Page 100 of Puck Me Secretly

Did I need to say anything? Besides our hotel time together after the crash, we had only kissed twice. So why did it feel like there was so much more between us?

It was all the other stuff. The way he held my hand under the blanket whenever the plane took off. How he’d come to my room to check up on me after Minnesota. The way he stared at me from across the room. It was all the little ways he acted that made this so difficult.

I needed to protect him, but I needed to do so without letting him know what I was protecting him from.

So, I took the cowards way out. For the last week, I returned to avoiding him like my life depended on it. I didn’t talk to him. I didn’t flirt. Hell, I didn’t even look at him. If we spent no alone time together, he’d be safe. It felt like a rotten thing to do, since he’d done nothing wrong, but I needed to keep him safe.

The only problem was that Max didn’t seem to get the hint. Anyone else would react to being so obviously blown off and would back off. Not Max. He never approached me, but he watched me every chance he got.

I peered up at him through my eyelashes. His unblinking gaze stared back.

I dropped my head forward, letting my hair curtain in front of my face. He was making this so difficult. All I wanted to do was be near him. Pushing him away was my version of torture.

The meeting broke up. I gathered my stuff and moved out of the hotel conference room. I almost made it to the elevator when a strong hand grabbed my arm and steered me around the corner.

“What are you doing?” I anxiously peeked around Max’s shoulder, scared that someone would see us talking.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

I met his gaze and lied my ass off. “I’m not.”

“Bullshit.”

“Just… don’t.”

“What happened? You’ve been weird ever since the Christmas party.”

“I’m not weird.”

“Tell me what is going on.”

I felt emotionally exhausted. I knew this was the right thing for him, but his anger-laced hurt was gutting me. My only move was to step around him towards the elevator, punching the button several times. He didn’t follow, and I made my escape to my room.

For the hundredth time, I reminded myself that I was doing this for him. Toprotecthim.

I missed the shared team lunch, and in an act of rebellion, decided I’d skip the afternoon practice too. I answered only necessary emails before collapsing on my hotel bed for a nap.

I wokeup with a dry mouth and noticed that I had also slept through the team dinner. I did not care. I took a hot bath, shrugged on the robe over my naked body and then ordered room service. I needed to get through one more night, one more flight and then I’d have five days off, away from this team, and away from Max.

A knock sounded on my door.

I swung it open. Max stood there, a dark expression on his face.

His presence bewildered me. “What’s going on?”

“Can I come in?”

That was a bad idea. But having him standing in the hallway was an even worse idea. I opened the door wider, and he walked in. He moved to lean against the desk, his arms crossed. Max was in a mood.

“I’m not leaving here until you tell me the truth.”

“What truth?”

“The truth about why you did a 180 and fucked off.”

Oh.Thattruth. “I’ve been busy.”

“Bullshit.” His eyes narrowed on my face. “What did your mom say about me?”

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