Page 15 of Pucked Together

Kee's wearing a red silk robe and lion slippers and looks the full-on weirdo millionaire that he is. As soon as he shuts the glass door, a small figure is standing at the entrance to the kitchen, yawning and stretching, revealing that small hint of silver on her navel again.

I busy myself with my dishes and try to act like we weren't just talking about her.

She rolls her shoulders a bit and walks up to me. Her hair is in a messy bun on top of her head. She smells like peaches. Freshly showered. Just like we had agreed.

"Morning. Got coffee?" she asks like she didn't kick me out of her room last night, leaving me feeling like a total jackass.

I step aside to reveal the freshly brewed pot.

"What's all this? You guys feeding an army?"

"I...couldn't sleep."

She opens the cabinet above the coffee pot and sees the mugs are just out of reach. But instead of asking for help, she struggles on her tippy toes.

"Need some help there?"

"Nope, I got it," she strains as she attempts to hop and reach one of the mugs. Instead, she pushes it back even further.

"Ugh. I know you're all giants, but is there a reason why the mugs are so high up?"

I push off the counter and reach over her. Our bodies press slightly with the contact. The smell of peaches is strong, and all I want to do is lean in closer to inhale that scent.

She softly presses her backside into me. And I'm not sure it's an accident.

Her breath caught, and I realized if Keelan were to walk in right this very minute, this wouldn't be a good look—for either of us. I slowly back away, clearing my throat, and notice the redness creeping into her cheeks.

"Thanks," she breathes out.

I try to push past the thoughts of what it felt like to have her so close. "Help yourself to some breakfast."

She looks at the spread. "Damn, Balinger. What keeps you up at night?"

You, apparently.

Interrupting the small amount of time we have to ourselves, Hicks and Fergie shuffle in.

"Hey team, g'mornin'," says Fergie, sounding awfully chipper.

"Hey, sis," Hicks says playfully to Izzy.

"Morning. You guys got practice today, right?"

"We'll be at it all day, baby. You gonna come watch us play?" Hicks winks at her.

Fergie scrunches his nose.

Izzy leans back on the counter and takes a sip of her coffee. "Not if you ever call me baby again." There's no playfulness in the way she says it.

Hicks looks like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Ha, right." He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"I'm nobody's baby," she clarifies. "But I'm especially not yours."

Medusa is out. And I wonder what Keelan was worried about to begin with. She knows how to handle herself.

"What's so funny, Balsy?" Keelan asks, strolling in from walking the fur ball.