Page 13 of The Coach

“Which one’s yours?” he asks, his voice still thick with the heat of the moment.

I take his hand and lead him toward the door, fumbling with my keys as my heart thunders in my chest. The cool metal feels slippery between my fingers, and I curse under my breath, feeling his quiet chuckle behind me.

“Nervous?” he asks, his voice teasing but soft.

I glance over my shoulder, my cheeks flushing. “No,” I lie, managing to get the key into the lock. “Just…hoping you don’t see all the dead bodies.”

He laughs as the door creaks open, and we step inside, the soft glow of my kitchen light illuminating the cozy space. My breath catches as I feel his presence right behind me, the warmth of him so close it’s impossible to ignore.

“Nice place,” he says, his voice quiet as his eyes roam the room, then settle back on me. “Feels like you.”

I turn to face him, suddenly feeling small under the intensity of his gaze. “Yeah? What’s it feel like?”

His hand reaches out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “Warm. Inviting. Hard to resist.”

My breath hitches, but before I can find the words, his lips crash back onto mine, stealing whatever thought I might have had. The kiss is different now—deeper, hungrier, his hands gripping my waist like he can’t get close enough.

My back hits the edge of the counter, the cool surface pressing into my skin, but I barely register it. Not when his hands are sliding up my sides, teasing over my ribs, his thumbs just brushing the underswell of my breasts.

A low groan rumbles in his chest, and I swear I feel it everywhere.

My fingers trail down, toying with the hem of his shirt before slipping beneath it, tracing over the hard ridges of his stomach. His muscles tense beneath my touch, his breath shuddering against my lips.

Encouraged, I let my hand drift lower.

The moment I palm him through his tux pants, he lets out a strangled curse, his head dropping to the crook of my neck.

“Jesus, Ivy,” he grits out, his fingers digging into my hips. His voice is thick, strained—like he’s barely holding himself together.

I bite my lip, feeling how hard he is, how thick and ready. Heat pools low in my belly, a slow, aching burn.

“Hmm,” I let out, tilting my head, dragging my nails lightly over the bulge beneath his zipper. “Something on your mind, Coach?”

His head snaps up, blue eyes dark with intent.

“Yeah,” he growls, his hands gripping my ass as he lifts me onto the counter. “But you first.”

Chapter Four

JACKSON

I pull back from our kiss on the counter, thinking that I never thought I’d meet a girl like Ivy in a small town. But here I am, heart pounding as I’m trying to enjoy the moment and not think too hard about whether this isrealor not as I stare into her eyes.

I’ve never felt a magnetic pull toward anyone like I do right now. It’s not just the way she looks—though, damn, she’s easy on the eyes with that long brown hair in that emerald dress. It’s the way she laughs, the way she tilts her head when she’s thinking, the way she’s got this perfect mix of boldness and vulnerability that makes me want to know every single thing about her.

And yet, I’ve barely scratched the surface.

I’ve never,neverhad a feeling like this in my gut before.

The soft glow of a lamp in the corner spills across the room, and the place smells faintly of coffee and vanilla, like her. My eyes land on a sleek gray cat perched on the back of her couch, its green eyes staring me down like I’m an intruder, and breaking up our little makeout.

“That’s Luna,” she says, tossing her keys onto the counter and kicking off her heels. “She’s a little judgmental, but I promise she’ll warm up to you…well, probably.”

I chuckle, shrugging out of my jacket and draping it over a nearby chair. “I’ll take my chances. I’ve won over tougher crowds.”

Ivy laughs softly, pulling a record from the shelf and setting it on the turntable. A moment later, the first notes ofRemember Whenby Alan Jackson fill the air. I raise an eyebrow, impressed.

“Damn! Solid choice,” I say, leaning back against the counter, watching her as she moves around the room with an easy confidence that’s captivating.

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