn’t going anywhere. Still, I didn’t want to give him the impression he could barge into my life and order me around.

My chin lifted. “These aren’t excuses. I’m not some ball bunny waiting on your beck and call.”

“I’m aware of that, Sunshine. Otherwise, we’d be naked and working up a sweat in a much more satisfying activity.”

“That’s a terrible idea,” I mumbled. “Like running to Whataburger.”

He gripped the counter on either side of my hips, caging me in as he leaned into my space. “Might as well give in. You know you’re going to anyway.”

My traitorous heart took off in a galloping rhythm. Normally, I take the words people say at face value. Easier that way than trying to intuit whatever hidden message they intended. In this case, I felt the double meaning all the way to my toes.

Adam’s eyes flicked to my lips for a split second, and I nearly dropped my shoes. Heavy tension pressed down on me, making it hard to pull in a full breath. Goosebumps rose on my arms, and the sensible part of me knew I needed to de-escalate the situation before either of us did something stupid. The dangerous part of me wanted to see what would happen if I pushed him a little further.

“Sometimes the struggle is the fun part,” I whispered.

Heat flashed in his eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind when you’re begging me for rest later.”

I was in over my head. Sexy banter was so far outside my comfort zone I needed a passport, and all I could think about was grabbing a handful of his shirt and hauling him against me. Not a move I’d ever considered before.

With a surprising amount of regret, I shook my head. “You win. Whataburger for breakfast—but I get to pick the next time.”

“Good girl.” He tapped my nose and backed away to wait by the door.

The bubble burst, and a wave of unfulfilled longing threatened to take me to my knees. No wonder people screwed up their lives for sex. I hadn’t understood it before, but Adam was giving me a new appreciation for the dictates of my body.

I glared at him as I laced up my shoes. “You can be incredibly frustrating.”

He chuckled, completely unfazed by my criticism. “I know, but you’re going to get the rock star of breakfasts. I promise not to gloat when you thank me later.”

Adam shifted seamlessly into friendly teasing, and I struggled to keep up, reminding myself of all the reasons I shouldn’t get involved with him. Eva. The wedding. My sanity.

I straightened and tried for the same carefree tone. “That was a lie, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m absolutely going to gloat.” Adam opened the door and ushered me outside, barely waiting for me to lock up before taking off down the steps.

9

“You’re doingwhat?” I collapsed onto the velvet sofa in my mom’s apartment. One of the few pieces of furniture left among the chaos of boxes.

She settled next to me on the worn cushions. “Selling the building. Rob found a buyer who offered more than it’s worth if I sold now. The guy wants to turn it into a bar.”

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