Page 12 of Forever Offsides

“How will you get home?”

“I ordered an Uber. It’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Good. Then I’ll get dressed and walk you down.”

She narrows her eyes. “You’re very insistent.”

“I was hoping for persuasive.”

She smiles, and it’s better than dawn in the desert, better than sunsets on the ocean or the Eiffel Tower when it’s drizzling or everything else I can think of with my tired, foggy brain.

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s a yes.”

To my shock and amazement, she collapses on top of me and kisses me. My hands dive into her hair, and a smile erupts across my lips, and with it, my heart does something funny. Maybe it’s an extra beat or a jump in the rhythm. Whatever it is, I like it.

I like her.

I like that she doesn’t know who I am or what I do and doesn’t care enough to ask because it’s not important to her and it’s not why she’s here with me. I like that she’s a strong, smart, self-sufficient woman who doesn’t take men’s shit. I like that she feels as good and as natural in my hands as a football.

I like that I can call her and hear her voice or flirt-text her. I like that in a few months, I’ll be here, and she’ll be here, and maybe she’ll let me see her again. Maybe I’ll get to see her as much as we both can manage with our lives. Honestly, I can’t think of anything else that would be more perfect than that, other than having my son back in my life too.

We kiss until her phone chimes, announcing her Uber is here. I throw on a pair of joggers and a hoodie and take her hand. I hold her closer in the elevator, hiding my yawns in my sleeve. We didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, and I have a long flight this morning and a lot of work to do when I get back to Denver.

“What’s your number?” I ask as we step off the elevator. I smirk down at her. “Don’t give me a fake one either.”

She snickers and says, “It’s as if you know me so well” before she reads off her number so I can program it into my phone.

I lean in and nip her earlobe. “I know what you sound and look like when you come. I know you have the most beautiful green eyes and the best smile. I know you’re not only sexy as hell but extremely smart and driven.” I suck on the sensitive skin beneath her ear. “And young.”

She laughs. “We haven’t talked about that. I’m not sure I want to know exactly what our age gap is.”

I send her a text, and her phone chimes in her purse.

“I’m older than you. Probably by a decent amount. Does that bother you?”

She thinks about this for a moment as we step out into the cool Boston morning. The sun is just starting to brighten the sky, and I take her in my arms, even with the car waiting on the curb for her.

“No. It doesn’t bother me. As I said, I don’t want to know. Not yet. Do you want to know how old I am?”

“Older than twenty-five?”

“Yes.”

I shake my head. “Then not yet. I want to get to know you better and have it no longer matter once we reach that point.”

“Honestly, I kind of like the idea of not sharing too many personal details. We’ll keep it light and easy with zero expectations.”

“That works.”

I lean in and kiss her before she slips out of my arms, throws a wave to me over her shoulder, and gets in the car. I watch her drive off, unable to wipe the stupid grin off my face. All I know is this is the best I’ve felt about anything in a very long time. Both the girl and the job.

5

QUINN

One week later