Those verbal shots, those jabs safely met and playfully given, neither of them meaning a thing. Their eyes met, sparked, and a recognition and awareness flowed in the air between them… and Drake crossed the room with zero hesitation. He pulled her back into his arms, kissing her once more as if he couldn’t get enough of her, of them.
“I thought we were supposed to be dancing…” she whispered between kisses and heard his soft, knowing chuckle.
“I suck at being a dance teacher – and your two left feet look divine in those high heels,” he offered tenderly – and she melted, curling her arms around his shoulders in surrender.
10
DRAKE
Gosh, he was sore after the game. Away games were always tough because you weren’t sleeping in your own bed, sometimes the after-game interviews went late into the night… and sometimes you just missed your pillow. Flopping down on the bed again, adjusting and tucking the hotel bedding around him, he sighed in defeat – and picked up his phone, texting Steffi immediately.
What are you wearing?
And was immediately rewarded with three dots that told him that he was about to get blasted via text by his fiancée. He loved irking her and kept thinking about that kiss over and over again. The idea of kissing her had never crossed his mind, and came out of nowhere – but now that he’d done so, there was no way he’d ever forget it.
A frown.
He chuckled softly, picturing her face.
And nothing else?
I’m wearing my pajamas because it’s eleven o’clock at night here and you are goodness-knows-where, having fun, and obviously inebriated if you think I’m going to entertain you via text message…
That was his cue – Drake dialed her number immediately and was rewarded with her answering on the first ring.
“How about this?” he began in greeting and heard her heavy, exasperated sigh – and grinned. “We can entertain each other like this.”
“I’m not… no.”
“Why not?” he wheedled at her terse response that didn’t sit well. “It’s not very neighborly of you. What if I needed something? What if I needed you to check on my house while I was gone? I could be calling for a reason, and you are just shutting me down without even hearing me out. Sheesh, Steffi – I thought we were friends.”
And he held his breath – waiting for the concussive shockwave to blast him. He could practically hear her teeth grinding.
“What did you need?”
Her voice was quiet, almost dejected, and immediately sent a bolt of alarm down his spine. Something was wrong or bothering her, which in turn was now bothering him.
“What’s wrong?” he blurted out pointedly. “Talk to me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t sound like nothing.”
This was not going to work. This would not do at all. Drake immediately pressed the FaceTime request on his phone andexpected her to shut him down once more… but what happened next was everything.
She accepted.
He could see her lying in bed, looking exhausted and lost, with the most atrocious-looking plaid flannel nightgown that he’d ever seen. It looked like Paul Bunyan’s dishrag and nearly said as much, but her expression set off alarm bells.
“Hey…” he began again softly, encouraging her. “Talk to me. What’s on your mind? What’s bothering you?” Her vulnerable gaze met his – and he swallowed, feeling a pang in his chest as her lower lip wobbled just for a moment. “Steffi?”
“I hate this…” she whispered in a tiny, hushed voice.
“Hate what?”
“This.”
“Sweetie, you’re gonna have to elaborate a little more,” he chuckled softly and saw her expression crack as her eyes began to shine, glimmering with unshed tears. “What do you hate – me?”