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Greyson’s smile widened, and it made him even more attractive. “I see. Well, I can promise you that I’m not a ghost. Or any other kind of evil creature.”

But he was a married man. Remembering that little fact was like being doused with cold water. The heat of desire turned to ice in my veins.

“Well, I’m just heading to the bar for a nightcap. So, if you’ll excuse me.”

But as I turned away from him and continued on my way to the bar, he moved to my side. “What a coincidence. I’m heading to the bar too. Maybe we could have that drink I suggested earlier.”

I frowned. “Where’s your wife?”

“Audrey hasn’t been my wife for two years,” he said, lifting his left hand to show me his bare ring finger. There wasn’t even an indent or tan line. “We’re divorced, and I’m only on vacation with her for our daughter’s sake. We’re co-parents. Nothing else.”

I stopped in my tracks just outside of the bar, staring at him. “But… I heard her. She called you her husband.”

Greyson looked annoyed, but I instinctively knew it wasn’t because of me.

“She’s never stopped referring to me as her husband, but that doesn’t make it true. She just doesn’t want to give up the prestige of being married to a former NFL player and current head coach.”

Doubt lingered in my mind, but Greyson held my gaze and spoke with such quiet earnestness that I found myself softening toward him. He wasn’t stumbling over himself and trying to convince me. He was simply telling me the facts and letting me decide whether I believed him.

He just wanted to join me for a drink. And why shouldn’t we, if he was really single?

“Is there really much prestige in that?” I asked doubtfully as I walked into the bar with him at my side.

“Now, you’re wounding my pride.”

“I have the feeling that you have plenty of people fawning over you. Maybe it’s good for your pride to take a hit or two.”

We reached a little round table in the dimly lit corner of the bar, and he pulled out my chair. It was a small gesture, one that he didn’t really seem to even think about, but I felt a flutter in my stomach as I sat down.

“Maybe you’re good for me,” he said as he pushed my chair in, leaning down and whispering the words into my ear.

I shivered, excitement rushing through me. As he moved to sit in the chair across from me, I had a feeling that my vacation was about to get even better.

Chapter Five: Greyson

The lobby was nearly empty, but the bar was crowded. I didn’t quite expect that on a Tuesday night, but I figured that everyone here was on vacation like we were, and every night was open for a good time in Sirona Isle.

Not that I gave a damn who else was here. All I could see was the woman sitting across from me with a daiquiri in her hand and those pretty green eyes on me. It felt better than I expected to have her looking at me like this again. There was no longer any disdain in her expression like when she thought I was a married man trying to cheat.

As much as I hated that she thought so little of me, I respected the hell out of her reaction. She wasn’t even going to entertain the thought of being the other woman, and I liked that she had clearly set that boundary. Even the intense attraction between us wasn’t going to sway her until I made it clear that she was wrong about my marital status.

“So, you like football?” she asked, folding her arms on the table and leaning forward a bit so we could hear each other over the murmur of other conversations happening in the bar. I tried not to stare at the way the position pushed her generous breasts up, revealing cleavage that made my mouth water.

“I’d say that’s an understatement,” I said. “Football is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do with my life.”

“When did you start playing?”

“Middle school. I hit a growth spurt when I was twelve years old, and the gym teacher noticed that I was suddenly the tallest kid in the class. He also happened to be the football coach. So, he recruited me. Taught me everything about the sport, including how to train to bulk up. By the time I got to high school a couple years later, I was big and damn good at the game.”

“And the rest is history?”

“More or less.”

I wasn’t usually this chatty, especially with someone I barely knew, but there was something about Heather that made her easy to talk to. So, when she admitted that she didn’t know anything about how football was played, I found myself prattling on for fifteen minutes straight about the rules of the game, starting with the basics before delving into specific plays, game flow, and tactical planning.

I wouldn’t have gone on about it for so long, but Heather encouraged me by asking questions and keeping her gaze riveted on me. She wanted to hear everything I had to say, and it was intoxicating to be freely given her complete attention.

I didn’t want to think about Audrey, but my mind drew the comparison between her and Heather anyway. I couldn’t help it. This interest in what I had to say was something that had always been missing from my marriage.