Page 26 of Ruck Me Harder
“It’s all Viv. She’s amazing,” she says.
My smile falls. What am I doing? Vivienne is my sister’s captain. They work together every single day. No way can I ask her out, not when it’ll make Cari’s life infinitely more complicated when this all goes to shit.
A group of women start in our direction, Vivienne hanging in the back.
“You’re the motorcycle guy,” says a tall, wide woman with cornrow braids tied up in a ponytail. I recognize her from the day the rugby players came to the shelter. “I’m Kiana. This is Andi and Grace,” she says, pointing to the other two women. “And you know Viv already.”
Vivienne’s face, red from exertion, turns nearly purple. “Ki, shut it.”
She’s sweaty, her hair slick with it and her uniform drenched, but she’s never looked more gorgeous to me. Sure, I liked looking at her dressed in casual clothes the other night, her hair and makeup done. Now, natural and in her element? I’ve never been more attracted to her in my life.
And that’s the problem. She makes me stupid. Usually with women, I’m calm, cool, collected. Maybe a little detached. I don’t invest emotionally.
But with her… I want to. I don’t know what it is about Vivienne that makes me want to break all my rules. It’s more than our night together and my winning the next day. It’s more than this attraction that thrums in my veins and calls her to me. It’s more.
“What are you up to later?” Brody asks Cari.
She laughs, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder. “Why? You dump your girlfriend yet?”
His face goes red.
The women are all interested in him, watching with glee. Vivienne is standing a little off to the side, her arms across her chest. As I approach, her stance tenses.
“What are you doing here?” she demands. For once, she’s not glaring at me.
“We came to see my sister,” I answer lightly.
She rolls her eyes. “Really? The season doesn’t start for four more months.”
I crack my neck. Here goes.
“Okay. He is here to see her. I’m here for you.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to see you.” I try to keep my tone light and breezy, but from the way she frowns and her forehead furrows, I don’t think I’m successful.
“Why?” she asks again.
“I wanted to.” My stomach swirls with anxiety and my palms sweat. She isn’t making this easy on me. “What are you up to later?”
Vivienne cocks her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what are you up to later?” Do I need to spell it out for her? “Would you like to grab coffee?”
“That’s not a good idea,” she says, talking a slow stutter-step back.
“Just coffee. Don’t read into it.”
She shakes her head. “Yeah. Still not a good idea.”
“Because…” I cock an eyebrow.
“Because we shouldn’t.”
“Is a reason that you don’t want to?”
She chews her lip. “No?”
