Law #3: Don't Fall for the Athlete: Sweet Second Chance Romance (Laws of Love) by Agnes Canestri (black books to read txt) 📗

cat who’s finally disarmed the mouse and is getting ready to play. She pats Bill’s arm again. “I’m free this coming Sunday if that suits you.”

Bill nods so hard, I’m afraid his eyeballs could pop out. “Absolutely. I’ll brainstorm about the best potential restaurants and give you a list to choose from by tomorrow.”

A list of restaurants. Seriously? Can this man be any cheesier?

Ellie doesn’t share my opinion. She puts a hand on her chest, spreading her fingers like a fan. “That’s super thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

Bill glances at his watch. “Sorry, I have to run now. A group therapy session is starting. It was great to meet you, Wyatt. And good luck with your therapy. Though, don’t worry, you’re in skilled hands with Eloise.”

“I know I am,” I interject, but his attention is already on her.

“See you soon,” he murmurs and brushes her shoulder. His fingers land dangerously close to her collarbone, which makes my nostrils flare.

Bill strides out of the waiting room, and I think I can see some extra swing in his steps compared to when he came in.

Of course, what man in his right mind wouldn’t be on cloud nine if he scored a date with a woman as special as Ellie?

As soon as his steps die off, Ellie’s torso rotates to me, her hands flying to her hips. She is a pint-sized terror glaring up at me with her green eyes like knives. “What was that about?”

When in doubt, avoid the attacker. “What was what?” I ask.

“Why did you have to put yourself in the middle? Bill’s invitation didn’t include you,” she huffs.

When you can’t avoid the attacker, launch into your counterattack. “Are you even allowed to date the staff in your establishment?”

“You’re impossible.” Ellie whacks me in the chest.

Her touch wasn’t meant to be feathery, judging by her tightly set jaw, but it felt like a caress on my pectoral muscles. A delicate sizzle swamps my skin, which makes my words come out all jumbled. “I didn’t mean to be. I just…I…”

She shakes her head. “Wyatt, our past doesn’t give you any right to butt in on my private affairs.”

I gawk at her lips as she scolds me, and the blood in my jugular artery rushes faster.

“Wyatt, hey! Are you with me?”

“What? Oh, yes. Totally. No right to mess with your life. Or with the charming doc’s invitation for a cozy dinner, got it. As long as you’re sure you’re not getting into something that could hurt you.”

Ellie’s expression steels, and she lifts a brow. “That’s a weird thing to come out of your mouth, but I’ll take the high road and write it off as genuine concern. But you don’t need to worry. I’ve learned to watch out for my heart.”

Her words are like small blades smiting me in a soft, guilty spot. “Ellie, I’m sorry. Truly sorry,” I mumble.

Maybe it’s the honesty she detects in my voice, but her face softens. “That’s okay. Just don’t do it again.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t only mean Bill. I’m sorry about back then. How things happened… I never meant to hurt you. I did what I did because—”

Ellie’s eyes lock with mine, and I stop.

It’s evident that the attraction I used to feel for Ellie has left debris in my soul, and these fragments could make me act recklessly when she’s standing so close to me. I shouldn’t rattle a cage I don’t know how to close once it pops open.

Ellie waits for me to continue, but when I don’t, she says, “I’ve accepted I was just a fling for you. There’s no need to discuss this any further.”

Ellie had been far more than a fling to me, though I’d never expressed my feelings to her in words. But she’s right. We’ve got to focus on the present if I want to fulfill my coaches’ condition and establish a friendship with Ellie along the way.

I nod. “Okay, whatever you say. I want our collaboration to go as smoothly as possible. You can even give me ground rules if you like.”

Ellie lets out a relieved sigh. “We only need one rule: not to speak about our past. We’ve got only three weeks for your therapy, and we can’t crowd this short time with irrelevant issues. Okay?”

“Fine.”

She chews on her lip. “This rule extends to everyone else, too.”

“This is not new.”

“What do you mean?” she asks.

I shrug. “You never wanted us to speak to anyone about us.”

She must take my words as a provocation because her shoulders become rigid.

Back in college, Ellie had insisted we keep our relationship hidden from her brother. Devon was battling with the nasty aftermath of a breakup when Ellie and I started dating, so perhaps she was right to withhold the news about our bliss from him. But then I got drafted—and our bliss ended.

Because of me.

Licks of guilt attack my innards.

As if Ellie senses the direction of my thoughts, she says, “At least you didn’t ruin your friendship with Devon over a dally.”

My heart drops, and the words jump to my mouth before I can stop them. “It wasn’t a dally.”

Ellie chews on her lower lip again—which she only does when she feels annoyed—and I recall her wish to leave the past unstirred.

I put up my hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to break your rule right out of the gates. My point was that we’re already experts at fending off any talk about us.” My forehead wrinkles. “Even if it was easy because we haven’t seen each other much…”

Her face softens. “Devon always passed on your invites. But it would’ve been awkward to hang out with you, Pete, and my brother, at least in the beginning. Then with time, it all became a habit, I guess.”

“Dodging me, you mean?” I give her a smile.

For the first time, she exchanges it with one of her own—a small but heartfelt one.

“Yes.” She nods, and a curl tumbles onto her forehead.

Without thinking, I reach out and brush it behind her ear.

She freezes at my touch, and I immediately withdraw my hand.

“So, uhm, are you