13. Cobb

CHAPTER 13

COBB

T here was nothing like coming home after a road trip. Even a short one.

I dropped my bag by the door and half-expected Monroe to still be there, but she wasn't. Honestly, I probably should've known she wouldn't be. She'd stayed the one night, but not the other and I knew this because I'd talked to her every night after the game. There wasn't a reason for me to convince her to stay here after the first night because her dads were home. Which meant the argument that she'd be alone wasn't going to fly.

Likely, she wouldn't have let it fly, anyway.

Monroe was one of the most independent women I knew. She wasn't going to stay away from her home because some guy had spooked her. She was far less worried about him than I was.

Yet something inside me swelled knowing that she'd been in my space. My bed. Even if I hadn't been there.

Brooks had been right at my parents' house.

I was fucked when it came to Monroe.

Still, I wouldn't bring her into my mess, so anything I might want to do would have to wait.

While I stood in the living room, noticing a folded blanket and pillow on the end of the couch, the lock that I'd just locked on the door disengaged. I turned to see who the fuck was coming into my apartment, knowing there were very few options.

Monroe walked through, her hair pulled up into a messy bun and she was wearing what looked like pajama shorts and a tank top.

She startled, gasped, and took a step back. "Oh, shit." She placed a hand over her heart, like she thought it was going to pound out of her chest. "I didn't think you'd be back yet."

"We left right after the game. Which is why I didn't call. Figured I'd call when I got home."

She shut the door and came farther into the apartment. "You're not required to call me every day."

I furrowed my brows. "I know I'm not required. I like to, but if you don't want me to—"

"If I didn't want to talk to you, I wouldn't answer the phone." She crossed her arms under her breasts. "I forgot my phone charger here when I left yesterday. Didn't realize it until the middle of the night and didn't want to come then." She took a deep breath. "I forgot about it until I needed it about twenty minutes ago. My phone died, so I wouldn't have been able to answer. But I would've wanted to."

Monroe came over closer to me then held out her hand. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that she was holding my key up for me. "Camden gave it to me," she said. "In case I needed to come back last night. I told her not to, but…"

"I'm glad she did. Keep it."

Her eyes widened, turning into two little teacup saucers, and her lips parted, reminding me of exactly what those lips had felt like against mine. If I wasn't careful, I'd be sporting a raging hard-on right there in front of her.

"In case you need to escape here again," I explained and even lied to myself as to that being the reason I wanted her to keep it. That was part of it, but not the whole story. Over the last week, I'd been falling for her more and more.

"It's fine, Cobb." She pushed her hand closer to me, but I folded my arms over my chest, which reminded me that I was still in dress clothes. Another requirement of travel. The rules didn't say you had to wear a suit, but jackets were required for the plane. It was a whole thing.

"Seriously, Monroe." She watched as I gently pushed her hand back closer to her. "It'd make me feel better. If you ever need it. You have it."

She sighed but closed her fingers around the key.

"What else are you doing tonight?" I asked.

She waved her hands in front of her body. "I'm in my pajamas. My plan was to grab my charger, plug in my phone, and watch a movie. I lead a very exciting life."

Sounded exciting to me. "Why don't we watch a movie here?" It wasn't late by any part of the imagination. Around nine. Tomorrow was a night game that I wasn't pitching, so I didn't even have to be to the park until after lunch.

Monroe was going to say no . That was for sure. But then she nodded, went over to the door to kick her shoes off, and came back to the couch.

"‘I'll grab us some drinks," I told her as I headed to the kitchen. "Want anything to eat?"

"No thanks. If you have a diet pop, I'll take that. Otherwise, water, please."

Out of the fridge, I took a diet pop and a water because that was what I wanted and came back to the couch. "You get the movie up that you want to watch while I go change."

She didn't have time to protest. I grabbed my bag and headed for my bedroom.

The room hadn't been touched, as far as I could tell. Between that and the things I'd seen on the chair in the living room, Monroe hadn't sleep here the other day.

"Sorry about leaving the pillow and blanket in here when I left. Camden got them for me, but I didn't know from where."

"It's fine."

"She put hers away before I was really up. Said she had to meet someone and I didn't want to keep her."

After moving my bottle of water to the end table, I sat on the couch and put my feet on the coffee table. "Monroe, it's fine. I don't care that they're there."

She worried her bottom lip before looking up sheepishly. "Would you care if I used the blanket while we watch the movie?"

"No." I snickered. "Are you cold?" The air was kept down because I ran warm and she was standing there in not a lot of clothing.

"Not really. I just like to be cozy."

So I shrugged. "Mind sharing?" I knew exactly what I was doing. Torturing myself by having her so close knowing that she didn't want me the way I wanted her and even if she did, I still couldn't have her.

"Sharing is caring."

Monroe set her drink on the table then grabbed the blanket before spreading it out over us. She tucked the material under her chin so her head was the only part of her still visible, but that didn't deter my dick from become half-hard.

Once we were settled, I turned the movie on.

That movie became another and I'd sit there watching with her all night if she let me. Watching her watch so intently was now my new favorite pastime. Her lips parted at certain parts, her breathing quickened at the love scene, and she ran her tongue over her bottom lip and I didn't think she realized she was doing it.

I had to stop watching her. If I didn't, I'd be a stalker and I'd never get this erection to go down.

Then her head hit my shoulder. Leaning forward, I saw that she was asleep, holding that pop in her hand. Carefully, I took it from her and put it on the end table next to me. Then I adjusted my body so that I was at an angle, which caused her to fall into my side.

Was it wrong? I didn't think so. It was for her comfort. That had to be better than her head at a ninety-degree angle on my shoulder, which probably felt like a rock.

That didn't help the erection at all.

We stayed like that. Or rather, I kept us there like that until I knew I had to get to bed. We had a game tomorrow. Luckily, I wasn't pitching. Otherwise, I would've already been up way too late. Sleep was the most important part of being an athlete. Without it, we'd play like shit.

"Monroe," I said, gently running the backs of my fingers down her cheek. I'd wanted to touch those freckles the first time I'd seen her. "Monroe."

Her breathing changed, her head moved, forcing her face into my side and then slowly, her eyes opened and she was looking up at me.

"I fell asleep," she said tiredly.

"You did."

Her eyes widened and she bolted upright. "I fell asleep on you. Literally. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for." Not even the granite erection I'd been sporting for an hour now. "You were tired."

"I didn't sleep much last night."

My stomach clenched as to why that might've been, but I wasn't going to ask now.

She grabbed my phone from the table and brought it to life.

"Oh, my god." She slapped a hand over her face. "You should be asleep, right? You have a game tomorrow."

I shrugged. "I do, but I'm not playing. I have to do my workout and throw some balls. Nothing major."

She blinked three times slowly. "I'll get out of your hair," she said as she pushed the blanket down her legs.

Before she could get up to grab her purse, I wrapped my hand around her wrist. That small touch flooded my body. Her skin was so fucking soft. "It's late. Why don't you stay here?"

A look crossed her face, but I didn't know that one. To me, I would've said it was desire.

"I can't do that, Cobb."

I furrowed my brows. "Why not?" She bit her lips together to indicate that she wasn't going to tell me, so I sighed. "If you leave now, I'm going to follow you home to make sure you get there safely." Even if that dickhead hadn't showed his ugly head again, I felt like the word dickhead applied to that situation.

"There's no reason for you to do that."

"There is." I pushed up to my feet. "It'd make me feel better. You might not need it, but I do."

Fifteen seconds passed between us, both staring at the other in a showdown. If she wanted to leave, I wouldn't keep her here. I wasn't a fucking stalker. But if she insisted on leaving, I'd absolutely follow her home to make sure she got there safely.

"Fine," she finally said, but she didn't sound happy about it. "I'll stay. Your couch is comfortable, anyway." She passed me on her way back to where she'd been sitting.

"What? You mean because you just fell asleep?"

She shook her head, those strawberry waves brushing against her shirt. "I slept on the couch on Friday night."

"Why?" I didn't stop until I was standing in front of where I'd been sitting. She was in front of where she'd been sitting.

"Where else was I going to sleep?"

"The bed." I pointed toward my room.

"No way. That's your bed. Too personal."

"It's a bed. You've slept in a hotel before, right?" I asked. She nodded. "Same thing."

Her fingers tangled in front of her. "It's not the same to me. I don't know those people."

"Well, you're not sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Yes, I am," she countered.

"You sleep in there. I'll sleep on the couch."

Her eyebrows pinched together. "Not a chance, Cobb. You have a game tomorrow."

As frustrating as this conversation was, I kind of wanted it to go on all night. The way she fought back was a fucking turn-on.

"How about this? We can share the bed."

Her mouth formed an ‘O' as she looked up to meet my eyes. "No way."

"There's room for two."

"Do you know how many romantic comedies use the one bed trope, Cobb?"

I shook my head. "Sadly, I don't."

"Well, it's a lot and we can't do that."

Biting back a laugh, I told her, "We'll make a board that goes between us. Like the Amish supposedly do." Then I put my hands on her shoulders just to torture myself a little more. "It'll be fine, Monroe. We're both adults. It's not a big deal."

She let out a long breath. "Fine. But I'm not ending up pregnant."

I snorted. That wasn't what I'd expected to come out of her mouth. "Agreed."

Though I didn't tell her that there were ways to do all the things and still not get pregnant. That would've been a little too much and she probably would've run for the hills. And since I had no intention of touching her, anyway, it was best to leave it unsaid.

Monroe came over ready for bed, but I had to brush my teeth and change into to boxer briefs because that was what I slept in. When I came out of the bathroom, she was standing at the foot of the bed. Her gaze jumped to me as her eyes scanned down my body, lingering in some areas more than others.

Luckily, I'd gotten my dick to calm down. I'd considered beating one out before bed to satisfy it but had decided against it. Nothing would satisfy me wanting Monroe other than Monroe. Since that wasn't possible, I'd have to live with it.

"What're you doing?" I asked her as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Why didn't you get into bed?"

"I don't know which side you like."

"I don't care."

She sighed. "Cobb, this is your bed. Where do you usually sleep?"

"Probably the middle, so I can do either side."

She shook her head but went around and climbed into the side across from where I was and every movement had me rethinking the whole taking care of myself issue.

Monroe was so fucking beautiful, I could hardly stand it.

Instead, I climbed into the other side of the bed, keeping as much distance between us as possible just so I wouldn't accidentally touch her, but I did roll on my side, facing her. She was on her back staring at the ceiling.

"You all right?" I asked.

Without looking over, she said, "My dads saw the ring camera video." I waited because there had to be more. "Dad wants to file a protection order so Owen will leave me alone. Papa wants to know if there's more that we don't know about. Things I haven't told him that led to me throwing the rock, which pissed him off and led him to my apartment."

My muscles tightened, but thankfully, it was dark and she wouldn't have noticed. "He thinks it's your fault?"

"No." She turned on her side so that she was facing me, leaving an entire chasm between us. "He doesn't think it's my fault. He just thinks that it was an extreme thing for me to do and there had to be more."

"Did you tell them?"

She shook her head softly. "If I do, they'll insist on the order and I don't want to do it."

"Why the fuck not?" It came out more aggressive than I'd meant it to, but I left it hanging out there.

"It's just going to make him mad and probably won't stop it. I just want him to leave me alone. It's not constant. I don't fear for my safety."

I raised my brows. "You don't? Why'd you call me the other night?"

She winced. "I shouldn't have. I was just—"

"Scared, Monroe. You were scared of what he might do at that moment. Getting the order is just for protection. Maybe he'll leave you alone then. This doesn't say anything about you."

"It says that I'm a weak girl who needs her daddy to fight her battles."

"Pft. It does not. If Camden had a guy messing with her like this, she'd have brothers to handle it for her. It doesn't say anything other than people care about you." And I was one of them.

The thing about this situation was that it didn't sound like he was a physically abusive ex or that she really thought he'd do something. He was irritated right now. She was right—he'd probably just go away.

But what if he didn't?

"I'll think about it," she said softly.

"Good."

"Good night, Cobb," she said, her words surrounding me like a blanket.

"Good night, Monroe."

My brother had said that I was fucked when it came to her. I'd agreed in my own head, though I wouldn't say it out loud to anyone and if I told her that I was fucking falling for her, she'd bolt. No question.

But I turned over so I wouldn't be tempted to say the words and tell my problems to fuck off so that I could have her, even though it wouldn't be fair to her.

No. It was only a couple of more weeks before my lawyer could ask for a court order to get that paternity test and it'd all be behind me. Then and only then could I allow myself to consider starting something with Monroe.

She deserved the best and right now, that wasn't me.