Page 38 of Making the Call
Luke
Walking in,seeing Dani comfortable in my space, makes the high from our victory pale in comparison. The way her eyes eat me up as I walk through the room to meet her, makes me wish we were anywhere but my office.
I welcome her with a kiss that feels like the walls could go up in flames, and they’d have nothing on us.Fuck! This woman drives me wild.Just as things really get heated, there’s a knock on the door.
Dani and I pull away, panting. I take a moment to smooth Dani’s hair and adjust myself before saying, “Come in.”Damn, my voice sounds gravelly.I quickly clear my throat just as the door opens.
Harlow’s head pops around the door, thankfully oblivious to what she’s just interrupted. “Don’t forget I’ll be out of the office until Thursday. If you need anything, feel free to call.”
“Enjoy your time with your daughter and new grandbaby. I can manage things while you’re gone,” I assure her.
She gives me a knowing quirk of her eyebrow. Christ. She knows I rely on her a lot before away games, but I can’t begrudge her this time with her daughter. That’s just not my style. “If you say so…” She shakes her head. “Seriously, I’ve trained an intern to fill in on some of the tasks necessary for the week. But I’m only a phone call away.”
Rolling my eyes, I grimace. “I won’t call you, even if the building sets fire. Go! Spend time with your family. That’s an order. If we weren’t finalizing our roster before traveling to New York, I wouldn’t bother having you come in all week.”
Harlow starts to speak, but I cut her off with a smirk. “You may be a vital part of our team, but I’m sure we’ll find a way to manage without you.” I love giving Harlow a hard time. She always teases me that I’m just eight years older than her daughter, so I’m more like a son than anything.
“Yeah… Yeah… Leighton. I’ll believe it when I see it.”
I sigh. There’s no arguing with Harlow Ryan. She’s ruthless. Instead, I offer, “Give Ginny my congratulations and be sure to shoot a text of your new granddaughter when she arrives.”
With that, Harlow beams. I know she’s eager to be a grandma. It kills her having her family live almost an hour away. If she had it her way, they’d move in with her. But I don’t think Ginny’s husband would approve. She turns and almost exits the room but hesitates.
“It was nice meeting you, Danika,” Harlow tacks on just as she’s about to walk through the door.
“You, too,” Dani chirps in.
“I hope to see a lot more of you.” She pointedly looks in my direction, letting me know she approves. She winks then quickly hustles out the door, letting it slip closed behind her.Leave it to Harlow to always to have the last word.
“Uh… do you bring many girls here?” Dani asks apprehensively.
I shake my head adamantly. “Besides my mom and sister, you’re theonlyone.”
“Uh…” She hesitates and appears to choose her words carefully. “Why would Harlow want to make sure you bring me around then?”
“Who knows?” Without a conscious thought, I reach out to caress Dani’s cheek. For some reason, I need to touch her. “But given the fact you’re the first I’ve brought around since I started working for the Rainier Renegades, she must know you’re special.”
Dani sighs audibly as she brushes her cheek against my palm.
That sigh alone has me wanting her just as much as before. “What do you say to getting out of here?”
Her face fills with a cheeky grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
The game day traffic has dispersed by the time we get to my Mercedes in the players’ parking lot. I quickly maneuver my way through town and arrive at my loft in minutes. Dani’s unusually quiet during the ride, though she hasn’t let go of my hand. The ride is fairly short, so I don’t put too much weight into it. I pull into my parking garage, and we make our way to the elevator to my loft.
Earlier, we met in the parking garage when she dropped off her car because her family hit traffic before the game, so this is the first time Dani’s in my home. I’m a bit nervous. It’s not like it’s a bachelor pad or anything, but I bought this when I first started working for Rainier and never felt the need to upgrade. It’s a two-bedroom loft with brick walls and a fantastic view of the city and Puget Sound in the distance. I’m curious as to what she’ll think of it.
“Everything okay?” I ask as we ride up the elevator. She’s been holding my hand since we left the car, but she’s got a far-off look I can’t quite place.
“Oh…” She finally comes back from wherever she’s been and gives me an apologetic shrug. “Lost in my head. Sorry. This would make a great scene in a book.”
“What?” My voice fills with mischief. “You wanna write a story about a guy who’s dying to touch his woman. He’s waited nearly two weeks to and can’t wait to rip her clothes off?”
Dani’s eyebrows raise to her hairline. Her voice deepens to a sexy as sin tone, prompting me to continue. “Tell me more about this story of yours.”
Fuck. I am so on board with this game. Could this elevator go any slower?The energy’s almost electrifying as numerous thoughts drift through my mind.Where to begin… Where to begin?
