Chapter 22
BECCA
“Good morning.” Nate smiled down at me.
I groaned softly, burying my head against the pillow, and stared up at him. There was dark stubble along his jaw and neck, reminding me what it felt like against my skin before we drifted off to sleep.
“What time is it?” I rolled to the side, sinking into his soft mattress. The blinds were closed, but sunlight still peeked through.
“It’s almost eight o’clock.”
I stretched my limbs and tried to hide my wince. It was a silent reminder of what he did to me last night.
“I have some pastries and fruit downstairs. I wasn’t sure what you liked for breakfast.” He leaned down, brushing his lips along my bare shoulder. I shifted my body, rubbed my naked legs against his sheets, and curled into the warmth of the bed.
It was hands-down the most comfortable mattress I’d ever slept on.
“How long have you been awake?”
He ran his hand softly through my hair. “About an hour or so.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
I wrapped the sheet around myself. I didn’t want to even think about how bad I looked compared to him.
“I wanted to shower and get a quick workout in first.”
Of course he did.
“Your bed is so comfortable, I don’t want to get up.” I sighed, tracing the lines of his muscles. His body was a work of art.
He chuckled. “I’m glad you think so. I slept on the edge of the mattress all night. I never took you for a bed hog.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Wow. Way to ruin the moment.”
“Relax. I’m glad you were comfortable. Just don’t get used to sleeping on my side of the bed. I was being a gentleman last night. I might not be so accommodating next time.”
“We will see about that.” I rolled my eyes. “And who says there’s going to be a next time?”
“You’re hilarious.” He stood and pulled me off the bed. “Now, it’s time to get up, my little bed stealer.”
“Where are you dragging me off to?” I whined.
The man had no respect for my sanity. Either that, or the universe hated me. My hair was a mess; I hadn’t had any coffee yet, and let’s not even get into morning breath.
I needed another shower and a change of clothes, stat.
That stupid grin of his widened when he saw how much his jersey swallowed me up. “You look too cute in my jersey to be this grumpy.”
My bare feet padded softly against the floor until we reached the bottom of the stairs.
I stopped dead in my tracks once we reached the kitchen.
When Nate said he had stuff for breakfast, I didn’t expect an entire buffet would be waiting for me.
I blinked at the spread in front of me. “You made all this?”
“I figured you would be hungry.” He grabbed the mug that he had bought me yesterday and placed it under the Keurig machine. “How do you take your coffee?”
“With a generous amount of cream, but I can get it.”
I walked over and went to pull the fridge open, but Nate stopped me. “I know you can, but I asked what you put in your coffee so I could make you a cup, not for you to make it yourself.”
“Well, okay, then.” I put my hands up in surrender and let him fix my coffee. I couldn’t recall a single time in my life when someone took care of me like this. And he made me breakfast.
Good grief. Get a grip, Becca. It’s just food. People cooked breakfast all the time. This wasn’t life-changing.
I cursed myself, knowing my infatuation with him was getting out of hand. I needed to be more careful. I was getting too comfortable, and comfort sometimes led to carelessness.
Like getting involved with a six-foot-two quarterback who could turn my world upside down.
I leaned against the counter, watching Nate push the fridge door open, bending his body to grab the cream.
I’d gotten so used to doing everything on my own that I forgot how nice it was to have someone think about me without having to ask.
Normally, I craved quiet mornings in my own space, but there was something comfortable and peaceful about watching him move around his kitchen with messy hair and sleepy eyes that made me want to get used to this.
That should have been enough of a red flag to send me running out the door.
“Did you want something to drink other than coffee?” he asked, placing the cup in my hands.
“I’m good, thank you.”
He smiled and started moving around the kitchen again. These simple little things felt mildly intimate. Like we were a couple who did this every day, not two people who had just spent their first night together.
He glanced over his shoulder. “How come you’re being so quiet?”
“No particular reason,” I lied and took a sip of my coffee, letting the warmth settle into my chest.
He leaned against the fridge, watching me carefully. “I can practically feel your brain spiraling.”
I sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen island and picked up a croissant. “I’m just thinking.”
He grabbed a bowl of berries and set it down. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
I tugged on the hem of his jersey, suddenly aware of how the cool air was hitting my skin.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I said, looking back down at my mug.
He crossed his arms. “What do you think this is?”
“I’m not sure.” I paused, trying to find words that didn’t make me sound so insecure. “I guess I’m not very good at casual.”
I’ve spent so much time being careful. With my work, relationships, and pretty much everything. This felt like we were moving too fast, yet somehow it still felt easy. I wasn’t sure what to make of that.
I glanced down at the floor, hoping I wasn’t screwing this up. “You probably think I’m overreacting, but the truth is, I’ve never slept with an athlete before.”
He leaned one hip against the island and narrowed his eyes. “That’s not what this is. And while I might not know what to call it either, we don’t need to figure it out today.”
Embarrassment climbed into my cheeks. “I’m overcomplicating this, aren’t I?”
He shook his head. “No. I think you’re putting too much pressure on what to call this. So, why don’t we take things day by day and start there? We don’t need to think too far ahead and rush this.”
“So, no strings?”
God, this was so unfamiliar to me. I wish I could be more easygoing and flirty. Just because we spent one night together, that didn’t mean he was in love with me or anything, but it was reassuring that he wasn’t ready to toss me out the door.
“No strings, but not a fling either.”
“You really think it’s that simple?” I asked, feeling my throat tighten. I wasn’t sure I agreed with him. I was already feeling emotionally invested.
He pushed off the counter. “You’re assuming there’s only one way to do this.”
He wanted no expectations or complications.
I wasn’t good at not knowing what was ahead.
I needed to know where we stood. What if I got too attached, or our expectations didn’t line up?
Those were real fears, and I wasn’t sure if I could handle that.
The last thing I wanted was to become the girl who got swept up in something that she thought was bigger than it actually was.
“I just want to be smart about this. I don’t like wondering and not knowing.
I’m going to be honest with you.” I licked my dry lips, hating that I was admitting this out loud.
“Not knowing where this is going terrifies me. But that’s my problem.
I like plans. I like knowing what something is.
I’m the same person who reads reviews on everything before I buy it.
” I tightened my fingers around my coffee mug.
“I know logically I can’t force things and that I have to let them happen naturally.
I think what scares me the most is that I might end up wanting more, and by the time I realize we weren’t on the same page, it will be too late. ”
God, this was humiliating. There was nothing casual about me.
“Listen, I get why you’re nervous, but I think you might be getting a little too far ahead here.
I’m not saying your concerns aren’t valid.
Hell, you could be the one to break my heart.
” He held his hand out for me to take, pulling me to his chest. “There is risk in everything. I think you need to decide if I’m worth taking the risk.
I already know that you are. While I might not be able to put a label on this yet, I know that I want to keep seeing you.
Only you, Becca.” He rested his forehead against mine.
“Do you honestly think I have time to date anybody else, or that I would even be interested in anyone but you? Hell, after the trouble I went to get you to stop pretending that you didn’t like me? ” He shook his head. “Not a chance.”
“I guess I don’t know how to do things halfway.” I laughed. “And that’s not what happened. I never pretended not to like you. I was trying to keep things where they should be.”
His expression was careful and cautious. “You’re also somebody who is trying hard not to get hurt. There is nothing wrong with wanting to protect yourself. I know how your brain works; you want simple. You want predictable. You want answers.”
I glared at him. “You’ve known me for like five minutes. You don’t know me that well.”
I hated that he really did.
He laughed. “I’ve known you long enough. So, unless you believe I’m hooking up with girls in between games, film study, and trying to woo you…”
I smacked his chest and laughed despite myself. “Is that your way of reassuring me?”
He reached for my hand and gentled his voice. “You need to trust me when I tell you that you are the only one I want to spend my time with.”
His eyes held mine. I reached up and feathered my fingers through his hair. “That was a good pitch.”
He grinned softly. “Did I sell it?”
I gazed up at his expression. His teasing smile faded. “You totally did.”
“Good. Now, let me seal it with a kiss.” He dipped his head forward and dropped his mouth to mine. The second our lips touched, all the doubts in my head faded away. My brain spun with all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
Kissing in the rain. Waking up in his bed. Breakfast waiting for me, and him giving me the reassurance that this wasn’t just a one-time thing. Not that I thought it was, but it was a relief to hear him confirm it.
Nate shifted slightly, brushing his thumb along my cheek. “Will you spend the day with me today?”
I tilted my head to the side. “What did you have in mind?”
“I thought we would wing it.”
“Nate.” I sputtered out a laugh. “I just told you that I’m not very spontaneous. I’m a control freak. I needed to know who, when, where, and how. I don’t like not knowing what’s coming.”
He nudged my hip with his hand. “You also said you trust me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not sure I can now.”
He smirked. “You trusted me last night, and everything worked out just fine, didn’t it?”
He dipped his chin as I guided his lips to mine.
Everything about him was gentle and reassuring.
It was almost overwhelming because I didn’t know what to do with these feelings.
I wanted to chalk it up to lust. I tried to convince myself that I was just physically satisfied and emotionally content, but with how big my heart swelled, it felt like much more than that.
I slowed the kiss, needing a minute to catch my breath. There was so much emotion flowing through me that I needed to be careful. I could easily fall for him much sooner than I ever thought possible.
His phone buzzed on the counter, so I walked over to the sink to wash my hands. I could feel my heart moving faster than my brain. I needed a second to clear my head.
I squeaked when he spun me around and stepped between my legs. We were face-to-face as he edged me into the counter. His lips kissed their way down my neck and across my collarbone. My body hummed with pleasure. I should have been embarrassed by how easily he could turn me on.
“Don’t you want to answer your phone?”
“Nope. It’s the guys blowing up our group chat.” His hand went to the side of my neck. “How sore are you?”
“I’m fine,” I said, a little breathless, as my hands went to his shoulders.
Every nerve ending in my body lit up as he slipped his tongue inside my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, wishing I could stay here in his arms all day.
“I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.” He groaned while moving his mouth from my neck to my ear. My back hit the edge of the sink. I gripped the counter with my hands as his fingers grazed the inside of my thigh. My head fell back with a moan when he inserted a finger inside.
“What are you doing to me, Becca?” He pumped his fingers faster like this was just as satisfying for him as it was for me.
My legs started to shake as he inserted another finger.
I was still sensitive from last night, so when he pressed his thumb to my clit, it sent me over the edge for the fourth time in less than twelve hours. That had to be a record for me.
Nate withdrew his fingers and licked them with his tongue. “Who needs breakfast when I can taste this.”
I shoved his shoulder playfully. “That’s gross.”
His grin was cocky. “That’s nothing compared to what I did to you last night.”
“You are trouble, you know that?”
“You’re not exactly little Miss Innocent.”
I scoffed. “Excuse me.” I dragged my fingers along the back of his neck, loving the way his muscles tensed under my touch. “You’re the one who cornered me in your kitchen like an animal.”
He rested his forehead against mine. “That’s what you get for walking around my kitchen in nothing but my jersey.”
His thumb traced a slow circle along my hip. Something so soft and simple shouldn’t make me want to melt.
I grabbed on to his shoulders, trying to steady myself against the counter. My gaze dropped to the bulge sticking out. He looked down and winked. “Don’t worry about it.” He turned me back toward the breakfast bar. “You need to finish your breakfast and save some of that energy for later.”
“I also need to go home, take a shower, and change into some normal clothes.”
“It sounds like you’re in a hurry to get out of here.”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Just my insecurities screaming at me and not trying to come across as so clingy.
He nodded. “Good. I have no meetings or practice today. It’s our bye week. The guys and I are meeting up later, but right now, I’ve got nothing but time on my hands.”
I blinked up at him. “Well, it looks like I’m all yours today.”