Page 36 of First Down Promise

“Yes. I can’t believe it took me so long, but I’ve noticed you, Abby,” he says softly, running his finger under my bra strap. “Screw the consequences.”

“Like losing Pete as your friend?” I ask.

“That’s not going to happen.”

“I think you’d be surprised. He’s very…protective of me. Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but we should keep whatever this was from him until the season’s over,” I say. Lying to my brother was never on my bingo card, but I’ve been doing it all along by pretending that Josh meant nothing more when he’s every damn thing to me.

Josh raises his eyebrows. “Was?” he asks, tilting my chin up with his index finger. “Miss Wilson, you’re still on my lap, and there’s only two or three layers of fabric between my dick and you. We’re in this actively.” I facepalm, and my cheeks are warm against my palm.

“Oh God.”

“But that’s not a bad idea. Don’t want to throw Pete off too badly. We’re really trying to go all the way this season,” Josh says.

“Me too,” I joke.

“Fuck me,” he says under his breath. He throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls me back to him before crashing his lips back to mine, but we don’t let it escalate any further.

Not tonight, anyway. Not yet.

Chapter Fourteen

Josh

A week after Wisconsin, I finally have Abby to myself again.

Me: Wear something comfy and warm-weather friendly. Pick you up soon.

Abby: Not hiking, right?

Maybe if I were also twenty-two.

Me: Hell no. Need to get another couple of seasons out of these knees. Just relaxing today.

Abby: Good, can’t wait!

I pull up in front of Pete’s at the time we agreed on. It worked out perfectly—he would be away all day doing promotional interviews and then physical therapy, and Abby told him she was spending the day with Sadie. Since Milwaukee, my priorities have shifted. Just a little.

Abby walks out in cutoff shorts and an open-knit sweater over a brightly colored cropped top that I pray shows off that little belly ring. She has a small tote on her shoulder, and she bites her lip as she reaches for the passenger door handle.

“Hi!” she says, climbing into the passenger seat and shutting the door behind her.

“Hi,” I reply. I lean over to kiss her, and she furrows her brows and pulls back slightly. “Sorry, that was forward.”

“No, it’s okay.” She places her hand on the side of my neck, and I flinch slightly at her cool touch. A smile flashes across my lips before I kiss her. It’s just a peck, which is probably a good thing, so we can take it slower than whatever that was in my hotel room. But in my defense, I listened to my big head instead of the little one.

“Um, so, coffee?” I ask, pressing the back of my shoulders into the back of the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, that’d be great.” I shift the truck into gear. “I temporarily turned off the cams out front, by the way, and disabled location sharing with Pete.”

And so, the sneaking around begins. Do I say good looking out? Do I ask what Pete would think if I were picking her up?

“Embarrassed to be seen with me?” I joke instead.

“Yeah, that’s what it is,” she teases. “But no, not really. Are you ready for Pete to know? If you tell him, Dane will know. Then, Coop. Then, the team. This is a wildfire waiting to happen.” I open my mouth to respond, but she starts again. “But I’m glad you texted me that night.”

I clear my throat. “Me too. Really.”

But tired and lonely, I didn’t think things through that night. I can’t bring myself to regret it, though. Abby pulling a metal water bottle out of her bag grabs my attention.