That got my attention.
“Um…”
“Here,” he said, and before I could react, he had my phone in his hand. He held it out to me to unlock, which I did in a daze, and then he had Instagram pulled up, the screen reflecting us in selfie mode.
It was dark on the boat, but the lights from the city showed just enough of us to make up a grainy, golden image.
Vince threw his arm around me, pulling me into him. He was so massive, his arm hooked around me completely, shoulder over one of mine while his hand hooked the other.
“Don’t look so scared,” he whispered against my neck, watching our reflection on the screen.
I reached up, hooking my hands on his arm that was around me. His chin was on the crown of my head, his smirk sexy as hell, eyes like that of a leopard who just spotted his prey.
His extended arm captured all of it — me pulled into him, his arm holding me close, my hands curled into the sleeve of his jacket. The flash went off, and before I could even see the picture, Vince pulled away.
“What are you doing?” I asked, watching him walk across the deck, thumbing away on the keyboard.
“Posting it.”
“No one wants to see me. This is about you, remember?”
He didn’t reply as I followed him.
“What are you writing?”
He didn’t answer me, and he got a lucky break because the stews were getting us ready to dock and disembark. He slid my phone into the pocket of his jacket and didn’t give it to me until we were back in the car.
It was so late by the time we made it to the hotel, but the rooms were quiet enough that I assumed the rest of the team was still out on the town. There was no way they were asleep yet, not with nothing to do in the morning other than fly home.
“Goodnight,” I said to Vince when we made it to our rooms. I was already tapping my key card and opening my door when he just leaned against the frame of his, watching me.
I paused, arching a brow.
“You’ll be in my bed soon.”
My mouth parted at his words, and I blinked before letting out an incredulous laugh. Then, I let my door shut without going inside it, crossing to where Vince was, instead.
I folded my arms, lifting my chin high. “Never going to happen, Pigeon.”
He pushed to stand, invading my space so quickly I backed up and hit the wall in-between our doors. Vince stared down at me, a lazy smile on his lips.
“I can’t wait to make you eat your words.”
He pressed into me, just a little, just enough to make my breath catch. He reached up and trailed the back of his knuckles up the line of my jaw, tugging on my earlobe as if to remind me that his teeth had done the same tonight.
Then, he grinned wider, stepping away completely and unlocking his door.
“I love that face, by the way,” he said, glancing at where I was still frozen in place. “The one you make when you realize you’ve met your match.”
? ? ?
I didn’t think to check my phone when I made it inside. I was buzzing from his touch, mind and body on fire from the night’s events and how I felt about them. I was also exhausted, so much so that I barely washed my face before I fell into bed and let sleep take me under.
The next morning, I woke to a flurry of texts.
Reya: Camilla and I are freaking out over last night’s post. In the best way. Call me when you’re up!
Camilla: I smell an assignment extension… way to break the Internet! And every Tampa girl’s heart. ;）
Livia: Told you you were in trouble. Can you tell me I was right over a glass of red soon? I need details.
I clicked out of my best friend’s text with my heart hammering in my ears, pulling up Instagram next. I clicked on my profile picture, quickly tapping through the stories I’d posted of last night’s game until I came to the picture of me and Vince.
The image was so striking, I covered my mouth with one hand, staring at it in disbelief.
My eyes were a bit squinted from the flash, which just made me look sated, the smile on my lips subtle and soft. My normally curly hair was styled in soft waves and blowing in the wind, fresh from the blowout I’d had done earlier in the afternoon. Strands of it stuck to my lips, my hands clutching Vince’s arm tightly, fingertips curled into the fabric of his jacket. And even though I knew that I’d just been tired, I looked like I’d just been freshly fucked.
And there was Vince behind me, wrapping me up like he owned me, his eyes low and sexy and commanding all of the camera’s attention.
His lips were pressed against my hair.
My chest tightened. How had I not noticed that?
But I didn’t focus on it long before I was gaping at the text overlaid on the screen.
night out celebrating with my girl
I clicked out of it, blinking, only to be hit with it in my feed.
The photo had already been picked up by ESPN, and they’d reposted it.
Sonofabitch.
All the Right Webs
Maven
I pulled my hood over my head in the back of the plane the next morning, ignoring Vince, along with the rest of the team, as my phone continued to blow up. Reya and Camilla wanted me to call as soon as I landed. So did Livia.
When we touched down in Tampa, I bolted, getting my own ride downtown so I could make my calls in peace. But before I had the chance to call my best friend, my phone buzzed in my hands with my parents’ faces lighting up the screen.
It was a photo from Christmas two years ago, all of us in pajamas and huddled together for a selfie by the tree. Dad had taken it, his long arm stretched out and his smile wide. Mom was curled into his side, and I was there in front of them, a blend of the two humans who made me.
I always felt that I favored my mom — the same gold eyes, same slight frame, same warm smile. But my dad was evident in all my features, too. Our eyes were the same shape, we shared the freckles smattering our cheeks, and I knew I got my attitude solely from him. Dad’s skin was a pale white, though it turned red with emotion, alcohol, or even ten minutes in the sun. Mom’s skin was a deep brown, like the soil of Mother Earth. And I was a blend of the two.
Normally, I would have been answering their call with a smile, excited to hear how they were and to tell them about my life, too.
But today, I answered with anxiety bubbling in my gut.
“Hello,” I said just as I slid into the back of a cab. I quickly told the driver which building to take me to before my dad’s voice rumbled through the phone.
“Are you dating this hockey player?”
I chuckled, letting my head fall back against the seat as I stared out the window. “Well, good morning to you, too, Daddy. Yes, I’m doing well, thank you for asking. What was it like in Pittsburgh and Baltimore? Well, the weather was—”
“I don’t care about the weather,” he said, and even though his voice was deep in its severity, I still smiled. My father loved to act like a protective Rottweiler when it came to me, but in reality, he was just a teddy bear. “I care about this young man with a reputation who seems to have become very comfortable with my daughter.”
“What your father is trying to say,” my mom interjected, her voice sweet like maple syrup. I could picture her gently placing a hand on my father’s arm, could see the deep inhale that touch would force him to take. “Is that we wanted to check in on you and make sure you’re doing okay.”