Chapter 28
twenty-eight
LOGAN
What the fuck am I doing right now?
I’m sitting next to a beautiful woman, who I have slept with and definitely want to sleep with again, with my arm around her shoulders while we freeze to death on hard metal bleachers at an eighth-grade football game. Eighth. Grade.
This is boyfriend shit, and I have never, ever been anyone’s boyfriend.
The guys have been teasing me all week about my football game dates with Blair because it’s so out of character for me. It’s all good-natured, and they’re not wrong, but damn, does it chafe my balls. Ever since they all started pairing off, they’ve been giddy at the prospect of me doing the same.
Something I swore I would never do.
Yet here I am, cheering for a thirteen-year-old kid with his sister, who I haven’t even kissed since that night in LA.
And yeah, I want to get Blair back into bed.
Or pushed against a wall. Or maybe bent over a bathroom sink.
I’m not picky. But I also want to spend time with her.
I want to earn those bright-as-shit smiles she gives out freely to everyone but me.
Every time she smiles at me, it’s hesitant or shy or like she’s trying to hold back.
Why the fuck do I care if she’s holding back?
Whatever the reason, I do. I care about her and Reed, and after seeing her apartment and getting a peek behind the curtain, I’m even more determined to get to know her.
The photos in Blair and Reed’s apartment were eye-opening.
She was so young when she became Reed’s guardian.
In that family photo from their last Christmas, she still looked like a kid herself.
And I guess she was. She was nineteen or just barely twenty.
The way she had been hugging her dad’s shoulders alluded to a closeness in their relationship that I’ve never experienced with my own, and her smile was so carefree.
She was a young woman with her whole future before her.
And I’m sure she believed she’d have the support of her parents as she navigated it.
Now she’s doing it alone, and I know all too well how that feels.
Don’t get me wrong, my dad has always been an active participant in my hockey career—maybe too active—but as far as the rest of it goes?
I’m on my own and have been since my mom left.
The difference is that I have the guys on my team behind me.
They’re more my family than my dad and whatever comes my way, they’ll have my back.
Blair and Reed may not realize it yet, but they’ve got the Rogues behind them now too.
Even if I didn’t feel…whatever the fuck this is for Blair, the girls adore her, and my teammates adore their girls.
They’ll include Blair and Reed, no matter what happens with us.
Which is why I’m about to ask the question on the tip of my tongue.
“Do you and Reed have plans for Thanksgiving?”
The crowd roars around us as the team runs the ball down the field for a second down. But Blair’s attention isn’t on the field. It’s on me. “Thanksgiving?”
“Yeah. You know, turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie…”
“I know what Thanksgiving is,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “I think we’re just going to order some takeout. What about you?”
“You’re coming to dinner at Griffin and Mira’s.”
She stares at me for a beat, blinking exaggeratedly. “What?”
“You can’t order takeout for Thanksgiving. That’s depressing as fuck, and none of us are going to let you do that. Have dinner with us.”
Any other time, Blair would probably give me shit for telling her what to do, but not now. She blinks at me a few more times, her mouth opening and closing. I’ve completely stunned her. A pleased little thrill warms my body at that.
“I… Like your whole team or something?”
“No, angel. It’ll just be me, Maddox and Isla, Ryder and Lexi, Griffin and Mira, obviously, and Bash. There are like twenty guys on the team, so that would be pure chaos.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure. But I—we—barely know you all.
Why would you invite us? Are Griffin and Mira okay with that?
” Blair sucks her lower lip between her teeth, and fuck, do I want to lean over and give her something better to do with those lips.
But I keep myself under control, and instead, I reach up and tug her abused lip free with my thumb.
The sharp little breath she sucks in goes straight to my dick.
“Why wouldn’t they be okay with that? You’re friends with the girls, right? They love you. We all want you two there.”
“I…are you sure?”
“Wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t. Now quit overthinking it and say yes.”
“Yes,” she murmurs, studying my reaction like she expects me to shout PSYCH! at any moment. “That would be really nice.”
The sweet rush of victory sends my blood pumping faster through my veins. “Good. I’m not totally sure about the time yet, but probably around one? I can pick you and Reed up.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she says, her bronze skin warming with the hint of a blush.
“I know. I’d like to.” And I’m not giving her an easy out if she changes her mind and tries to back out of dinner.
Blair looks down at her lap, where her hands twist together for a moment. Then I feel her spine straighten, and I grin when she looks up at me with a determined expression. “Okay. What can I bring?”
“Just yourselves.”
The little vixen rolls her eyes. “I’m not showing up to Thanksgiving dinner empty-handed.”
“I can text the guys, ask them to check with the ladies.”
“That’s okay. I’ll do it.”
I watch over Blair’s shoulder as she pulls her phone from her pocket and opens what looks like a group chat with Mira, Lexi, and Isla.
I don’t read their texts, because I’m not that much of a nosy asshole, but it makes me happier than it probably should to see that the ladies have already pulled her into their group.
It doesn’t take long at all for Blair’s phone to buzz with a whole string of responses, and I watch, fascinated, as her lips twitch and her body relaxes.
She taps out a response, and I force my attention back to the game.
Reed’s team is down by seven, but they haven’t lost their hustle. It’s impressive as fuck.
“I’m bringing pies. I told them they were from you, too, in case you haven’t offered to bring anything yet.”
My chest squeezes at that. All of this seems so…couple-y. Normally, I’d be panicked and suffocated if a woman tried to bring me into some scheme to give us the appearance of being together. But with Blair? I just feel warm. Hopeful.
I’m in trouble.
Clearing my throat, I tighten my arm around her. “Thanks, angel.”
Even though we’re surrounded by people and families, all I can see is Blair as she looks up at me. Her lips are slightly parted and her eyelashes flutter, and are we closer than we were a minute ago? If I leaned down the tiniest bit, I could press my lips to hers.
“You’re welcome,” she whispers. Her warm breath fans over my lips, and I swallow thickly.
Do not kiss Blair for the first time since California in the stands of an eighth-grade football game, you idiot.
As if she’s reading my mind, Blair blinks, pulls away, and shakes her head.
At least I’m not the only one feeling this pull.
Commotion in the stands finally breaks the spell, and we watch as Reed and his teammates make a push for the end zone.
Damn, the kid is fast. He’s sure-footed as he dodges members of the opposing team, never fully looking away from the quarterback as he brings his arm back and lets go of the ball with a snap of the wrist.
“Come on, Reed, come on,” Blair chants beside me. We’re both leaning forward, willing her little brother to catch the pass. He’s only a few yards from the end zone, and the other team hasn’t realized they’ve left him wide open yet.
When he catches the ball, Blair and I both shout, jumping to our feet.
“Go, Reed, go!” She clasps her hands in front of her mouth like she’s praying.
One yard left. Half a yard. Then the stands erupt in cheers as Reed Sherman crosses the line into the end zone and ties the game. I hoot and cheer, shouting his name. And when Blair turns to me, her eyes lit up brighter than the fucking sun, I wrap my arms around her and lift her off her feet.
“He did it!” She throws her head back and laughs, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
“Hell yeah, he did.”
Blair turns to twinkling eyes back to me, and all the air gets sucked out of my lungs.
I’m still holding her up as the people around us cheer and clap.
When her gaze dips to my lips, I slide one hand up her spine and gently grip the back of her neck.
She inhales deeply, and it pushes her chest into mine, making me groan.
“Blair…”
She blushes and lets go of me, sliding her arms between us. When she glances around, I realize we’re standing here, in the middle of the bleachers, while curious eyes turn our way. I don’t think any of them have recognized me, but if I want to keep it that way, I’ll have to stop drawing attention.
Letting her go is harder than it should be, and it takes all my self-control not to pull her into my lap.
“Fuck,” I whisper as we settle back down on the cold metal bench seat.
Blair shivers, and I don’t know if it’s from the cold, or if her skin is tingling the same way mine is, but I don’t really care.
It’s all the excuse I need to wrap an arm around her waist and hold her as the game winds down.
The Southwest Junior High Meteors win by three points.
Reed is all smiles when he finds us after the game, and that smile only grows when he finds me with his sister.
“Logan! Hey, man, I didn’t realize you were coming today.”
“Good game, bro,” I say, giving him a fist bump. “That touchdown was badass.”
“Thanks,” he says, the tips of his ears going red.
He turns to his sister and lets her pull him into a tight hug.
He does the teenage grumbling thing that makes it sound like he’s annoyed by the show of affection, but the smile making his lips twitch higher and higher reveals the truth.
And when he wraps his arms around her and squeezes in return, I hear him say a quiet, “Hey Blair-Bear.”
Not for the first time since spending time with these two, I wish I had a sibling or two. I bet they would have made life better when everything felt like shit.
“You did good, Reed,” Blair says proudly. She puts her arm around her little brother’s shoulder and shakes her head. “Dang, kid. I’m not going to be able to do this much longer. Stop growing.”
That makes Reed’s ears burn even hotter, but he laughs anyway. “I can’t help it if you’re short.”
“Short? I’m five-nine.”
Reed turns to me. “You think she’s short, right?”
Chuckling, I shrug. “Most people are short compared to me. You’re not taller than her, yet. Does that make you short too?”
“Yeah, but I’m only thirteen,” he says, his chest puffing out as he smirks. “She’s twenty-five. She’s done growing and I’m not.”
“You’re such a little shit.” Blair reaches up and ruffles her brother’s curls until he playfully swats her away.
“Come on, you two,” I say. “Let’s go. We can stop for hot chocolate on the way home. My treat.”
We walk together through the throngs of families to my car, Blair in between Reed and me, and it seems so easy and familiar, even though it’s anything but.
My teammates are my family. They’re like brothers.
But I’ve never felt the protective instincts that ride me with Blair and Reed.
Never felt like my boys needed me. And I know Blair and Reed don’t need me, but maybe they could, if they give me a chance to prove I’m worthy of their trust.
And maybe, for the first time, I want to be needed.