On the path back to the parking lot, she caught her foot on a tree root that was hidden in the ground, tripping and losing her balance.

I grabbed her elbow to steady her. “I got you.”

“Thanks,” she said, a little breathless.

Rather than continuing our trek, we froze, looking at each other for a beat. Adrenaline hit me like a rush after a goal. She gazed up at me, lips slightly parted, and then I realized I was still holding on to her arm. It was like a moment in a cheesy movie where the characters would lean in and kiss, but I wasn’t going to push my luck twice in one day.

Even if I really wanted to.

Even if she did kiss me back earlier.

“So much for not being clumsy.” I gently let her go.

“I’m not,” she insisted.

I stole a glance at her, fighting a smile. “Maybe just clumsy around me.”

“Maybe so.”

* * *

The lights were out at Bailey’s place when we reached her street. I pulled in illegally again and shifted into park. Leaning over to her side, I ducked my head to see out the passenger-side window.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s home.”

Bailey glanced over to confirm. “Praise God.” Exhaling a sigh of relief, she turned to look at me. “Thank you for tonight. It helped a lot.”

“Anytime.”

Silence fell between us again, but this time, it was awkward. Super awkward. Like maybe I should hug her, but the physical space between us made it too difficult to gauge her reaction to me getting closer. So, like a chump, I did nothing.

“I guess I owe you now,” she said, unbuckling her seat belt.

“I’ll definitely be collecting on that.”

Bailey grabbed her purse and dropped her chin, giving me a stern look. “Are you being dirty again?” Her voice was low, a little husky, and it definitely made me want to be dirty.

“No,” I said. “Unless you want me to be.”

Her lips tipped up at the corners. “Text me, okay?”

“I will.”

* * *

By Friday evening, Bailey and I had texted back and forth almost constantly, but I still hadn’t come up with an opening to see her again. And it was taking my head out of the game, which was fairly fucking dire given the scouts in the stands.

We were getting our asses handed to us, down zero to two, so I wasn’t the only one having an off day. Coach Miller finished reaming us out and stormed off, slamming the dressing room door behind him. The rest of us glanced at one another, every expression a mix of guilt and irritation with the rest of the team. There were still six minutes left in the first intermission to stew.

From beside me on the bench, Dallas studied me. “What’s up with you?”

“Other than my game being shit, you mean?”