My thoughts went over our brief encounter as I rode the elevator up to the seventh floor. By the time I made it, I decided Clark was acting paranoid. That was what it was. He was looking around as if he didn’t want to be seen talking to me.
Is he that worried that something will happen to Vee?
Fuck, I put off telling her as long as I could. I needed to tell her. Even if it was a crazy, unsubstantiated story that was turning Preston Clark into an even-stranger character. As I opened the front door, a new concern came to mind.
The alarm was disabled.
My pulse kicked up a notch or two. Vee always set the alarm when she was home alone. Looking around, I saw that there was an open bottle of cabernet on the counter, and Vee’s leather satchel was hanging over one of the kitchen-island stools.
“Vee,” I called.
My heart thumped in my ears.
“Vee,” I called louder.
“I’m in here.”
The relief of hearing her voice was short-lived. Something didn’t feel right.
I headed toward the bedroom. Pushing the door open, I was met with a trail of clothing. The sexy cowboy boots were first, followed by the amber skirt. A white blouse led me toward the en suite bath. Next was her bra and finally her panties. I lifted those from the floor, bringing the sweet scent of the crotch to my nose. As I pushed open the bathroom door, Vee looked up at me with glazed eyes as she tied the sash of her pink bathrobe. Water swirled down the drain in the large bathtub.
“Hi,” she said.
Something in her expression drew me toward her like a magnet. The woman on today’s sidelines was gone, replaced with the more vulnerable, raw version, the version that I couldn’t resist.
I took a step closer. My brow creased with concern as the floral scent of the bath water filled the air. I reached for her waist and pulled her closer. “Hi. Is something wrong?”
Tears glistened in her gorgeous green orbs. “Just one hell of a day.”
Palming her cheek, Vee inclined her face to my touch.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
“Not really.”
Clarks’ warning evaporated as I concentrated on the beautiful woman before me.
Lowering my face, I covered Vee’s lips with mine. Fever burned through me as she melted against my chest. One hand moved to her neck as the other held tight to her ass. The sweet taste of wine and cranberries came to me as our tongues wrestled.
It was as if I needed to hold her tight, to know she was safe.
In this moment, Vee couldn’t get away from me if she tried. By the way the air filled with her moans, it didn’t seem as though escaping was her plan.
When we came up for air, I stared into the depth of her emotion-filled orbs. “Are you upset about Simpson?”
She blinked, her long lashes veiling the emerald green. “Simpson? No.” She shook her head. “I’m concerned. I haven’t received a final medical report, but Drew said six to twelve weeks. I think it will be longer. We’re sure he’ll be out for the season.”
“I met some of the team for a beer downstairs. Troy said Coach Pratt agrees. It’s a season-ending injury.”
Vee took a deep breath and stepped away. “I’m glad you met with some of the team. I shouldn’t monopolize all your free time.”
“You monopolizing my time is my choice. I choose you, Vee.” Shadows swirled in her green stare as I stepped back and scanned from her bare feet to her dark hair piled high on her head. Her makeup was gone, reminding me not of the woman behind the Coopers dynasty, but the girl I met at a party I never wanted to attend.
Tilting my head, I asked, “How about we don’t think about the outside world for a while?”
Her nostrils flared as she nodded.
Although I longed to know what had upset her, I was more than willing to distract her for the time being. A step closer and Vee lifted her chin. With my shoes on and Vee with bare feet, her forehead came up to my chest. Keeping my gaze focused on hers, I loosened the sash from around her waist. If I expected her to protest, I’d be wrong. Her shimmering emerald stare remained on me. As I dropped the sash, it dangled from its loops, and her robe gaped, revealing the sides of her pert breasts.
