Page 39 of First Down Promise

“If that’s what we have to do.” I smirk, holding back a laugh. “I think you’re going to be hanging out with Sadie a lot over the next few weeks. Maybe have some sleepovers, too.”

Abby gently presses her chin onto my shoulder. “Sleepovers?”

“We’ve technically already had them, just in separate rooms.” It sounds dumb as soon as I say it.

“That’s different,” she argues.

“Look, I’m not going to rush you. If you have a timeline, that’s totally fine.”

She shakes her head. “No…no, I don’t have a timeline, and I don’t want to wait.” She pauses. “At all. I’ve known you a long time and trust you.”

And if I want to keep that trust, she deserves the truth from me. Because virginity isn’t something to take lightly.

“I should probably apologize for setting you up on bad dates,” I murmur. I brace for anger or betrayal, but she just laughs.

“I kind of figured out you were manipulating things,” she says.

“It was still rude. You’re not mad?”

“No, because I didn’t want those guys to work out. I only really went out with them to be polite since you arranged the blind dates,” she says. She lightly cups the side of my face. “But it seems like I got the guy I wanted, so what does it matter?”

“And I got the girl.”

She brushes her thumb over the facial hair on my cheek. “Just don’t break my heart or lead me on.”

“You’ll get sick of me before I’d ever dare,” I say.

She leans in, and I meet her halfway, pressing a slow kiss to her lips before she settles back against my side.

But I genuinely could never hurt this girl.

Chapter Fifteen

Abby

Finally, a Saturday morning with no practices, no meetings, and no obligations. Just sleeping in until ten because I was up late texting Josh, like he was a crush in high school, from the privacy of my bedroom. It started innocently but turned into a what would you do if I was there type of conversation that had me blushing and kicking my feet in bed last night.

I pop my retainers out of my mouth and give them a quick scrub before placing them upside down in their container to dry. I brush my teeth and clip my day-three hair up. I’ll need to wash it tonight, so it’s freshly blown out for tomorrow’s game.

After tomorrow night, bye week kicks off…and takes Pete to New York City for the week. Our what would you do conversation from last night could come true sooner rather than later. I should be excited about the more physical aspect of a relationship with Josh, but I have such a low pain tolerance. I could barely keep it together to get my belly button pierced, which didn’t hurt at all, really. Sex for the first time could be the same.

I quickly wash my face and do my morning skincare routine to keep my skin glowing. I head downstairs barefoot in my little pajama set where I’m immediately faced with a half-naked Josh. I rub my eyes and blink.

“Josh?”

Why is he shirtless in the kitchen? Pete walks in from the garage in swim trunks and a muscle shirt. “Ab, it’s too nice of a day to spend it in bed,” Pete teases.

“Well, I was up late.”

And did I just catch Josh blushing? I bite back a smile. I sure did.

“Josh picked up coffee,” Pete says.

My eyes dart to the counter where a to-go tray rests with three coffees. Even before our boat day earlier in the week, he would have known my coffee order from two years of want me to get coffee on my way? He could also tell anyone my go-to order at any restaurant within a five-mile radius because that’s just the kind of guy he is. Thoughtful to a fault. Honestly, not crushing on him after all this time would have been more concerning.

“Thanks,” I say to him as I step off the bottom stair and closer to the kitchen island. Pre-Milwaukee hotel room, I would have been a little self-conscious of being so indecent around Josh, but now, I wish there was a way to tell if he’s looking.

“No prob,” Josh says.