Hot to the Touch

“I was afraid.” She looked into his eyes, moving against his thrusts, feeling happier than she ever had, and more sure than she’d ever been about anything that this man was the best thing that had ever happened to her. And maybe now, after this glorious night, she could start to believe she was the best thing for him, too.

“Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. Not anymore.” He put his cheek down next to hers, slid his arms underneath her. “I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not later. And if what I’m feeling tonight is any indication…not ever.”

13

“HOW ABOUT THAT BREWERS’ GAME last night?” Troy aimed for the basket on the guys’ usual court at Kerns Park, where he met his friends regularly on Sundays for basketball games. Troy missed his shot spectacularly, though he managed to snag the rebound.

“Unbelievable contest.” Kent, Kim’s brother, intercepted Troy’s pass to Chad, who, to everyone’s relief, had replaced Kent’s misogynist friend Steve in their foursome. “Fourteen innings on a zero-zero tie.”

“Brewers pulled out a great win.” Troy wiped sweat from his forehead. It felt good to be warm outside since the temperature had remained stubbornly below average. “I thought they were done when the Reds loaded up the bases in the twelfth.”

“I was at that game.” Nathan casually stole the ball from Chad and made a perfect layup. “Amazing pitcher’s duel.”

“Incredible.” Troy caught the ball, made a halfhearted feint. He was feeling restless and crabby, not sleeping well, even his workouts weren’t helping. “The crowd must have gone wild when the Brewers won.”

“We missed the end.”

“You didn’t stay?” Troy was so appalled he stopped dribbling; Kent took advantage, grabbing the ball away to make a shot.

“We left after nine innings,” Nathan said. “Kim wasn’t up for it. She was tired.”

“Tired?” Troy rushed to cover Kent. That’s what caffeine was for. Granted it was still early in the season, but a game like that, a shutout on both sides… Troy would have given Kim the car keys and said, “Go, I’ll take a taxi and catch ya later.”

He caught a pass from Chad, feinted left, went right, leaving Kent in his dust, and took a shot that swished satisfyingly through the basket.

Yeah, right. More likely he would have done exactly what Nathan had: tenderly escorted his woman out of the park, even though his insides were screaming, Nooooo!

After his fight with Darcy a week ago, and during their mutual silence since then, the fear had taken over. He still wanted her. Still loved her. For the right or wrong reasons? He wanted to talk out the situation further, but until he had something new and constructive to add to the argument, he didn’t see the point. Either they’d rehash the same conflict or talk around it, neither of which would do a damn thing for either of them or for their relationship—or whatever was left of it.

And right there was the problem. He’d just been feeling strong, back on his feet, no longer pining for Debby, understanding his patterns, and now…he was back right in it, caring so deeply for someone that all his thoughts and feelings were caught up in her 24/7. No, he hadn’t gone with her when she dove off the emotional deep end, so yeah, he’d kicked that habit, but that was small comfort when he was miserable without her.

Kent caught his rebound, went over Chad’s head and scored again. They played a fairly listless game for the next half hour, then Chad picked up the ball, glanced at his watch and shot a pass to Troy. “I gotta go, guys. Bev wants to get the garden planted this weekend. We’re going to Stein’s nursery this afternoon.”

“Ooh, hot date for Chad.” Troy nodded to Nathan and Kent. “You real men up for a pint at Wolski’s?”

Kent looked suddenly pained, pushed back his blond hair, squinting his blue eyes, which were so like his sister Kim’s. “I, uh, have a date.”

“Stein’s or a real hot date?” Troy chucked the basketball at Kent, who caught it and shot it back just as hard.

“I’m seeing Lucy.” He cleared his throat, grabbed the hem of his shirt and wiped his forehead. “We’ve been out a few times. We’re meeting at four.”