Page 55 of Too Far

Joey:Clever. I want to find Cap, then I’ll come up and join you. Any idea why Greedy’s here?

Hunter:*eye roll emoji*

Joey:It’s like that, huh?

Hunter:Sharks had a bye week. Decker called in a favor.

My heart trips in my chest. All this was Decker’s doing?

I find him in the gym, like Kendrick thought I would. Why the man thinks he needs to run on the treadmill after winning a football game is beyond me.

Not wanting to startle him—he’s legit sprinting on an incline—I wait until he sees me in the mirror. He quickly slams the emergency stop and whips his head around, scanning me from head to toe.

“Are you okay?” he wheezes.

I fight back a smirk. “All good.” I prop myself up against the doorjamb rather than enter the room. Kylian discovered that hovering in a doorway makes it harder for the cameras to capture our conversation.

“I just wanted to check on you. Congratulate you. Ask about the party…”

I raise one brow and scrunch my nose.

His gaze shifts to the camera clearly mounted in the corner of the gym, then he focuses on me again.

“It’s just our regular party, Josephine. It’ll wrap up around midnight. You don’t need to hang out downstairs if you’re not in the mood to celebrate.”

Nodding, I turn my head just a little, looking into the hallway, then back again, silently willing him to recognize the invitation.

He stands, stretches his arms overhead, and cracks his neck, like he’s in no rush at all.

When he starts toward the door, I turn and stride away.

I don’t falter or look back to confirm he’s following.

Holding my breath, I turn the handle on the pantry door, check that it’s empty, and duck inside.

The door latches closed behind me.

I spin on my heel and fight back a smile. “Are we alone in here?” I whisper, not bothering to flick on the light.

There isn’t a B-roll camera here, but there are mics throughout the house. That leaves us with few places we can find true privacy this week. Regardless, I’m itching for a moment of solace with this man.

Leaning against the closed door, Decker nods and beckons with one finger. “We are. Get over here.”

I rush into his arms. The warmth and strength of his hold instantly settles all the stirred-up emotions that have run rampant inside me since I spent the game in the stands instead of on the sideline.

He cups the back of my head and ducks low, mouth at my ear. “Kylian knows what you like to get up to in this pantry, Siren. He thought it best to scramble the feeds and mics in this part of the house, too.”

I play punch his side, and he lets out ahmph. Lightning quick, he catches my wrist and raises my hand to his mouth. With his free hand, he unwinds my fist, then he places a kiss on the center of my palm.

He keeps his eyes on me the whole time, onyx orbs filled with desire.

The air around us hums. It’s rare for the two of us to have a true semblance of privacy.

Day in and day out, I feel his gaze in the very marrow of my bones as he watches me.

But I live for these moments.

Sweet moments. Singular minutes. Secret seconds where it’s me and him, and he’s not worrying about anything else.