Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
~AMELIA~
There’s a banging sound in the kitchen, much like the one that is happening in my head. I blink, trying to remember if I brought someone home last night. Did one of the girls come crash with me? I know after August recommended some shots, we were all feeling pretty good.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I think for a second, remembering that I now have a roommate.
Courtesy of that shot-offering jackass. I throw the covers off roughly and head into the kitchen to ask him to keep it the fuck down.
I ignore the fact that I’m wearing a strappy sleep tank and short silk shorts as I make my way to into the kitchen.
Dex is wearing a pair of blue athletic shirts and a white T-shirt.
He’s standing at the espresso machine; I can hear him mumbling but I can’t make out the words.
I’m thinking he’s reading the instructions that I wrote down for him.
I clear my throat loudly, causing him to spin around, sending coffee grounds flying.
His eyes are wide with shock, and his mouth is hanging open. Sure enough, in his right hand is the little slip of pink paper with directions on exactly how to work the espresso machine. His green eyes soften as he takes in the sight of me.
I smirk and bite out, “My eyes are up here.”
He jerks his gaze up so that his eyes meet mine. “What’s up?” His words come out slower than normal. I have clearly caught him off guard.
“Why are you up already? It’s our day off,” I remind him.
He shakes his head, laughing. “Yeah, it might be a day off for you. But I have to go into work today. I have some paperwork to complete with HR and then I want to go over the files that Cary left me. See where the gaps are and then meet with each player to help me fill in those gaps.”
I put my palm on my forehead and close my eyes, trying to process everything that he said. This is more information than I wanted to get this morning. Especially when my head is already pounding and I feel like I only went to bed two hours ago.
“You doing okay?” he asks. He comes over and stands in front of me, gently moving my hand and touching the back of his hand to my forehead.
“Why are you checking me for a fever, dumbass. I’m not sick, I’m hungover.” I let out a loud sigh and take a step back from him. I use the wall to prop myself up.
“Right, sorry. I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
“Obviously not.” My words are dripping with sarcasm. “And you might have to work today but I do not. As an athlete this is my off day. And I would really appreciate it if I could get some more sleep.”
He flinches a bit like I’ve just slapped him. “I’m sorry. I keep screwing up every time I’m in the apartment the same time as you, peach. I’m really trying hard not to be a nuisance to you, but that’s exactly what I am.”
I lean my head against the cool wall and take him in.
His T-shirt looks soft and is stretched across his broad chest, highlighting his defined shoulders and muscular arms. I see the shorts have a New England Patriots logo on them.
My eyes drift past the logo and continue down his legs.
His calves are strong, and they are so toned, they look like they each have a grapefruit stashed back there.
Dex clears his throat. “Something the matter with my outfit?”
I meet his eyes again. He’s wearing a cocky smile, like he knows he caught me ogling him. I shake my head. “You know you shouldn’t wear Patriots gear to the Blaze. Didn’t August give you a big swag pack? I thought you had a Blaze T-shirt on last night?”
“Yeah, I did. But that’s the only one that was waiting for me when I got there. He said he’d have more for me today. So, here’s hoping,” he says, looking down at his shorts. “But the athletes, as you reminded me, are all off today, so what does it matter what I wear?”
“You’re so lucky you’re friends with August or he would be giving you so much shit right now for those.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, probably. But tomorrow I will be fully equipped in Blaze apparel. Unless you ladies feel the need to rest for two days instead of one.”
I look at the ceiling and sigh. “It’s too early for this,” I grumble.
“Too early for what?” Dex leans against the counter, crossing an ankle over the other.
I glare at him. “I don’t have the energy to do all the verbal sparring with you today. Maybe another time after I’ve had more sleep and my head’s not pounding.”
“Have a hard time with hard liquor do you?” he teases me.
“How are you so fresh and peppy this morning? You haven’t even had your coffee,” I challenge.
He smirks at me. “I’m used to it. I’ve been drinking with August on so many occasions. I know how that man can be. Tolerance over time and learning to say no. You don’t always have to do shots when he says, you know,” he reminds me.
“I know. I’ve said no to him before.” My chin juts out in defiance.
He nods, holding his hands up in surrender. “Look, I was louder out here than I thought I was being. I’ll be quieter. Just working on getting some coffee in me. Thanks for the directions.”
I nod. “You’re welcome.”
“Go get some rest. I’ll be out of your hair all day, so you’ll have some time to relax and do whatever it is you like to do on your day off. But how about I bring you dinner to apologize?”
“What did you have in mind?” I ask him, thinking of taking him up on his offer.
“Pizza?” he offers. He stands there studying me, waiting to see if I accept or not.
“Pizza sounds good. Extra cheese, please. Unless you’re lactose intolerant or something like that,” I say, trying to take it down a notch so that he doesn’t think I’m so bitchy.
He nods. “I can do that. I’ll pick it up on my way home.”
“Thanks.” I smile warmly at him.
“Also, should we maybe exchange numbers or something? That way if we need to reach each other, we can.” Dex sputtered out the words so quickly, like he was afraid I might snap at him again.
I push off the wall and rock back on my heels twice before answering him. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I don’t have my phone on me. Give you me yours and I’ll send myself a text. That way you’ll have my number.”
He hands me his phone, extending his arm out so far that I think it may dislocate. Anything to avoid taking a step closer to me, I think.
I take it slowly and open up his message app, type in my number and send myself a message.
Dex: Sorry for waking you up.
I hit send and hand it back to him.
Dex laughs out loud when he reads the message that I sent myself.
“I figured that’s what you would want to say, if you could.”
“Sure is,” is all he says before adding, “I’ll try and keep it down.”
Dex turns back to the coffee, and I make my way back the hallway to my room.
I lay in my bed, I hear him finishing up making his coffee and leave the apartment.
He carefully closes the door and locks the deadbolt from the outside.
I sigh, lying there praying that I can get back to sleep.
My interaction with Dexter keeps playing in my mind and I wonder what he thinks of me.
Then I think about how he looks in his tight shorts and realize I am smiling. Eventually, sleep does find me again.
I wake up hours later and get myself ready to head out to the beach with Mac, Cassie and Hendrix.
The drive is silent. We’re all a bit too hungover for conversation and I’m thankful for that.
It gives me time to be lost in thought over the newfound friendship that Dex and I are forming.
Once all the towels are laid out, I ask the girls the question that has been on my mind since meeting Dex in the kitchen this morning.
“Do you guys think I’m scary?”
Three heads snap in my direction. Mac immediately starts laughing. Cassie follows suit. Hendrix shakes her head at all of us.
“Why are you asking?” Hendrix says, biting her lip to keep herself from joining Cassie and Mac in their amusement.
“Because I think when I met Dex in the kitchen this morning, he was a bit afraid of me. He woke me up, and I went out there and snapped at him. That man is easily a foot taller than I am, but he was genuinely afraid of me, I think,” I explain.
“Well, it depends. Did you yell at him?” Cas asks me.
“He woke me up,” I say avoiding everyone’s gaze and looking out at the sea.
“Sounds like he deserved it then,” Mac teases me. “You do call him ‘football.’”
“Oh, you heard that huh?” I ask.
“Yep,” Hendrix says, popping the ‘p’. “The way you say it, it’s like you’re insulting him, though.”
“Well, not all the time,” Mac quickly clarifies. “Just some of the time.”
“I think it might be that you are still getting used to having him in your space. Once you get used to that, it’ll be fine. Just remember it’s not forever, he’s going to leave, and you’ll have the place to yourself again,” Cassie quickly adds.
I sigh and shake my head. “That’s probably all it is.
I’m still kind of pissed that August forced him on me and into my space.
He said he’s bringing home pizza tonight, so maybe I should be a little nicer to him.
I was cranky. He woke me up when I was trying to sleep.
My head seriously pounded from all the shots that August ordered last night. ”
“It was only three,” Hendrix says, waving me off, as if I might need to toughen up a bit.
“It was only three,” I mock her. “Says the woman who has the tolerance of a man.”
Hendrix shoots me the bird, and we all laugh.
“You grew up with brothers. Where is your tolerance?” Hendrix reminds me.
“My brothers were the overprotective kind. They weren’t always passing me a drink, and they sure weren’t interested in building up my tolerance.”
We lay there under the shade of the tent that Hendrix set up.
Cassie and Mac are lying on their stomachs looking like at any moment they will fall asleep.
Hendrix has set up a chair and is leafing through a magazine.
My Kindle is at my side as I lay back on my chaise, for when the conversation dies down.