Chapter 30
thirty
INDIGO
Burrowing my nose in the neck of Sebastian’s hoodie, I take what I think is a discreet sniff of the fabric while he drives. It smells like him. Spice and musk. Home.
“You sniffing my sweatshirt, Rosebud?”
Okay, not so discreet.
Sebastian glances over at me with a very self-satisfied smile.
His forearm muscles flex when he turns the steering wheel, and the way the morning light hits his golden skin, it’s like the sun is as infatuated with him as I am.
He’s dressed as casually as me, though he’s not wearing last night’s jeans and panties the way I am.
Next time, I’ll know to bring an overnight bag.
God, I can’t believe there’s going to be a next time. How is this real life?
“It smells like you,” I reply, shrugging in the oversized hoodie. He’s so much taller than I am, I had to roll the sleeves several times, and they’re still long. I kind of love it.
“Good. You can sniff it when you miss me while we’re gone for the away game.” He reaches over the center console and rests his palm high on my thigh and smirks when I squirm.
He knows exactly what he’s doing.
“You sound pretty confident you’ll win in one.”
“I am. I’m not letting anything through. Want to come home to you as quickly as possible.” His fingers trace maddening lines on my inner thighs. “Can’t leave my girlfriend alone for long.”
A jolt of pleasure zings up my spine at the word, and I savor the novelty of it. I’m going to breakfast with my boyfriend. The boyfriend I’ve been secretly in love with for so long, I don’t remember how it feels not to love him. Only now, it doesn’t have to be a secret.
Not that I’m ready to say I love you. It’s too soon for that, even with our history. Still, we’ll get there. We have to. The last ten years can’t have been for nothing.
“You look good in my clothes, sweetheart,” he says.
“I’m not giving this back. You know that, right?”
Bash chuckles and squeezes my thigh. It makes my lower belly flutter. “Steal as many of my hoodies as you want.”
“Best boyfriend ever.” I bat my eyelashes exaggeratedly at him, reveling in his laughter.
The breakfast place is packed when we walk in.
Bash gives the host his name, then we settle on a bench to wait for a table to open up.
Conversation is loud around us, people crowded like sardines in the little waiting area, but I don’t care.
I barely notice because Sebastian’s full attention is on me, and it’s intoxicating.
“Do you guys have regular places you go when you’re in Dallas?” I ask, leaning my head on Bash’s shoulder. He tucked my arm through his and holds my hand. Like he can’t stand to have even an inch of space between us.
I feel the same.
“There are a few places we used to frequent pretty regularly, but now that everyone has wives and girlfriends, we’ve changed things up.” He kisses the crown of my head. “Clubs aren’t appealing anymore, so we’ve made it our mission to find the best hole-in-the-wall bars and restaurants.”
“Makes sense.” Some insecure part of me breathes easier knowing they won’t be going out to a club full of beautiful women in skimpy dresses.
It’s stupid, because now I know Bash spent the last ten years looking for me, so it’s not like I’d worry about him doing anything inappropriate, but when you’re carrying around years of insecurities, logic doesn’t always override those worries.
“I think we’ll probably go straight to the hotel tonight, though. It’s a quick trip, and we’re all tired.”
“Too tired to call me after?” I ask.
“I’ll never be too tired for you, Miss Bloom.”
“Thank goodness for that, Mr. Navarro.” I grin up at my handsome boyfriend, completely smitten, and marvel at the fact that he’s looking down at me with a softness that tells me he feels the same.
We lapse into silence, my head on his shoulder, our fingers interlaced, and I let my eyes fall closed long enough to take in a long, slow breath.
When I open them again, I find a group of young men watching us.
They’re mostly staring at Bash, but one of them keeps glancing over at me too.
Like he knows he’s seen me before but can’t place where.
I’m not sure that will ever be less unsettling.
“You good?” Bash whispers, catching the direction of my attention.
“Yeah.” I don’t love being recognized, but it’s inevitable, given who my parents are. The only way I could ensure no one notices me or recognizes me would be if I never left the house, and I refuse to live like that. I may adjust the way I live, but I won’t stop living.
“Okay. If you get uncomfortable, we can leave. I know you don’t like the attention.”
“It’s you they’re interested in,” I tease, glancing up at him. “Mr. Hockey.”
Bash chuckles, running his free hand through his black hair. “Yeah. There’s certainly more interest with how we’re playing right now.”
“As there should be.” I’m proud of Sebastian. I always knew he’d be successful, and I’m thrilled to support him in person now, rather than from afar. I know that will mean attention, both good and bad, and I’ll deal with it as it comes.
I’m lost in thought and focused on the warmth of Bash’s hand around mine when he clears his throat and says, “Hey, guys. I’m happy to take some selfies with you or whatever, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t take photos of me and my girlfriend without her consent.”
The silence that falls over the waiting area is thick as the young men shift in their seats. Bash’s tone wasn’t overly harsh, but his body language says he’s serious.
One of the young men shoots me a thin-lipped smile that almost looks more like a wince. “Sorry. It’s just, you’re Sebastian Navarro, right? We were at the game last night. You were a beast.”
Bash squeezes my hand and smiles at them. “I am. And thanks, man. I’m happy to ask my girl to take a photo of me with you guys if you’ll delete the ones you took of us.”
My heart squeezes. Has anyone ever protected me like this? I can’t remember a single time Ryland asked someone to delete a photo of me or spoke up to tell a photographer to stop invading my privacy. My insides are all squishy.
“Yeah, of course. Sorry again.” The young man taps away on his phone before turning it around to show that he deleted the photo. “Would you mind, miss?”
I smile at him. “Of course.”
Taking the guy’s phone, I wait for them to gather around Bash before snapping a few photos.
We’re attracting attention, and I’m not surprised when a few more people ask for photos.
Sebastian takes it all in stride, his eyes sliding to me often to check in, making sure I’m okay.
And even though people are staring, I realize I am okay.
Because I’m with him, and he’s just proven he’ll do whatever it takes to make me feel safe.
“Spill it,” Lola demands the moment I walk through the door, my WAG jacket and sweater from yesterday clutched against my chest.
My lips are swollen from how hard Sebastian kissed me when he said goodbye at my door, and I’m sure my hair is a mess from the way he tangled his fingers in it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Girl.” Lola crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me.
She’s trying to look intimidating, but she’s short as hell, so she just looks adorably disgruntled.
“Don’t give me that shit. You basically floated in here all glowy and smiling, wearing an oversized hoodie that definitely isn’t yours. You had sex, didn’t you?”
My smile grows, but I shrug.
“Oh, you had good sex. Crab daddy dicked you down good, didn’t he?”
My nose wrinkles. “Ew. Don’t ever call him that again.”
“Promise. As long as you tell me everything. I’ve had a dry spell since we’ve gotten here, and until Griffin hooks me up with Megan, I’m going to live vicariously through you and ignore the fact that we’re talking about a man.
” Lola flops down on the couch and pats the cushion next to her.
“Now, sit your cute ass down and start talking.”
“Fine,” I say, laughing. I set last night’s clothes down and settle in next to my best friend, sitting cross-legged with a pillow clutched to my chest. “Yes, we had sex. A few times. And yes, he dicked me down good. Like, book-boyfriend-level good.” I fan my face, which Lola finds hilarious.
“I knew it. Was it the best sex you’ve ever had?”
“Oh, yeah. No contest. At all.”
Lola’s lips twitch. “So, better than Ryland?”
“That’s like asking if artisan-roasted coffee tastes better than the powdered instant stuff,” I reply. “And I know you’re wondering, so I won’t make you ask. Yes, Bash’s dick is bigger. But more than that, the man knows how to use it. And his tongue.”
“I love a man who knows how to use his tongue,” my best friend says seriously.
“Yeah, well, he knows how to use everything. And he asked me to be his girlfriend.”
“He what?” Lola shrieks, jumping to her feet. “Hell yeah, crab boy. That’s what I’m talking about!”
My whole body is filled with light and warmth as Lola does a little happy dance. My life may have been falling apart in LA, but it’s all coming together here.
It doesn’t feel real.
“I’m really happy, Lola. When we came here, I just wanted to be near him. Simply knowing he was in the same city was enough, you know? But this… I can’t believe that, after all these years, I can call him mine.” I laugh when Lola throws her arms around me and squeezes with superhuman strength.
“Aren’t you glad I made you go to that hockey game?”
“So glad.” I hug Lola back just as hard. I owe her. For agreeing to come with me, for making me go to the game, for helping me get out of my own way. For so many things. “You’re the best, Lols.”
“I really am.”
“And so modest.”
“Modesty’s overrated,” Lola says. “Something you could stand to learn, Miss Author.”
“I know, I know.” The crazy thing is that, buoyed by Lola’s unflagging belief in me and Sebastian’s support, I’m starting to think it’s a lesson I may actually be able to learn.