Page 23 of Resist

Amused, Coulton laughed. “I have to put in a little work.”

“Jesus, if the guys at the tavern figure out who you are…” Ainsley couldn’t even begin to imagine how excited they would be. Professional athletes were the equivalent to the royal family at Mick’s.

Coulton shrugged, clearly unconcerned if that should happen. “Petey seems to think my name is Colt.”

Ainsley laughed. “He’s hard of hearing. Even so, I’m surprised they didn’t recognize you. They really like watching the Stingrays play.”

“It’s easier for me to walk around unrecognized, thanks to my helmet. But it’s not a big deal if they find out. I like talking to fans. It’s nice connecting with them.”

“Yeah, you’ll definitely rethink that if it gets out at Mick’s. You think they swarmed you after that confrontation with Eli? Finding out you’re on the Baltimore team will be next level.”

Ainsley continued her perusal of his condo, because the first few minutes here had been enlightening to say the least. Her attention was drawn to a cage on a cabinet across the large living room. She stepped up to it, but it was empty.

Coulton followed her. “Sofia is in there. You just have to dig around a bit.”

Ainsley watched as Coulton gently dug through a bunch of white fluff before he closed his hand around something, pulling it out of the cage. When he opened his hand, he revealed the tiniest, cutest little creature she’d ever seen.

“Oh my God. What is that?” she asked, lifting her hand to touch it.

“A dwarf hamster.”

The image of gigantic Coulton holding the smallest pet on the face of the earth was too adorable and hilarious. She laughed. “This is your pet?”

Coulton didn’t take offense at her reaction. “She’s my sweetest baby,” he said, cooing to the tiny creature, gently touching the hamster’s head. “Want to hold her?”

Ainsley was dying to. She held out her hand and giggled when Sofia wiggled, tickling her. “She’s so cute! But I’m struggling to make this pet fit with you. You seem better suited to a big-ass dog.”

Coulton chuckled. “I have to confess, getting a dwarf hamster wasn’t my decision. My neighbor across the hall, Lee, got Sofia for his daughters for Christmas, but the girls were too young. They kept taking her out of her cage and they were a bit rough. Lee was afraid they’d hurt her or lose her, so he asked if I minded taking her. The girls are four and six, and they have visitation rights. Plus, they feed her when I’m out on the road with the team.”

“That’s so cool.”

Coulton took the hamster from Ainsley and put her back in the cage. “We can finish the tour of my place after I take a look at you.”

Ainsley followed Coulton to the kitchen, where he reached into a cabinet under the sink and pulled out a first aid kit. “Not exactly a stranger to patching up injuries,” he explained. “My pads protect a lot, but every now and then, I take a hit.” He gestured to a stool next to the island. “Sit there.”

Ainsley continued to shock herself as she simply did what Coulton said without arguing. It occurred to her that in addition to her trust issues, she also had some serious problems with authority. God, a therapist could use her head as an amusement park.

All those problems fell away when she was with Coulton, though.

He used his finger to gently tip her head back, his gaze traveling over her face. “You’ve got a bruise on this cheek,” he said, stroking it softly. “But I don’t think you’ll have a black eye.” He cleaned her bloody lip with such care, Ainsley had to blink back some more of those cursed tears. Then he dabbed it with some Neosporin. “It’s the good stuff. Includes painkiller.”

She nodded appreciatively. Her lip was sore, but nothing unbearable.

Then Coulton lifted her arms, scanning them, frowning at the bruises already darkening the skin that her tattoos were doing nothing to hide. “Motherfuckers,” he muttered under his breath.

“You did way worse to them,” she said with a grin, hoping to lighten his mood.

It didn’t work.

“They should be behind bars for hurting you, Ainsley.”

She didn’t respond to that.

“What else hurts?” he asked.

She pointed to her head. “Mario was a hair-puller. And not in a fun way.”

“Mario? You knew those guys?”

---