Page 182 of Playing the Pucking Game
My teeth grind as I force myself to keep my eyes on the road.
The closer we get to my childhood home, the more my mind starts to spin.
Images I shouldn’t be having of her standing in my room, crawling onto my bed, fill my head.
She’s been in the room before. Countless times. But Rett is usually there, too.
We’ve never been there together.
With an empty house.
Fuck. This was a really bad idea.
I shake my head.
What am I even thinking? She isn’t going to want to come to my room. She’ll most likely lock herself in the guest room and try to figure out how to deal with the heartbreak she’s suffered tonight.
Thankfully, by the time we pull into the driveway, her tears have ceased and she’s breathing more steadily.
We sit there as the music plays softly from the speakers, just staring at the dark house before us.
It feels like a big moment, but I know that I’m the only one thinking it.
Be the friend she needs, Storm.
“I don’t think I can wait any longer for a burger,” I confess before killing the engine and pushing the door open.
“Do you ever not think about food?”
All the time…when I’m thinking about you.
“Every now and then. It’s my fuel. A machine this powerful needs every bit it can get.”
She snorts as I take the box from her lap.
“I’m pretty sure you should be eating healthier ‘fuel’ than McDonald’s.”
“Yeah, but tonight can be an exception. We all need food that makes us smile every now and then.”
“Yeah,” she muses as she climbs out.
I meet her at the hood, and side by side we walk to the front door. “Are you sure they’re going to be gone all night?” she whispers as I find my key and push it into the lock.
“Yep. You don’t need to worry about being caught.”
“Who says I’m doing anything I shouldn’t be?”
Lifting my hand to my neck, I rub the tense muscles, regretting my choice of words.
“N-no, you’re not doing anything wrong. I just meant?—”
“It’s okay, Linc. I know what you meant. I’ve heard the rumors about you having girls in your room before.”
“Girls in my—you want to go to my room?”
Get it together, you fucking moron.
“Sorry, I just assumed that we’d hang out up there.”
