Balance (Off Balance 1)

This wasn’t the first time I’d seen Hayden shirtless, but it also wasn’t something I paid attention to at the gym very often. He was just a guy doing the same sport I loved. In fact, I rarely noticed. I had a tendency to get tunnel vision, and lately, it had been nothing but Kova and gymnastics, shutting out everything else around me.

Maybe I should have taken notice though, because his body was a work of art.

“Ah, do you always go out dressed like that?” I asked hoarsely.

Hayden paused, then looked down at his body before meeting my gaze. He cleared his throat and said, “I didn’t even realize it. I came from practice and didn’t feel like slipping on a shirt since I was hot and sticky. I can put my jacket—”

“No!” I yelled, blinking rapidly. “You’re fine, I just wasn’t expecting...it.”

A half smile tugged on the side of his mouth. “You see me like this every day.”

I shrugged, trying to avoid his impish gaze. “Guess I never noticed before.” He was right. I did see him like that all the time, just never secluded like we were in my condo. Or so close...

“You guess you never noticed,” he deadpanned.

I tried not to smile by flattening my lips, but my cheeks gave me away. They were flaming hot. “What! What do you want me to say?”

He smiled and my gaze drifted to his hair. It was chalky and messy, and I had the sudden desire to know what it felt like against my skin. Feel the softness.

I shook my head, erasing the thoughts.

“All right,” he said, stopping to look in my eyes. “Promise not to laugh?”

“Promise.”

“My mom is a labor and delivery nurse. When my rips were getting bad and nothing was working...” he shuffled through the bag and pulled out a purple box, keeping it out of view, “she came home with this stuff.”

“What is it?”

Hayden opened his palm and showed me what was laying in it. “It’s, ah, ointment,” he said sheepishly.

“Let me see,” I said, taking the purple box. Flipping it over, I read it out loud. “Lanolin. Soothes and protects cracked...” I trailed off. “Nipples?” Nipples came out high pitched and I looked up at him, bemused.

A rosy hue filled his cheeks and I couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah, it’s nipple cream. My mom says mothers who breastfeed use it on their boobs to, ah,” he avoided my gaze, “help with cracking and bleeding.”

“Bleeding?” A frown formed on my face. “Bleeding nipples? And cracked?” My nipples ached at the thought.

“Yeah, well it works. Take my word for it. At least I didn’t bring over nipple cream for cows.”

“You mean to tell me you use nipple cream? Hayden Moore uses nipple cream on his hands.”

I tried hard to hold it in, but a fit of hysterical laughter over the situation escaped.

“Oh my God! Do you bring this to practice? Do you share it with your teammates? Do you buy this, or does your mom?”

Hayden didn’t seem impressed with my questions, or the fact I couldn’t stop laughing. He leaned over, coming close to my face, and placed his hands on the counter next to each side of my legs, effectively putting his body directly between my thighs. He lifted a brow and waited for me to calm down. I tried to stop humiliating him by pursing my lips together, but I burst out again the moment I looked at his face.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know why I find this so funny, I just do!” My head rolled back, tears coated my eyes as I imagined Hayden buying nipple cream and trying to hide it. He pressed a hand to my bare thigh in an effort to gain my attention.

“Laugh it up. By the end of the week you’ll be kissing my feet, thanking me.”

I grimaced. I hated feet. No way in hell would that happen, no matter how thankful I was.

“Done?” he asked, trying to hide his smirk. I flattened my lips and gave a hasty nod. It was the only way I wouldn’t laugh.

Hayden’s thumb grazed my skin in circles and it was then I realized he hadn’t moved his hand from my thigh. Our gazes grew deeper. My breathing slowed as his head tilted just slightly to the side to take me in. I hadn’t noticed before, but up close Hayden had the most stunning cobalt blue eyes. They were dark and illusive, inviting and compelling, with shadows of slate grey hidden in between.