Page 13 of The Comeback

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, you’re ridiculous.” I glare at her. But everything she’s said is true. And she doesn’t even know about the bet. If she did, she’d kick my ass.

Am I intentionally pushing him away to win a wager? No. I’m not.

Is it because I don’t trust myself around him? No. I’m stronger than that. I can work with the man and not fall at his feet like all the other girls.

“Fine. I’ll go talk to him.” I spin on my heel and growl in frustration. This is going to take all the professional skills I possess. But what better time to practice than right now?

There will be clients that I don’t mesh with in the future. I’ll maintain professionalism and work with them, right? Surely, I can co-exist with him in the same building over the next few weeks without bashing him over the head.

Chapter Eight

Weston

My mouth drops open. “She’s your what?”

“Charlotte is my sister. You know. The daughter of our coach. Coach Tillman.”

Fuck. I snap my teeth together so hard my jaw hurts. I insulted one of the coach’s daughters. I’ll be here less time than an opposing team, flying in for a Sunday afternoon game. “She didn’t mention that.”

“Big surprise,” Knox says.

Gunner jabs me in the shoulder with his left fist. I’ve heard enough about the man to know he doesn’t risk his throwing arm–even during the off-season. “I already told you Devin would’ve never caught that winning pass if it weren’t for ballet. She’s great.”

Knox folds his arms over his chest and glances in his sister’s direction.

Now that I know who she is, I can’t bear to look at her again. Damn it. I’m the pretentious prick she accused me of being. If she weren’t the daughter of Coach Tillman, I wouldn’t care that I insulted her.

That’s bullshit. I haven’t stopped thinking about her all day. The way she moves is the essence of sensuality, but I don’t have time to think about women. Or dating.

Dude, she wouldn’t date you if her life depended on it. She can’t stand you.

“Are you going to work with her?” Gunner takes a swig out of his beer bottle.

“No.”

“Why not?” Knox glares like I’m stupid.

“We didn’t exactly click. And, I might have insulted dancers.” I cringe. “And her. She’s not exactly happy with me.”

Knox chuckles. “That’s awesome, man. My sister is more competitive than any guy on the team. I bet you had her panties in a twist.”

Panties. My heart skips a beat. Fuck. He did not just talk about her panties. Now all I see is her in a pair of panties. Red lace panties.

“Sis.” Knox nods with a smirk. Heat crawls up my neck. Would anyone notice if I dropped to the floor and crawled out of the building? Surely, no one would notice a 6’5” man on all fours creeping across the wooden floor. “Weston here says you got mad at him for insulting dancing.”

I turn around and swallow. Each time I see her, she’s prettier than the last. Her blue eyes are almost translucent. The bar lights shine down on her dark hair, and her ruby red lips are the perfect shape for kissing.

Football. The only thing I can think about is football. I’ve got to get a big contract. Nothing else matters. I won’t be like my father. It’s my responsibility to provide for my family, and the only way to do that is to have money. And stick around.

She licks her lips, and my eyes study each move she makes like I’m prepping for a final exam. “I shouldn’t have baited him. It was as much my fault as his.”

Bite the bullet and be a man. “I was rude. There was no reason for me to insult ballet or to imply you wouldn’t understand what I was going through.”

“It’s okay.” She touches my forearm and my brain short circuits. “I should have been forthcoming with my qualifications rather than getting ticked off. It was unprofessional of me.”

“We’ll leave the two of you to bury the hatchet.” Gunner nods.

“Just try not to bury it in each other.” Knox laughs and slings his arm around Gunner’s shoulders as they walk away.

---