His phone kept buzzing as we drove. I glimpsed Stan’s name one time when I looked over, and after Reese parked in the garage, he read through the texts. Cursing softly, he sent out a flurry of responses, then turned his phone off and shoved it into his pocket.

He took the keys out of the ignition. “You ready?”

There was a bittersweet taste in my mouth as I nodded.

Reese lingered, his eyes falling to my mouth. “Juan mentioned drinks later this week. You up for that?”

He knew something was up, and he was casting out a tentative net, seeing how long I was planning to stick around. Or maybe not. Maybe he really was asking for drinks. I’d already lied to him once tonight.

“I thought I was flying back tomorrow?”

His eyes darkened, and he rested his head against his headrest. “I was hoping to change your mind.”

“Don’t you have an away game on Wednesday?”

“We won’t fly out till that morning.”

“You have practice tomorrow?”

“I gotta put some time in tomorrow.”

I should fly out. I should stick to the original plan, but… Even now, after just holding his hand for the last thirty minutes, I was having a hard time giving it up.

This was supposed to be fun. This was supposed to be just an odd friendship. When did all these emotions get involved? And fuck, but I couldn’t bring myself to make the hard decision.

One more day. Two more. Then that was it. A week.

I nodded. “Okay. You have a game in New York on Friday?”

“Yeah. Wanna come? I’ll fly you out.”

I could tell he didn’t think I’d take him up on that offer, and as a sad smile stretched over my face, he saw it for what it was.

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll change your flight for Friday morning?”

I nodded, not saying a word because his lips were on mine, and then I was wrapped up in all the sensations, all the good feelings, all the feelings I shouldn’t be feeling at all.

He groaned, pulling away to rest his forehead against mine. “Thank you for coming, even though it was a shit show tonight.”

What was I supposed to say? I shook my head, laughing lightly. “Thank YOU, you mean. You paid for the tickets. I just came and…” His hand moved to my legs, dipping between them, and I narrated as I did it: “I just spread ’em wide.”

He barked out a laugh, his mouth coming back to mine, harder, rougher, more demanding. “Come on.”

He came around the front to my side, bent down, and tossed me over his shoulder.

“Reese!”

“Hush, woman. Now’s not the time for words.” His hand was firm on my ass, squeezing a good handful. “God, I love this ass.”