The Pass (Smart Jocks #5) - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,78

eyes at her brother and then pulls back, leaving me room to step up to him.

“You’re here.” He squeezes me hard against him and I swear I can feel some of his nerves fall away. He smells like laundry detergent and leather and something that’s just Tanner. He left yesterday morning to fly up with the team, but it feels like so much longer. I’ve never once regretted my decision to move with him to Boston. I get how that might be a big deal to some people, but there’s nothing I love more than being with him. Arizona, Massachusetts… I’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

Tanner

After the game, Sydney and Tara meet us at the hotel. We fly to Utah tomorrow for another game before we head back to Boston on Thursday. The road trips aren’t as bad as I thought. Although, admittedly much better when Sydney surprises me and shows up.

I open the door wide to let her and Tara into the hotel room I’m sharing with Henry.

He’s kicked back on the couch with a beer. Another one of our teammates and buddies, Chris, is on his phone ordering enough room service to feed the entire hotel.

“I can’t believe this is your life.” Tara throws her arms around me again, hugging me in a vise grip and making it hard to breathe.

“Missed me?”

“Yes, so much.”

“Missed you too, T.” I ruffle her bangs—that’s a new style since I’ve seen her last. “Let me introduce you to a couple of my teammates.”

Sydney steps up beside me and I pull her against my hip.

“Guys,” I say to get their attention. “This is my little sister, Tara.”

“Oh my god, Tanner, you make it sound like I’m twelve.” Tara swats at my chest and then takes a seat between them on the couch. “I’m in grad school.”

“Cool,” Henry says. “What school?”

I turn to Sydney. “Is it me or does she seem a little too cozy with my teammates for someone with a boyfriend?”

“Oh, uh…”

“No? They broke up already?”

“Apparently he has a small penis.” My girl shrugs.

Ugh. “Oh man, I could have really gone without that information.”

“If I had to know, so do you.” She leans over and kisses me, successfully distracting me from thinking about my sister’s ex-boyfriend’s small dick. “Congratulations on the game. Ten points, two assists, pretty impressive.”

“So sexy when you track my stats.”

“To be honest, I double-checked after the game.”

“Thank you for coming.”

“You’re welcome. I’m really glad I got to see it in person. The camera people have this awful habit of tracking the ball instead of you.”

“I’ll be easier to follow now that I’ll be on the court instead of the bench.” I lace my fingers behind her lower back and drop a kiss to her shoulder. “Seriously, thank you for being here. It was perfect. Work was cool about you taking the time off?”

“Oh yeah, they were fine. I’ve put in so many hours over the past month, they owed me. And the girls will be fine. They need grumpy Coach Bill occasionally, so they know how awesome I am.”

“I’m sure they already know.”

Sydney found a job with a local foundation in Boston coaching a youth girls beach volleyball team. She’s amazing. The girls love her. Even the ones who it’s clear were forced into it by parents or guardians end up having a blast.

“I do have to go back to Boston tomorrow though, so I’m sorry I can’t follow the team to Utah.”

“Then we’ll make the most of tonight.”

“Yeah? And how would you like to celebrate your professional basketball debut? Do you want to hang out here with the guys? We could all go out?”

“Sleeping?”

She chuckles.

“I’m so tired. Think Tara will notice if we disappear for a quick nap?”

“It’s six o’clock. The sun hasn’t even gone down. And we can’t leave Tara. She wants to spend time with you.”

I glance over to where she’s talking with Henry. Turned to him, a hand resting on his arm. Yeah, I don’t think she’ll miss me.

“Real quick power nap. Sex for like twenty and then forty minutes to sleep. We’ll be back in an hour.”

“Sex for twenty?”

I run a hand through my hair. “Yeah, I was overselling it. I’m good for like maybe five minutes of sex, but, bonus, longer to nap.”

She presses her body against mine and kisses me. She makes a little humming sound as she steps away and pulls me with her. “We should hang out. I promise that I’ll still be good for quickie