Page 102 of Running
Two weeks ago, I bought out three hours at her favorite indie romance bookstore, letting her tell me all about her ride-or-die authors as we strolled down the aisles.
Last week, we had a couples massage at a local resort, where I rented a lakeside villa for the evening.
We’ve also been dutifully checking things off her wish list (what a duty). Shower fun, fooling around in a car (a throwback to high school that’s overrated in my opinion, but she wanted to try it), using a blindfold—check, check and check.
This past Sunday, she’d let slip during a cuddling session that she was starting to feel ready to do…everything.
“I want it to be you, Johnson,” she said softly from our cuddle cocoon. “To lose my virginity with you.”
“I’m yours when you’re ready. You decide when and where, Grace. No rush.”
She wiggled against me, snuggling closer against my body. “Soon.”
Beyond all the fun with her list, we’re in so deep with each other. Last Tuesday, after the massage, we crashed on the couch in the villa to watch some TV. All of a sudden, we started staring at each other, a mix of awe, affection, and thrill in our expressions. Like we couldn’t believe we’d found each other.
Not to mention, she spends the night pretty much every time we make plans now, and we usually find one or two days to be together beyond Tuesdays. I even gave her a drawer in my bathroom.
Maybe it’s fast. But we’d already had a strong connection before things turned physical, and being intimate with each other on every level now—it’s no surprise our relationship is intensifying.
The Waves bye week has been a potential milestone in my mind for telling Landon, and I can see Grace and I moving to a crossroads quickly. Are we going to share with Landon now, with how well things are going between us? Or wait longer, maybe even until the end of the season, so we don’t stir the pot with the team?
Anxiety hovers over me today that we might make the wrong choice. I know one thing—I’m not giving up Grace—but what’s the right thing to do with that as a given?
I really need someone to talk to, but my options are limited. I start with Carter, pulling him into the otherwise empty quarterback room after today’s win.
“What’s going on?” he asks. “I only have like ten minutes tops before I need to meet Jess.”
“This is about Grace and me,” I admit, trying to keep my cool.
He makes a grimace. “Yeah, that fun subject.” He crosses his arms. “What’s the latest? I know from Jess’s chats with Grace that you’re still seeing each other.”
“Yeah, so it’s going really well. Like,reallywell.”
His expression shifts, looking a little more empathetic. “Okay, that’s good, J.”
I sit at the end of the meeting table in the room. “To cut to the chase, we’re getting to a place though that it feels wrong not to tell Landon. Hell, to tell the world.”
He lets out a breath. “Shit, yeah, I get that. I can’t imagine having to hide my relationship with Jessica after—what’s it been?”
“Seven weeks. She’s staying over, multiple times a week?—”
“I don’t need the details, J.” He half-heartedly chuckles. “I’m already enough of an accessory to the crime.”
“What would you do if you were me?”
He looks contemplative. “Yeah, it’s messy because of the season we’re having so far, isn’t it? If we were the same mediocre team as last year, I’d say fuck it, tell him and we’ll work through any blow back. You guys are so tight too, I’m sure he’d get to an okay place about it eventually.”
“But not this year, right?” I say, agreeing with him. “Even a couple of weeks with weird energy in the locker room could keep us from winning the division if it turns into losses. I just can’t swallow being the cause of fucking up the team, Carter.”
“Is it only the team dynamic then? You don’t sound like you feel too guilty about your friendship, if I can be blunt.”
“It held me back initially from my interest in her, but now…What should I feel guilty about? Falling for his sister? It’s hard to feel too bad when all I want is to protect my chance with her.” I pause. “I do think our friendship would ultimately emerge okay, after he has time to see my true intentions. The team though, we can’t afford the time it’ll take for him not to be pissed at me.”
He’s silent for a few seconds. “I see your dilemma. I don’t really have answers, but I promise to stay quiet for you.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Jess has made some interesting threats if I don’t anyway.”
