Page 16 of Stalked By the Assistant Coach

“My big bad coach?”

“I’m not the coach. I’m just the assistant coach,” he corrected, and there was something in his tone that made me frown. There was something in his gaze, something I’d somehow missed before.

“Is that really how you see yourself? Just as assistant?—”

“Kait—"

“You know that’s not true.” My hands held his face, my thumbs stroking his scruffy almost bearded cheeks. “You’re more than that.”

“Bug.”

“I’m serious.” I scowled.

“I know, honey, but let’s be real. I was supposed to be more.”

“Supposed to be… Redford Bridges, I cannot believe we are having this conversation".

“Kait.” My hands started to drop, but his moved up and covered mine. “Don’t stop touching me.” How could I deny him?

“We had this talk a long time ago, and we’re still talking about it?

“Baby,” he groaned.

“There is no just about who we are. What if I told you I’m just a high school English teacher?”

“You’re more than that to those kids, and you know it.”

“And you’re more than your position! More than your job.”

“Bug.” I opened my mouth to continue arguing, but a knock sounded at his door and made me still.

“What?” he huffed. His square jaw clenched tightly as he glared lasers at the door.

“Coach, press is almost ready!” someone shouted.

“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. A muscle twitched below his eye. “I forgot about that. Ask Britt if she can take over.”

“Will do,” whoever was on the other side of the door answered and left.

“If you have to go, you should. I’ll just head out and?—”

“You keep acting like I’m going to let you go back home tonight,” he clipped. My lips pressed together. I couldn’t stop the shiver that coursed through me.

We’d kissed.

More than once.

“I can skip it. You’re coming home with me. Is that understood?” he roughly demanded, and I blinked. Momentarily shocked by his bossy attitude. Red had a lot of sides to him. And I thought after so many years of being friends, I had seen them all. Grumpy, a little grouchy. Sarcastic. Kind and sweet. Bossy and demanding, though, was new.

And for some reason, through my lovesick head, I didn’t mind it.

If I was honest, I liked it. But I wasn’t an easy person.

“My car—” I started to argue but should have known better.

“Will be fine here. Come on.” He stepped back with an extended hand. “You’re coming home with me. We should get out of here before they come back looking for me.” Without a thought, I slipped my hand into his and hopped off his desk.

“Red, if this is something you need to do, I can wait.”