Suddenly, inside all the anger, all the fury, all I can think about is how his hands felt on my body a few nights ago. It's this burning passion we both hold so deeply inside.
The way he pulled me into him under the stars, like he needed me the same way he needed air in his lungs. The way his lips devoured mine, rough and soft all at once, his grip tight like he wasn’t just kissing me… he wasclaimingme.
I kissed that man like I’ve never kissed anyone before.
I did it because I believed in him.
And now?
Now, his eyes are burning into mine like he’s remembering it too.
Like somehow, he might just be starting to listen.
A muscle jumps in his throat as he swallows thickly, his gaze flicking down to my lips. He holds it there, lingering just long enough to make my heart flutter before he drags it back up again.
My skin hums like it’s waiting for him to do something.Anything.
And then—
He rips himself away from me, turning on his heel, pacing like he’s trying to shake the feeling off his body.
Like I’m the only thing in this goddamn room that could rattle him like this.
“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, his voice hoarse. “So what do we do then? Play without him? Is that what you're saying?”
I take a steadying breath, shifting into full professional mode and ignoring the way my body hums to be close to him again.
"We ice it. All night. Every twenty minutes on, twenty off. I've got specialized compression wraps that'll keep the swelling down while he sleeps."
Hunter's eyes stay fixed on me as I continue, my voice gaining confidence as he finally starts to nod as if he's agreeing with me.
"Tomorrow morning, we do targeted stretches. Very specific range of motion exercises that will give us the full story. Double dose of anti-inflammatories too, but nothing that'll mask the pain too much - we need to know if he's pushing too far."
I turn to Blake.
"I'll monitor you through warm-ups pre-game. Test your mobility, strength, everything. We make the call tomorrow if you play or not. If anything feels off, you're benched. No arguments."
Blake nods, but looks to his coach like he's questioning my methods.
"That sound good to you, Coach?" he asks, skepticism laced through his voice.
I brace myself, fully expecting Hunter to push back. To argue. To demand more certainty, more guarantees.
Instead, he moves closer.
Not to Blake.
Tome.
His broad chest brushes my arm as he stops beside me. I don’t dare look at him, not when every nerve in my body is already wired from the intense shouting match we just had. Not when the residual adrenaline is curling into something darker. Something hotter. Something only Hunter's touch can remedy.
"You follow her plan," Hunter finally says on a sigh.
His voice alone sends a shiver down my spine. Deep, rough, a low husky growl that vibrates straight to my core.
God help me… I like him like this. Unhinged. On edge. A step away from losing his restraint.
I swallow hard, but it does nothing to stop the ache pooling between my thighs.