“I haven’t thought about dating in a while.” If she knew how long of a while it might put a stop to this before it had a chance to get started. “You’ve thrown me for a loop. I’m still trying to catch up.”
The smile that surfaced on her face brought out sparkles in her blue eyes and added definition to her sleek cheekbones. “I’m still in the running, then. Good. Enough pressure for tonight, we’ll save that for our second date.”
Second date? In way over my head here, but it felt pretty good.
Kiss her!
The order screamed so loudly in my head I had to look around to make sure no one had spoken it aloud. All I could see was a bustle of deplaning passengers jostling each other while they moved in a slow herd toward baggage claim. All movement stopped when I spotted Quinn emerging from the jet way. My step left to avoid a businessperson halted suddenly as the plea to kiss her activated paralysis.
This crush of mine was getting ridiculous. And yes, I’d started to admit that it was a crush not just friendship. It was so unfair to Quinn. I’d hoped by now that these feelings would have subsided. The euphoria of a new friendship usually wore off within a month, but after four, I felt all the telltale signs of romantic feelings for someone.
I pressed back against a railing to fight the impulse to push through the passengers. I clenched my teeth, attempting to bite down on the need to be next to her. I had to stop this.
Quinn is a friend. Quinn is a friend. Quinn is
just
a friend.
A mantra, that would solve it for sure.
Just then, Quinn twisted her head back as if someone had called out her name. Almost immediately, she locked eyes with me and hurried to finish signing a few more autographs before extricating herself from the group.
“You made it! I’m so glad to see you.” Her voice overflowed with joy, and my heart soared at the sound. She pulled me into a hug.
The command to kiss her pounded away inside my head like a throbbing headache. “Same here.” I kept my response clipped for fear that my crazy thoughts might subliminally make their way into my speech. I couldn’t manage anything else until she released me.
“What luck. I get to hang out with you till you board the plane.” Quinn turned us toward the gates with a hand on my back.
Reaching back, I found her arm and stopped us from advancing. Heat seared my fingertips and threatened to send the flush to my cheeks. I pulled her hand away as casually as I could manage without letting my friend know how certifiable I was. “That’s all right. You’ve got to be tired. Grab your bags with the rest of the team and go home. Rest a little before practice this afternoon.”
“But I haven’t seen you for almost two weeks, and you’re gone for four days.” Her eyes showed hurt, even if her face held a hopeful smile.
Tears threatened my perpetual calm, forcing me to blink harshly. Intense emotions accompanied her everyday kindness, and I found it almost too much to bear. My mind issued commands to keep my hands from attacking this woman in the middle of the airport.
“We can catch up when I get back. Thursday night? You don’t have a game, and I’ll have recovered from my trip.” I hoped my statement wouldn’t appear as a blow off. Quinn needed the rest, and I needed to still these feelings I’d been having for months.
“Thursday night? It’s a date,” Quinn said casually. Words like that obviously didn’t have the same effect on her. “I’ll go grab my bags then if you’re sure you won’t let me keep you company?”
I felt longing slip into my glance, but I packed it back in and said with a light tone, “No. Enjoy your week, and I’ll see you Thursday.”
With that, she squeezed my arm and nodded her head goodbye. Scooping up her carryon with ease, she walked down the corridor toward baggage claim, her posture unencumbered by the dismissal. I wasn’t as fortunate. My heart felt like a rodeo bull had been set loose inside it, wildly kicking, twisting, and flailing to buck the rider trying to control it.