Page 89 of Endurance
Camden’s head pops up next. “I’ve been fighting to win a trip to Spain!”
Booker hoots with laughter, draping an arm around the blonde. “You guys have been bidding against each other this entire time!”
Indie deflates. “How sad. I thought I was doing so well.”
“You were, Specs,” Camden coos, stroking her arms. “I’ll stop bidding and let you win.”
Her lip sticks out. “That’s not nearly as fun.” She crosses her arms to pout but then brightens as she sees something behind me. “Belle! I’m winning!”
“Yay!” Belle exclaims reflexively as she moves to stand next to where I’m seated. She assesses the table. “You all look gorgeous.”
Indie eyes Belle appreciatively. “So do you.”
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Belle states, addressing the table full of my family, fellow teammates, and WAGs. “Be sure to go have your picture taken in the huge photo booth over there.” She gestures to the large, white, tent-like structure positioned along the side of the ballroom. “It’s unlimited photos, so have at it. Oh, they also will be live-auctioning some really cool things after a little speech that I have to give, so don’t go far!”
My brows lift. “I didn’t know you have to give a speech.”
She baulks like it’s nothing. “It’s just an introduction for Dr. Miller.”
I nod as DeWalt pipes up from the other side of the table with a question about something on his mobile for the silent auction. She moves over to help him, so I head to the bar and grab us a couple of champagnes. When I return, she’s still talking to him, laughing and looking gorgeous beside him. My jaw clenches as I try not to get my hackles up. DeWalt and I played a great match today, but I’ve still got my eye on him after that night at Welly’s.
I overhear her congratulate him on his goals from today, and I have to restrain myself from marching over there and pissing on her to mark my territory. When she rejoins me and he’s off at the bar, well out of earshot, I whisper in her ear, “Do you remember what happened last time you flirted with DeWalt?”
She cuts her black-rimmed eyes at me. “I’m not flirting. I’m being a polite hostess.”
I arch a brow. “You don’t need to stroke his ego about the goals he scored. I’m the only one really scoring here, woman.” I look down at her body with complete possession rioting through me. I lean in and my lips tickle her ear as I add, “And if you want to get fucked in my truck again, all you have to do is ask.”
She pulls back, biting her tongue to silence a retort that I can see growing to life in her eyes. Checking around us to see the coast is clear, she licks her lips and purrs into my ear, “I’d like to get fucked in a lot of places, Tanner Harris, but let’s get creative and move from your truck to say…Tower Park pitch?” Her voice rises in sexy question, and a satisfied grin breaks across my face as she nuzzles my jawline. “I want you to reenact all those goals you scored today. But instead of using a ball and a net, you’re using your cock and me.”
My dick jolts inside my trousers. It can’t be helped. I close my eyes to steel myself to be proper right now and not reveal the horny manboy my cock believes I am.This woman,I think to myself. She bewitches me. Belle Ryan is both light and dark, and all I want is to spend hours getting lost in her shadows.
Suddenly, Belle’s heated eyes turn bright as she looks behind me. “Oh, Dr. Miller, hello!” Her voice is high-pitched as she stands and reaches out to shake someone’s hand.
I remain seated for a second to try and shake the sexual stupor off of my face. I turn around in my chair just as Belle begins to introduce me.
“This is my boyfriend, Tanner Harris.”
On cue, I rise out of my chair, my dirty thoughts all but vanished after her “boyfriend” label. It seems trivial compared to everything I feel inside of me. Not an accurate representation of how I see us. Regardless, I turn and find myself towering over a small, robust woman in a matronly evening gown. I’m surprised to see that this is the woman Belle calls a baby-saving genius.
We shake hands and I detect a lilt in her American accent. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Harris. I really appreciate you and your team supporting us this evening.”
I wave her off as she head nods to everyone at the table behind me. I reply, “It’s our pleasure. I’m very proud of the work Belle does with you. She was telling me about your honoured guest this evening on our ride in the lift. What you all manage to accomplish is incredible.”
Dr. Miller smiles at Belle. “Well, we need strong, motivated doctors like Dr. Ryan to keep our work going. I have high hopes for her.”
Belle blushes and murmurs a thank you, but then her eyes fly wide toward someone off in the distance. “Is that your daughter, Reyna? And Liam?”
My gaze shifts to the couple approaching us, and I immediately zero in on the woman’s extensively inked arms. A full sleeve decorates one; a half decorates the other. While appreciating the artistry, I can’t help but notice the vast disparity between her and Dr. Miller. They aren’t your typical mother/daughter combination. It would be unusual to grow up with a mother like Dr. Miller and possess that much ink andnothave a story to tell.
“Dr. Ryan, I thought it was you my mother was talking to. I just wanted to come say hello.”
The woman removes her grasp from her small bump and reaches out to shake Belle’s hand. The man does the same.
“Tanner, this is Dr. Miller’s daughter, Reyna, and her husband, Liam. This is my boyfriend, Tanner Harris.” We exchange more handshakes, and I do my best to hide the furrow in my brow over that annoying word again.
“How are you…all?” Belle asks, gesturing to Reyna’s stomach.
“We’re brilliant,” Liam answers. “We just had another scan this week and all three babies are looking excellent.”
