Page 30 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“Shit.”

“Yeah, shit. I just want to go home.”

It doesn’t escape my attention that not once has she looked me in the eye this morning. It’s annoying the shit out of me.

As far as I’m concerned, last night, or more so, this morning, wasn’t a big deal.

Okay, that’s a lie. It was a huge fucking deal. I woke up with the woman of my dreams in my arms, my cock nestled against her luscious ass, and her scent filling my nose. I slept better than I have in fucking months, and there are zero doubts in my mind that that’s because she was beside me.

But aside from all that, it isn’t a big deal. Or at least, I can pretend it isn’t.

“I can take you,” I offer, figuring that it’ll be the perfect time for me to assure her that I’m not going to make a thing out of yesterday, or this morning.

She was just being a good friend. We both fell asleep, and…the rest was an accident. Or at least, I’m happy for her to believe that.

“Oh no, that’s okay. I’ll call another. Fourth time’s the charm, right?”

“Hailee, don’t do that,” I warn.

“Do what? I’m not doing anything,” she mutters as she taps her cell.

“Well, firstly, you won’t look at me,” I point out.

“I’m just trying to order a—hey,” she complains when I pluck her cell straight from her fingers, and finally, fucking finally, her eyes jump to mine.

“Hi,” I say, my smile growing.

Her eyes bounce between mine. She wants to look away again, I can see it, but for some reason, she doesn’t.

Maybe she likes what she sees.

Or maybe you’re a deluded idiot who’s living in cuckoo land. Whatever.

“Hi,” she breathes. “Look, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think⁠—”

“Hailee,” I snap, interrupting her. “It’s just a lift home. I promise you, there won’t be anything glamorous about it. My car is a heap of junk; the air conditioning is glitchy, and there’s a weird smell I can’t find the source of, but it’s better than standing out here being cancelled on repeatedly. No one needs that kind of rejection in their life.”

Her mouth opens and closes, and I mentally give myself a high five for rendering her speechless.

“You’re really not selling it,” she finally says.

“I’ve already got the High School Musical playlist locked and ready to go,” I add.

She shakes her head, but not before I spot the smile.

“Fine, but if it smells that bad, I might chance my luck walking.”

“It’ll take hours.”

“How do you know where I live?” she counters.

“I-I don’t, but…we’re quite a ways out of the city here, and⁠—”

“Thank you, Hayden. I really appreciate it.” Warmth spreads through me. It’s a feeling I could get a little too used to, especially the way it pushes aside some of the grief for the briefest of moments.

“It’s the least I can do for everything you did yesterday.”

“It was nothing.”