Page 85 of Lucky Shot

“True.” I lean my head back onto the seat and sigh. “I don’t know why I’m so hesitant when it comes to him. The man can have anyone he wants.”

“And yet he’s set his sights on you,” she says evenly. “And not just set his sights on you, but he’s set out to impress you.”

“Impress me?”

“You’re the one who said the man can have anyone he wants, right? So let’s explore that. If that’s the case, why is he working so hard to win you over? A fancy date to New York where you were pampered and treated like a celebrity. A sexy-time session where you put up boundaries, and he didn’t cross them.”

“Hmm.” Visions fill my head of him standing with his cock in his hand, and my whole body sparks to life.

“I guarantee whatever you’re thinking, it was probably ten times harder for him to keep his control than it was for you. Then the man comes to pick you up at the airport when you ghosted him. Pick you up. The man showed up for you when he could have snapped his fingers for all those willing participants you mention.”

“But that doesn’t—”

“And then he apologizes for kissing you and for pushing you when you weren’t ready. Not to mention he says he wants to earn your trust and will wait for you to make the next move. I mean, I wasn’t the hugest fan of him at the start, but I have to admit, the way he’s respecting you makes me like the hell out of him for you.”

“You make it sound way too easy when you say stuff like that.”

“It is easy. Again. You’re overthinking it.”

“But he’ll be gone in a few months’ time.” Is that my holdup or is that my excuse? Because I’m beginning to think that’s my excuse.

“Perfect.”

“Perfect? What do you mean by perfect?”

“Well, if you follow your normal behavior, you’ll be done with him before that and have moved on. And if you haven’t, well, you’re heading into whatever this is with your eyes open. It’s hard to get attached to someone or get too serious about someone when you know he’s leaving. Sounds like the best of both worlds, if you ask me.”

But that’s it, isn’t it? Because I already have feelings I don’t want to admit to. I’m already afraid I’ll fall for him when I can’t.

Because he is going to leave.

It’s just a kiss, Whitney. Not a lifelong commitment.

“I know. I’m making this out to be a bigger deal than it really is.”

“It is a big deal. A huge one. He’s been patient, he left the door open for you, and you’re finally ready to walk right through. The question you have to ask yourself is why?”

Because I can’t stop thinking about his kiss.

Because he knows who I am, my past and my present, and he cares while at the same time not really seeming to care.

Because I love that fluttery feeling I get every time he looks at me.

Because he respects me.

Because I deserve it.

“I like him. I’m here. That has to be enough for now.”

“It is, and I’m so proud of you for it.” She makes a noncommittal sound. “So . . . what are you still doing talking to me?”

After I end the call, I take a deep breath and get out of my car before I lose courage. If I keep moving, then I can’t back out. Right?

I know the way into the stadium. Years of practice of sneaking in has me maneuvering my way through the maze of turns on the stadium’s darkened perimeter like an old pro.

And then I’m entering through the maintenance tunnel and see him there. Good God, the man is sexy.

Hardy is in the center of the pitch. He has cones set up for drills much like he does at the academy, but on a much grander and complex scale. It’s just him, shirtless, giving every single run through the cones and subsequent kick to finish the drill off, one hundred twenty percent.