Chapter 10 Drew
DREW
Small feet crunch over the fresh snow that fell last night. Kids shriek with laughter and play.
Frosty air nips at my nose as my breath warms the wool of my scarf.
I had to pull it up to cover the smile at how Greyson is crouched in front of a group of five and six year olds, giving them a pep talk and telling them the rules.
It’s ridiculous because the plan is to yell go and let them have at it.
The older kids will have more rules, but the little ones love him. They’re giggling at his theatrics, and I just can’t with this man.
I don’t remember him being quite so silly as my coach, but I like this version of him.
It’s too bad he doesn’t get to see his daughter, Annabelle, all that much. I mean she’s little, but still, he’s the right kind of man to have as a dad.
The kids have so much fun, and their parents shuffle them off to the cocoa and snacks supplied by the town diner in the small cafe.
Greyson delivers another rousing speech to the seven to ten year olds.
It’s a little more serious this time, and they nod at his advice.
It throws me back to him as my actual coach: softball, swimming, and soccer.
Supportive and motivating.
Smart advice and proper training.
Competent. God, that’s sexier than I thought.
Between rounds, Greyson knocks his shoulder into mine and a conspiratorial smile.
Snow dusts his brown hair. “You doing okay? Parents aren’t getting to you?”
Because they keep whispering about me, and I’ve been steady in ignoring them.
“I’m fine.”
He brushes some snow off my back. “Not juggling too much?”
“No. I like keeping busy. Busy is good. Busy keeps me out of trouble.” Mostly.
Because there was that kiss with Adam, and God it was one hell of a kiss—slow and intense and sexy as fucking hell, and he barely touched me.
The promise to go slow with me has me more riled up than normal.
And all the time I’ve been spending with the guys isn’t making it any better.
Especially with how they keep checking on me.
Touching me casually. Teasing me.
Crowding me like being alone with either of them is going to cause some kind of big meltdown.
Greyson gives me a knowing smile. “Give it time. You’re a wave maker, Drew, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
He winks, but I don’t get to unpack that before we have another round of kids to set up for a race.
Since everyone’s having fun, I move back and forth from the starting line to the finish line, encouraging them with cheers, holding the stopwatch and keeping track of the winners to send off their certificates.
Adam told me the blue ribbons might be too much. He was right. But I remember loving the ceremony when they handed those out.
Greyson coaxes a shy kid to give the competition a try, but when he’s got her at the starting line, talking her through it, I see a peek of confidence shine and she dives for it.
She doesn’t win, but when she gets to her feet, Greyson comes down to give her a thumbs up and gets a high five.
It’s really his time to shine.
When the races are over, we let them have free run of the hill and the ramps.
Dads come up to push some of the smaller kids.
I back off and watch, enjoying their fun but keeping myself separate from the parents gossiping.
As the kids peter off toward the cafe for hot chocolate, Greyson is back at my side with two sleds in hand.
“Bet I can beat you down the slope.”
I purse my mouth at him. He’d be faster, but I bet I can go further.
I take the sled from his hands and lean in. “You’re on.”
Unlike Gabe, who would jump into action and leave me in the dust, Greyson counts down from three.
And we’re off, barreling down the hill. I catch the ramp and go flying, screaming in joy.
Tumbling when I fall, I roll and collapse in the snow with a laugh.
Greyson tumbles with me, rolling over and taking me with him until we hit a snowbank.
He’s bracing himself over me, breathing heavy.
My mind conjures us in another scenario, where we’re alone and he kisses me, slowly peeling my clothes off and finding various inventive ways to make me come.
When my breath shudders, Greyson’s blue eyes narrow with concern. “Are you hurt?”
“No. No, I’m fine.”
He nods. “Good.”
Peering up the hill, he searches for something before he looks back at me. “We should start cleaning up. We’ll leave the ramps be for now.”
I laugh. “Yeah, because I can’t move them.”
He laughs with me, jostling my body in a pleasant way before he pushes himself to his feet and helps me to mine. Even though I told him I’m fine, Greyson gives me the full once over to be sure I’m not lying.
I punch him in the arm, totally awkward like the old me, and march up the hill.
It’s easy to collect all the sleds to get them away and put the trash in the can as Greyson talks with the parents.
Once everyone and everything—other than the ramps—is taken care of, Greyson meets me at the starting line again.
“Are you as soaked as I am?”
Nodding, my pants are clinging to me, and the moment I stop moving, the cold seeps in.
Shivering is just starting to take over my limbs.
“Come on. I’ve got an extra coat and gloves in the car.
We should head home to dry off and change.
” He blasts the heater in his truck as I strip off my wet coat and put on one of his thick flannels and the extra pair of gloves.
I huddle in front of the hot air as we make it down the hill and into town.
“I’ll meet you in the kitchen when I’m done.”
Greyson laughs and nods, and I barrel out of his truck to run inside.
The hot shower is so nice, loosening up my muscles from the cold, all the running back and forth, and the soft chatter of the parents gossiping about me.
Granted, I only allowed myself to hear snippets and words, but the entire workforce at the Lodge has been whispering about me and Adam.
I supposed I shouldn’t have expected anything less.
He spends his breaks with me, but he’s only kissed me a few times at work.
I’m not sleeping with him like everyone seems to think.
Nor have I done anything more than be friends with Greyson and Gabe, but I know they’re whispering about the three of us, too. Although, I can’t be certain what’s being said.
It doesn’t matter. The town is going to spread shit about me no matter what I do.
At least, it’s curbed some of the talk about me and Nick and my homewrecker status.
On that thought, I step out of the shower and get dressed. I have a few things I still need to finish at the Lodge before I can consider myself done for the day.
Dressing quickly, I let my hair down on my way next door and let myself in, hanging up his borrowed flannel and gloves by the door before venturing into the kitchen.
Greyson is hovering back between the island and the garage where they keep the washer and dryer.
He’s standing there shirtless, his muscled back to me as he dries his hair.
When he turns, I catch the long line of his torso and the way his abs bunch with the movements.
God, he’s ripped but lean, and the hair across his chest is inviting. I want to touch him. Desperately.
I’m not subtle, apparently, because he’s grinning at me when I meet his gaze. My lip pinches between my teeth, and he smiles as he pulls a t-shirt on. He must have caught me.
Greyson approaches slowly, languidly, like a hunting cat, and he plants his hands on the counter framing my waist. He’s so close, granted no closer than when we sit on the couch together, but like this…
What Adam told me about this, about being boxed in by a guy means he’s interested, has my heart speeding up.
And Greyson is close, hovering in this intimate space.
I want to test Adam’s theory, so I tip closer, almost brushing my nose against his.
Energy zaps between us, this sexual tension I’ve been simmering in this last week.
“Drew?” His whisper is agonizing. But when my nose bumps his, it seems to break his stalemate.
Greyson kisses me, mouth soft but earnest. When my lips part, his hesitation is gone and he kisses me like he might perish without me.