A group of players walked past us, and I flushed under their gaze. Why did being here make me feel so exposed?
“Do you know when Teo will come out?”
“The trainer needed to work on his hamstring, but he shouldn’t be too long.”
I signed Stephen’s ticket and handed it back to him.
“Awesome! You’re the first famous person I’ve met. Besides the soccer team, I mean. And you know Asher Smith.”
“He’s my brother-in-law.”
Stephen’s eyes grew wider. “Holy crap!” The boy’s voice cracked, sliding too high in his excitement. “He’s part of your family?”
“She doesn’t play for just anyone, Stephen.” Teo stepped close enough for me to smell the sandalwood from his body wash. His dark hair glistened, black from his shower. “She’s never performed for me.”
“I did today.” I tilted my face up toward his. Brenna’d been right. I played for Teo, not the rest of the crowd.
The dimple appeared in his cheek as his teeth flashed, white and perfect. “So you did. And I enjoyed hearing you make that viola sing so sweetly.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “I scored a goal for you.”
“That was exciting. I almost missed it, though.”
“Glad you didn’t. Let’s go.” He tugged my viola from my hand and placed his other palm against the small of my back.
“Where?”
“Dinner?”
I sucked on my lip. “Is that what you want?”
“Besides you?” His voice, with that sultry Argentinian lilt I found so difficult to dismiss from my mind, addled my brain.
I scoffed. “You don’t want me.”
“Oh, I want you. Enough to suffer the consequences.”
“What consequences?” Confusion and frustration welled up in my chest.
He stepped in, even closer, crowding my space. “Being with you is complicated.”
I hiked my purse up my shoulder, smoothing down Teo’s jersey. “You don’t give clear answers. Okay, here’s the deal. You and I almost hooked up. I unhooked when you turned me down and now you feel like you missed out on easy sex. Though I can’t understand how you’d feel bad about it seeing as your living with that pretty redhead.” I slammed my lips together to keep my chin from wobbling.
His light brown eyes were filled with sorrow. “I don’t think you’re easy. And what we’re starting—it wouldn’t be just sex. And I’m not—never was—sleeping with Mariana.”
“She’s living in your condo.” I stepped back again, bumping into the cold, hard cement wall. I needed emotional space and that proved harder to get than physical distance.
“She’s a friend, more importantly, a sports therapist, who happened to be staying with me, but she’s gone home now.” He ran his hands through his hair, creating mussed waves. Of course his hair was sexy when he was agitated. Everything about the man was sexy. So sexy it hurt.
Great. Now that song would play in my head for days.
“You’re planning to go to Milan. Noah told me. You’re leaving.” Me. I didn’t say that because there was no us, and I had no right to voice my frustration. I breathed in deep as I closed my eyes, trying to find an equilibrium that’d been lacking since my ridiculous attempt at romance last weekend. Talk about lessons learned. The third time proved the smack down I needed.
A bunch of cats and giving up on men, forever—a bleak future but at least my heart would never break again.
Brenna said I’d eventually realize men weren’t worth the effort. She did casual one-night flings—keeping her partners out of her personal life and away from people she cared about. Maybe her idea about relationships was smarter than mine. Scratch the itch and move on.
I opened my eyes when Teo’s fingers slid around my elbows, cupping them as he pulled me closer to his body. I struggled against him but mainly against my need. I wanted his touch; my body begged for it even as my mind rebelled. His facial expression grew pensive, his eyes too world-weary for a man his age.
“Maybe. Maybe not. What I do know is I’d like to get to know you better.”
My heart hammered so loud, people must’ve been able to hear the steady thrum across town. I covered his mouth with my hand. “Don’t say that.”
He pressed a kiss to my palm as he stepped in closer. “Tell you the truth?”
“I googled you.”
“I’d be disappointed if you hadn’t. I did the same. After my conversation with Noah.”
“You talked to Noah?”
“He worried about you after those pictures of us came out.”
“He doesn’t get to talk to my boyfriends,” I said, offended. Teo slid in, placing his hand above my head.
“Boyfriend?”
My body quivered at Teo’s nearness. Damn, my crush ratcheted up another notch as I stared into his dark-lashed eyes. “That’s not what I meant. You don’t want me.”
“Really? Is that what my body’s telling you right now?”
He pressed even closer, and I sucked in a shattered breath. “You said you didn’t want to have sex with me.”
He bit the tip of my ear, and I bit back a moan. “No. I never said that. I said I wouldn’t have sex with you when you were drunk. And for the record, that dress was the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”
He shifted so I was sandwiched between the warmth of his body and the unforgiving coldness of the concrete at my back.
Shock slithered through me because I remained relaxed, comfortable with the position and Teo’s nearness. In fact, I craved more.
“Turning you away was next to impossible,” he murmured into my hair. “I’ve craved your lips for weeks. I’ve loved your fierce quietness since you first met my eye. You have no idea how happy I am that you felt the same spark.”
The smell of his body wash trickled from my nose into my head, circling my heart and warming my belly. He tipped my chin up, his lips brushing to the corner of my mouth. I trembled in his arms, willing him to do that again. Or to kiss me like he before. To own me so I couldn’t think—just give in. Instead, he ran his thumbs over my cheekbones with delicate strokes.
“I’ve done and been many things, Preslee. But I’ve never pined before.” He paused, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. “When you walked out of my condo, that was so much worse than your punch to my gut. Which hurt, by the way. I didn’t like it—the pining.”
My eyes slid closed as I let his words drift over my skin, settle against me like a warm hug. Better than I expected.
He must have sensed my softening because his hands were on my arms again, sliding up and pulling me in closer. He leaned down so that his lips touched the sensitive outer shell of my ear.
“I need to know…you have to tell me…you came to the bar for me?”
My heart stumbled in its rhythm. An admission wasn’t just leaving me open for hurt, it would rip me to shreds when this ended. And with his steely focus on the game, this could only end poorly. But still… I couldn’t lie to him.
I met his eyes, kept my gaze firm. “I wouldn’t have gone home with anyone else.”
He nodded once as he leaned in, brushing his nose along my cheek. I shivered at his smell, his warmth, his touch.
“You want to see where we go, too. We can. We can do that, starting now.” His fingers dug into the soft skin just above my elbow. I liked that he wanted me so much.
“What do you mean?” My voice wavered as much as my integrity. I didn’t understand how he did this to me. I should push him away. Instead, my hands fisted in his shirt. I opened them slowly, intent to make the smart, if painful, decision. Teo lifted a hand and pressed it against mine. He leaned back down, nuzzling into my hair. His chest muscles relaxed.
I blinked, my world righting itself.
“I can’t keep a level head where you’re concerned.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“I like you. I want to know you better. The world believes we’re dating already, and I’d l
ike the world to be right.” His hands slid down my back, soothing and arousing all at once.
“For how long?” I whispered, voicing my biggest fear.
11
Teo
I cupped her cheek, making sure her eyes met mine. “I don’t know. I just…” I exhaled, shocked by how fast my heart beat. Telling my father about my desire to date Preslee proved hard, but this…having to convince her was more difficult than threading my way between three defenders.
I sucked in a breath. “Let’s just see where this goes.” I’d already weighed my hamstring, my possible trade, which was why I spoke with confidence when I said, “I promise you, you’ll be the one to end this.”
Preslee needed control—I understood why—and she deserved it. But if I ended up leaving, she wouldn’t want the hassle of a long-distance relationship. In the meantime, I’d get to be the one to reintroduce Preslee to intimacy, something I very much wanted.
Her breath puffed out, and I waited, wanting nothing more than to touch her. Preslee’s eyes darkened to a lovely emerald. She nodded and I slid my hand to the small of her delicate back, nudging her forward again.
“Now, will you go to dinner with me?”
Her eyes remained wide and a smile lurked at the corner of those pretty pink lips. “I’d like that.”
Her voice softened with each word she spoke. I liked that.
Preslee nibbled more than ate. I rarely ate after a game—my normal routine entailed a light snack before bed then a huge, three-course breakfast next morning.
She sipped her wine and kept darting looks at me like she expected me to disappear. I curled my arm around her waist in a possessive gesture as we walked toward my car. Her free hand was stuffed into the pocket of her coat, her nose and ears pink from the thickening chill.
I took her viola case and purse, my fingers lingering on her shoulder.
“I’d like you to come home with me,” I said. Well, I’d like to finish what we’d started at the bar, but saying so right now felt wrong.
Her eyes darted back to mine, lips parting in surprise. A frown followed, pulling her angel-wing brows down.
“I don’t understand what’s changed. Why this new seduction?”
“Nothing changed.”
I sighed. Everything had changed. As soon as I told Noah about my hamstring, I knew my chances of wearing the jersey of my dreams shrank to near nil. But, also, that day Noah and I spoke in his office, I realized I wanted to date Preslee. No matter how much I denied the attraction, I couldn’t shake my need to see her, touch her, again—a feeling I’d never experienced before. Because soccer always—always—took precedence in my life. It was my escape from my mother and it bloomed into my passion. Some said an obsession. Before, I brushed aside such comments as silly, but…since talking to Noah, my father, even my agent, all of whom showed surprise at how well I was taking my potential injury, I came to realize I did obsess about the sport.
“Except I’ve lost days I could’ve spent with you.”
She glanced at her bag on my shoulder, at her viola in my hands. I trapped her by taking her things, but this wasn’t the way I wanted her. I wanted her warm and willing, like last weekend.
“What about Milan?” she asked.
I shrugged. “My agent’s working on it.” And earning every penny I paid him. Somehow, he’d revived the trade discussion and the front office wanted to schedule time to talk with me. Satisfaction warmed me as I considered my chances. “Which means each day is more precious.”
“I don’t think this is smart.” She spoke slowly, weighing out each word.
“Us, in a relationship, has always been a terrible idea. Then, I saw you in that dress last weekend.” The lack of control over my desire for her irritated me. “Each time we meet, I want you more.”
“I read about you—how you refuse to get involved with a woman for more than a few weeks during the season. Because that ‘splits your focus.’” She folded her arms over her chest and glared.
I leaned in so that my nose almost touched hers. “That’s because I never met a woman I wanted for more than a few weeks. More than I wanted another W in my column.” Truer words I’d yet to speak. “Between us, we’re exclusive.”
“I won’t be the other woman again.” She slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide as they darted around.
“You had an affair with a married man?”
“No,” she whispered. “But with Oren…after the first time he hit me, he made it seem like I was clingy. Like I’d fastened on to him when he’d wanted to be free to see another woman, who corroborated that story.” She twisted the edge of her coat, her agitation increasing. “It felt…I felt dirty.”
She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her fingers fluttered to her other arm before dropping to her sides where she clenched them into fists.
No wonder Preslee didn’t trust men. I gripped her cold hand in mine. Her bones were small, delicate. But not fragile. No, her calluses and the tendons there proved Preslee’s diligence to her instrument. To survival.
“I won’t push you to go for more than you’re comfortable with. I can’t tell you I won’t get an offer to play elsewhere that would be better for my career, but I can promise that while we’re together, we’re exclusive.”
Her eyes searched mine for a long moment, trying to delve deeper than I wanted her to go. “Why would you make me a promise like that?”
“I don’t ever want you to compare me to that little piece of slime. I’m not Oren. I won’t cheat, I won’t hit you, and I won’t leave you alone. At least, not for more than my travel schedule.”
“Okay.” She drew out the word. “You travel a lot.”
“I do.”
“Is that why you don’t date? Because there really isn’t enough time?”
I shrugged. “If you’ll come up to my place, we can talk further.” I opened the door to my car and waited.
Preslee settled her hand on the top of the car door and began to lower herself in. Before she did, she raised her gaze to mine once more.
“I still don’t understand. Why did you push me away the other night, and suddenly want me now?”
12
Preslee
He glanced around, eyes narrowing at a spot behind me.
“Please get in the car.”
My first instinct was to scoot closer to him, my body responding to the tautness of his voice.
“Okay,” I whispered.
I slid into the car’s seat and he closed the door. Teo glanced over his shoulder as he trotted around the front of his silver sedan. Whatever was back there caused his muscles to coil, his steps to lengthen.
He drove with care, his gaze split between the road in front of him and the rearview mirror. Once we were in the parking garage, he sighed, a heavy sound filled with tension.
“I need to go to the lobby.”
I frowned but nodded and kept up with his quick pace to the entrance of the condo. He headed straight toward to the security guard.
“There is a man out there. All in black. He followed us for a few blocks.”
“Did you get a description, Mr. Cruz?” the guard asked.
Teo shook his head. “Too dark. But I’m sure he followed us, and I’m concerned about Ms. Jennings’ safety.”
I jerked, my gaze flying up to Teo’s. He was equal parts worried and pissed. I pressed closer to his side, needing his physical reassurance.
The guard picked up the phone, already dialing. “We’ll deal with this, Mr. Cruz.”
Teo nodded and ushered me to the bank of elevators. “Up we go.”
The emotions of the night caught up with me and I trembled, not just from the fear of being followed—and completely unaware of that danger—but the insidious voice whispering that Teo was playing me for a fool. This change in him was too sudden, too intense for me to trust it. More importantly, him.
“Maybe I should just go home.”
Teo clasped my hand that picked a
t my elbow through Brenna’s shirt. He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “Hey now. None of that.”
“I didn’t know I was being followed.”
Teo frowned. “I didn’t either until he moved forward into the streetlamp’s light.”
“Do you think it was a fan?” I ask, searching for some thin string to hold on to.
Teo turned toward me, setting my viola on the ground. He placed both hands on my shoulders and met my gaze. “We may never know. But I do believe our security will look into it. Let us not worry more now.”
He scooted closer until his hip touched mine. When I met his gaze, he dropped my hand and brushed my bangs from my lashes. He leaned down until his mouth rested just above mine. Cupping my cheek, he moved closer but once again paused. Our eyes locked, and I barely resisted the urge to press into him.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
“Riding in elevators is more fun with you.” Teo tugged on my arm and pulled me from the car. “Let’s talk. I know you have questions.”
I licked my bottom lip, wanting to feel more than a brief brush of his lips against mine. Anymore and I might burn up.
Opening his door, Teo led me to his living room. The experience was surreal. Last time, I entered this place in clothes that revealed more than they concealed, hoping to finally feel again. Which I did, in the form of shame when Mariana showed up. This time, I wore black dress pants and a soccer jersey and wondered if I’d walk out of Teo’s condo with my pride and heart still intact.
I settled into the corner of his sleek, modern sofa. It was beige, leather, tailored and much more comfortable than I remembered. I snagged a throw pillow and plopped it in my lap, facing Teo who still stood above me.
He tugged at his lip, his eyes dark with an emotion I couldn’t name.
“What did you want to tell me?”
“May I get you a drink?”
I shook my head. He sighed and sank onto the couch next to me.
Striker's Waltz (Seattle Sound Series Book 6) Page 9
