Page 43 of Tempting the Player
Hendrick sits back, lips wet and eyes dark. “Archer and Brogan are home,” he says as he stands and runs a thumb over his mouth.
“I can be quiet.” That’s a lie. I don’t even want to try to be quiet with him.
“We should talk.”
“O-kay. Talk first.”
“Not here.” He grabs his keys from the top of the dresser. “Let’s go for a drive.”
* * *
Once we’re buckled in Hendrick’s truck, he pulls away from the house. One orgasm did nothing but amplify my feelings for him. And right now, those feelings are all about sex.
“Where are we going?” I ask, my fingers crossed that it’s to buy condoms. A whole bunch of them.
“I’m taking you home.”
“Home?” Maybe he wants more privacy to continue what we started. God, I hope so.
His gaze leaves the road to look at me briefly. “What happened back there? That can’t happen again.”
Well, that pours icy cold disappointment over my excitement.
“Are you serious right now?” Just when a girl thinks she can’t be any more humiliated. I don’t understand him and I’m too angry to ask. It doesn’t matter. Today has been too long to put up with this shit. “Stop the truck. I can walk home from here.”
His hard stare remains forward on the road. “You’re not walking, and we need to talk.”
“I have nothing else to say to you.”
I try the door handle, but it’s locked.
“What, are you going to jump out?” he asks, one brow cocked all smug-like.
“Stop the damn truck, Hendrick!” I yell.
He slows and pulls along the curb. I find the unlock button and have my door open and I’m jumping out before he’s come to a complete stop. I storm onto the sidewalk and start walking.
He climbs out and comes around the front of the truck. “You’re going the wrong direction.”
Crap, he’s right. Without commenting, I turn and start toward home. He moves to stand in my path. “Will you stop and listen to me?”
I brush past him with my middle finger raised. Petulant? Probably. But god, it feels good. I want to rage on someone for all the madness happening lately. Why can’t I just find a nice guy and be a regular college girl like all my friends? Why did I have to announce to the world that I was Ivy Greene? Why, why, why?! Oh yeah, because I thought I could merge my two worlds without any consequences. Stupid me.
“Dammit, Jane.” His fingers wrap around my upper arm. “I can’t make sure you’re safe if I’m distracted all the time. Which is what I’ll be if we start sleeping together.”
Well, that’s not what I expected. I spin on him. “What are you talking about? You’re not even my bodyguard anymore.”
“But I should be.”
Wait, what?
“You and I both know you need someone looking after you.”
“Why? The thing at my house and today, they weren’t anything.”
“I’m not even sure you believe that. If you did, you wouldn’t have been so scared today.”
My stomach dips with the same anxiety I’ve been feeling all month. “It’s been a lot lately. That’s all. I’ve been anxious and emotional, and I let it impact my judgment.”
