Chapter 35

Sienna’s Pov :

It had been a few days since I’d come back from Boston, and ever since my return, I hadn’t seen Caitlin as much as I’d wanted. Work had consumed me, deadlines stacking up, meetings dragging on, my phone buzzing constantly. I hated that it kept pulling me away from her. And yet, here I was now-standing in Caitlin’s apartment, nervously getting ready to meet the people she called her second family.

To say I was nervous would’ve been the understatement of the year.

I was freaking out.

No, scratch that. I was freaking outttt.

I paced a little, then stopped, then sat down, then got back up again. My stomach was a tangle of knots I couldn’t undo, and my mind wouldn’t stop spiraling. I’d met important people before in my career-athletes, coaches, even CEOs-but meeting Caitlin’s teammates? That felt different. This wasn’t professional. This was personal. These were the people who had her back on and off the court, the ones she trusted like family.

And now I was about to walk into their circle as Caitlin’s… whatever I was. Girlfriend? Partner? Lover? Sunshine.

The word she called me still made my chest tighten every time.

I couldn’t help but think back to this afternoon, the moment that had softened some of my nerves.

Caitlin had come back from practice early, her hair damp with sweat, her bag slung carelessly over her shoulder. She’d walked in to find me curled up on her couch, a throw blanket pulled over my lap, the TV playing the new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. I hadn’t even noticed her at first, too lost in the story. But when I did, her expression almost knocked the air from my lungs.

She’d smiled-the kind of soft, unguarded smile that was rare for her-and then, without saying a word, she’d dropped her bag and sat down beside me. I expected her to lean on my shoulder like she usually did. Instead, she tugged the blanket aside and stretched out across the couch, laying her head directly on my lap.

I’d jolted in surprise. “Cait-“

But she’d just grinned, eyes closing as though this was the most natural place in the world for her to be.

“Well, someone’s clingy today,” I teased, running my fingers through her damp, jet-black hair. “Did you miss me that much?”

Her grin widened, lazy and unbothered. “Maybe I did miss you that much. Admit it-you love it when I’m clingy. Besides, I haven’t seen you much. Your job keeps taking you away from me.”

I’d rolled my eyes, though my lips curved despite myself. She wasn’t wrong. The guilt had been gnawing at me. So I leaned down and kissed her softly, lingering against her mouth until she let out a quiet moan that vibrated against my lips.

Pulling back, I asked gently, still threading my fingers through her hair, “So, Clark-how was practice? Anything interesting happen?”

Caitlin groaned dramatically, rolling her eyes. “Practice was okay. Coach won’t let me go full speed-she’s worried about my quad. And, to top it off, I got pulled into team dinner with the girls tonight.” She made a face. “Ugh. I don’t wanna go.”

I laughed softly and kissed her forehead. “That sounds fun, baby. You should go.”

She pouted like a child denied candy. “But what about our plans tonight? I haven’t seen you in ages, Sunshine. I’m Sienna-deprived, and I need my Sunshine cuddles so badddd.”

Her dramatics made me sigh, though warmth spread through me. “You’re so dramatic, Cait. I’ll be fine, baby. Go have fun.”

“Fine, I’ll go,” she relented with exaggerated reluctance. Then she perked up, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “But-you’re coming with me. And you can’t say no. Do not protest, Sunshine.” She poked my side, grinning. “My teammates have been nagging me to let them meet you, and I promised I’d bring you to the next team dinner. And besides… I want to spend time with you. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

The words lodged in my throat. I wanted to protest, wanted to tell her how nervous I was, but the words never made it past my lips. Instead, I leaned forward, pressed a quick kiss to her mouth, and murmured against her lips, “You’re such a romantic, Clark. And… yeah, I guess I’ll go with you.”

Her grin lit up her whole face. She shot upright, wrapping her arms around me so tightly it almost knocked the breath out of me. She kissed my forehead, her voice soft but firm. “If it gets too much or overwhelming, you tell me. We’ll come straight home, no questions asked.”

That protectiveness-that gentle, steady care-it was my favorite version of Caitlin. More than the fiery competitor. More than the possessive girlfriend. This Caitlin, the one who wanted to shield me from the world, was the one who undid me completely.

And that was how we ended up here.

Now I stood in her bedroom, fastening the clasp of my earrings in front of her mirror. The jade green dress I’d chosen brushed lightly against my thighs, the fabric soft and silky as it skimmed my curves. My reflection looked foreign-polished waves of hair tumbling past my shoulders, my lips tinted with the softest shade of color, my skin glowing under the light. I looked… elegant. Too elegant, maybe.

I almost didn’t recognize myself.

I didn’t hear the door open.

The sound that broke my concentration was a low, breathless “Wow.”

I turned, startled, my heart stuttering in my chest.

Caitlin stood in the doorway, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

She was wearing black dress pants and a red button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled to her elbows to reveal strong, toned forearms. Her hair was slightly undone, a few strands falling into her face, but the look only made her more magnetic. And, of course, she wore her trademark white Nike sneakers, pulling the entire outfit together in a way that screamed Caitlin Clark-effortless, casual, commanding.

Her jaw actually slackened for a beat before she caught herself, straightening her posture.

“You… look incredible,” she breathed, her voice reverent, like the words had been pulled out of her against her will.

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I smoothed the hem of my jade dress nervously, though I tried to mask it with a playful tilt of my lips. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Her smirk returned, slow and devastating, as she walked toward me with measured strides. “Not bad?” she echoed, her eyes sweeping over me from head to toe with so much warmth it made my knees wobble. “That’s all I get?”

I bit back a smile, forcing myself to meet her gaze even as my pulse fluttered wildly. “Fine,” I murmured, lips curving. “You look… dangerously good.”

The air shifted instantly, charged and heavy. For a heartbeat, the rest of the room disappeared. It was just her and me-me glowing in green, her magnetic in red and white, caught in a pull we couldn’t escape.

“You’re… ready?” she asked, though the hesitation in her tone made it sound more like she was asking herself.

“I think so,” I whispered back, softer than I intended.

But Caitlin didn’t move. She didn’t even blink. Her sneakers stayed rooted to the floor as her eyes roamed over me, like she’d never seen anything so striking in her life.

Then, with no warning, she crossed the final steps, wrapped her arms around my waist, and kissed me.

Her lips pressed against mine with a tenderness that melted every nerve inside me. She didn’t rush. Instead, she kissed me slowly, coaxing me into the rhythm, our tongues brushing in unhurried collisions that sent warmth pooling in my chest.

When she finally pulled back, she smirked, brushing her thumb against my bottom lip. “Best way to share lipgloss.”

I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile. “You’re such a flirt, Clark… and you just ruined my lipgloss. You could’ve put on your own if you wanted it that badly.”

She shrugged, feigning innocence. “Why waste time when I can get it the fast way-by locking lips?”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “You’re such a dork. But I love it.”

Her grin softened. “I can be a flirt, a romantic, and a dork only for you, baby. No one else gets to see this side of me.”

The sincerity in her voice made my chest ache. I kissed her cheek, grabbed my purse from the dresser, and whispered, “Let’s go, Caity.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes sweeping over me again like she still couldn’t believe I was real. “You’re gonna kill me one day, woman. You look so stunning, I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself-or stop myself from fighting every man or woman who looks your way, my love.”

I laced my fingers with hers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I only want your eyes on me, Cait. I don’t care about other people’s gazes. Now let’s go before your teammates blame me for making you late.”

Her laugh rang out, soft and happy, as she let me tug her toward the door. She was still smiling when she said nothing at all-just let herself be pulled along, content with the simple fact that I was by her side.

And maybe… maybe I was starting to feel the same way.

Authors Note :

Heyyyy lovelies…. I’m backkkk, did you miss me cause I know I missed y’all so much…. okay so I’m gonna try updating this book as much as possible I’m still struggling with writers block. Anyways this is not proofread so if there’s any errors sorry for that…..hope y’all enjoy this chapter, see y’all in the next chapter loves.

P.s. I miss Caitlin Hoops 😔💔

XoXo V 💜💜💜