Page 55 of Tempting the Player
Are you still at the game?
Before I can reply, she sends another.
Jane
If you don’t have plans after, can we talk?
“I gotta go too,” I tell Knox. “Jane texted.”
“I get it. The Hollywood star beckons,” he teases. “I’d be running off too. Tell her I said hey.”
“I definitely will not.”
I can hear him chuckling as I rush toward my truck. Once I get in and start it up, I text her back.
Me
Just leaving the game now. What’s up?
I give it a few minutes, but when she doesn’t reply, my impatient ass decides to call her. It goes straight to voicemail, so I hang up and try again. After the fourth try, my pulse is racing and fear laces through me. I read her texts again. Was that supposed to be some sort of cryptic message to let me know she was in danger?Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I start the engine and peel out of the high school parking lot.
18
JANE
“Jane!”Dahlia yells from downstairs.
“Yeah?” I call back at the same time it sounds like a herd of elephants is racing up the wooden steps from the first floor.What the hell?
I put the lid back on the nail polish and stand carefully so I don’t smudge the wet color.
A frantic-looking Hendrick bursts into the open doorway. He scans me from head to toe, then searches the room. I would be less surprised if an actual elephant stood in front of me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as Dahlia and Felix join us to see what’s going on.
“You texted and then didn’t answer when I called. What happened? Are you okay?” He steps closer. Those intense hazel eyes are filled with so much worry it takes my breath away.
“Jane?” He asks again. “Did something happen?”
“I thought you were still at the game. My phone is in do not disturb mode.”
“You’re fine?”
“Y-yes,” I say slowly. I’m still confused why he is here. “Just painting my toes.”
His gaze sweeps down to my lime green toenails, and he nods. “You’re fine. Good.”
A frenzied, anxious energy still radiates off him.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I realize he’s thoroughly freaked out. He thought something happened to me. That should make me more apologetic, but seeing him in action like this is so hot that I’m glad I’m getting to witness it when there isn’t a real problem. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. You didn’t reply right away so I figured it’d be a while before I heard back from you.”
He visibly relaxes in front of me. Running a hand over his hair, he messes up the perfect brown locks as he lets out a breath.
“We’re gonna go back downstairs,” Dahlia says, pulling Felix with her.
I give her a thankful smile.
