Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
NOAH
“You’re fired,” I say at the same time.
Audrey’s eyebrows jump toward her hairline. Her eyes are wide. When she came bulldozing in here, she looked mad, panic in her eyes. But that’s been replaced by fire. A flame I love to stoke.
“What?” Color rises in her face. “You can’t fire me, asshole. I just quit. So fuck you.” Her words are fierce, but there are tears in her eyes and her voice is watery.
She walks closer and I reach out and grab her wrists, keeping her from flailing around or storming out.
I hold her still. “You can’t work for me anymore because I know it wasn’t your decision.
” I keep her eyes on me. “I want to start over, Audrey. But this time I want everything to be on your terms.”
“I’m terrified.”
“I know, baby.”
“I care about you. I promised myself that I’d never trust a man again, but I’ve been lonely and I hate it. I figured if admitting that was going to scare you away, I’d rather just get it over with. I’ll deal with Sarah later.”
“But it didn’t scare me away, did it?”
“No, it didn’t. Today, seeing you on the ground, not knowing…” Tears are freely flowing over her cheeks now. “Made me realize I’ve been wasting time. Denying myself you is a waste of time. Not going for it and saying things plainly isn’t working.”
I reach out and grab her elbow, pulling her toward me to stand between my legs.
“I know what I want now. I can’t keep pretending to be polite at meetings when I want to bend you over and make you take me.
” Her breath hitches and I take that as a good sign.
I hop down from the table. My ice pack hits the ground with a plop.
Worry flashes across her face. “Your ribs! You should sit.”
I shake off her comment. “I’m fine. Nothing is broken. I’ll be able to play next week.”
“You scared the shit out of me!” she yells, batting at my chest.
I suck in a sharp breath. “Okay, that one did hurt a little.”
Her hands fly to her mouth. I can tell she’s about to lose it.
Tears well up in her eyes again as emotions overwhelm her.
I put my hands on either side of her face.
“Hey. It’s okay. Look at me.” I take a deep breath, and she copies me.
“I’m fine. Everything is fine.” I pause, wanting to acknowledge the truth of her being here right now.
Wearing the jersey I sent. Not wanting to pop this bubble of warmth we have.
I’m not ready to lose the soft feeling of her presence.
She’s just looking at me, eyes wild, and I’m tired of thinking.
I kiss one cheek. Then the other. Then her forehead.
“I’m okay,” I murmur. I kiss her nose and each eyebrow.
I kiss her eyelids, reassuring her after each one.
Finally, I pull her lips to mine. I kiss her with the adrenaline I feel when I come off the field.
The pressure in my chest that tells me this is everything I thought it could be.
Our lips mingle perfectly, like brownies topped with ice cream.
She kisses me back, and I can feel the answers to all the questions lingering between us on her lips.
I invited her to come because I know what I want.
She’s here because she wants to be with me.
We drag out this kiss as long as possible, and in my mind “She’s Like Texas” by the Josh Abbott Band plays.
The knob turns and someone opens the door. We quickly jump back like two teenagers getting caught making out in the back of a truck. The trainer, Wendy, looks between us. “Noah, I need to wrap that ice pack to your ribs before I let you go.”
I nod and look back at Audrey. “Everything is fine. I’ll meet you right after.”