Page 21 of The Pass Protection
Her beautiful smile morphs into sadness, and I hate that I was the cause of it. “Oh my gosh, Crew, I had no idea.” Her movements are rushed as she climbs into bed beside me and flings her arms around my shoulders. The embrace she wraps me up in has her clean fragrance mixing with the cinnamon sugar of her favorite late-night treat, enveloping my senses.
Reluctantly, she pulls away, and her emerald-green eyes stare back at me, a soft sheen covering them. “It’s okay, Rebel. It happened a long time ago.”
“Rebel?”
“Yeah, your rebellious streak looks good on you, Bret.”
She slides away from me, creating space between us, as her cheeks pinken. I instantly hate the space she made between us. “You know, I kind of like that nickname.”
Moving my sketchbook from my lap, I lean over Bret to place it on my nightstand. Her hand reaches out and stops me. “Crew, did you draw this?”
It’s my turn to blush as I hold the notepad before me. “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d sketch for a bit and get my mind off the game.”
“May I?” she asks, reaching her hand out.
I hand her the sketchbook and watch her analyze the eagle. “This is incredible. I had no idea you drew.”
“It’s nothing.” A hand slaps my stomach as her jaw drops.
“It’s nothing,” she mocks. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. This literally looks like a black-and-white photograph.”
Closing the cover, she sets it on the table before turning to face me. Rocking back and forth, she lowers until her head is resting on her hands on my pillow. “Tell me more abouttheCrew Riggsby, the legendary tight end on the CTU Eagles.”
Mirroring her, I slide until our bodies are at the same level. “What do you want to know, Rebel?”
She hums, tapping her finger against her chin. “Tell me about your family. Are you excited to see your mom at the game this weekend?”
“Yes, I’m very excited to see my mom. As you pointed out, I’m a mama’s boy. Well, to be honest, everyone is a fan of my mom. She’s the sweetest, most thoughtful person. But I’m the middle child of three. All of us are four years apart. Jett, my older brother—”
“Wait,” Bret interrupts. “Crew? Jett? I’m sensing some kind of military vibes with your names.”
“Yeah,” I answer with a chuckle. “My dad was in the Air Force. He served for twelve years and loved his unit. I’m just glad he didn’t name us Goose, Iceman, or even Maverick.”
Bret’s laughter fills the space at myTop Gunreference. The sound of her laugh is intoxicating. I could get drunk on it alone.
“Okay, do you have, like, a sister named Delta?”
“Ha. Ha. No, my sister’s name is—” I pause and let the moment build. “Saylor.”
“Jett, Crew, and Saylor, cute.” She smiles as she shifts closer to me. “How old is your sister then?”
“Saylor is sixteen, and she’s going through a bit of a rebellious stage. Like a pretty raven-haired girl I know.” I wink. “But luckily for my mom, she had to deal with Jett. He gave my parents a major run for their money. So much so, my dad left him with an ultimatum to either get his shit in check or join the Air Force. He joined the Army to piss my dad off. Since he enlisted, he hasn’t been home except for the occasional break. It’s hard on my mom, but she handles it well.”
“Your mom is a saint.”
“You have no idea.”
The gap between us has slowly disappeared to the point where we are almost touching. Silence falls over us as I stare at her emerald eyes, I can’t help but trace the golden hues that mix with the forest green swirls. Her eyes are mesmerizing.
“What, uh, what happened to your dad?”
Clearing my throat as the emotion builds, I stare at her eyes and allow the green to calm me. “He was in a farming accident. It was the summer after Jett graduated high school. We were moving equipment, and a distracted driver forced him off the road.”
“Oh my god.” Her voice is a whisper as I watch tears form in her eyes. Dad’s accident was a tragedy and one that could have easily been avoided if only people would respect farmers on the road.
Fingertips trail the stubble lining my chin, and I fight the urge to kiss her. But I don’t have to fight the moment for long. Bret’s eyes bounce between mine, and I can feel her hesitation. Something is holding her back from kissing me, and I think it runs more deeply than the fact I’m her dad’s player.
“Rebel,” I say her nickname in a whispered plea. Her eyes widen, and I see the moment she accepts the pull between us.
