18. Matt
MATT
I’ll never get enough of her. I don’t think a night will ever top this. Listening to Shay talk for over an hour about everything and anything has my mind spinning with hearts in my eyes.
Our conversation died off when the food was brought to our table because we couldn’t stop stuffing our faces with the delicious food.
I can certainly see why this place is her favorite.
I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything she could ever do that would turn me off from my obsession, but every day, I’m proven that it’s fucking impossible.
I could watch her watch paint dry and still be entertained as ever.
“I needed this,” she murmurs after setting her fork down and pushing her nearly empty plate away. “It was so good.”
My heart bursts with pride and happiness when I see her so happy. “Good. I’m glad.”
Her eyes flick up to mine, and she swallows, searching my face with uncertainty in her gaze. “What’s your plan?”
“What do you mean?” Stuffed to capacity, I set my silverware down and lean back in my chair.
She clasps her hands like she’s at a business meeting. “I mean, what happens after we leave here? We can’t exactly go on like this.”
Ideally? A thousand things. We go back to the hotel. I finally kiss her again. Her hands wander my body, and my tongue wanders hers until I get my fill. Our clothes disintegrate. She finally admits she’s mine. We go off to the win the Cup. I marry her. We live happily ever after. Easy.
But I know she probably isn’t looking for my fantasy but reality.
“I’ll get us a ride back to the hotel. I’ll walk you to your room, say good night, and then go to my own room like a gentleman.” I smile, unable to hold it back when I see a spark ignite in her gaze.
Leaning forward, closer to me, she squints her eyes, clearly doubting my gentlemanly abilities. “Prove it.”
She wants a little competition? I’m one hundred percent in.
“Oh, you’re on, Rooney. You think I won’t be able to withstand your charm? It’s so the other way around. You are helpless when it comes to me.”
She chuckles and scoffs, “You wish, MacArthur. You’ll be on your knees, begging me to give in.”
“Okay, well, that’s not fair.” My eyebrow twitches up, and she wets her lips, enjoying this little game we’re playing.
“Because I would give anything to be on my knees, looking up at you. You can even throw your leg over my shoulder to help you keep your balance. Borrow my hands and my mouth, too, while you’re at it. ”
Even in the dim candlelit room, I can see how red she’s turning, her blush spreading down her neck. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She’s trying to hold it together, to show me how resilient she is to my advances. But little does she know, I’m really the weak one here because if she told me to sit like a damn dog, I would with a smile on my face.
“You should.” I click my tongue and smile.
“Any dessert?” the waiter interrupts us, and I don’t know whether to thank him or curse him out.
I want to keep flirting, pushing the limits, but I also don’t want to push her too far, too fast.
She shakes her hands and head at the same time. “Please, God, no. I’m so full, but thank you.”
“Same here,” I tell him, collecting my silverware and napkin on the plate for him to clear. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he murmurs, taking my plate, then Shay’s. “Feel free to stay and visit as long as you’d like. The place is yours.”
Nodding, I smile and thank him once more before he walks off back to the kitchen.
“I still can’t believe you rented the whole place out,” Shay gasps. “How much did that even cost?”
Closing my eyes and playfully scowling, I open my eyes back up and look at her. “I’m not telling you. But trust me, it was worth every penny.”
I can see the wheels turning behind her eyes, trying to come up with some smart come back or comment, but she stops herself and instead says, “Well, it means a lot. So, thank you. Seriously, best date I’ve ever been on.”
My heart does a backflip. “A date, huh?”
Her eyes widen, and she sucks in a breath. “I mean, not like a date, date. It’s more like a professional dinner … date.”
“Oh, no, not to me. To me, this was definitely a date, date,” I tease her, and her smile slips free.
She shrugs. “Typically, I think, most guys don’t have to lie to their girl to get them to agree to dinner.”
When she crosses her arms over her chest, I force my gaze to stay on hers and not fall to the crease growing up her chest. Although it’s not like I haven’t already seen her completely naked in the shower.
The image appears in my mind, and my cock twitches in response in my slacks, my fists clenching at my sides. I’m going to need to lock myself in my room soon before I lose it.
“Ready?” My voice cracks, and I groan at the sound.
She nods, biting down on her laugh. “Yeah.”
“All right.”
I stand up from the table and push the chair in before walking around the table to get hers. But she beats me to it, kicking her chair back and standing beside me, her gaze falling to my lips.
“I’ve got it. Thanks though,” she whispers, her breathy voice trailing down my body like a physical caress.
Clearing my throat, I gesture for her to lead the way, and she does, giving me an unobstructed view of her ass in those perfectly fitted dress pants as she walks to the door, stopping by the coat rack.
I help her into her jacket and throw mine on. My phone chimes a moment later to let me know our ride is here. The spring night air greets us, and I know if it wasn’t for the city lights, the sky would be littered with twinkling stars.
I get the door for her, and she thanks me.
I walk around the car and slide into the backseat, greeting the driver, “Hey, man.”
He turns his head and smiles. “Have a good meal? I love this place.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “It was incredible. Best I’ve ever had really.” Shay pinches my leg, and I turn my head to her, shrugging. “What? It was. Best ever.”
She rolls her eyes playfully, and I reach out, flattening my hand on the top of her thigh and squeezing gently. Oh God, I shouldn’t have done that because feeling her legs part ever so slightly for me makes my dick harden to a fucking rock and my sense of sanity fly out of the damn window.
“We should arrive in ten minutes,” the driver announces as he pulls out of the parking lot, turning onto the busy street.
My hand is frozen on her thigh, and I’m too scared to move it and even more scared to take it away. So, instead, I’ll just sit here like an idiot.
Thankfully, the driver’s music is too loud to comfortably talk through, so I turn my head and force my gaze out of the window, my heart in my throat, growing like a lump that’s going to suffocate me.
Please, God, don’t kill me before I have a chance to really be with Shay.
The rest of the ride is pure torture as my fingers stay splayed over her thigh, and I think it might be permanently stuck there if I’m lucky enough.
Shay gets out on her own, my hand immediately cold from the lack of contact, but I quickly thank the driver and step out, joining her on the curb.
“What if someone sees us?” she murmurs as we walk toward the revolving doors and step inside of the hotel.
“They won’t. I have a lookout—or a couple.” I chuckle, quickly shooting a message to the boys’ group chat when we enter the elevator.
On our way up. Coast clear?
Costy answers me almost immediately.
Costy: All clear. Coaches have been in their rooms since we got here. Over.
Not a walkie-talkie.
Costy: Hear you loud and clear. Over.
I hate you.
“We’re good. Coaches are all in their rooms,” I tell her as she scans her key card for our floor and presses the button. “See? I’m a gentleman.”
“Hmm.” She squints. “Well done.”
I tip my invisible hat to her. “Thank you.”
The elevator opens, and I carefully pop my head out, immediately having to slap my hand over my mouth to stop the cackle from coming out as I see Costy leaning against the wall with a smile on his face.
“Good evening, lovebirds. Can I guide you to your rooms?” His voice is all proper and professional.
Shoving him in the side, I mutter, “I’m going to kill you.”
Why must these boys insist on ruining all possibility of my chance with Shay?
A giggle tears my attention back to Shay, who steps beside me.
“What are you laughing at? Oh God …” Her face falls. “Hi, Cam.”
He wiggles his fingers with a knowing smile. “Coach Rooney.”
“Well, this was fun,” she exhales and steps out of the elevator, taking my heart with her.
Throwing my head back, I slam my eyes shut, blindly reaching over and pinching Costy as hard as I can. “You’re dead to me.”
“Chase after her, you idiot.” He grabs my arm and pulls me, shoving me down the hallway after her. Not that I want to take dating advice from him—he wasn’t exactly the dating type before he met Morgan—but he must’ve done something right.
“Shay,” I whisper loudly, lightly jogging to catch up with her quick strides. “Wait.”
She doesn’t slow, but she turns her head slightly, looking at me like there’s ten feet of glass keeping us apart. “Good night, Matt.”
Reaching her door, she scans her key and pops the door open. But she doesn’t disappear inside, letting me catch up and lean against the wall beside her.
“See? I walked you to your door. Like I said I would.”
She rolls her eyes and smiles. “If anything, I walked you to my door.”
“Fair. But still—”
Costy and Burnsy, who appear out of nowhere, burst into laughter, and I hear Costy murmur something about winning their bet. Fucking dicks.
I hear Carrington’s muffled voice behind me before I hear the doorknob across the hall jiggle. “Boys, how many times?!”
“Hurry!” Shay squeals, fisting my shirt and yanking me inside her room, quickly but quietly shutting the door behind us right as I hear Carrington’s pull open. She shoves me behind her, immediately peering through the peephole, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly.
These coaches are some of my best wingmen.