Page 84 of Offside Attraction

“You really should give him a shot, Dakota. He seems like a good guy,” Harper says beside me and I turn to glare at her. She curls her lips and shrugs as if saying,sorry I tried to help.

“Just putting it out there,” Mark says as he flashes me a warm smile from the rearview mirror. I don’t smile back.

“You’ll be surprised how fast you two would become good friends if you just give him a shot.”

I stare out the window, rolling my eyes as I mutter under my breath. “Huh-huh.”

Mark parks his car and I don’t wait for him to turn off the engine before jumping out of the car. I slam the door shut and hurry toward the door. Mom meets me by the front door as she opens it, a look on her face like I’m fourteen again and throwing a tantrum.

Fuck’s sake, y’all, give me a break.

I walk past the foyer to the living room as I hear Shepard barking, his nails clicking against the hardwood floor as hescrambles to greet me. The familiar, excited yips echo through the house, and a small smile tugs at my lips despite the whirlwind of emotions still churning inside me.

“Hey, buddy,” I murmur, bending down to scratch behind his ears. Shepard wags his tail furiously, leaning into my hand like he’s been waiting all day for this moment. It’s grounding, the feel of his fur, the unconditional warmth in his eyes—like he doesn’t care what I’ve done or what mess I’m tangled in with Hayes

“Shep, come here, boy,” Harper calls as my dog trots toward her, standing on his paws to welcome Harper. I watch as Harper falls to her knees, a big smile on her face as she rubs his fur, speaking gibberish as he barks happily.

Sometimes I think my own dog likes Harper more than me. My phone vibrates in my jacket pocket as I pull it out, unlocking the screen to read Seth’s message.

Hiya, Coty. Back from dinner yet? Tell me it wasn’t as awkward as I’d thought.His message reads.

I scoff, a small smile on my lips as I make my way upstairs to my room. I’d told Seth about the dinner earlier today and he joked about how awkward it would be. If only he knew half of what happened today.

I open my room door and shut it, making sure to turn the lock before getting undressed. I need a cold shower. If only that would quench the fire burning under my skin, the one that Hayes somehow manages to ignite every time he’s close, with a single look or a few well-placed words.

The glow of the streetlights filters through my curtains, casting faint patterns on the ceiling as I start to peel every layer of clothing off my skin. The silence is heavy, wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket, and I know I’m not getting any sleep tonight. Not with the way my mind keeps replaying everything that happened by the lake.

I can still feel the heat of his breath against my skin, the faint brush of his lips hovering just out of reach. The memory tightens my chest, my pulse quickening in the quiet room. I was so close to letting him kiss me.

Too close.

I could’ve leaned in just a little more. Closed the gap. Let the tension snap and turn into something real—something that might’ve felt good. For a split second, I wanted it. Wanted to know what it would feel like to give in.

And then reality sinks its claws into me.

Hayes Griffin.

My rival.

My enemy.

The guy who’s been getting under my skin since we were kids.

I almost let him in. Almost let him get that close. What the hell was I thinking?

I can’t afford to forget who he is. The same guy who’s spent years pushing my buttons. The same guy who, four years ago at summer camp, tricked me into believing—just for a moment—that he could be something else. Someone safe.

The betrayal still stings, even now. Like a bruise that never fully healed.

I was just a kid then. Too naïve. Too trusting. I learned my lesson the hard way: never let your guard down around Hayes Griffin.

And tonight, I almost did it again.

That’s the part that scares me the most.

Because for a split second, I wanted to. I wanted to let the tension between us snap into something real. I felt it in the way my body froze, in the way my heart pounded so loudly I thought he might hear it as he leaned in.

That’s exactly why I have to shut this down before it goes any further.