Page 78 of Defend Her Heart

“If you’re so fine, why are you here?”

Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I climb off the bike and join him on the mats to stretch. I reach over to my left leg and rest my head on my knee. After I count to twenty, I look up at him.

“She’s here now. She’s divorced. And I’m helping her out with some health stuff.”

Niko quirks a brow. “What kind of health stuff? Is she okay?”

I know I can’t tell him we got married for my insurance, so I give him a half-truth. “She’s all right. Or, she will be. Her roommate is a sports agent so her hours and travel are even crazier than ours. So, I’m just helping her out by taking her to appointments and stuff.”

Niko doesn’t look convinced. He calls me on my bullshit all the time, so before he can, I continue.

“I want her back, man. I didn’t think I’d ever have this chance, but now that she’s here… God, I crave her in a way that makes me almost sick, knowing she’s not mine.”

The corner of Niko’s lip tilts upward, and I toss my towel in his face. He grabs it and sets it aside.

“You need to woo her.”

I nearly choke on the protein shake Niko gave me when I got here. “What the fuck does that mean?” I swipe my hand across my chin, cleaning up the drink I just spewed.

Niko stands and offers me his hand. I let him help me up and then he grasps my shoulder before giving me a devilish look. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

“I don’t want to see you flirt with Sadie. I’m good.”

He laughs and turns the lights off in the gym. I follow him, ready to make my exit so I don’t have to witness any PDA, when he turns into his theatre room. I take a seat in one of the leather recliners and throw my hands up.

“What the hell are we doing?’

He grabs a movie from his collection and slides it in before sitting in the seat next to me. Remote in hand, he turns on the projector, and looks at me with a weird ass smile on his face.

“You need to know how to treat a woman. I know you don’t have much practice.”

I slug him in the shoulder. “Fuck off.”

He rubs his shoulder, then points at the screen that now displays a pretty blonde woman leaning up against a handsome guy in a suit. I know fuck all about celebrities, so when I turn to him confused, he laughs.

“You, my friend, need Matthew McConaughey.”

Avery is going to be here in less than an hour, and her room still isn’t ready. When she asked me if she could stay here while Tamara is traveling overseas, I thought I was dreaming. I’ve been desperate to spend more time with her. The only time we get together is usually at the rink or with a doctor. But having her here, in my space, for more than just a couple hours? I’m freaking out a little bit.

I also may have panicked and bought all brand-new stuff for one of the guest bedrooms. I just want it to be perfect for her while she’s here. Except, I may be regretting it now, especially with everything that still needs to get done before she shows up.

I never should’ve invited the two stooges over to help. What a terrible idea. Mack and Jefferson are currently having a sword fight with the curtain rods, and I’m about to lose my damn mind. I pick up a pillow, ready to two-hand my goalie across the face with it when Niko grabs it from me.

“Whoa. Easy, bud.”

He places the pillow on the bed and walks over to the two idiots and takes the rods from them as well.

“Why don’t you two take out the garbage and get out of here. We can handle the rest.”

Jefferson salutes him while Mack kicks at the ground, clearly upset their captain just interrupted their juvenile game. “Fine,” Mack huffs, grabbing one of the trash bags near the door. Jefferson grabs the other one, but before he leaves he turns back around.

“Connor, you should really fix your face before she gets here. You might scare her away with all of…that.” He gestures wildly to his own face.

“I’m gonna kill him,” I mutter under my breath.

I stalk toward the door, and Jefferson turns on his heels, sprinting out of my apartment. Smart move.

Niko laughs from behind me. I turn to see him folding over the emerald green comforter I had rush delivered to get here in time because I know it’s Avery’s favorite color. Taking in the room, I breathe a sigh of relief to see that besides the curtains and new rug, everything else is actually ready to go.