Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
I shook my head. “I took today off. That means I’ll be here on Friday and for the game that night.”
“Be glad to have you back.”
“Coach.” I squared my shoulders. “I want to be on the bench, if that’s okay with you?”
I caught a glimmer of a grin before he masked it. “That’s just fine with me.”
My mind was spinning as I stepped outside, but Tyler was there. He straightened from the wall, a predatory look on his face as he stalked toward me.
“Tyl—” I started to say, holding my hands up.
He bent down in front of me and tossed me over his shoulder.
“Tyler!”
He turned around. “No one will tell me where your damn office is, so you tell me. We’ve got things to talk about, woman.”
Well then. I pointed him in the right direction.
65
TYLER
She thought she could leave me? I don’t think so.
She thought she could hide from me? Hell no.
She thought she didn’t have to turn her phone on and let me know she was alive? Over my dead body.
I planned to let her know all of this, except the second we were in her office and I lowered her to her feet, she jumped back into my arms. Her legs wrapped around me, she clung to my shoulders, and I had no choice but to hold on to her.
“Rain—”
“No,” she breathed, raking a hand through my hair.
And then her mouth was on mine.
Fuck.
I could kiss this woman for the rest of my life. But I needed to—I lifted my head.
“Tyler.” She fisted my hair, holding me in place. “No.”
“What?”
“I—I want to say my stuff first.”
Oh. Right. There were things we needed to talk about. I’d forgotten. My hands tightened on her ass. I bounced her in my arms a little bit, and oooh. That felt good. That felt really good.
“Tyler!” Rain laughed, creating some space between us.
Yes. A talk. I looked around her office and saw she had a couch. She had a couch, and this was the first time I knew about it? I went over and sat down, keeping her on my lap. She moved her legs to straddle me and sank down.
Yup, I had to think of anything I could to keep my dick from trying to tunnel its way into her. She smoothed her hands down my chest, biting her bottom lip. I lifted a hand, stopping her from doing that. Her eyes flicked up.
“Only I get to do that,” I explained.
Her eyes flashed, but then they cooled. “Okay. Listen, I messed up.” She tucked her chin against her shoulder, turning away.
I touched a finger to her chin, bringing her back to me.
Such guilt pooled in her eyes. “I couldn’t bring myself to turn my phone back on, and that was wrong,” she said softly. “I hid, and I isolated, and I pulled away. That’s always been my go-to. I did that growing up because that’s where I was safe, and I did that when I got older because I kept getting hurt, and I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. But I shouldn’t have done that with you.” She gripped my arms. “I’ve been cautious my whole life, and suddenly there you are, and you came in hot and fast. The first time you kissed me, I didn’t know what was happening. You woke up all these emotions in me that I didn’t know were there anymore. All my attempts at relationships have failed, and I’d accepted that I’d be alone all my life.”
That broke me to hear.
She rested her forehead on my chest, and I ran a hand down her hair and back, soothing her.
“You came along, and for the first time, I’m thinking there’s more,” she continued. Her hands slid down to the front of my shirt and fisted it. She lifted her head, and her eyes were glassy. “You are giving me more.” She broke off as a tear slid down her cheek.
I cupped the back of her neck, smoothing my thumb over her face. Yes. There was so much more here. I bent down to rest my forehead against hers. “You can tell me whenever you want. You don’t have to say it all now.”
She drew in a breath and closed her eyes, some tension leaving her body. “You deserve to know it all.”
I framed the sides of her face with both my hands. “We have time. You’re not going anywhere.” I looked into her eyes. “Right?”
She shook her head, a smile breaking over her face. “No. I’m not running anymore. I’m not hiding, but Tyler, you have to know that the way I grew up, I was conditioned to believe no one would want me. I’m messed up in the head.”
“Babe,” I whispered. “We all are.”
She laughed.
I grinned, loving that sound from her.
She wiped the rest of her tears away. “I’m sorry for hiding the last few days.”