Page 14 of Home Town Advantage
His brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve had a crush on you since the day I met you. That’s why I always followed you guys around. You must know that.”
He shakes his head. “No, I didn’t.” He blows out a breath. “It wasn’t until three months ago that I started seeing you as a woman. Finn noticed and warned me away. He wouldn’t want me to treat you like this. I…I can’t do this to him.” He slides out from under me, reaches for my sweater, and hands it to me. “Put it back on. We can’t do this,especiallytoday.”
I can’t help that tears spill from my eyes as the sting of rejection settles in. He pulls me close to him. “Please don’t cry. I’d never want you to do something you’d regret. It’s my job to protect you now. I’ll do anything and everything to live up to my promise to him.”
He holds me as I again sob until I pass out. This time when I wake up, he’s gone.
FOUR
CLUBLIBERTY
VANCE
I’m not surprised to see Sulley walk into the club with Layla and her new teammates, but she looks surprised to see me. Maybe it’s more like disappointment flashing across her gorgeous face. The last thing I want is to cause her any more pain than I already have.
I should leave. I begin to stand, but Daylen grabs my leg and quietly says, “You’re not leaving. Let’s rip off the Band-Aid. It’s been five years, and you’re both adults. She’s going to be around. Learn how to coexist.”
I sit back down and look at him. “If she gets emotional, I’m taking off. I don’t want to hurt her.”
He nods. “Fine.”
“I can’t watch a woman cry over me.”
He deadpans, “I’m sure it happens every time you have sex with one and they’re disappointed in theoutcome.”
I punch him in the leg before I turn back to the group of beautiful women walking toward our table.
I take in Sulley’s full appearance. Her body has filled out in the past five years. She’s got curves she didn’t have when I last saw her in person.
I watch her on TV all the time, but she’s not in a basketball uniform now. I’ve never seen her dressed like this or wearing any makeup. She looks like sex on a stick. I have to adjust myself to make room for the sudden swelling of my cock. It doesn’t feel so great considering the sunburn I have on my balls from our team’s afternoon in the sun today. What the hell was I thinking doing that?
Daylen looks down at my lap and chuckles while I subtly flip him the bird.
The group approaches with Layla and Presley leading the charge. We’re introduced to the three girls, and then Presley introduces Daylen and me, along with Beau and Champ.
I shake Kennedy and Palmer’s hands. Kennedy is Coach Jeffries’ daughter and looks a lot like him, but I’ve never met her in all these years. I don’t think they have a close relationship, though he doesn’t reveal much about his personal life, especially since his divorce.
I then tentatively hold my hand out for Sulley. I see her visibly swallow before cautiously taking my hand. I inhale her scent. She smells so good. So…womanly and sophisticated. It’s like a bed of flowers with a hint of coconut. I remember that coconut scent from the one and only time I got to hold her in my arms, touching her, kissing her.
Fuck. Stop it.
She gives me a forced smile. “Vance, it’s…umm…good to see you. It’s been a while.”
Kennedy narrows her eyes as they toggle between us. “Do you two know each other?”
I nod. “Sulley and I are from the same hometown.”
Daylen knows we need a topic change and immediately interrupts by asking the girls for their drink orders before flagging down the waitress, telling her what everyone wants and adding several appetizers to our order.
Kennedy carefully studies him and then starts laughing. He raises an eyebrow in confusion. “What’s so funny?”
She has a bemused look on her face. “We’ve had a few conversations about red flags and, to be honest, you check a lot of those boxes.”
He twists his lips and asks, “Like what?”
She answers, “You’re wearing sandals and a necklace, and your cell phone is an Android.”
