Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Exactly what it sounds like,” I reply, keeping it calm. “We’ve hooked up a couple of times. It’s been casual, but I want more and she doesn’t.”
Rafferty stares at me, his jaw tightening. “You’re telling me you’ve been sleeping with my sister?”
“Yes.”
“And now you want a relationship?”
“Yes.”
“Jesus Christ, North,” he complains, rubbing a hand over his face. “Do you have any idea how close I am to throwing you through a wall right now?”
“I can imagine,” I reply hesitantly. “And I wouldn’t blame you. But before you get too pissed, I need you to understand that I’m serious about her. I like her, Raff. A lot.”
He lowers his hand, studying me with an intensity that makes me shift uncomfortably. “How long has this been going on?”
“Technically since her first visit here at the start of the season. We both got drunk after a team event, and then on one other visit. But since she’s moved here, it’s been more consistent. We kept it quiet because… well, because your sister wanted it that way. And I went along with it because I didn’t want to disrespect you or screw things up with the team.”
Rafferty lets out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, because this doesn’t complicate things at all.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I should’ve told you sooner. But I didn’t know where it was going—if anywhere. Now I know what I want, and I don’t want to keep it a secret anymore.”
He crosses his arms, his jaw clenching. “And Farren? What does she want?”
I hesitate, choosing my words carefully. “She doesn’t want anything serious. She’s made that clear. Every time things start to feel real, she pulls back. Says she’s not the kind of person who settles down.”
Rafferty nods thoughtfully. “She’s definitely a free spirit.”
“She says she’s not,” I reply, and Rafferty frowns at me. “She said you and your parents think that, but what you see as a free spirit is her running from commitment.”
He mulls that over and I imagine he’s filtering through memories, trying to see if it jibes. Finally, he nods. “That sort of makes sense.”
“But she won’t talk about it. She just shuts down when I suggest making this something more than…”
Rafferty’s eyes narrow at me. “Than just sex?”
I swallow hard. “Yeah. I want more than that.”
“Jesus,” Rafferty mumbles, scraping his hand over his head again. He’s quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the floor. “She’s never had a serious relationship,” he says finally. “Not that I know of, anyway. She’s always been restless. Jumping from one thing to the next.”
“But why is she that way?” I ask. “I mean, your parents have a stable marriage. And you’re all into commitment and love now. Did something happen to her?”
My protective instincts are kicking in and something tells me that whatever Farren went through, it was significant.
He shakes his head slowly. “Not that she’s ever told me. But if something happened, she’s buried it deep. She’s never seemed distressed or traumatized by anything. Should I ask her?”
I lift a shoulder. “I don’t know, man. I’m still trying to figure out if you’re going to kick my ass.”
“Yeah, I’m trying to figure that out too,” he says, but I can tell he’s not serious about it. He’s worried about Farren.
“I just… I really like her, Raff. I want to try to get through to her and I thought maybe you could help. But if you want me to back off, I will. I just needed to tell you the truth.”
Rafferty exhales sharply, his expression softening. “You’re lucky I like you. Otherwise, this conversation would be going a lot differently.”
I manage a faint smile. “So, you’re not going to kill me?”
“Not today,” he says dryly. “But if you hurt her, all bets are off.”
“Understood,” I say.
Rafferty rests his back against the support bar of the treadmill, his expression softening slightly. “She does need someone steady in her life,” he admits. “Someone who can handle her stubborn ass. If you think you can be that guy, I won’t stand in your way.”
“I’ll keep pushing at her to give this a chance,” I say, already emboldened by Rafferty’s support.
“You’ll need a game plan. She’s not going to make this easy for you.”
A grin tugs at my lips. “You’re offering to help?”
“Hell yeah, I’m helping,” Rafferty says with a smirk. “If anyone’s going to break through that fortress she’s built, it’s going to take a team effort.”
We spend the next hour working out and strategizing, tossing out ideas and shooting them down because Farren is so flighty and neither of us want to send her running. Rafferty knows Farren better than anyone though, and with his insight, I feel a flicker of hope.
Now the trick will be to get her comfortable with dating me while keeping her from running.
CHAPTER 13
Farren
The sun pours through the windows as I scrub at a stubborn spot on the kitchen counter. Cleaning isn’t exactly my favorite way to spend the morning, but since I’m not paying rent yet, I’ve got to pull my weight around here.