Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Images of the moment before my body was thrown into the air flash before me, and I grind my teeth. I should have seen them coming. Evaded. Cut in the other direction or threw away the ball.
I should have dipped or ran or… “Fuck!”
Shaking my head, I stretch my left arm out, my limb shaking as my fingers brush the edge of my phone. My cheeks expand from the effort, and I have to slip a little more off the mattress to grab it, but I can’t get a good grip. It falls to the floor with a thud.
“God damn it!” I scream, just as muted shouting reaches my ears.
My head snaps toward the bedroom door, and with slow movements, I push myself to my feet.
I release a sharp exhale, the stretch of my stomach almost opening my lungs up a little, but the pressure of my broken ribs creeps in a moment after. The pain’s too much, so I stand still a moment, trying to focus on the sounds coming from outside the room in order to forget the knife fight happening inside my body. At first, I think I’m hearing things, but then it sounds again.
My brows dip, and I drag my ass from Ari’s room, my temporary room since mine is upstairs, and head toward the living room. As I come around the corner, the giant television stares back at me.
My eyes snap across the screen, taking in every detail, every player, and slice back just in time to watch as my body flies into the air, spinning from hits from both directions. My helmet is torn off on impact, and I’m slamming onto the turf with a thunderous boom.
There’s a sharp gasp, and I realize it’s not coming from the replay.
My head jerks left.
Payton stands at the edge of the couch, fingers pressed to her lips, staring up at my seemingly lifeless body on the screen.
I must move, because her head suddenly yanks my way, and she pales, fumbling with the remote to turn it off, but I reach her before she can, wrapping my palm around hers.
Big blue eyes fly up to mine, tears and an apology written within them.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“For what? Caring enough to want to know what happened?” I hit play, my gaze moving between hers and the announcer’s worried words playing from the speakers around us as I give her the real details. “Two fractured ribs and a sprained shoulder.”
Her lip trembles, and there’s a whole other kind of pain behind my ribs.
“Don’t cry.” My free hand lifts of its own accord, thumb trailing along the soft plumpness of her mouth. “Not for me. I can’t take it.”
Her attention falls to my body, fingers coming up and gingerly touching the wraps across my skin. She traces every inch and starts to shake a little. “Are you okay?”
With one finger beneath her chin, I tilt her head up, our gazes connecting.
I was planning on saying something, but the second those big blue eyes collide with mine, my train of thought disappears. All that’s left is this deep-seated need to touch my lips to hers. To press farther against her and see how close I can get, though I’m already aware the answer would be not close enough.
I need more.
I want more…and I don’t think I’m the only one.
Her fingers fan out across my chest, the tiniest part of her pinkie now pressing to the naked skin just above my wraps, and fuck me. A shudder slashes through me.
Something shifts in her gaze, and the world falls away—my injuries, the pain. The crushing sense of loss.
It’s all gone.
She’s all that’s left.
My hand glides along her jaw until I’m cupping her cheek in my palm.
She doesn’t blink, just stares straight into my eyes with this endless intensity. Her lips part, pretty blue eyes widening as her fingers bite into me a little more, and all I can think is Yes. Dig them deeper. Mark me more.
My muscles clench, my pulse jumps, and then something knocks against my stomach. Once. Twice.
We both freeze. A small frown pulls at my brows, and then it happens a third time.
Slowly, I look down. “Is…is that…”
“Yeah,” she whispers, my free hands already on its way to her pregnant belly.
She takes half a step back.
I take a full step forward, pressing my palm against the front, and the baby kicks again.
A smile breaks across my face instantly, and I look at her.
There are tears in her eyes again, but there’s also more. Something deeper.
Something almost…raw. It thumps against my chest walls, a sensation too profound to put into words yet too delicate to understand.
It’s heavy and light at the same time.
A weightless force, drawing me to her.
Calling me to her.
My torso tips, my upper body curling over her tiny frame. A hiss instantly whooshes past my lips, my muscles screaming in disapproval, my body having moved on its own without thought or care to its condition.