“I’m embarrassed,” I reply. “I wish I wasn’t crying right now and that this was all some sort of nightmare I haven’t woken up from yet.”
“No need to be embarrassed,” he says while pulling me into a hug. He wraps his strong, comforting arms around my shoulders, but I stand there ramrod straight, not sure if I should touch him or not. He smells so good, like yummy man. Not the best description, but that’s all I have. Yummy man. And I know if I wrap my arms around him, I might not let go, as this has all been so scary, so different, so challenging. The comfort of his arms very well might make me melt. “And I believe the crying is bound to happen when you’re pregnant. At least from what I’ve read.”
That makes me shoot off him, putting at least two feet of distance between us.
I swipe at my cheeks as panic sears through me. “What have you read?”
My panic mirrors his as we both stare at each other. “Uh . . . just an article.”
“What kind of article?” I ask him.
“You know.” He swallows. “The kind that is sent to me every week to tell me what you will be experiencing and how I can help you. And before you get mad, I know you told me not to read anything, but I can’t just sit back and not know what you’re going through. This is helpful to me.”
“So do you just look at me and say, oh, that’s her being emotional because her hormones are out of whack?”
“Yeah, kind of, but it’s better than me thinking, wow, she’s a complete psycho.”
“Do I look like a psycho?” I ask, pointing at my chest, and I can see him searching for the right words to answer.
“You look like you’re scared and are unsure of everything that’s happening to you right now, so I think it’s good that I educate myself so I can help you along the way.”
Well . . . would you look at that. He knows just what to say . . . that’s . . . that’s really nice.
And once again, my eyes well, and I break down in tears.
“I’m such a mess,” I say as he pulls me into a hug. This time, I wrap my arms around him and rest my cheek on his black shirt, very much aware that he’ll probably have to change it before he leaves. “I’m sorry.”
His hand falls to the back of my head. “Don’t apologize. It’s okay.”
“I’m losing it.”
“You’re going through a lot, and that’s okay. That’s why I’m here, to help you through it.”
I glance up at him. “So this is the Hornsby Winnie was talking about.”
His brow pinches together with humor. “What does that mean?”
“She said when she first got to the cabin last year, you were the nicest one at first and were the reason she felt she could stay for the night. This is the guy.”
“What guy have I been to you?”
“Flirty at first, followed by alpha in the sheets—that’s how we ended up having sex. Then awkward. Uncomfortable. Nervous. And now I’m seeing the kind.”
“Only took me a bit.” He chuckles. “But this is who you’ll get from now on.” He gives me a good squeeze. “Promise.”
Then I guess I’m a very lucky girl.
Chapter Fourteen
ELI
“Those aren’t the shoes you wear when we play the Freeze,” Taters says while we both head to the locker room in preparation for game time.
“I’m well aware.”
“Are you trying to jeopardize our chances tonight?”
“My shoes were incapacitated for tonight.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
I consider telling him everything that happened this morning, from the vomit to the kick to the cock, but I realize it’s probably not in my best interest to share what Penny’s going through. She was embarrassed enough as it is. The last thing she needs is for the rest of the Agitators to know what’s going on between the walls of the apartment.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” I nudge him with my shoulder. “Are you ready for tonight?”
“When am I not ready?”
“The other day, you weren’t. You actually sucked.”
“Coming from the guy who couldn’t check a duster in the boards if his life depended on it.”
“I’m going through some things right now,” I defend.
“Yeah, well . . . you’re not the only one.”
“What does that mean?” I ask just as I hear footsteps behind us.