Everyone who works within the New York Warriors organization knows that star player August Fletcher refuses to talk to most people...and especially team reporters. All except Quinn Castle, that is.
Quinn doesn't know why the broody football player...
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"FLETCHER?"
Quinn said my name hesitantly, as if expecting me to have answers as to why we were suddenly standing in the dark, but I didn't have any answers. None at all. So when she said my name the second time, panic had threaded through her voice.
"August?"
I set down what I was carrying and walked in the direction of her voice as I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark. All of the doors to the exterior, window-filled rooms were closed, meaning the only light in the hallway was from tiny cracks beneath the doors.
"Talk to me, Castle."
"I'm over here," she said, her voice small.
Another two steps, and I ran into her, colliding with her smaller frame. Now that she was closer, I could make out the outline of her body, although just barely.
"Put down the box and take my hand," I directed.
"But I feel responsible for these deflated balls," she quipped, the panic in her voice vanishing as her body brushed against mine.
"Nothing's going to happen to your balls," I reassured, rolling my eyes to myself.
"What about your balls?" she shot back. She might not be panicked anymore, but I could tell she was still nervous, which likely explained the ridiculous shit leaving her mouth. "How are they doing?"
"We're not talking about my balls," I said flatly.
"You sure they didn't deflate a little when the lights shut off? It's okay, Fletcher. You can admit it scared you at first."
"Just put your box down," I continued, ignoring her, "and we'll come back to get them once we figure out what's going on with the lights."
"I think I know what's going on with the lights," Castle said, her voice shifting to indicate she was setting the box down. "They're not working."
"God, Castle. How come before this week, I never knew you were such a smartass?" I chuckled into the dark.
"I'm a little bit like you," she said softly, blindly jabbing my arm until she found my hand and threaded her fingers through mine. A dull heat settled in my bones, warming me. Especially when she said, "Can't let the world know too much about myself. Not unless I trust them."
I squeezed her hand, and Quinn stepped closer to me. I felt her sunshiney presence cut through the darkness, and it was so quiet that I could detect each breath she took. I shifted, feeling sucked into her. Something about the moment was calm and–
Quinn shrieked and tried to jump back, but my grip tightened, holding her hand captive.
