Page 46 of Delicate Storm

A breathy laugh rushes from my lungs though I’m not sure this is a funny matter. “I should have known,” I say, my voice more gravelly than I expected.

“Known what?” she asks, her expression puzzled.

“That you’d appear. You always do.”

“Just think of me as your guardian angel.” She thinks she’s joking, but she’s not that far off. Lately, when I’m having a shitty day, she’s there. Chatty as always. Cheering me up. Though this time, she’s part of the reason I’m so fucked-up.

The doors close and when we’re the only two in the elevator, Paige sighs. “Since we only have a short ride together, let’s get right to it.”

“Okay. Did you know?” I hit her with the burning question, and when her body deflates, I feel a little bad.

“I knew you’d think that, but honestly, I had no idea. I’m sorry to say I don’t follow football. I’m not really a sports girl at all.” She cringes and I laugh.

“That’s what I liked about you.”

“Oh, too bad.” She smiles. “Because that’s how I felt until yesterday. Now, after watching your team practice, I think I’m missing out.”

“Figures.” The first time I find someone I can be myself around and now she’s on the bandwagon.

“What does?”

“Nothing, never mind. Back to the issue at hand. You’re the team owner’s daughter. And now off-limits to me.”

“Apparently so.”

The elevator stops and when the doors open to no one, I assume it’s Paige’s level and hold the doors open so we can finish our chat.

“I guess it would be crazy to keep seeing each other,” she continues, her expression pinched as she looks to me for answers. “Right?”

It pains me to say it, but… “Right.”

“It’s messy.”

“And things are fucked-up enough at the moment.”For me at least.

“Exactly.” Paige snaps her fingers like that’s some big revelation. “Goodbye then?” Her face contorts. She’s clearly not happy about this outcome. And neither am I. But it is what it is.

“Yep. Goodbye.”

“Unless we happen to run into each other,” she adds before I can release the doors. “I can say hi, right?”

“Sure.”

“And if we happen to be in the gym at the same time, you could help me stretch.”

I raise an eyebrow and she smiles. “I guess. If you need it.”

“Thanks. And if by some strange coincidence we end up locked in a storeroom together with no way out and nothing to do?”

The fuck?I stare at her deadpan until she laughs. “What? You never know.”

“Then in that case, I would fuck your brains out until you don’t know what day it is let alone how long we’ve been trapped.”

“Okay.” Her pitch rises. “Thank you. It’s good to set boundaries. You know. Just in case.”

“Of course.”

Paige moves to step out until we both realize it’s my floor. She never pressed the button. I pause for a second and then withoutdeparting, I press the number for her level and watch as the doors close before turning to face her.

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