by Ali Parker
“Fuck, you’re getting creepy.” I rolled my eyes and walked back to the bedroom, getting dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and grabbing my boots and a jacket before heading back to the kitchen.
I had Chemistry first thing on Monday mornings, and I was dreading it. Hopefully, there would be someone in the class to at least talk to. Or maybe it was best if there was no one at all. Any distractions in there were a bad idea for me. One more semester and I would be free.
My father had promised to help me start a small sports supply company when I graduated, and we’d looked at buildings around town a few times, but nothing had come open yet. Mom expected me to take my business degree and rule corporate America, but the thought of sitting in a high rise and staring down at people who got to breathe fresh air seemed horrid.
I grabbed my toast and ate it dry as I locked up and jogged to my black Mustang out front. Walking to class would take ten minutes, but I’d freeze my balls off in the process.
“No thanks,” I mumbled and started the car. Layla’s Jeep sat next to me, which caused me to chuckle. Of course, Layla walked to class in the freezing cold weather. She was tough as nails. “She doesn’t have balls either. Let’s be realistic.”
It was dumb and yet it somehow made me feel at least a little bit better.
I parked as close to campus as I could and zipped up my jacket before getting out of the car and jogging toward the science building. Students were everywhere, some in a hurry to get into the warmth of the buildings and some seeming to take their time. I loved the snow as much as anyone, but it was intensely cold that morning.
I dropped down in a chair in the front row between a cute Asian girl and a big football-looking guy. I nodded at both of them and pulled out my notebook, dreading the next hour like most people would an enema.
“Jayce. Back here, man.”
I glanced around to see William Tanner in the back row. There was nowhere for him to sit in the front with me, and though he wasn’t my favorite person in the world, I wasn’t going to deny him my attention.
Grabbing my stuff, I walked to the back and sat down beside him. “Hey, man. How are you?”
“Good.” He smiled at me. “I was wondering when your Chem class was. I’m glad we can suffer through this together.”
“Suffer is the right word, indeed.”
The guy in front of us glanced back and nodded. “Hey, guys.”
Seth Mills. Layla’s ex. Really?
“Hey, man.” I nodded at him. “You here to suffer with us too?”
He snorted. “Fuck yeah. I hate science. I tried to take botany last fall and flunked out of it.”
“What the hell is botany?” Will smiled and glanced my way.
“Study of plants?” I asked Seth. How the hell I’d ended up in my hardest class with a chatty-Cathy like Will and an asshole like Seth was beyond me. My luck just kept kicking me in the gut every chance it got.
“Yeah. It’s stupid, to say the least.” Seth’s eyes moved across my face. “So someone told me the other day that you’re rooming with my girl.”
“Your girl?” I lifted my eyebrow as Will stiffened next to me.
“Layla Roberts.” Seth turned a little more in his seat. The fucker was mean looking and probably had to be, seeing that he was captain of the Providence Rugby team, but he could intimidate someone else. I’d happily take his ass to the ground for hurting Lay.
“I’m pretty sure she’s a free agent.” I smiled and leaned over to pull out my notebook.
“You guys together?” Will asked.
“Nope. She’s my sister’s best friend.” I gave him a look as I sat back up. Seth had yet to turn around. I figured I’d better make my intent known. “But I’d date her in a heartbeat if she’d give me the time of day.”
Seth’s expression softened, surprising me a little. “Tell me about it. Biggest fuckup of my life for sure.”
“What happened?” Will asked.
Thank God for Will. I wanted to know too but there was no way I was asking Seth or Layla about it.
“We dated about a year or so.” He shrugged and glanced over at me. “She’s a good woman. If you get a chance, go for it.”
“I thought she was your woman.” I smirked.
“She was.” He smirked back. “She always will be, but there’s no convincing her of that. If you get a chance with her, just remember, she’s more about action than words.”
Will glanced over at me as Seth turned around. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“No clue.” I nodded toward the front of the room and sank down in my chair. I’d known Layla my whole damn life and I still had no clue what Seth was referring to.
Did she want to feel and see love more than hear it? Or did she want gifts to show someone’s affection, or was she just really sexually active? Did she want more action in her life than lovey-dovey words?
By the time I stopped pondering what Layla might want in a relationship, the professor was ten minutes into the first lecture and I’d missed everything.
I growled at myself and started to write furiously until the class ended. I wanted so badly to ask Seth what he meant, but it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Besides, the asshole probably had no clue what Layla wanted. He knew her for a year or so. I’d known her for more than twenty. I was good, or so I figured.
“I’m in the goalie box. Try to score on me.” I pulled on my mask and waded down the ice to the goalie box. The hockey team was holding it together but just barely. Lucas had been so much better at leadership than I was, or maybe he just didn’t have his efforts split between ten places.
“Ready, Moore?” Coach called down the ice to me.
I nodded and realized my pads were twisted around my waist. “Just a second.”
The force of having a hockey puck hit my stomach at full speed left me stumbling back and busting my ass on the ice as I plowed into the net.
“Shit!” Parks’s voice rose above the sound of their skates moving toward me. “You said you were ready, Jayce. What the fuck man?”
I panted through the pain and tried hard to catch my breath. I’d twisted my chest guard just a little as he hit the puck, but it was enough to leave the side part of my stomach unprotected. White-hot pain pumped through the middle of my stomach and left my eyes watering.
“You all right, Moore?” Coach Billows dropped down on the ice beside me.
“Yep. Just trying to breathe.” I panted and slowly rolled onto my side. “That’s going to leave a bruise.”
“Fuck, dude.” Parks lay on his stomach on the ice in front of me. “Where was your head?”
“Obviously not here.” I panted softly in shallow breaths.
“Can you get up?” Coach asked.
“Yeah. Just give me a second.” I swatted at Parks. “Get outta my face, man. Shit.”
He laughed and moved up to his knees. “You sure I didn’t kill you? I don’t like many people, but you’re one of them.”
“I love you too. Now back up. Seriously. And get a breath mint.” I winked and forced myself to roll over and push up. Pain stabbed my insides, and I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. I’d broken a rib or something.
“You don’t look good.” Coach Billows grabbed my arms. “You want me to take you to the clinic?”
“No. I just need to rest for a minute.” I skated slowly toward the edge of the ice. Geoff and Teri were in the stands with the baby above me. I wanted to go up and see them, but there was no fucking way I was climbing the stairs.
“Need help with your pads?” Caleb moved up in front of me with worry on his face.
“Yeah, but be careful, man. I bruised or broke a rib with that hit.” I clenched my jaw as he started to pull off my pads. The pain was growing dim, but it was still present. “Let me see the baby.”
Geoff smiled and took the little bundle of blue blankets from Teri. Both of them looked good, really good. It was funny how a tragedy in everyone else’s eyes had turned out to be somethi
ng incredible for the two of them.
“You gotta stop day dreaming, you big lug.” Geoff gave me a crooked smile and turned so I could see his son.
“Thanks,” I mumbled to Caleb for helping me with the pads and skated to the side of the rink. I reached out and touched the tip of the baby’s little nose. “He’s beautiful.”
“Right? Man, he’s the biggest blessing in my life. I don’t deserve something this great, but here he is.”
I glanced up to see Geoff getting choked up. “And he’s yours.”
“Yeah,” he mumbled and wiped at his eyes. “You wanna hold him?”
“Yeah.” I twisted a little and groaned. “Maybe next time though. My fucking stomach is killing me.”
“Anytime you want, man.” He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “You gotta get you a woman if you want one of these little guys.”
I snorted and flinched in pain. “Thanks, man. I think I’ve figured out how the making baby stuff works.”
“I’m glad I didn’t.” He chuckled and nodded at me before turning and walking back up to Teri. Warmth swam through my chest at the thought of Aubrey and Lucas getting married. They’d have a little one in the next year or so and I’d be an uncle. How fucking cool was that?
And then it would be my turn.
I sat down carefully on the side of the rink and pulled my skates off. I wanted the next phase of my life so badly and not the one everyone wanted for me. Owning a small sporting goods store would be awesome, but it was just a means for supporting my wife and starting our family.
Now if I could just get Layla out of my head every time my dreams started up again, I’d be cool. With my luck, I’d miss out on my future wife because I couldn’t shake my teenage obsession.
I chuckled and grimaced again. Layla was far more than a crush from my childhood. She was exactly what I wanted in my life—who I wanted. Maybe it was time to show her the truth of my feelings. I could take it slowly. Shit, it had been twenty-something years of gently nudging her. I had this down. I just needed to up my game a little.
Or maybe I needed to up it a lot.
Chapter 14
Layla
The morning went by before I could blink twice. I’d gone to my strategic marketing class and business analytics, which made me want to gouge my eyes out. I loved marketing and design, but having to look at the numbers and figure out what made a business succeed or not was the pits.
I walked into DeAngelo’s just before lunch and glanced around, hoping to find Jacob in his uniform. We were meeting for lunch like we did once a week. He was a good friend and someone I could talk to without having to worry at all about what I said. He didn’t know my past and probably wouldn’t be a huge part of my future, but he belonged to my now.
“Looking for someone to rock your world?” Strong hands ran over my shoulders and sent chills racing up my back.
“Yes. I’d pay top dollar.” I turned around and smiled at the handsome playboy. “You free for the night?”
“For you? Yes.” He wagged his eyebrows. “Just ask Em if she’s good with it.”
“On second thought, never mind.” I pushed at his stomach. “You eating lunch with me, or waiting on me hand and foot?”
“Can I do both?” He walked with me toward a booth at the back of the restaurant. Most of the other tables were filled up, which was a good thing. Jacob’s dad had been working hard to bring in customers. Whatever they were doing seemed to be working.
“You sure can.” I got into my side of the booth. “I’ll take a Coke and a cheese pizza.”
“Salad today?” He pressed his hands to the edge of the table and watched me closely.
“Nope.” I smiled.
“Coming up for the prettiest lady in the restaurant.” He spun around on his heel and walked toward the kitchen. “Em’s not here. You can hold her title today.”
I snorted and pulled out my phone. I was glad he’d found Emily. He needed to know he was worth a lot more than some random chick pawing at him one night and walking out the next morning without looking back. He’d been through some shit, and from my understanding, Emily had too. They were a good match. Everyone was a good match—everyone but me.
“Why are you frowning?” Jacob put a Coke down in front of me and slipped into the booth across from me. “I leave for five minutes and you’re frowning.”
“I was thinking about you and Emily.” I shrugged.
“Jealous already?”
“No.” I rolled my eyes. “I mean, yeah, I’m jealous of how good you guys are doing, but that’s it. Aubrey and Lucas are getting married. Tasha and Micah were at the coffee shop I went with Coach Warren to yesterday, looking so stupidly cute.”
“Aww, you wanna boyfriend?” He reached across the table and patted my hand like my grandmother might.
“Watch it.” I gave him an aggressive glare.
“Hot.” He winked and leaned back in the booth. “You know Jayce Moore thinks you’re the epitome of perfection. Where I don’t like you living with the guy, I still think he’s a pretty cool cat.”
“Whatever.” I picked up my drink and took a sip. “Why don’t you like me living there?”
“You’re like a sister to me, Lay. What if you get drunk and he takes advantage of you? That’s not really hard to do, seeing that you guys have bedrooms side by side.” He gave me a knowing look.
“Jayce Moore has been in my life since I could walk. He’s never tried anything on me, and I promise you, I’ve given him a thousand chances to try something.” I set the Coke down and glanced around. “I’ve been in love with him since I knew what love was.”
“So tell him. He’d fall over himself to be with you. Hell, who wouldn’t?” Jacob lifted his hand in the air as if presenting me on a game show of sorts.
“Please.” I let my hands drop into my lap.
“Whatever. If you just watched him for a few minutes, really watched him, you’d see it, Lay. We all know it. How come you don’t?”
“New subject.” I smiled.
“All right. Tell me what’s been going on with you. I’ve been worried and you know it. You’re keeping something from me. I don’t like it.” He leaned forward and reached back across the table to cup his hand over mine.
“My dad started drinking last fall because of pressure at his job. He’s been beating up on my mom because he’s not himself when he’s drunk.” I pulled my hand away slowly. “I got in the middle of it a few times.”
“Fuck,” he growled softly. “I knew someone was hurting you. I’m going to kill him.”
“No, you’re not. He’s getting help, which is what he needs to do. He’s not a monster unless he’s drinking, Jacob.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Jayce put him in his place the other night. Crazy enough, I think that was my father’s breaking point to realize that he needed help.”
“Hmm, interesting.” Jacob tilted his head to the side and smiled. “Why haven’t you told Jayce that you’re in love with him?”
“What? I care about him, but I’m not sure I’d say I’m—”
“Liar.” He got out of the booth. “I’m getting our pizza, but you’re a liar, and you know it. A cute liar but still a liar.”
“All right. Shit.” I lifted my hands in the air. “Stop calling me a liar.”
“Then tell him.” He chuckled and walked toward the kitchen.
“And if I do and he doesn’t feel the same?” I mumbled under my breath as I glanced around. It seemed like every damn table was occupied by a happy couple and I was the only single person in the room.
I’d love to tell Jayce how I felt, but it had the power to ruin everything. I couldn’t do that to either of us. We’d work on his Chemistry stuff, go on dates, and see where things went. He was a pretty ballsy guy. If he had feelings for me, they would come out over the next few months before we parted ways.
At least I prayed they would.
After lunch with Jacob, I went to a science lab, practiced ball with th
e team, and walked slowly back to the apartment. The sun wouldn’t set for another few hours and sitting around the house didn’t sound like fun, but I couldn’t think of anything better to do.
I walked into the house and glanced to my right to see Jayce sitting at the table with nothing but his shorts on. He had a thick white wrap around his middle, covering most of his stomach area.
“Hey, what happened?” I hung up my keys and dropped my bag on the couch before walking toward him. The five o’clock shadow covering his cheeks and chin left him looking older, sexier than I imagined possible.
I wanted so badly to touch him. To brush my fingertips over his exposed shoulders and back, to trace the beautiful muscles lining his arms and kiss the side of his neck. My body reacted violently to my loving thoughts, surprising me a little. I wasn’t even being naughty with my daydreams and yet my hormones spiked like I was watching a porn.
He smiled up at me. “I wasn’t paying attention during hockey practice today. I moved my pads to the side, and Parks hit the puck right at my center. It was completely my fault.”
“Shit.” I knelt beside him and reached out, touching his side near the top of the bandage. “Did you break a rib?”
He stiffened. “No. I don’t think so. I can breathe just fine now. Earlier, I was having trouble, so I wasn’t sure.”
I stood up and put my hands on my hips. “And how was Chemistry?”
“It sucked ass.” He got up with a groan. “Coach wrapped me up before I left from practice, and he’s horrible at it. Can I get you to wrap me up again? It’s itching like a bitch because the wrap is folded over a little under the top layer.”
“Of course.” I followed him into the bathroom. “Any bruising yet?”
“Not that I know of.” He watched me in the mirror as he lifted his arms to the side and grunted again. “Sorry to bother you with this.”
“You’re never a bother.” I moved up behind him and unclasped the binding before carefully undoing it. I had to press my cheek to his back to stretch my arms around to the front of his waist fully. I’d forgotten what a big guy he was until I was half-pressed against him. The warmth of his skin caused my nipples to harden and my heart to beat faster.
