Page 26

Shivers

Holland

“ D id you sleep alright, Mallory?” I ask, and Mallory’s gaze snaps to mine.

She squints question marks from her eyes, and I know it’s going to set me back, but I’m trying to immortalize the feel of her skin brushing against mine and the way the contact is sending shivers of awareness to nerve endings I didn’t know existed.

I don’t move my hand, just keep it dangling casually at my side.

My pinky is on fire where it’s gently resting against hers.

She pulled away once, but now she’s not moving.

I keep my face completely neutral, betraying nothing.

“I slept fine,” she says stiffly.

“That makes one of us. I slept horribly,” I announce to the group.

“Oh no!” Jennah puts her hand on my chest from my opposite side and pouts. “What happened?”

“Fell asleep on my couch.” I shrug, trying to subtly dislodge her talons. “It’s not nearly as comfy as my bed. I would have slept better in my bed.”

I move my gaze around the circle, and when I finally cut a side-eyed glance to Mallory, her face is redder than an overly ripe tomato.

But she has her mouth set in a challenging line, and I know that look.

It’s the one that says she’s not going to let me get away with any of my crap.

She’s also not going to pull her hand away from mine.

I can read her mind right now. That would be letting me win, and she’s nothing if not a fierce competitor.

She moves her hands slightly, rubbing her skin against mine, putting some space between us, only to brush the back of my hand again, and I swear my stomach bottoms out.

“I’m sure you could have moved to your bed, right? If you had gotten off the couch earlier in the evening?” She clicks her tongue. “Sounds like we should work on your discipline at practice.”

She turns and stares me down, a challenging gleam in her green eyes. I suppress a smile.

What I want to say is that I exercised more discipline than most last night.

A gorgeous woman who I have feelings for was asleep in my bed.

My discipline was tried to within an inch of its life by giving Mallory her privacy, by not making some excuse about needing to share the bed with her so I could “accidentally” fall asleep with my arms wrapped around her and her body pressed against mine.

Now my heart rate is kicking up with frustration, thinking about how much I want that and how Mallory all but said I can’t have it.

“Maybe we should.” I shrug easily. “But I also kept feeling like I wasn’t alone in my apartment. I didn’t want to make any sudden movements, you know? Because who knows what would have happened then.”

Zelda gasps. “Do you live with a ghost? Is your apartment haunted?”

“Not that I know of.” I keep my eyes on Mallory. “Though, last night, it felt like a little fairy had cast a spell on me. It was like I was in a dreamland.”

A dreamland where Mallory opened up to me and I to her, and we were getting to know each other like normal people. Normal people who might actually be attracted to each other. Who might be falling for someone they least expected to fall for but now kind of can’t help it.

Or maybe I’m speaking for myself .

Because Mallory looks like she wants to murder me right now. Was the fairy analogy too much? Maybe so. But she is a sprite, that one, all fiery and fluttering.

“Hopefully you were dreaming of us,” Jennah giggles.

I glance at her with a smile and look around the circle again before isolating Mallory. I drag my pinky across hers one last time before slinging my hands into my pockets. I wasn’t dreaming about all of them, but one woman in particular? One hundred percent.

I let my smile widen with the truth. “Yeah, definitely.”

Chad Erikson takes his position at the front of the room, and that’s my cue. I step up alongside him and don’t look at Mallory again.

“Ladies, Holland.” Chad beams his megawatt smile around the room. “I hope you’ve all been enjoying your time in Cashmere Cove. Isn’t Holland’s hometown beautiful?”

The ladies cheer their agreement.

“I know,” Chad goes on. “And a part of me is sorry to steal you away from this magnificent town, but I think you’ll be excited about where we’re heading next. Drum roll, please.”

Jennah plays along and taps her hands against the mantel.

The rest of the girls smile good naturedly, but ugh, the forced production of it all is starting to wear on me…

especially now that I’m pretty certain none of these other women are ever going to hold a candle to Mallory…

and she doesn’t want me. So what am I supposed to do?

I suppress a sigh. I need to focus on golf for the next week anyway. Then I’ll figure it out.

“Holland, let me turn it over to you so you can share the next stop on your journey to find love.” Chad sweeps his arm in front of himself and gives me the floor.

I step forward. “As most of you know, next week marks the biggest golf tournament of the year so far—the Grand Masters. I’m the reigning champ and am hoping to defend my title at Augusta.”

“You will!” Zelda calls out.

I dip my chin, grateful for her confidence in me, even though she has no idea about me as a golfer. She admitted as much when we were mini-golfing. Said she’d never paid the sport much attention.

“Thank you.” I smile. “The Grand Masters provides an entire week of festivities leading up to the golf tournament, which happens Thursday through Sunday. I’m thrilled that you’ll all be along for the ride, and I can’t wait to give you a peek inside this part of my world. Who’s ready for a little field trip?”

The ladies cheer and start chatting and hugging each other—and taking turns hugging me.

I catch Mallory’s eye amidst the hubbub, and she nods at me.

Whatever romantic feelings I have for her are about to be tabled for the week ahead.

She’s got her game face on, and so do I.

She’s been working as hard as I have to make sure my golf game is ready for the Grand Masters, and now it’s time to finally get out there and play.

I can hardly wait.