Page 27 of Blocked Shot
NATALIE
Natalie sighs, settling into the pillows in Jesse’s guest room that doubles as his home gym and, by the looks of it, laundry basket. She should be exhausted after the long drive and dinner with Jesse and his teammates, but her mind won’t quiet. No matter how much she tells herself to stop, her thoughts keep drifting back to Jake, to the heat in his gaze, the way his voice sent shivers down her spine, and to the hurt in his eyes when she told him she wished things were different.
Her body is tense with the weight of wanting. She tells herself she made the right choice, that staying away from Jake is necessary, but her body disagrees. Her skin remembers the heat of his touch, the way his eyes burned when he looked at her. She presses her thighs together, restless, aching.
She groans, flipping onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. This is what she asked for, she reminds herself. She told him to leave her alone. Rejecting him was supposed to put distance between them, but instead, she only wants him more.
When she came to bed, she found three books tucked under her pillow. On top was a fresh, wine stain-free copy ofThe Night Circus, and below wereThe MartianandAll the Pretty Horses. There was nonote, but it didn’t take a crack detective to deduce how they got there. Jake must have slipped in when she and Jesse weren’t looking.
Natalie lies on her back, staring at the ceiling, the soft glow of her bedside lamp casting long shadows across the room. Did he leave those books before or after their encounter in the kitchen? Does it even matter?
Her phone rests in her palm, her thumb hovering over his name in her messages. A simple thank you would be the polite thing to do, she tells herself. But she hesitates, worrying her lip between her teeth. Texting him means continuing on the tightrope she was walking. She knows she should keep her distance, only interact with him when it concerns Jesse.
Her chest tightens with regret, but she pushes it down. She likes Jake—she truly does—but she can’t allow herself to want him. And yet, there was a warmth in her belly, an undeniable flutter at the thought of him thinking of her, choosing books he wanted to share with her.
She exhales, rolling onto her side, clutching her phone.
NATALIE
Thank you for the books. You didn’t have to do that.
She waits a few beats, and then those three little dots appear.
JAKE
My pleasure. It’s the least I could do after your last book turned into a tragedy.
NATALIE
That was unfortunate. Poor thing didn’t see it coming.
JAKE
A real Grapes of Wrath situation.
NATALIE
Did you just make a book joke?
JAKE
I like big books and I cannot lie.
NATALIE
Oh my word.
JAKE
Lots of words, even.
NATALIE
Really feeling your shelf, aren’t you?
JAKE
Ouch.
