Page 30 of Caught Looking

Maybe I slept in the guest room because I was a gentleman. Or maybe I slept there because this slow seduction was fucking addictive. I didn’t want to rush past a damn thing. I wanted to savor and remember every single moment. I had the memory of her tucked against me for the first time burned into my brain. The first time I kissed her forehead. The first smile she ever gave me. Our first kiss played on repeat in the back of my mind all night long and through most of this morning. And now this. We’d held hands before but not like this. Not sitting in peace, just touching because we could.

Roscoe looked up, scanning the slowly filling tables around us. A golden retriever joined us two tables over. He cocked his head. So I scanned the crowd too. Roscoe was a good guard dog. If he thought something was worth a second glance then so did I.

But I didn’t see anything and Roscoe set his head back down.

“What’s your favorite food?” Annalise asked as she took a sip from her beer.

I left mine untouched. Why did I order it? Habit maybe. “I love a good steak, but my favorite? Like if someone put out a buffet and I could pick anything to have? Probably my mom’s mac and cheese.”

“Now see, this is one reason why I find you so intriguing, Seth Butler. You constantly surprise me.”

“Let me blow your mind then. I’ll make it for you tonight after the game.”

“Your place or mine?”

That was the frustrating question. We could escape to a hotel, but then I couldn’t cook and damnit, now that I put it out there, I really wanted to seduce her over a meal I cooked for her.

“Let me check on something.” I opened our group text and asked if anyone was bunking at my place tonight. As much as I liked her place, mine was safer. And more private. I doubt anyone had enough time to bribe one of my neighbors in the next building for a view of my condo.

A string of texts came in. All with the exact answer I was hoping for. Kit was sent down today and Ash wasn’t being called up until we hit the road.

So I texted my cleaning service and requested an emergency visit. “My place. It’s all ours tonight.”

“Okay. Need me to pick up groceries?”

“Nope. I’ll take care of everything.” I texted her the address. “Whenever you’re ready, head on over. I’ve already given the doorman your details. They’ll let you in.” The moment we started fake dating I made sure she was on my guest list. And after this I’d inform them that Annalise was more than a guest. “With any luck I’ll have security sorted before you finish practice.” I had an agency I used often enough. Usually just a bodyguard here or there. Sometimes I had them check the condo out.

This time we’d need more. Someone ‘round the clock. Maybe a couple of somebodies. I’d give them the details and they’d sort the logistics out.

Roscoe’s head shot back up, the hair behind his neck right along with it, a low growl coming from his mouth, full alert.

Which put me on full alert. I followed his line of sight to the hibiscus bushes that lined the fence around the brewery patio. To the camera pointed at us. “Shit. They found us.”

But Annalise leaned forward, pulling her sunglasses down with a frown. “That’s not paparazzi.”

Who the else would it fucking be?

Annalise shot to her feet. She wasn’t surprised or even mad. She was fucking furious. “That’s the documentary crew.”

9

ANNALISE

“Where is he?” I yelled as I slammed into the locker room at the Tangerine’s practice facility.

Twenty-odd heads snapped my direction. Jeri shot to her feet. “Whoa there. What’s wrong?”

My teammates were in various states of dress but Jeri was ready to go. No sign of a camera or my bastard of an ex. “Owen. Where is he?”

“Haven’t seen him yet today.” She put her hands on my shoulders, her head moving to catch my gaze as I kept looking around. “Ryan! Focus!”

I snapped my attention to her. “He had mefollowed. I was eating an early lunch with Seth and they were in the goddamned bushes filming us!”

“Whoa.” Her hands fell away. Nan, Phoebe, and Charley shot to their feet, coming closer. “That’s not cool.”

“No shit.”

“Let’s get Coach. We’ll get this sorted.”

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