Chapter 11
The grocery store is a buzzing hive of activity, shoppers weaving in and out of the aisles like bees.
I breathe in the scent of fresh produce and baked goods, grateful for the normalcy after the tension-filled morning at the apartment. I grab a cart and set off to gather some things, my mind swirling with anticipation of my first practice with the new team.
As I toss items into the cart—spinach, eggs, almond milk, and a few healthyish treats—I can’t help but feel the stares of other shoppers. I know they’re probably just curious about the new girl on the championship rugby team, but it still makes me self-conscious. I’d hoped to blend in here, not be under a microscope.
Lost in thought, I pick up a bottle of cold-pressed olive oil, and my fingers brush against someone else’s. Squeaking, I look up into the deepest blue eyes I’ve ever seen, curiously familiar in their intensity.
“Sorry, I—“ I start, before recognizing the owner of the handsomeness in front of me. “Jayden?” I stammer, my cheeks flushing. Great, just what I need—to run into one of my roommates while looking like a tomato.
Jayden smirks, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Fancy meeting you here, Queen of the Roommate Mix-Ups.”
I roll my eyes. “Harsh, but fair,” I retort, feeling my cheeks burn even hotter. I’m sure that having a female roommate isn’t their dream either. It probably cramps their style for all the girls they no doubt usually bring around.
“Seriously, I’m sorry you haven’t had the easiest start here,” he says, his smile softening. “And I’m sorry I haven’t made you feel more welcome. It was as much of a surprise for us as it was for you, but we’ve had the benefit of being settled in for a while.”
“It’s fine,” I say, waving it off, even though it isn’t. But I don’t want to make things more awkward than they already are.
The tension between us crackles like lightning. I swallow, desperately trying not to stare at his lips or the way his biceps flex as he places a bag of protein powder in his cart.
Focus, Dylan, I scold myself.
“So, what’s on the menu for you this week?” Jayden asks, changing the subject. “You gonna make us suffer through overly healthy girly crap, or can we live a little?”
I huff. “My cooking is not that bad,” I reply, poking him in the abs playfully.
“Ouch, hot stuff,” he jokes, feigning a wound. “Don’t hit a guy where it hurts.”
I feel my cheeks ignite as we both become painfully aware of our proximity in the aisle.
“Well, I should probably go... grocery shop,” I mumble, gesturing vaguely towards the rest of the store.
“Wait, Dylan,” Jayden calls out, his voice tinged with something I can’t quite place. “Want some company? I could help you carry the groceries, since, you know, you... forgot your key.” He smirks, holding up the spare key I apparently left on the counter. “Noah keeps forgetting and double-locking it, remember?”
My jaw drops. “How did you—“
“I’ve got my ways,” he winks, an impish glint in his eye. “Besides, I could use some more tips on how not to suck on and off the field.”
My face catches fire. “You’re insufferable, you know that?” I groan, but my lips twitch into a reluctant smile.
“I know,” he grins, tossing the keyring back to me. “But you love it.” And with that, he winks and saunters off, leaving me flustered and giggling at his audacity.
As I watch him go, a warmth blooms in my chest. Maybe having Jayden around wouldn’t be so bad after all.
The rest of the shopping trip goes by in a blur, and I can’t get Jayden’s smirk or his innuendos out of my head.
After a while, we almost literally bang into each other again. We banter our way through the aisles, surprisingly in sync as we throw items into each other’s carts. It’s actually fun, I realize with a pang of disbelief.
When we finally make our way to the checkout lines, I can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness that this unexpected moment of levity has almost come to an end. “Well, this has been... unexpectedly bearable,” I admit, swiping my card to pay for my groceries.
Jayden flashes me a dimpled grin. “Told you. I can be charming when I want to be. And you’re not so bad yourself.”
“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” I huff, but my smile gives me away.
With our groceries in tow, we head back to the apartment, the tension between us having shifted from slightly antagonistic to something else, something that makes my stomach flip-flop. As we reach the door, we exchange a brief moment of understanding before Jayden keys in a new security code, replacing the one I’d memorized just hours ago.
I shot him a pointed look. “Really?”
“What? Can’t have just anyone barging in on us now, can we?” he winks, ushering me inside. As I pass him, he leans in close, and whispers in my ear, “But I’ll be sure to barge in when you least expect it, love.”
He straightens and his voice returns to normal. “Here’s the new code,” he says, handing it to me on a piece of paper. “And stop losing your keys.”
I feel my cheeks catch fire as I scurry off to my bedroom, flustered and aroused in equal measure.
Later, in the middle of the night, I find myself craving a snack.
Creeping downstairs in my pajamas, I tiptoe to the fridge, careful not to wake my sleeping housemates. I rummage around, grabbing a tub of ice cream and some chocolate chip cookies, before realizing I left my water bottle upstairs.
“Bugger,” I mutter, using a word I learned from my friend Liv, debating whether it’s worth going back to get it.
Before I can make up my mind, heavy footsteps thud down the staircase, and the landing light flicks on. I freeze, cursing my luck as Jayden descends the stairs, wearing only a plush gray towel slung low over his hips, water droplets glistening on his bare chest.
Rivulets of water leave slick lines down the V-shaped contour leading from his obliques to his groin… a V-line or Adonis belt I guess are the technical terms, but Kat always preferred the term ‘cum gutters’ and right now I can’t get that out of my head.
“Sleepless too, sunshine?” he drawls, a smirk playing on his lips.
My cheeks flame as I clutch my midnight snack, trying to think of a witty comeback but failing miserably. His low-slung towel has rendered me speechless once again.
“Oh, come on, Dylan, I thought we were past the awkward stage,” he teases, sauntering over to the fridge, his toned abs rippling with each step.
“What do you want, Jayden?” I huff, craning my neck to avoid his gorgeous, near-naked body.
“A drink, and a spoon,” he smirks, nodding at my ice cream. “And maybe some company, if you’re offering.”
I roll my eyes, but my heart hammers in my chest. “Fine, take one,” I mutter, tossing him a spoon.
As we sit in the darkened kitchen, devouring the ice cream, the tension between us is thicker than the creamy treat.
Jayden shifts closer, dabbing at my lips with a paper towel. “You’ve got some...,” he trails off, his warm breath grazing softly against my skin.
I hold my breath, my gaze locked on his.
Slowly, he leans in, his lips brushing mine, gentle and achingly soft, his stubble tickling my skin.
I melt into him, the ice cream forgotten, as we succumb to the simmering chemistry that’s been building between us ever since we first laid eyes on each other.
Breaking apart, both panting, I gaze into his eyes.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since we met,” he says, his voice husky.
I feel a flush creep up my neck.
“So, tell me about Jayden Bishop,” I say, feigning nonchalance and eager for a distraction. My brain is still processing the kiss.
He smirks, leaning back against the counter. “What do you want to know, Dylan?”
“Tell me something I don’t know about you…”
“Let’s just say I’m more than a pretty face and a mean tackle.”
Our eyes lock once more, and my heart skips a beat. “Oh yeah? What does that mean?”
“You’ll see, in good time. Good things shouldn’t be rushed,” he smirks again.
“I’d be a fool not to believe you,” I say, my voice husky with desire. “But I still think you need to prove it.”
“I’m glad you said that,” he growls, swooping in for another searing kiss. “Wouldn’t want to disappoint the new assistant captain of the women’s team,” he murmurs against my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
“We’ll see about that.”
Just as quickly as everything started, Jayden pulls away. “I—I should go,” he says, his hardness evident underneath his towel as he makes his way out of the kitchen. “That was a mistake. I’m sorry,” he says, walking away.
“Wait, what just happened?” I arch a brow at his retreating back. A muscular back covered in tattoos. Ugh. My weakness. “Did I do something wrong?”
But he doesn’t reply, just continues to walk away, leaving me alone with a rapidly melting pint in my hand.
I look down at my ice cream and sigh. This is going to be harder than I expected. Strange and hard. Usually a fun combination.
But in this setting, I’m suddenly not so sure.