Page 118 of On Merit Alone
“How?” I asked.
He smiled softly. “The same way I could tell you liked me, baby. There’s a certain look in your eye.”
Our eyes met and for a short breath, we shared a heated glance before he broke away first. Raising back up to his full height, he supplied something else from his other hand, passing it to me. It was a bowl of fruit, sealed up in one of those glass takeaway containers from his kitchen.
I took it and my confusion must have shown on my face because he reached forward and ran a thumb across my cheek in a tender motion. “You can’t always have cake before a game, sweetheart. But maybe after, if you’re feeling up for it. I’ll be there tomorrow in my usual spot. Good luck, Six.”
And then he left.Again!What was that about?
I would have contemplated it much longer if it weren’t for the nosey acknowledgements of my teammates as I caught up to them on our way to the film room. They nudged me playfully as we walked.
“Damn Cap! What’d you do to get Ira King on a chain likethat!” someone called.
I bit my lip, trying my best to force myself not to look back, but shook my head. “I don’t know.”
The next day Ira was in the spot he usually watched my games from, just like he promised. And the day after he was waiting at my car for me with another flower and the cake he promised, wishing me safe travels as he sent me away with another sweet kiss.
It was my second night away, tucked into the stiff sheets of a hotel bed, and he didn’t know it yet, but he was beginning to make me crack.
We decided almost as soon as he gifted him to me that Cash would sometimes be dog sat by Ira when I was away but most of the time by a sitter since Ira would have another season and more responsibilities starting up soon. So imagine my surprise when I got a video in my messages of Ira using his charms and stardom for no good.
In the video he was being let into my apartment by the front desk manager to collect Cash. He left a note for the dog sitter saying there’s been a change of plans, and he took my dog! Just like that he snatched Cash and had been sending me updates on him ever since.
Ira
Cash told me he wants to come over to his dad’s more often. Possibly for sleepovers. Think we can arrange something?
Cash has an unhealthy obsession with socks and underwear. Half of mine are missing and he’s been here for twelve hours.
{photo message}: Look! I taught him how to balance a ball on his nose!
{photo message}: We miss you.
Go ahead, add that one to your stalker folder.
I have one of you now too. I’ll show it to you if you smile for me again.
Fine, I’ll show it to you now.
Then he proceeded to send a screen recording of him opening up a folder on his phone that said “Six” and consisted of exactly two photos. One of the two of us on the top of our hike, and the other of just me. My face turned up to the sun as I sat at a picnic table beside a food truck we decided to try. I’d been waiting for Ira to come back with our food and I had no idea he’d taken this photo. Something about looking at it now had my chest doing flips.
He had pictures of me on his phone. What did that mean? I mean, I wasn’t stupid. I had pictures of him on my phone and I knew what that meant for me. But what did it really mean for Ira?
Me
You stole my dog and now you’re stalking me. Easy there, Eleven. It’s getting a little concerning.
By the next day, it was all starting to unravel as I waited for Ira to drop off Cash. Or maybe he was just starting to unravelme.
I didn’t understand this feeling of need I still had for him, even after I’d been so upset with him. Upset enough to shed tears. Upset enough to be ripped apart by his actions. But apparently not upset enough not to want his hands on me the moment I saw him walking down my apartment hallway, leash in hand with the dog he bought me and the knowledge that he was apparently falling in love with me.
Nope. No amount of upset seemed to be cutting through that little fact.
He kissed my cheek again as he passed me Cash’s leash, only lingering slightly as he looked me over and murmured. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
I waited until he walked away to breathe. My nerves were tingling, my senses on high alert.
He was falling in love with me and he was intent on showing me that he wasn’t going anywhere. My body was falling in love withthe knowledge of that while my brain was fighting against it with weakening resolve.
