Page 11 of Marring an Athlete

Anna chewed her lip as she stared just beyond his shoulder. “Well, I guess. We do make a pretty good team.”

Michael tightened his grip on her shoulder and drew her closer but then instantly knew that was a mistake. What started out as a playful physical touch, shot zaps of electricity through-out his body.

Out of instinct, he dropped his arm, but then he ran his hand through his hair. He didn’t want her to think that touching her was affecting him, so Michael just laughed it off.

He wasn’t supposed to have anything but platonic feelings for her. It’s was just taking more time than he’d expected for him to be able to forget their kiss. That was all.

He didn’t need to live in limbo like this. Not knowing how he really felt about Anna. He had come to a good place where they were just friends. Why couldn’t he get his mind to remember that?

“Pretty good? We make an amazing team. Remember the elaborate heists we used to plan to steal cookies from the kitchen?” Michael asked, turning to look at her.

Anna glanced over at him. “For some strange reason, I have a feeling that faking a broken ankle, and me climbing on your back won’t solve their marriage issues.”

The memory of the stunts they pulled as kids rushed back to him, causing Michael to smile. He’d be lying if he said that he didn’t enjoy the fact that even though it had been a couple of years since they’d seen each other, he knew everything about Anna, and she knew everything about him. Like all the weird first date stuff was over with.

Michael’s stomach twisted. He wished Anna actually did know everything, but there were a few things he just couldn’t share. She didn’t know about his strange engagement to Daisy, or the fact that he was trying to run away from his mistakes. And he could never tell her. She couldn’t know how terribly he failed at yet another relationship in his life.

The impromptu kiss at McKenna’s wedding had been his fault. He’d just gotten dumped by Francisca, the team’s masseuse, and he was feeling really depressed. Anna had taken the time to talk to him, telling him that perhaps, he depended a bit too much on what women thought of him.

Michael had tried to laugh it off. He couldn’t help the fact that he was a lover of women. Anna had turned serious and said if he didn’t get his head on straight, he just might run off every girl who would ever give him a chance.

A few drinks later, Anna got closer to him, and he couldn’t help himself—he kissed her. Something he’d wanted to do for so long and, yet, never allowed himself to admit. It was incredible. Firework inducing.

But as soon as he pressed his lips against hers, he’d known it was a mistake. If he really cared for her as much as he thought, he would stay away from her. After all, every relationship he’d entered into had failed. And he couldn’t fail Anna.

The checkpoint line moved, so Michael decided it was best to forget all the reactions he was having from being close to Anna, and focus on the task at hand. Getting to the Rekindle Resort and fixing McKenna’s marriage. Focusing on someone else’s problems sounded better than trying to solve his own.

Besides, his relationship with Anna was fake. And from the calm response she had after their kiss, there was no way she felt the same for him. He needed to remember that. For Anna, all she saw him as was McKenna’s older brother. A family member.

When they got to the TSA agent camped out before the metal detector, Michael handed him his license and boarding pass. The guy checked his ID and then glanced up at him.

“Michael Jones, as in, the defenseman for the Rangers?”

Michael nodded.

The agent glanced around and then pulled out a pen from his pocket. He scooted the sheet of paper on the stand over and laid the pen on top of it. “Can I get your autograph? My buddy’s a big hockey fan, and he’s never going to believe that I met you.”

Michael smiled. “Sure.”

After he scribbled his signature, he shook the agent’s hand who then waved him over to the x-ray scanners. After removing his shoes, and everything in his pockets, he walked through the metal detector.

As he was putting his shoes back on, Anna appeared next to him. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you being famous,” she said, bending down to slip on her shoes.

“I’m hardly famous,” he said, straightening and glancing over at her.

Anna reached out and grabbed her other shoe. Just as she moved to shove her foot into it, she teetered on her leg. Out of instinct, Michael reached out to steady her. His hand landed on her lower back.

Anna’s gaze flew up to meet his. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something. Heat rushed across Michael’s skin. He really needed to stop touching her. And from the look on Anna’s face, she agreed.

“You okay?” he asked, dropping his hand once he saw that she wasn’t in danger of falling over.

Anna nodded. “Yeah. I think I’ll be just fine.”

Michael smiled at her, and then grabbed the rest of his belongings and shoved them into his pockets. Had she noticed what touching her did to him? Why was he acting like such an idiot?

Thankfully, McKenna and Sam walked through the detector just then and proceeded to grab their things from off the belt. Anna and McKenna started talking about the outfits they’d packed for the resort, which soon morphed into squealing and laughing. Sam seemed oblivious as he grabbed his phone, and continued staring at the screen.

Michael took advantage of their distraction to meld into the background. He rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced around. A few people who walked by studied him as if they were trying to place him.

Hoping it was because of hockey, and not the local newspaper, Michael just nodded and waved toward them which caused them to drop their gaze and quicken their pace. Anna and McKenna moved away from the checkpoint, and Michael and Sam followed.

Michael was grateful for the silence. He needed to take some time to calm his mind. Get away from the serious feelings that seemed to be brewing inside of him and lighten the mood.

Just as they walked by a Burger King, Michael’s gaze landed on a jewelry shop. An idea began to form in his mind. If the guard didn’t believe they were married, maybe he should get Anna a ring. After all, if they were going to play the part, they might as well go all the way.

Besides, it sounded like fun to propose to Anna. If anything, it would take away the stress he felt about his past mistakes. And a distraction was just what he needed.

“I’ll be right back, guys. I need to. . . grab something,” Michael said. When he glanced over at them, McKenna had linked arms with Anna, and they were heading to the nearest coffee shop. Sam was still focused on his screen.

Great. He was on his own. A feeling of anticipation washed over Michael as he stepped into the shop. He couldn’t wait to see Anna’s expression when he knelt on one knee. And the ring he was going to get her? It would blow her away. Finally, for the first time in the last few days, he felt excited.

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