Heartache and Hope (Heartache Duet #1) - Jay McLean Page 0,56

in his boxers, and I let out a groan as I watch every one of his muscles shift. Disbelief laced in his tone, he adds, “You’d rather watch me pretend to sleep with a ball than continue what we’re doing?”

I nod again, unable to hide my grin.

“Fine,” he says, standing. He taps my leg. “Get off the bed.”

“Sheesh, you’re my boyfriend for all of a minute, and you think you can boss me around?”

“Boyfriend?” he asks, smirking. “I like that. A lot. You must refer to me as that for all of eternity.”

I push him toward the bed. “Show me how you sleep with the ball, you fucking weirdo.”

Chuckling, he fixes the covers, then gets underneath. On his side, one leg bent, he cuddles the ball to his chest and closes his eyes. “Nigh nighs, girlfriend,” he whispers, then sucks his thumb.

With a short laugh, I ask, “Is it normal to be jealous of a basketball?”

He throws the ball across the room, then lifts the covers. All humor gone, he says, “I’ll let you in if you do the same for me.”

I don’t miss the double meaning in his words, and so I bite my lip, hesitant. “I can’t stay.”

He smiles. “I’m not asking you to.” Because he doesn’t want anything more from me than what I have to offer. He wants me. Just me. Exactly as I am.

I get into bed with him and settle in the crook of his arm, my head against his chest. And if magic didn’t exist within Connor, then it exists all around him. Because moments ago, I was dirty, dazed and damaged, and now…

Now I was falling asleep under a starlit sky, surrounded by tiny glimmers of hope.

Chapter 33

Connor

Ava: Good morning, boyfriend. My alarm went off at 4:30 and I had to get home. I didn’t want to. I could’ve stayed in your arms forever.

Connor: New phone. Who dis?

Ava: Sorry. Wrong number. I meant to send that to my other boyfriend.

Connor: I’ll beat his ass.

Ava: Before or after you get done sucking your thumb, you giant baby.

Connor: Listen here, you little shit.

Ava: I miss you.

Connor: Me too. I’ll be around earlier to take you to school. I have a lot of apologizing to do today, remember?

Ava: Oh yeah. Sucks to be you.

Connor: Not really. Last night I had a girl sleep in my bed for the first time ever, so that was kind of cool.

Ava: Yeah? Was she hot?

Connor: Eh.

Ava: Listen here, you little shit.

Connor: I can’t wait, Ava.

Ava: For what?

Connor: Everything.

“Damn, I did a number on you,” Peter says, coming down Ava’s porch steps.

“Yeah, you got me pretty good,” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. I’m feeling a little ashamed, to say the least, and even though my anxiety had me practicing my apology speech before I got here, I’m stuck on how to start.

He backhands my stomach, and I wince at the sudden pain. “If it makes you feel any better, you got in a few good shots, too.”

“I wish it did, but no.” Groaning, I look at him but keep my head down. “Look, I’m sorry, man. I wish I had more to say than that, but…” I trail off.

He lets out a heavy sigh, then motions for me to follow him. He walks down the driveway and onto the sidewalk, far enough that Ava can’t hear us from the house. Leaning against his car, he shoves his hands in his pockets. “I’m not going to lie; I spent most of yesterday pissed. But I think it was more that you messed up my pretty face than the fact that you did it at all.”

“So, you’re not pissed at me, specifically?” I ask.

“No.”

I exhale, relieved.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I feel like that would be worse. You’re obviously important to Ava, and she’s important to me, so the last thing I want is to jeopardize that by becoming your enemy.”

“You’re not my enemy,” he laughs out. “And even though you were dead wrong about what happened, your intentions were in the right place. And I can’t be mad at you for thinking you were protecting Ava. That’s…” He looks toward the house. “That’s kind of why we’re all here, right?”

I nod, though my gut tells me there’s an underlying meaning to his words that has me questioning his intentions.

“Look,” he starts, standing taller. “Ava’s had it rough, and she might come across as tough, as though she’s fine, and sure there are days when she might be, but those days,