I watch, bewildered, as he enters his room without a backward glance. Seriously? That’s it? I’ve been a bundle of nerves for hours thinking about him, and he’s totally fine?
I shake my head in disbelief as I say goodnight to all the guys, giving Dante another hug in thanks, then unlock my door. In my room, I shut the door, turning all the locks, then find myself pressed against the wood. I smile as I remember only closing the interconnecting door, not locking it, an obvious premonition of this exact scenario playing out.
“It shouldn’t make me angry to see you in another man’s arms, but it does,” Max growls against my neck, his voice gritty anddownright feral. “I shouldn’t have to run into my room because my body reacts to yours immediately, and I need to hide a half-chub. And I definitely shouldn’t want you as badly as I do, Peaches. I fucking need to devour you.”
I gasp as he grabs one of my hands, interlocking our fingers together, and places them above my head. His other hand slides around my waist and under my tank top, his fingers splaying across my abdomen. His hot breath dances along my skin as his breathing matches mine. “Max, we shouldn’t …”
His chuckle sends a shiver down my spine. “On the contrary, sweet girl. We absolutelyshould.”
I reach up around his head, grabbing a handful of his beautiful curls, loving the groan he makes when my fingernails scratch along his scalp. “What if the team finds out?”
Max kisses my neck softly, then drags his tongue up to my ear. “I’m pretty sure some of them already assume. But I’m sick of fighting this, Lay. This chemistry isn’t going away.”
“I —” I stop, trying to force myself to think. “I don’t want to lose this job. I love it here.”
Max drops his forehead to my shoulder. “I swear I’ll do everything in my power to ensure you aren’t fired.”
Letting go of him, I turn, placing my hands on his chest. “You can’t say that and assume anyone will listen to you. They’ll fire me before they do anything to you. Do you understand what a big risk this is for me? Sex with you can’t be that good.”
He raises a brow. “You’d have to do it to confirm that theory.”
I laugh breathily. “Do you get what I’m saying, though? Is sex worth risking my job?”
“Would it be just sex for you?” he asks hesitantly.
“Well, I assumed that is what it would be for you,” I answer.
Max shakes his head. “If we were to engage in this, it wouldn’t be just sex. I’d never ask you to risk your job for a fuck, Layla. I’m not an asshole. It isn’t just chemistry. We have a connection, and I’d like to see where it goes.”
“But …” I stammer. “It still doesn’t change the fact that I signed acontract stating I wouldn’t do anything with players. Whether it’s sex or a relationship, the facts don’t change.”
Max steps back, grabbing my hands, and pulls me to the bed. As we sit, he says, “Us being in a relationship gives me time to work on management. I can suggest some changes to the rules. Get the rest of the team to suggest it too. We could date secretly, and that gives me time. Besides, my contract is up at the end of the season —”
“What?” I shriek, interrupting him. “It is? I didn’t know that!”
He gives me a half-smile. “I like that you’re upset about that, Peaches. Not gonna lie. But it means I might not be here next year anyway. Then we could date out in the open.”
I’m not thrilled about the possibility of a long-distance relationship, but that does give us some clarity for the future. “So you’re suggesting we secretly date.”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll see if management will change the rule on fraternization.”
“It can’t be that hard to do, right?” he replies.
I shrug. “No clue. I don’t understand why they can’t just have us sign a contract or something saying I won’t sue the team when we break up.”
“If.”
“What?”
“If we break up. Give me a little benefit of the doubt here.Ifwe break up.”
“Oh. No offense,” I offer with a sheepish smile.
“Absolutely offense taken,” he teases.
“Okay. So we quietly date, you get them to change the rules, and if you get traded, then we go public.”
