Page 36 of Delay of Game

“Okay, we’ll see you down there,” my brother says.

As soon as the elevator doors close, I turn and sprint over to Jordan, jumping in his arms. He catches me easily and I wrap my legs around his waist, intertwining my fingers at the back of his neck and holding tight.

“I offered to drive them home, so I won’t be able to come by the apartment,” I pout, touching my nose to his.

Jordan’s arms tighten around me as he pulls me closer. He leaves featherlight kisses on my cheek and nose and says, “That’s okay, you’ll just have to wear that jersey another night.”

I chuckle and find his lips, capturing them with my own. He softly moans when I sink my teeth in his bottom lip. We kiss for longer than we should until we hear the nurse clearing her throat.

Jordan quickly sets me down and takes a big step back from me, flustered that we were being watched. I bite back my smile and say, “All right hotshot, another time then.”

CHAPTER 12

Three Years Ago – April

Jordan

I wake up with a start,breathing hard as I try to shake off my nightmare. I usually get them when I’m stressed, but I’ve never had this specific one before—we’re all at Robbie’s house, hanging out and playing board games, when all of a sudden an earthquake starts. I’m glued to my seat, unable to move, unable to help. I just sit there, watching everything around me crumble to dust. Then I blink, and everyone is gone, and I’m alone on a pile of rubble.

My heart beats fast and I try to calm down, but my mind is running in a million different directions. Maybe it’s the realization that we’ve clinched the playoffs and we’re about to give it our best and make this the best season. Or maybe it’s the stress of my performance, because I’ve felt off ever since Robbie suddenly retired at the beginning of the month—like I’m missing a limb.

I asked him to reconsider, mostly because we were so close to the end of the season, but also because I didn’t want to lose one of my best friends. Without him as captain, I feel like we might drift.

But in the end, Robbie wanted to focus on his new passion project—the youth foundation nonprofit—and spend more time with Olivia, helping her through her injury and recovery.

I close my eyes tight and try to regulate my breathing, but it still comes out in stuttering waves. A cold hand on my naked back jolts me and I turn to face her.

Alice squints at me, her blond hair fanned out on my pillow, her thumb brushing back and forth on my back. “J, what’s wrong?” she asks, sitting up and placing her head on my shoulder.

I relax a bit, pulling her into my embrace. “Just a bad dream. I’m sorry I woke you,” I say, kissing her forehead and running my fingers through her wavy mussed-up hair.

Ever since we got back from the cabin, our time together has exponentially increased. Alice has been at my apartment every night, except when I was gone for away games. We still have not put a label on what this is, but it’s clear that we’re not anywhere near being done with each other.

That night at the hospital, as we were waiting for Robbie and Olivia, I realized that all I wanted was to hold her and be close to her. I just wish I didn’t live in constant anxiety about how her family will react when they find out about us.

Hugging her closer, I inhale the faint scent of her coconut shampoo and let our bodies fall back against the mattress. “Do you want to talk about it?” she whispers against my shoulder, in the same spot she’s burrowed herself every night she’s been at my apartment. She fits so effortlessly into my arms, and I don’t know what to do with that information.

“I won’t be able to fall asleep if I think about it too hard.” I sigh and hold her closer to me. Her hand lands on my collarbone and she rubs her thumb in soothing circles.

“Okay, J,” she mumbles, and relaxes in my arms, falling back asleep almost instantly. I’m jealous. I wish I could shut off my brain like that.

I spend the rest of the night overthinking everything.

What are Alice and I doing? Do we have a future together?

Am I going to get my shit together before the playoffs start? Or will I fail everyone?

My alarm goesoff and Alice jumps off me, eyes wide and hair askew. I smile fondly at her rumpled state and reach over to silence my phone.

“Shit, what time is it?” she asks, trying to untangle herself from my sheets and almost falling off the bed in the process. I catch her around the middle before she can face plant and pull her back into my arms, kissing her.

“It’s 6:30 a.m. You still have plenty of time before you need to get to work,” I say, knowing she has to get going soon and get back to teaching middle schoolers.

“I badly need a shower, someone made a mess of me last night,” she mumbles against my jaw, and I smirk.

“Maybe you should think twice before enticing me with that jersey,” I retort, and she laughs, blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Enticing, huh?” she asks, eyebrow quirked, her hand trailing down my stomach, and grabbing my cock through my boxerbriefs. It twitches at her touch, but I pull her hand back. If we have a repeat of last night, she’ll definitely be late.

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