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I sat beside her and listened as she told me what that slimeball, Harvey Danbury, said.
"Shit," I said under my breath. "You think Brandi told him everything?" So much for me being nice to her so she didn't go and pull bullshit like this.
"I'm not sure what she said," Ashley admitted. "He implied that he knew a lot, but that's what people like him do. They trap others into thinking they know more than they do, so they'll spill the details. For all I know, he only knows her name."
"That would be enough for an asshole like him," I growled. "He'd say anything for a story, true or not."
I wasn't sure if I should get out my phone and look, or stay the hell away from the internet until the end of time. If this got ugly, the publicist for the Rapids was going to be pissed. They hated picking up the pieces after a 'news' story like this broke.
I sucked in a breath and snorted it out my nose. "I'm sorry you got drawn into my mess. I should have realised when we started all of this what might happen."
Truthfully, until now I managed to avoid the worst of what the press had to offer. Where my personal life was involved anyway. My life on the field, that was fair game for everyone, sports journalists or armchair experts. If I had a bad game, I'd hear about it, loud and clear.
Why anyone was interested in my love life anyway, I didn't know, but I was happy to keep it off the front page.
Ashley shrugged. "I'm sorry too. If we hadn't hatched our plan, Harvey wouldn’t have noticed you. The fashion parade didn't help either."
She looked so regretful I couldn't stop myself reaching out and covering her hand with mine.
"That was for charity. It's not your fault that slimebag turned it into something else. And the plan— I was happy to help. I'm a big boy, I make my own choices."
"I…yeah." She looked me right in the eyes.
My heart stopped completely. I could drown in those soft, warm, hazel eyes.
Her mouth… How would she taste?
I couldn't go a moment longer without knowing for myself. Before I could stop and think, I leaned in and kissed her.
Her lips were warm and soft, and she tasted like coffee. By some miracle, she wasn't pushing me away. She kissed me back.
I should have pulled away, but instead I deepened the kiss. My hand went around to the back of her head and drew her closer.
I needed to touch her, to feel her. I wanted her whole body pressed against the whole of mine.
I broke off from her mouth and kissed the side of her neck. She smelled like tropical flowers and sunshine, or something like that. I didn't know, women's shower products are a mystery to me.
She moaned softly.
Nowthatwasn't such a mystery. It meant she liked what I was doing to her. Hell yes!
I found my hand on her hip. Then a bit higher up, on her side.
Should I stop now? I probably should, before we went too far.
"Ashley," I said, my lips a hair away from her skin.
She started to undo the buttons on my shirt.
Well, okay then. I helped her to slide my shirt off my shoulders before she dropped it to the floor.
"Oh, my…" She breathed. She sat back a bit and eyed my chest and flat stomach. She reached out a trembling hand and touched me, like she couldn't believe I was real.
I couldn't blame her. Some daysIwasn't sure I was real. When I was hungover, I wished I wasn't.
"You're so…" She shook her head.
"That sentence is usually finished with 'annoying' or something similar," I joked.
