Page 22 of Come Back to Me

Jack chuckles. “Are you expecting someone, Annie?”

I look at him, momentarily confused. “What? Huh?”

He nods toward the door and my shoulders sag while I let my chin drop toward my chest, embarrassed.

I look back up at him and realize I owe him an explanation.

“I’m sorry. I’m being rude. It’s just… Don’t think less of me but I didn’t tell my mom I’d be in town. She’d be upset that I’m here and didn’t go to see her. Now I have this irrational fear she’s going to walk in the door and find me out.”

“Well, that makes sense now. I’ve been trying to figure out why you seem jumpy. You’ve seemed to enjoy yourself on all our not-a-dates. I was worrying that either you were stressed to be out with me without the pups, or you were having such a bad time you were hoping someone would walk through the door and rescue you.”

I start to protest but the twinkle in his eye and his mouth lifting at the corners make me realize he’s teasing me.

Deciding to give it back to him a little, I flutter my eyelashes at him. “I mean, if a knight in shining armor came through the door, I’d probably consider letting him sweep me off my feet… since I don’t work with him and all. He’d probably be less chivalrous than this guy I’m not-a-dating and maybe I’d get more than a few hugs and chaste kisses out of him.” I wink at him.

He smiles, and it sets off fluttering in my lower belly. Then his gaze turns piercing, and the smile disappears, his expression serious.

“I’ve told you before, Annie, I’m a patient man. I can wait for the physical until you’re comfortable with the emotional part of this relationship. Nothing worth having is worth rushing and I can tell you’re worth having.”

Just like that, it’s like my core is suddenly on fire. The man’s restraint is freaking annoying, but also kind of hot. I try to swallow the lump in my throat, and it comes out as an embarrassing gulp that his smirk tells me he clearly notices.

Clearing my throat, I smile at him. “Sh-should we head toward the arena now?”

JACK

After dinner, we get into downtown Columbus and find parking about a ten-minute stroll from the arena. I don’t mind since it’s a beautiful night, and it gives me more time to talk with Annie before we get inside the loud arena. Once we’re out of the car, I grab her hand as we make our way to the rink.

She seems nervous, looking around at the other peoplewalking toward the game and twisting her free hand around the hem of her shirt.

I wonder if I’m making her uncomfortable.

“Annie, does it bother you that I’m holding your hand or are you still afraid you’re going to see your mom? You seem a little on edge.”

She laughs. “I’ve been trying to convince you to do a replay of our first kiss for weeks. Holding hands isn’t making me uncomfortable.”

“Okaaaaay,” I reply hesitantly. I’m not sure what’s bothering her then.

She heaves a dramatic sigh and looks over at me. “It’s stupid, I know, but I’m nervous I’m going to see Jason here. He watches every game on TV unless he comes in person. And he tries to come to as many as he can. I don’t care about him anymore, but I also don’t want to see his stupid face.”

Glad to know that I haven’t done anything to upset her, I smirk at her and answer, “Okay, we’ll have a game plan in case that happens. We need a code word. Maybe… pineapple? Yeah, that’s a good code word.”

“What in the ever-loving heck are you talking about?” She giggles, more relaxed now.

I offer her my best grin. “If you see him, you just say the word pineapple, and then I’ll know that Jason is there. I’ll lay on some serious boyfriend-package moves—complete with physical affection and all. It’ll make him realize what a fool he was to royally fuck things up with you and leave no question that you’re over him.”

“Boyfriend-package moves, huh? And I can only use the word if I see him? I can’t use it for general personal gain?” she asks. She’s smiling as she bumps me with her shoulder, twirling a piece of her hair in her free hand.

I squeeze her hand tighter and laugh at her response. “Nope. Unless you’ve decided we’re more than friends. In that case, then pineapple is fair game.”

“Ugh,” she answers dramatically. “You and your chivalry.”

ANNIE

Sitting in my seat in the jam-packed arena, I can’t help but get caught up in the buzz of excitement in the air and I bop away to the catchy music pumping through the speakers. Jack must know that the way to my heart is through sugar, because when he returns from getting us drinks, he has a big fluff of blue cotton candy and I squeal like a twelve-year-old when I see it.

The game is fun, even if I don’t understand all the rules. Jack keeps treating me to that sexy laugh whenever I cringe as someone takes a big hit, or a fight breaks out. I’m having so much fun that, before I know it, it’s already intermission between the second and third periods.

We cheer like maniacs when a fan wins one-thousand dollars for scoring from the other end of the ice, and we hoot like teenagers as the kiss cam shows couples throughout the arena and their smooches.

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