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"I don't know, but it's a possibility. We didn't though, Camila. I swear, I never touched her."
I believe him, but even if he had slept with her, it was before I knew him. It's not like I can be mad about something he did before we ever met. I'm glad he didn't though. The thought of anyone touching him makes me jealous as hell. It's one thing to know he slept with someone when he was still a teenager. Coming face-to-face with a woman he slept with would hurt.
But that isn't who Gray is, and that's not what he does. Rhonda could shout from the rooftops that they slept together, and I wouldn't believe it for a second. That's how much faith I have in him. I don't care that he's an athlete, not anymore. Iknowhim. Maybe that's crazy to say after only having met him a week ago, but it's true. I know him.
I know the type of man he is, and how much he cares about people. I know how important it is to him not to be seen as a sex symbol but as a hockey player. The fact that he's not even mad about this interview is proof enough of his character. He's worried about it, yes. But he isn't mad. He isn't threatening to ruin her or sue her or looking for ways to discredit her. He feels like her pain is his fault, but it isn't. He's not the one who sold those videos. But he'll take the blame because he feels responsible. Even though it'll devastate him, he'll shoulder whatever weight she drops on his shoulders and never say a bad word about her.
That'sthe kind of man he is. So no, I don't believe he slept with her. Whatever she says about him doesn't matter to me. I know him, and I love him. That won't change because of an interview. It breaks my heart a little that he thinks it will. And that's my fault. For being so afraid to listen to my heart. For being so afraid of what my mama and Adrian will think. I'vebeen a coward, and even though I didn't mean to do it, I thinkIhurthim.
"You think I'll believe her?" I ask him, feeling like the world's biggest jerk.
"I wouldn't blame you if you did," he says. His expression kills me a little. He's so worried, so afraid he'll lose me over this. I can't fix the situation with Rhonda. As his publicist, I'll do everything in my power to help mitigate the damage she might cause, but I can't stop her from talking or stop people from believing her. Trying to silence her would only add fuel to the fire.
But I can fix this though. I can remove this weight from his shoulders.
"Help me down," I say, wriggling toward the edge of the island.
"Why?" he asks even as his hands go around my waist, and he lifts me. He slides me down his body to the floor, and I shiver when I feel his erection against my belly. Even now, when he's afraid I'm going to walk away from him, he's hard for me.
Has anyone ever wanted me as badly as he does?
Treated me like I'm the center of their world like he does?
Never.
And no one else ever will.
"I need my phone," I explain, patting him on the chest in reassurance before I scurry back to the bedroom to grab it. Our clothes are in a pile by the door. I kneel down, and rummage through my pockets until I find my cellphone. I have a couple of missed calls from Kelsey and a text from Adrian. My battery is still half-full, thank God.
"What are you doing?" Gray asks, eyeing me warily from across the room.
I ignore him and dial my mama's number, determined to show him here and now how I feel about him. He doesn't want me to tell my family about him because he thinks they won't accepthim. And maybe they will be worried about me. But I love him, and sooner or later, they'll learn to love him too.
"Fofinha!" my mama says as soon as she answers.
"Bom dia, mamãe," I say, hurrying back to Gray's side. I grab his hand and tug, pulling him back toward the bed. He lets me move him where I want him, but the tension in his expression doesn't ease. Not even when he's on the bed with me in his lap. "I have something to tell you."
"Camila," Gray whispers. I think he's trying to stop me, so I ignore him.
"Me diz," my mama says.
"Estou apaixonada,mamãe," I say, holding Gray's gaze. "I'm in love, mama."
"Oh,fofinha," she whispers. "I am so happy for you!"
"Camila," Gray mouths, his expression going soft.
"His name is Gray Larsen. He's amazing, mama. He's so sweet and kind. He loves his family and me and his obese cat. He's kind of a nerd and says the most ridiculous things. But he makes me so happy," I whisper, meaning every word.
Gray's eyes are bright with emotion.
"Oh, Camila," my mama says.
"He plays hockey, mama. I know how much you dislike professional athletes, and I tried to keep from falling for him because I didn't want to disappoint or worry you, but I couldn't help it," I tell her. Tears fill my eyes, though I'm not sure why. I think because the knot in my stomach dissolved as soon as I made the decision to call her, and because I don't want to disappoint her. "He's not like Derrick. He's not like anyone else. He is so good to me, and I know he'd never hurt me."
Gray brushes my tears away with the pads of his thumbs. His expression is so full of love and awe, it wrecks me a little. I see his confidence growing in front of my eyes, see his fear of losing me crumble and fall away. And I've never felt more powerful ormore perfect. He's so damn strong and capable, I guess I didn't realize that I had the power to hurt him, but I do. And I don't ever want to do that.
"Camila," my mama says. "Oh, sweetling. I never disliked athletes. I was afraid of losing you to someone who didn't appreciate you for the treasure you are, silly girl. There are bad men in every field. Derrick wasarrombado."
