Shelby rolled her eyes and looked at the other man as if this were a conversation they’d had multiple times. “As much as I love you, Bill, I’m not gonna say yes.”

“Our loss, Harbor City’s gain.” Bill checked his phone as a car with a Lyft sticker slowed down. “Looks like this is me. Next time you’re in New Orleans, it’s my turn to treat.”

“Deal.”

Standing side by side, Ian and Shelby watched the car drive away. It wasn’t until it turned the corner at Towson Street that he realized they were holding hands. Being this close to her and not touching her had somehow become unnatural, no matter the zip code they were in.

He walked her up to her door, wishing with each step that they were farther away so he could spend even that little extra amount of time with her. “Can I come in?”

Her sigh said so much without using a single word, but when she looked up at him, the light from the streetlamp highlighting her dark hair, there was no missing the way she looked at him as if she didn’t want him to go, either. He had no idea how they’d gotten to this place of want-but-can’t-have—it made no sense. Together, they made sense.

“We both know what will happen if you come in,” she said, stepping nearer to him as if she couldn’t help but be as close to him as possible. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

“Probably not.” He glided his fingertips over the sensitive shell of her ear, relishing the way her breath hitched as desire darkened her eyes. “But after the game, you were the first person I wanted to see, the first one I wanted to talk to.”

“Ian, that’s not fair,” she said, her voice breathy. “At the cabin, we agreed it would be once.” She pressed her palm to his chest over his heart. “In the hotel, you were supposed to keep your hands in your pockets.” She took a half step closer, eliminating any space between them as they stood touching, their faces close enough that they were practically kissing. “Now what’s the limit we’ll set?”

The temptation to dip his head just the smallest bit needed to complete the kiss was overwhelming, but this had to be her call. “Only when we beat the most hated team in Harbor City?”

She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth as she shook her head. “I should say no.”

“I shouldn’t even be here.” But there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be. Even if they never left this top step, if he was with Shelby, it felt right.

She took a quick step back, breaking contact between them and putting in the passcode on the building’s security keypad. “Should we pretend you’re just coming up for coffee?”