“Do you guys have a pillow I could snag?” Rio pops his head into the galley over Zanders’ shoulder, asking Indy and me.
“Rio, get it yourself, man.” Zanders motions towards one of the overhead bins where the pillows are stored. Which is ironic, seeing as Zanders has never once gotten himself a single thing on this damn airplane.
“I can get it for you,” Indy offers.
“Thanks, Indy.” Rio’s green eyes sparkle when he says her name. He runs a hand through his curly black hair, pushing it out of the way, and is he…flexing as he does it?
Indy steps around Zanders, leaving the security of our galley and leaving me alone with the man I’ve been trying to avoid all flight.
“You didn’t send me a message last night.” He ducks into the galley, getting in my space. My eyes quickly dart up the aisle, checking for Tara’s whereabouts, but she seems plenty busy flirting with the coaching staff up front.
“Why didn’t you send me a message that you got back to your hotel?” He takes another step closer, his chest only inches from mine.
I crane my neck upward. “I didn’t think you were that serious about it.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? I was up all night checking my Instagram, waiting to hear from you.”
“Well, here I am.” I know I’m being a brat right now, but I’m trying to distance myself from everything I felt last night, and I don’t know how to do that other than to pretend to be unattached. I fully expected Zanders to be the same, so his genuine concern is a little shocking.
“What the hell happened last night?” he whispers. “I thought we had fun?”
“We did. And when it was over, I left.”
Zanders’ hazel eyes bore into me with confusion. I’m not trying to make him feel bad, but I need to protect myself here. He got what he wanted, as did I. He’ll be onto someone new tomorrow. Hell, he might even be onto someone new as soon as we land around two AM.
“Do you regret it?” His question is soft and low, a bit of sadness laced in his tone.
Ah, fuck. Why does this man, who was choking me and screwing me senseless last night, look like a sad puppy dog right now? I kind of want to hug the giant defenseman. He seems more vulnerable than he intended to be.
“I’m sorry if we did something you didn’t want. I didn’t mean to—”
“No,” I cut him off, shaking my head. “No, I don’t regret it.”
It’s a lie, but not for the reasons he’s thinking.
A relieved sigh escapes him as he reaches up with his index finger, delicately moving a single curl from in front of my eyes.
“Are you shitting me?”
Zanders’ hand retreats quicker than you’d believe as both of our heads snap to Maddison standing in the threshold between the galley and the rest of the plane, his large frame blocking us from anyone else’s view.
“You’re the girl from last night?” Maddison’s tone is hushed, his brown eyes wide, pleading for me to say no.
But I don’t.
“Stevie, I had faith in you,” he whines.
“Go sit the fuck down,” Zanders adds.
“He ain’t shit, huh?” Maddison continues. “I’ve heard he’s got a tiny dick and has no idea what to do with it. Terrible in bed.”
“Fuck you,” Zanders spits, but there’s a laugh that follows it.
I can’t help but giggle, knowing his teammate has probably seen what he’s packing in the locker room, the same as I saw it last night. “Tiny” is the exact opposite of what’s going on between his legs.
“Stevie, I’m disappointed. I’m going to need you to keep giving him shit regardless of this.” Maddison motions between Zanders and me. “Because it’s quite literally my only entertainment on this fucking airplane.”
With that, he turns to walk back to his seat, leaving his best friend and me alone once again.
“So, you don’t regret last night?” Zanders doesn’t waste a second before asking again, concern evident on his face.
“I don’t regret it, but it shouldn’t happen again.”
“I was thinking quite the opposite. I was thinking it should happen again. Like every single time we’re on the road.”
“We can’t. Zanders, I’ll get fired if anyone finds out about last night.”
“The blondie already knows!”
“Let me rephrase that. I will get fired if that one finds out.” I motion towards the front of the plane.