Page 46 of Hard Hitter
Yes. This was everything. The whole fucking league could burn to the ground as long as her lithe arms held him tightly. He slicked his tongue across the seam of her lips, because he couldn’t help himself. She gasped and opened immediately.
Their tongues tangled. All he wanted was to lose himself in her kiss all night long.
But she’d said no.
Not tonight.
Goddamn it.
It took every shred of his willpower to ease up. He slanted his head one more time. One more kiss. One more perfect taste. Then, panting, he stepped back, careful to hold her by the ribcage until she stood on her own two feet again.
Breathing hard, Ari blinked up at him.
“Good night, sweetheart. Sleep well.”
For a split second, she looked at the keys in her hand as if she’d never seen them before. Then she shook them out and turned toward the lock. “Good night, Patrick.”
His chest gave a squeeze. Nobody ever called him Patrick. Not since he was eight and lost his mother. “Let me hear you lock that door behind you.”
She pushed inside, gave a quick wave and shut the door. He heard the deadbolt a moment later.
There was nothing left to do but walk away.
FOURTEEN
After locking the door, Ari peeked through the curtains to watch Patrick retreat toward Water Street.
Tonight she’d be staying alone in her house for the first time since Vince’s breaking and entering. She could have asked Patrick to stay, but she knew exactly wherethatwould lead. It wouldn’t be his fault, either. She did not trust herself at all around that man. Even if she’d asked him to stay in the guest bedroom...
Right. Too much temptation.
There were other options. She could have slept on Becca’s couch, or Georgia and Leo’s. But she was determined not to let Vince drive her out of her own home. So she flipped on a lamp in the living room and took stock. Everything was just as she’d left it. There was no reason to believe that anyone had broken into her home, but she had a good look around just to make herself feel sure.
Then, even though it was silly, she brought her Katt Phone upstairs with her. She put it on the charger right beside her bed, just in case. After getting ready for bed, she locked her bedroom door for perhaps the first time ever. But maybe it would help her sleep to know that there was one extra barrier between herself and trouble.
It took her a long time to fall asleep, but she managed. Two times she only woke up to listen to the sounds of her old house settling. To ease her mind, she replayed Patrick’s big, steamy kiss on her front stoop. God, that man was a maddening study in contrasts. Nobody had as cool a facade as Patrick O’Doul. He didn’t like to be touched. But he kissed like he was starving for it. Thinking of him made her toss and turn for different reasons.
It wasn’t the most restful night’s sleep, but she did it. Vince hadn’t won, and he wasn’t going to.
The next morning was an easy one, thankfully. She sat through a staff meeting with Henry and the other trainers. And she didn’t happen to bump into Patrick at the practice facility, thank goodness. She would need to put on her game face before seeing him again. That kiss had scrambled her brain.
After the meeting she went home to pack for the team’s four-day trip to North Carolina and Philly. It was a mid-day flight this time, and, she made sure to hire a car which would get her to the airport early. Missing the team jet was one of the more embarrassing mistakes an employee could make. Her boss Henry had actually managed to get himself left behind in Dallas once last year when he lost track of time. His Katt Phone had run out of batteries, too, so the team couldn’t raise him. His punishment had been twofold: a very expensive plane ticket and a whole lot of ribbing.
Ari arrived at the airport an hour ahead of time, because she didn’teverwant to make that mistake. A woman’s errors would always be counted differently. Her mother was right about that.
As a result of her promptness, she was the first one on the jet. And when Patrick O’Doul boarded a while later, he gave her a solemn nod before moving down the aisle.Do not turn and admire his ass, she ordered herself. And she didn’t. Maybe it was all the meditating she did, but willpower was one of Ari’s strengths.
At least she used to think so.
When the jet had reached cruising altitude, Trevor, one of the office assistants, tapped her on the shoulder. “Hugh Major would like a word with you in private.”
Ari closed her book with a startled slam. “Thank you,” she said, rising from her seat. It wasnotan ordinary occurrence to have the general manager asking for a meeting—let alone on the jet.Hell. What had she done wrong?
One recent sin leapt to mind.
She ran a hand through her hair. Then she stood up, straightening her skirt and heading for the back. The players she passed were relaxing in their seats, earbuds in, listening to music or watching movies on their Katt Phones. Many were sleeping. Athletes were good at taking advantage of downtime. Their overworked bodies demanded rest, and they knew to give in.
Patrick O’Doul was not one of the players she passed, and it should have been a clue.
