Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MATTEO
“She said it was a mistake, but it wasn’t. It was inevitable.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Ishift my weight on my feet, tipping my head back to look up at Jade’s apartment building. I didn’t pay attention to which direction her apartment looked out over the last time I was here. I’ll be sure to make note of it this time when I’m inside… if she ever comes down and lets me in.
We just flew back to Hillford late last night, after our last game on the road in Tennessee. It was only a two and a half hour flight, so we didn’t get home too late, although I opted to wait until the morning to try to see Jade.
My heart stutters as I see her strolling through the lobby, heading in my direction.
Her hair’s pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head and she’s wearing an oversized T-shirt that stops along the middle of her thighs and a pair of tight, black shorts.
They hug her like a second skin, pulling my focus down her bare legs, which springs back up to meet her gaze as she unlocks the door and pushes it open.
“Hey,” she says, her voice a bit breathless. Her eyes are lined with dark bags, the exhaustion obvious on her face. “Sorry. I was finishing up a call with my editor.” She reaches for the drink carrier I’m holding. “Let me get that.”
I lift a brow, letting her take the two coffees as I hold onto the brown paper bag with breakfast sandwiches I picked up on the way. “How did it go?”
She steps to the side, motioning for me to come inside. I step past her, the faint smell of vanilla and berries assaulting me as I move into the foyer.
“It went well.” She makes sure the doors are locked before leading the way to the elevator. “I sent her the first half of the book last week and she loves it.”
“I’m not surprised,” I admit, smiling at her as we step inside the elevator and the doors slide shut. She reaches out, pressing the button for her floor. “Speaking of books… I actually have a question for you.”
Jade turns around to face me, cocking her head to the side. “Yeah?” She covers a yawn. “Sorry,” she mumbles, shaking her head.
“Some of the guys want to start a book club. Cross' trying to get back into reading and I told them about you being an author.”
The air feels warmer than it was two seconds ago. My depth perception distorts, and I swear, she’s close enough I could reach out and touch her.
Jade’s eyes slowly scan my face, her expression unreadable as the corners of her mouth twitch. “You told them about me?”
Should I not be talking about her?
“I—well…” Shit. Heat creeps up my neck, my stomach fluttering. No sense in lying about it now. I showed my damn hand without even realizing it. “Yeah.”
The elevator dings as it reaches her floor. She arches a perfectly sculpted brow, her freckles standing out beneath the fluorescent lighting above. Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“Come on, Playboy.”
Playboy?
A rush of dopamine courses through me at lightning speed. I can’t fight the stupid grin that tugs on my lips as I follow her out into the hall. I shouldn’t enjoy being called that, but it’s different with her. It’s playful—and fuck, I like it.
She has a nickname for me.
She leads me into her apartment, and I follow her lead, kicking my shoes off at the front door. She heads into the kitchen, motioning for me to sit as she slides onto one of the barstools. “Are you guys going to read one of my books for your book club?”
I set the bag on the counter, pulling out both of our sandwiches wrapped in aluminum foil. My breathing hitches, my stomach flipping. “Would it bother you if we did?”
She laughs quietly, unwrapping her food. “No. As long as they never bring it up to me.”
“That’s fair.” I smile, lowering myself onto the seat next to hers.
“Thanks for bringing over breakfast.”
“Of course,” I say. “Someone has to make sure you’re eating.” I unwrap my own food. “How was your night? Did you and Ellie end up getting dinner?”
She takes a bite of her sandwich and moans. Fucking moans. “Sorry,” she laughs softly. “Clearly, I’m hungrier than I realized.” She takes a sip of her iced coffee. “Yeah, we did. It was alright. Some douchebags were at the bar, so we didn’t stay out late.”
My spine stiffens. “What happened?”
“Oh, nothing really,” she says dismissively, waving her hand as she swallows another bite of food. “It wasn’t a big deal. Aiden was there and came over.”
My heart pounds harder against my ribcage. Fucking prick. “What did he want?”
“To apologize, I think.” She shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “It was just easier to leave. I didn’t really want to see him for any longer than I had too.”
Seriously, what the hell did he do to her in the past?
I hate the thought of someone being that much of a problem for her. That someone hurt her so badly that she can’t even stand to be in the same place as them. I should have been there with her.
I don’t doubt Jade’s ability to stand up for herself, but it’s just the primal gut reaction I’m having. The need to protect her, to make sure she’s safe. That’s what friends are supposed to do, right?
I’ll be seeing Aiden Scott again this season… and now I have his fucking number.
“Matteo?”
Her voice pulls me from my thoughts. I turn to look at her. Her eyes slowly search mine, the space between her eyebrows creasing. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I swallow hard, bobbing my head. “Are you?”
A slow smile pulls on her lips, a pink tint spreading across her cheeks. “Yeah, I am.”
I hate everything about her douchebag ex. He wasn’t my favorite person before I met Jade, but now there isn’t a single thing about him I like. She hates the sport I love because of him.
Whatever happened between them has left her jaded. I know Aiden Scott. He loves to be the center of attention and someone like Jade… her presence alone demands everyone's attention. She shines brighter than anyone else around her.
She outshines everyone in this world.
The words fall from my lips without thinking.
“Do you want to come to one of my games sometime?”
Her eyes widen slightly. “What?”
“I know you hate hockey, but I want to try and change that for you.” A smile tugs on my lips. “I’d love to know you’re there in the stands.”
She lifts her brows, a smirk dancing across her face. “So, it’s about you. You just want to know someone is there to show off in front of.”
“Yeah,” I lie, nodding. “It’s all about me.”
It’s not, though. It’s not that simple and I don’t even fully understand it. I don’t want to show off to her; I just want her there.
I want her to not hate the one thing I love.
“I get two free tickets for every home game. You can bring a friend if you want.”
“Really?” Her face lights up. “I’m not a huge fan of hockey, but I think I could stomach it for a night.”
A soft laugh vibrates in my chest. “You think so?”
Her eyes shimmer beneath the light as she stares back at me. “For you? Yeah.”
My heart stumbles inside my chest. Jade gets up from her seat and cleans up all the trash. She turns back to me, walking to stand on the opposite side of the island.
“I’m sure Ellie will come.”
I lift my drink, slowly taking a sip as I trace the freckles across the bridge of her nose. “She single?”
Her eyes narrow, as if she’s assessing me. “Yeah…why?”
Fuck, there it is. The rigidity in her spine, the darkness consuming those blue eyes. Her gaze is locked on mine, as if she’s contemplating whether or not she should pounce. Is she jealous?
I’m under her skin—right where I want to be.
“Just curious,” I say with a simple shrug. “I don’t know much about her.”
“Not much to know,” she counters, her voice tense. The muscle in her jaw tightens. “She’s not your type.”
I love her like this. Claws out, ready to attack. “What’s my type?”
“Not her,” she quips.
“Right.” I shake my head, chuckling. “So, what do you say? You gonna come?”
Her eyes narrow, assessing and calculating. “I’ll come, but only if you promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Show off to me and not to her.”
My brow furrows. “To who? Your friend?” I shake my head, chuckling. “Oh, Sunny. Don’t you know? You’re the only one whose attention I want.”
A smile pulls on her lips, slow and satisfied. The hues of blue shift in her eyes as she seems to relax again. “Good.”
My phone vibrates and I pull it out. It’s a message from our assistant coach, Nathan Frost.
Coach Frost
Training session times have changed today. Be there in an hour.
“Shit,” I mutter, sucking in a deep breath.
“Everything okay?”
I look up at Jade, shoving my phone back into my pocket. “I have to head over to the arena. They changed our training session times today.”
“That’s really helpful,” she laughs quietly as I rise to my feet. “I was already struggling thinking about having to kick you out so I can get some work done.”
Jade steps around the counter and I inch closer, my feet stopping just in front of hers. She tips her head back so she can look up into my eyes.
“We don’t have a game tonight.” I can’t help myself as I reach out to tuck some hair behind her ears. She’s driving me fucking insane. She’s every thought. Every wish. “What if I come back over later? For a creative meeting, of course.”
She inhales sharply, her pupils dilating. “Yeah, of course,” she rasps. “I think that would be really helpful. There’s a part I’ve been stuck on lately, anyways.”
“Maybe I can help you figure it out.”
She nods, rolling her lips between her teeth before releasing them. “I think maybe you can.”
Goddamn—I want to know what her lips feel like.
“I should go, Sunny.”
I don’t want to go, but if I don’t leave now, there’s a chance I’ll miss my entire training session.
“Right,” she half whispers, her throat shifting as she swallows. “I’ll walk you out.”
I follow her through her apartment, my eyes trailing along the length of her body. Her hips shift as she walks, showing off the outline of her ass through her oversized shirt. My dick twitches.
She stops at the door, pulling it open as I slip my feet into my shoes. I walk past her, my arm brushing against hers as I step out into the hall.
I turn to face her as she stands just on the other side of the threshold. I lift my arms, grabbing the frame above the door. Cool air dances along my skin as the bottom hem of my shirt lifts. “Which of your books should I start with?”
Her eyes dart down to my waist where there’s an inch of skin showing part of the V I’ve worked hard for that disappears beneath my waistband.
Her slender throat bobs as she swallows, her eyes flickering back to mine, heavy with want. “For Cross’ book club?”
“No,” I rasp, shaking my head as I lean toward her. “For me, Sunny.” She tips her head back, her lips parting. If I drop my hands, if I close the small distance between us, I can finish what I started two weeks ago. “So, I can know what you like.”
A soft pink hue spreads across her cheeks and I revel in the fact that I’m the one who put that color in her face. I love seeing the effect I have on her.
Her pupils dilate. “Give me one minute.”
She spins on her heel, disappearing back into her apartment for less than a minute. She comes back to the door, holding out a book to me. My hands drop away from the top of the door and I take it from her. My eyes flash to hers.
“This is the one you’re looking for.” Her voice is low, sultry, even.
The sound vibrates through my body and I don’t even bother to conceal my hardening cock as I take a step away. “Let me know what time the creative meeting is then.”
“Come over around eight.” Her eyes shift to my mouth, lingering for a moment before moving back to my eyes. “Have fun.”
I think I’d have more fun here with her.
“Later, Sunny.”
Her smile reaches her eyes and her voice carries after me as I finally force myself to walk away, knowing I’ll be back later tonight.
“Later, Playboy.”