Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps #1)(71)

The one thing that didn’t change was the action on the field. We both threw ourselves into finishing the season strong, and no one, not even Coach, seemed to notice anything different. I had hits and misses, Ramsey too, but no more or less than before. Despite the mix of emotions I had about him, when I stepped on the field, I let it all go and focused on the game, just as I’d always tried to do. And when I’d catch Ramsey’s eye, see the familiar determination in there I’d come to associate with him being in the zone, I knew he was doing the same.

Our last game of the season was against Minnesota, and we came out with a thirteen-point lead, but I’d taken a beating, as usual. One of their linebackers had slammed into me hard and taken me down just before I got into the end zone in the fourth quarter. My shoulder had hit the ground so hard, I was sure it’d made a crater in the turf. It hadn’t, but the pain had radiated outward and settled into my upper back by the time we got back to the hotel that night.

To soothe it, I’d taken an extra-long shower after bailing early on the bar I’d gone to with the guys. When I came out of the bathroom, Ramsey was propped up in bed, arms folded over his bare chest, staring at the TV.

“Surprised you’re back already,” Ramsey said.

“I’m toast. I dunno, I wasn’t feeling it, and our flight’s early tomorrow anyway.”

“How’s the shoulder?”

“I had an extra gin and tonic. That helped.”

Ramsey’s lips curled. “Ahh, the miraculous anti-inflammatory properties of booze.”

I dropped onto the end of my bed and grabbed the Tiger Balm from the nightstand, scooping out a big dollop and smearing it over the meat of my shoulder before working backward.

After a minute, Ramsey extended his hand. “Gimme that. It’s like watching a toddler trying to figure out coordination.”

“Really? I seemed to do all right with those two passes earlier. You know, the ones that helped clinch the game.” But I handed him the balm and slid over onto the edge of his bed.

We hadn’t touched in weeks. Back claps, sure, the usual teammate stuff, but he hadn’t even smacked my ass the way we all sometimes did, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t craving his touch in any form.

But fuck, I’d underestimated just how goddamn good his firm caress would feel. I bit back a moan and shifted, loosening the towel at my waist as he smoothed a hand along my shoulder.

Ramsey’s fingers stilled. “Garrett?”

“Yes, I’m popping a boner. Don’t flatter yourself, though. I haven’t seen any action besides my own hand since you. Nance could probably spit in my face, and I’d get hard.” Okay, exaggeration, but whatever.

“Are you into that?” Ramsey sounded amused.

“I could be.” We were skirting dangerous territory, so I was glad when Ramsey mock-shuddered.

“Nance. Gross.” He resumed rubbing the balm into my muscles.

“Exactly.”

“So you really haven’t hooked up with anyone else?”

I didn’t dare look over my shoulder to see if his gaze was displaying anything more than mild curiosity, because if I saw any hint of a territorial spark in them, I didn’t know if I had the self-restraint not to pounce him. It hadn’t been my strong suit in the past.

“Nope. Focused on ball.” That, and I honestly hadn’t been able to muster up any interest in someone else, not even the hot hockey player who’d punched his number in my phone a couple of weeks prior when Cross and I were out. I’d eyed the number when I got home that night for a few minutes, debating, before deleting it from my phone. “You?” Why? Why did I ask that? What if he said yes?

“Nope. Same. And…” Ramsey paused, then laughed softly as he backtracked. “Same. No time.”

“What were you about to say?”

“Nothing.” Ramsey’s hands stilled again, and I wiggled my shoulders to show he should please resume. I didn’t care if he’d already coated me with the stuff, and I guess he didn’t either, because he scooped out another dollop of cream and kept going. “I was just going to say that Alyssa texted me out of the blue last week. She wants to get back together.”

“Yeah?” I asked carefully. I couldn’t decide if Ramsey getting back together with a former flame was better or worse than him hooking up with another guy. Both sucked to imagine. “So are you gonna?”

“Fuck no.” He barked out a laugh as relief drenched me. Crisis averted. “It just got me thinking…” Oh shit, nope, back to full alert. He hesitated again. “It just got me thinking that maybe I wasn’t picky enough before, and maybe I let myself be that way, take what came easiest, because I never wanted to get too invested in something that could drag my focus too far from the game, too far from making sure I never went down the paths my dad did. I was always thinking of the game. Sometimes I regret that.”

“I totally get it.” I’d done my own version of the same. “That’s okay, though. It happens. And when something comes along that’s right, you’ll know it’s right, you know?” God, what the fuck was I even saying? Because as I threw out words meant to reassure him, they rang true through my gut with a bittersweet ache.

“Maybe.” Ramsey’s knuckles pressed against my back, loosening the tension there. “I didn’t say any of that looking for reassurance or something. That’s not info you’re supposed to do anything with. It was just on my mind. Everything was…easy with you.”