Page 7 of Playing the Player

There was one point where I had to print the same document nine times because I kept getting it wrong. Nine! My boss had emailed me the document and all I had to do was hit ‘print’. Every copy came out the exact same way, but apparently they were all wrong until Larry decided to just do it himself and guess what… his copy was perfect. Asswipe.

And this is exactly why I need to go shopping. Shopping requires zero brain power. I can just switch off my mind and let my eyes and credit card do all the work. It’s magical.

“Hey, Charlie.” I greeted as I wandered up to the counter. “Can I just get my usual please?”

“Of course!” She beams at me, already reaching for the cup. I have never seen this woman without a smile on her face. Her and her brother are very different that way. She’s always smiling but Josh looks like he constantly wants to punch something. Unless he’s looking at Olivia or their daughter, Isabella. Then he turns into a big teddy bear.

Charlie moves effortlessly around the space behind the counter, not needing any thought about what she’s doing. She’s been working here since the place opened six years ago. At first, she was only helping out to save up some money, but when her aunt, Diane, who owns the place decided to add a bakery to the space, working here full-time just made sense, since that’s Charlie’s specialty. And she’s damn good at it.

“No Dee today?” I ask, filling the silence.

“She’s over there,” Charlie nods to the back of the room, “She’s talking to one of Josh’s friends.”

I follow her gaze and immediately wish I hadn’t. Ocean blue eyes meet mine from across the room.

Conor Matthews.

For a split second, everything around me disappears. The chatter around me fades into background noise. The clinking of mugs, the hissing of the coffee machine, even my own thoughts seem to stall as those impossible blue eyes lock onto mine.

He stands, leans down to kiss Diane’s temple and then makes his way towards me, each step sending my pulse climbing higher. By the time he reaches me, I’m convinced my face has turned bright red. Damn you for deciding today was a makeup free one.

“Sasha.” He says, his mouth curving into that infuriating, confident grin. The one he somehow makes look both cocky and ridiculously handsome.

“Conor.” I reply, trying desperately to appear unaffected by him and the familiar smell of him that haunts my dreams. Cliche, I know, but he smells like sandalwood or pine or something outdoorsy like that. I don’t really know the difference. Whatever it is, my brain has apparently committed it to memory.

It’s been nine months since I kissed this man. Nine months! And it had lasted, what… two seconds? Three tops. But it was long enough to make me forget how to breathe. Long enough to make me feel more with him than I ever felt with Max.

I can still feel his lips on mine when I close my eyes. I can still feel the hardness of his chest as my body was pressed against his. I can still feel his muscly arms wrapped around me, holding me tight and not wanting to let go. When I go to bed at night, I can still feel his growing erec-

“You good?” Conor's question brings me out of my thoughts, the raging inferno inside my body lighting up my skin.

He knows exactly where my head has just gone. And by the heat in his dilated pupils, I know his head went to the same place.

I held his gaze, refusing to answer. I don’t trust myself to speak right now. I’m sure the huskiness in my voice will give away how turned on I am right now just at the reminder of him.

“Sasha!” Charlie calls, breaking the staring contest happening right in front of her. I clear my throat, reaching into my bag for my purse.

“I’ve got it.” Before I can protest, Conor is pulling a few notes out of his wallet, handing them over the counter to Charlie and grabbing my coffee, offering it to me.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” His smile is softer this time and more dangerous than his panty melting grin. “So, where are you headed?” He asks as we step into the warm heat of the Florida sun.

“Shopping.” I take a long drink of my coffee, welcoming the icy feeling running down my dry throat.

“Perfect!”

I frowned up at him, “And why is that?”

“I’ll come with you.”

I stop dead in the middle of the sidewalk. “Why?” I eye him suspiciously. We haven’t spoken properly in months. Sure, we’ve seen each other at games or at Liv and Josh’s place, but we’ve never hung out, just the two of us. Not since…

“I wanna get Bella a gift. Maybe something for Olliepop too.” He says with an innocent shrug. “But I wouldn’t even know where to start. You can help me.” His smile momentarily clouds my vision and before I get a chance to respond, he hooks his arm through mine, pulling me down the street towards the stores.

“You’re very pushy, you know.”

“I’ve been called worse.”