Page 35

K ENDALL

The team went into overtime and pulled off a win. My throat is hoarse from cheering, and I cheered extra hard for Dec and Miles. Just because.

I may be having sex—or orgasms—with Nash, but that doesn’t mean he’s the only football player I’m watching. We’re free to see other people, just not sleep with them until we cut ties from our sexual relationship.

Maybe it’s best to cut our ties now before I get in too deep. I hate how my go-to response is sabotaging this thing between us before my heart can get wrecked again.

If it’s not already too late for that.

“Finally, a Sunday and Monday off so I don’t have to stress about staying out too late and drinking too much.” Rowan finishes her third hard seltzer and tosses the empty can in the recycle bin.

“Row. You milked those weak ass drinks all game. I wouldn’t exactly call that cutting loose.”

“Says the one who sipped on water the whole game.”

“Uh, hello? Designated driver.” I twirl my keys around my finger and a burly hand reaches from behind me, snagging my keys from me. “Hey.”

I turn and bump into Nash’s solid chest. He’s freshly showered and wearing a black wool coat that’s unbuttoned, showing off a gray sweater that shouldn’t look as sexy as it does. But his chest would make a paper bag look good.

“You’re our driver?”

“No. I’m Rowan’s driver.” I reach for my keys and he pulls his hand back.

“I could use a lift.”

“You didn’t drive here?”

“I’ll tag along with you. Where’s everyone heading tonight?” Nash asks the growing crowd.

Riley and Walker are oblivious to anyone but each other, Declan has his arm draped over Rowan’s shoulder and says something that makes her, Darius, and Mindy laugh, and Miles is flirting with every female in the vicinity.

Dec tips his chin up. “Whiskey Buckle?” Like we’ve gone anywhere else all season.

“That works.” Nash takes my hand and heads toward the parking garage.

“Dude. Your legs are like ten times longer than mine,” I huff as I scramble to keep up with him. “What’s the rush? No one has even left yet,” I say, looking over my shoulder.

Rowan’s the only one who looks our way. She gives me a smile and a wave then returns her attention to Mindy.

Traitor .

When we reach the garage, he finally slows. “Where did you park?”

“Hand me my keys and I’ll show you.”

“Hm.” He presses the key fob, and since he hasn’t released my hand, I’m forced to follow him up and down the rows of cars. “It would be faster if you told me where in this jungle of cars you parked, but I’m in no rush.”

“Could have fooled me,” I mutter under my breath. Because my legs are tired from my morning workout then sitting and standing for three hours during the game, I tug on Nash’s hand and lead him toward my car.

When he spots it, he presses the fob again and smiles. “I knew I’d find it.”

I snort. “Right.” He opens the passenger side door and stands next to it, expecting me to climb in. “It’s my car. I’m driving.”

“It’s your car, but I’ll drive.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

I fold my arms across my chest. “Why do you need to? Is this a male chauvinist thing?”

Nash scrunches his brows. “No. It’s a gentlemanly thing.”

“What if I’m not in the mood for a...gentleman?”

If he’s going to stir emotions in my chest, I’m going to stir something of his. Nash’s eyes darken and he stares at me with an intensity that makes me even wetter than I already am.

As quickly as the lust fills his eyes, it leaves. Or at least, it lessens. Nash crooks his neck and motions to the seat. “Please get in the car, Kendall. You’ve been out in the cold all day. You’re going to freeze if you stand out here much longer.”

I don’t point out that he's been in the cold longer than I have. Granted, he was running around making tackles and getting sweaty while I sat or stood in the stands clapping and cheering.

I fix my winter hat, pull it over my ears, and let out a huff. I was cold a few minutes ago until his hand warmed me from the outside in. There’s no need to tell him that.

“You’re an ass.” I drop into the seat and yank the belt across my chest.

“Yeah, but you love this ass,” he says as he closes the door.

It’s not often Nash will flirt like that. He’s always so serious unless we’re both naked. Then his dirty talking mouth comes out and I go feral. No complaints here.

He climbs behind the wheel and adjusts the seat to accommodate his long legs. When he starts the car, Savage Garden comes blasting out.

“Damn.” He turns down the volume and chuckles. “Sounds similar to my pre-game music.”

“Rowan had control of the music on the way here.” It’s my playlist, but Nash doesn’t need to know that.

“She has good taste. I see you do as well.” He points to the preset stations. “I have the same ones programmed in my Range Rover. But Paisley overrides me most of the time so I’m stuck listening to Taylor Swift or some other pop crap.”

“Excuse me. Taylor Swift is not pop crap. She’s legendary. She writes her own music, can play a dozen instruments, and sings like an angel and a rock star and a country star. No shaming the queen.”

Nash holds up his hands in defense. “My apologies. The next time she’s in town, you can be the one to take Paisley to her concert. She begged me last year, but she was barely five and I didn’t think it was appropriate for someone so young.”

“That’s the thing about Taylor. She’s clean and sweet for the younger generation but writes lyrics that the older generation can appreciate too.”

“Sold. I’ll buy you both front row tickets.”

I highly doubt Nash and I will still be whatever we are the next time there’s a concert, but I don’t say anything.

When we reach the turnpike and he heads south, I spin in my seat. “You took the wrong on-ramp.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Everyone is going to Whiskey Buckle. That’s north of here.”

“Where we’re going is south.”

“What do you mean where we’re going?”

Nash lifts his shoulder in a careless shrug. “I’m hungry and didn’t feel like fighting the party crowd there.”

“Well did you stop to think where I want to go?”

“I did.”

“Apparently you didn’t, or we’d be heading north like everyone else.”

“Maybe I wanted time alone with you.”

My heart skips a beat, but I refuse to look into his words or my reaction to them.

“You should have asked me first.”

“You’re right. I should have.” He flicks on his blinker and merges right, exiting the turnpike. “But I was afraid you’d turn me down. Would you have turned me down?” he asks quietly.

Freaking butterflies. Now isn’t the time for them to get all woozy from Nash. I’m trying fricking hard to keep my head on straight.

“I don’t know,” I lie. “Being given a choice would have been nice.”

“I’ll remember that for next time.”

Next time? As in, Nash wants to spend alone time with me next time? Do I want there to be a next time? Well, yeah, but I thought that would mean naked with his cock buried deep inside me.

I stir in my seat and clench my thighs together. Nash kidnapped me. I shouldn’t be all hot and bothered by it. Okay, fine. Maybe what he did isn’t exactly kidnapping, but he took my keys and whisked me away somewhere away from our friends so he could have alone time with me.

My heart skips again as those damn butterflies flutter about. Get the fuck out of my body! I’m only going to get hurt if I allow my emotions to take over. But I can’t help replaying his words. He ditched our friends so he could have alone time with me.

Fucking. Swoon.

“Shit.” I lean forward and slam my hands on the dash. “Row. She came with me. How is she going to get home?”

“I asked Dec and Miles to figure it out.”

“You what? When?”

“In the locker room.”

“Is that when you worked on your plan to kidnap me?”

“No.” He chuckles. “That was yesterday.”

Well, fuck. Those butterflies aren’t going anywhere tonight.