Page 45 of Our Secret Moments

“No,” I whisper, “No, you didn’t.”

“I fucking knew it,” she says triumphantly. “You like him, don’t you? I bet all that forced proximity is eating away at you.”

I shrug. “I don’t know yet, Elle-Belle,” I reply.

She smiles wide, her dimples sinking in. “Well, either way, that’s fucking adorable. You deserve to be happy, Cat. Just…” She turns back to Nora who is still talking. “Be careful.”

“I know,” I say, “I will.”

That felt like a lie the second the crowd roared when the team slowly made their way back onto the pitch because when I saw Connor lined up, helmet in hand, padded up and fucking massive, a piece of me died inside. He scanned the crowd, looking and searching until his hot gaze finally landed on me.

And then he smiled.

At me.

My stomach somersaulted at the movement, and I hope to God nobody noticed it. My whole face lit up with the sheer excitement ofwhat-ifwhich I haven’t felt for a while. What if I let myself have this? What if I let myself fall?

Being careful seems to be the very last thing on my mind right now.

Is this supposed to turn me on, or is that just me? I don’t think I took my eyes off the players the entire game. Did I understand what was going on? Not completely. Did I feel my heart fall right out of my chest whenever I watched one of the players sprint with the ball? Every. Fucking. Time.

I didn’t know how much it excited me until they started playing. The crowd was almost animalistic as they roared and cheered with the team, encouraging them to go on. Nora was waving her hands in the air like a mad woman, yelling at the opposing team while Elle and I couldn’t stop laughing. It was a new and thrilling experience and now I want to go to every single game and deal with the chaotic aftermath.

Once the boys had showered and changed, we waited for them in the parking lot on campus that sits between the sports arena and our dorms. We were invited to a wind-down session back at Oliver’s house. No pool today, unfortunately, as it’s being cleaned. I don’t think I’d be able to look at his backyard without my thoughts turning feral.

Connor steps out of the doors to the arena, freshly showered and his brown hair a damp mess on his head as Sam, Wes and Oliver are in tow behind him but he’s all I see. Nora runs towards them as excited as ever.

“Holy shit,” she exclaims, looking up at Connor and Wes. “You were fucking amazing. And that second half? I almost shit myself.”

Wes laughs, slinging his arm around her shoulder as they continue to walk towards us. Connor doesn’t take his eyes off mine as he slowly walks towards me. I press my back further intohis truck. “What did you think, Catherine?” he asks above Nora’s excited chatter.

I shrug. “You were good. You were all good.”

“Just good?” he asks, his voice low and scorching as he steps in closer to me. My heartbeat increases as my chest rises and falls while I look up at him. “We were better than good, and you know it.”

“Do I?” I tease. He presses one hand on the hood of the car, caging me in. He just loves doing that, doesn’t he? Even when people are around. He’s going to get us into some very deep shit if he carries on and if I continue letting him.

He lowers his head to the side of my face, his breath hot and tantalising against my ear. “Guess I’ll have to prove you wrong and turn thatgoodinto afucking fantastic.”

Before I can say anything, Nora comes behind him and pushes him off me. “Okay, leave her alone, big guy. We’ve got celebratory shots to do!”

I never got to get a good look at Oliver’s house last week before I was pleasantly ambushed by Connor, but holy fuck… If I could be buried anywhere it would be here. Wooden floors, high ceilings, dark grey reflective refrigerators, a wine cellar, a fridge dedicated to alcoholic drinks only. It’s a frat boy’s wet dream. And mine too, apparently.

I spin in a circle before taking off my coat and hanging it by the door. Nora and Elle walk in front of me, taking off their outer layers too, dropping them onto an empty chair in the hallway. Wes and Sam rush past me, almost knocking me over as Oliver huffs.

“Just don’t break anything, please,” Oli says, running a nervous hand through his hair as we start down the long hallway. “My parents might be out of town, but they’re not idiots.”

I laugh a little, finally shredding off my scarf and gloves as I shove them into my coat pockets. When I turn, I almost collide straight into Connor’s chest. Luckily for me and the huge chunk of a man, he steadies me instantly, holding on to my shoulders.

“How many times are you going to fall into me, Cat?” he murmurs before setting me straight. I brush off my shoulders as if he’s left a mark there.

“How many times are you going to catch me?” I retort.

“As many times as it takes,” he answers easily, smirking at me. He looks too good like this – fresh, happy, tall. I mean, he looks tall all the time. It’s just a necessary description when it comes to him because it turns me inside out every time I have to look up at him.

“I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” I rub my temples, shaking my head at my own stupidity. His gaze travels over my outfit, looking down at my shirt as his eyes squint.

“What are you wearing?”

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