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“Yeah football, the Jets.”
She nodded, placed the picture back down, and began looking around her in every direction. I poured two glasses of water and two glasses of wine, then balanced the four glasses in my huge hands until I was in front of the couch.
Without having to ask, Ash rounded the couch to join me and took the waters from my grasp, setting them down. We both lowered to the couch, sitting at an angle so we faced one another. She was still in her practice gear, including her cleats and shin guards. Her hair was falling from her ponytail and her arms still had pieces of grass stuck to them from lying down after being so sweaty.
“Here,” I handed her water. “Drink this first.”
With no arguments, she took the glass to her lips and drank the water without even a breath. I handed her the next glass and watched her throat move as she drank that one as well.
“Lay back,” I suggested when she was done. “Let's get these off.”
I pulled her legs up into my lap and started undoing her laces one at a time. I could tell she was close to arguing and pulling them from my grasp, but she stayed quiet and eventually gave in.
Just like the night she sprained her ankle, I rubbed at her shins, trying to make the embossed design from her shin guards disappear. Only her soft moan reminded me that I was off track and toeing the line of insanity with her once again.
Pushing her legs down, I stood up and cleared my throat, needing some space to remember what the hell my original plans were.
Think, Rhys. Think.
Oh yea, she needed to relax.
“Follow me.”
She padded her bare feet across the tile and stood next to me where I had stopped near a staircase. Without her shoes on, I towered over her even more. The way she looked up at me, with so much trust in her eyes, was making me want to stay just like that, standing there and soaking her in.
Why did I think I could erase our connection over the weekend? Despite her anger, and despite my motives, I wanted to kiss her again.
“After you,” I motioned for her to head up the stairs ahead of me.
“I’m not going up those stairs till you tell me what the hell we are doing.”
“Swimming,” I said immediately. “Just swimming.”
“You didn’t tell me to pack a suit.”
“Well swimming wasn’t my original plan,” I confessed. “I’m improvising right now.”
“It feels like…” she trailed off, not sure she should finish her sentence. Nor did I want her to. I knew what it felt like. It felt like I was off the rails again, back in that moment when I leaned down and told her I needed to kiss her just one time. But I wasn’t, that wasn’t what this was at all. I was past wanting to kiss her just one time, I wanted to kiss her a million times.
I wouldn’t
But I wanted to.
ChapterSeventeen
Ash
It felt like he was trying to seduce me. Like he had decided he wanted that kiss and was putting the work in so that I would give it to him, instead of running away.
I didn’t bother finishing my thought, though. If I said it, it would make it real again, and I still wasn’t sure I could handle kissing him. Not even once.
Shrugging, I visibly gave up the thought and started walking up the stairs that I assumed led to the pool. They were winding and at the top was a sliding glass door that was already open to the rooftop.
Rhys’ penthouse was unbelievable. Something I imagined was too rich for even the likes of doctors and lawyers. This kind of lifestyle was reserved for the super-rich, the ones that played sports, or made movies. At least from what I could guess. I had no experience being around anything that lavish.
“Wow,” I breathed, as I stepped close to the edge. “This view is amazing.”
“It's like being on top of the world.” His voice seemed in awe of his surroundings, like he couldn't believe that was his life. I didn’t even want to speculate how much money a place like this would cost, but I was willing to bet that our view that night was sponsored byadidas.I was a freshman in college when it was reported that Rhys had signed withadidas. A very lucrative sponsorship contract, and I knew to this day he still wore all their gear, and was in plenty of their commercials.
