Page 59 of Forever Offsides

I take the path that takes me over the bridge and into Cambridge. It loops me around Memorial Drive before I jog back toward home. It’s one of my favorite routes with the water and the city just across the river and spread out before me. Sweat coats my body, and my lungs have that perfect burn tickled with endorphins.

I jog up my street, which is a motherfucker of an incline and a hell of a way to end my run. Just before I reach my door, a truck hops the curb as it tries to get around a car that’s double-parked on the narrow street. Only it does this move without seeing me running and comes within inches of crushing me.

Someone yells to me from behind. “Quinn, watch out!”

I’m so startled by both that I jump back and flatten myself against the building, scraping my left elbow on the rough brick in the process. It stings like a bitch, but the truck would have definitely hurt worse. And because he’s a dick, he honks at me like it’s my fault he nearly killed me.

“You’re an asshole!” I flip him as he drives away. I check my elbow, and a patch of skin is gone, leaving me a dirty, bleeding mess. Ugh.

“Quinn, are you okay?” A hand lands on my face and twists it until I’m staring straight up into frantic blue eyes.

I blink, swallow, then manage a nod. “Are you stalking me again, Coach?”

Instead of laughing or smiling, he releases me and shifts his weight, and I swear to Jesus there’s a blush on his cheeks. It takes me a second to realize he’s dressed similarly to me and equally as sweaty.

“I live over there.” He points to the top of the street where another intersects it, lined with rows of townhouses. “I went out for a run, and I saw you leave your house to do the same.”

“Did you follow me?”

He glances out toward the street. “Um.” Now he laughs, but it’s nervous. “On a scale of creepy to sweet, how would you rate me if I said yes?”

“Uh.”

“In fairness to me,” he continues quickly, “I just moved here and don’t know the good routes. I figured you did, and also—and I know this will sound sexist, but whatever—I don’t love the idea of you running alone. You’re a beautiful, young woman and therefore a target.”

I snort a laugh. “So you followed me without making me aware of your presence?”

His expression dances with a mixture of humor and unease. “When you put it like that, it sounds bad. I wanted to run with you. I thought about catching up, but given everything that’s happened since Friday, I didn’t feel that was the best decision for either of us.”

He’s probably right. “I run with pepper spray. A good friend of mine was attacked several years ago by her ex while running. Since then, I always have it with me.”

“Shit. That’s awful.” Blood drips down my arm and drops onto the concrete. He grabs my wrist and twists my arm so he can see. “Damn. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were hurt, and here I am trying to convince you I’m not a stalker. Let’s get you inside.”

“I can take care of it.”

“It’s in a funky spot. Let me help. Your place or mine?”

“I love it when the creepy man who follows me gives me the option.”

His lips bounce. “Not creepy. A bit obsessed, maybe, but not creepy. Your place is closer, and I don’t know where my first aid kit is.”

“Then I guess my place it is.”

A thrill runs through me, making my skin buzz as I lead us up two more houses to mine.

“Did you know I lived here before this morning?”

“No. It’s an awful coincidence.”

I throw him a side-eye as I unlock my door and let us in. “Awful?”

“The worst. You live and sleep less than five houses away from me. I can see your front door when I leave mine. It’s a total coincidence, but if I wasn’t already thinking about you too much, it’ll be worse now.”

“You really need to stop saying everything you think.”

I grab my first aid kit from under the sink. Truthfully, I need a shower and can clean it out in there, but I’ll start with this since he’s here.

He takes the kit from my hand, sets it on the counter, grabs my hips, and hoists me up until I’m sitting on the stone.