Marrying an Athlete

by Anne-Marie Meyer

He tried to ignore how good it felt to have her standing so close to his body. To feel her warmth cascade over him. He knew that he should step back. But he was finding it hard to do that when every part of him ached to hold her.

  As much as he wanted to enjoy the feeling of her pressed against him, he couldn’t. So he dropped the knife onto the counter and then took a step to the side. “Show me, Ms. Picky.” Joking seemed about the only thing he knew how to do.

  Anna’s eyebrows rose as her gaze met his. After a moment, she picked up the knife. And began cutting the shallots. Michael busied himself by reading the recipe card in front of him.

  Every so often, he glanced over to McKenna and Sam who seemed to be working together. He detected a few stolen glances and hopeful smiles as they chopped and sautéed together.

  He felt happy for his sister. She deserved this. Even though they were both hurting inside, he knew that they wanted to work on their marriage. That they weren’t going to give up—no matter how much hurt they needed to work through.

  Anna was pushing the shallots around in the pan when he glanced over at her. In many ways, this was how he felt about Anna.

  She was important to him. She always would be. And as hard as it was to be next to her—feeling her close and not being allowed to do anything about it—she was his friend.

  He wasn’t going to push her away no matter how much he wanted to. She deserved better than that.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Anna

  By the third time they burned the hollandaise sauce, Pierre shooed them from his kitchen with a loud sigh and a permanent scowl. Anna pushed open the large metal door that led to the outside and giggled as Michael followed her.

  She wanted to apologize to Pierre, but he was too preoccupied yelling at another employee to care. Why she thought she could cook such a complicated sauce was beyond her. It didn’t help that Michael seemed to think he would be of any help.

  That man didn’t even know the difference between a ladle and a spatula.

  The warm afternoon breeze surrounded them as she walked across the small platform to where the cement met the beach. She took off her sandals and wiggled her toes in the sand. The last thing she wanted to do right now was be stuck inside, pretending that she loved to cook.

  Hopefully, this class would work on McKenna and Sam. They seemed to be enjoying it as they spoon fed each other their sauces, and for the first time this trip, acting like they actually liked the other person. They were still inside, getting a private lesson from Pierre.

  The breeze picked up, surrounding Anna. She felt free, and from where she stood, the water looked amazing. It called to her, and she couldn’t ignore its siren any longer.

  “Wanna go swimming?” she asked, glancing over at Michael who was studying her.

  “I thought you’d never ask.” He slipped off his sandals and ran into the sand.

  Within seconds, they were at the water’s edge. Michael was unbuttoning his shirt. Anna tried hard not to stare at his chest as it was slowly revealed. Once he was in the water and covered, she’d feel better.

  Thankfully, she’d anticipated that they would go swimming, so she’d worn her suit under her maxi dress. She pulled up the hem and slipped it off. She folded it and set it on top of her sandals. When she turned back around, she caught Michael staring at her before he dropped his gaze.

  Heat rushed over her skin. “What are you looking at?” she asked, grateful that her tone came across as playful and didn’t expose how nervous his gaze made her.

  “Nothing,” he said, pulling off his shirt and dropping it next to his sandals. He gave her a smile as he took off toward the water.

  She raced after him. There was no way she was going to let him off that easy. “Michael Jones, you come back here. That’s not a good enough answer,” she said, diving into the water after him.

  When she broke the water’s surface, she glanced around. Michael was a few feet away, wiping his hand through his hair. Water droplets sprinkled around him. How did he look like a Greek God while she just looked like a drowning dog? Fate just wasn’t fair.

  She marched over to him and placed her hands on her hips. “I asked you a question,” she said, glancing up at him.

  Michael peered down at her. “Are you trying to intimidate me?” he asked. A smile hinted on his lips.

  “Is it working?” she asked, dropping her arms.

  He laughed. “No. But it’s cute that you think it might.”

  “Cute?” She lunged toward him with her fists punching at him like an inexperienced boxer. He raised his hands and took her swings like they were a bug on a windshield. “Remember what happened last time you called me cute?”

  He gave her a quizzical look before recognition passed over his face. “Halloween, right?”

  She nodded. “I’d dressed up as Thelma from Scooby-Doo, and you called me cute.” She went back to striking his raised hands.

  “Oh, but you were so cute. With your fake glasses and brown wig.”

  “Thelma wasn’t the cute one, she was the smart one.” Anna shot him a look that she hoped would come across as angry, but Michael just smiled at her.

  “Right. So, what do I say when I think you do something adorable?” He wrapped his fingers around her knuckles and held her still so he could look into her eyes.

  Anna’s heart pounded in her chest as she felt the warmth of his palms rush across her skin. Why was she having this reaction to him? He wasn’t good for her. He was a playboy. She should run far away from him.

  “Anna?”

  She snapped her attention over to him. “I’m a woman. You can tell me I’m smokin’ hot, but not cute.” She’d meant it as a joke but from his raised eyebrows, he didn’t agree.

  “But what if you do something sexy? Then what do I say?” He pulled her closer as if out of instinct. He hesitated before he met her gaze, and it made Anna’s stomach twist. Was he waiting for her to pull away? What if she didn’t? How far would he take this?

  “You can always call a girl sexy,” she breathed out as she kept her gaze steady with his.

  “You. . .” he steeled his expression as he stared down at her. In one swift movement, he pulled her closer to him until she was inches away. His gaze lingered on her lips before making their way back to her eyes. “Anna Short, are. . . cute.”

  Anna’s head swam and for a moment, she didn’t quite process what he had just said. As the words sank in around her, she pulled back and cupped her hand and splashed him.

  He attempted to duck away from the water, but it was too late. It splashed all over him, leaving him sputtering.

  When he wiped his eyes, he swept his gaze around until he found her.

  Oh crap. He was going to get her back.

  She hopped back as quickly as she could, narrowly missing Michael’s hand as he grabbed for her.

  “Oh, you’re mine, Anna,” he said, stalking through the water toward her.

  She squealed and ran as hard as she could away from him. There was a splash, and when she turned back around, he was gone. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her ankle. Screaming, she wiggled free and joined him in the water. She was a much faster swimmer then water-walker.

  After a minute, she popped up and sucked in her breath. While she was above the water, she glanced around. Michael was nowhere to be found.

  “Looking for me?”

  She yelped as she turned around to see him standing inches away from her. His blue eyes sparkled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up, throwing her into the water a few feet away.

  She screamed until she entered the water and then pressed her lips closed to keep the salty taste away. When her feet landed on the ocean floor, she pushed up and gasped when she broke the water’s surface.

  Michael was standing next to her with a smirk on his face. “Do you surrender?” he asked, holding up his hand as if to taunt her.

  She nodded as she inched closer. That seemed to relax him.

  “Good.” />
  When she was a foot away, she planted her feet firmly on the ground and swept at the water’s surface with her hands. “Never surrender!” she yelled as she sprayed him.

  He sputtered as the water hit his face. Anna squealed and dove into the water, kicking as hard as she could to get away from him. The feeling of his hand surrounding her ankle stopped her, and she was pulled back. She wiggled to get away, but he was too strong.

  He pulled her out of the water and wrapped his arms around her. She squealed and twisted.

  “I’ve got you now,” he said as he leaned closer to her ear.

  Tingles shot down her body from the feeling of his chest against her back. His arm muscles were taut as he kept her close and began walking through the water. She shouldn’t be having the feelings that were racing through her, but she couldn’t help it.

  They treaded water for a moment before he let her go, pushing a few feet away from her. Anna turned to see his gaze had turned serious. He squinted at her and then off toward the expansiveness of the ocean.

  “How do you think McKenna and Sam are doing?” he asked.

  Anna glanced over to the restaurant and shrugged. “Who knows? The building is still standing so that’s positive. They haven’t burned it to the ground.”

  Michael laughed. It was uninhibited and familiar. “True. Always a positive when it comes to McKenna’s cooking.” He sighed and glanced back at her. “I talked to Sam today.”

  Anna dropped her jaw in an exaggerated movement. “What? He talks?”

  Michael rubbed his face and then ran his hand through his hair. “Shocking, I know. But I actually communicated with him. Words and everything.”

  Anna smiled. This was a good thing. “And?”

  “Well, he didn’t cheat on McKenna. So, we don’t have to jump that hurdle.”

  Sam never had seemed like the cheating kind.

  “So why the stony exterior?”

  Michael dipped down until the water rose above his shoulders. Then he straightened. “Honestly?”

  Anna tried to keep her gaze from slipping down to his chest. Instead, she focused on the water below her feet, digging her toes in the sand. “Sure.”

  “I think he’s struggling with the whole infertility thing. My guess, he feels like less of a man.”

  Anna swished her hands in the water as she thought. “Hmm, not really sure how to help a guy feel more like a man.”

  Michael snorted, and she raised her gaze to meet his. When she saw his raised eyebrows and incredulous expression, heat burned her cheeks.

  “Oh my goodness, Michael Jones.” She turned and started walking toward shore.

  “Hey wait.” She heard him call from behind her.

  “I’m getting out of the water,” she called over her shoulder.

  “Come back,” he said. The sound of splashing water followed his words.

  Suddenly, two hands wrapped around her waist, halting her. She hesitated before turning around.

  “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to,” he said. His voice was deep and sent shivers down her skin.

  She sighed as she turned, breaking the contact he had with her. She had to stop putting herself in these situations. Michael was off-limits. He always was going to be. And besides, even if she wanted a relationship with him, he’d never see her as anyone besides his kid sister’s best friend.

  “We should get back,” she said, taking a step forward.

  Searing pain shot up through her foot. Yelping, she stumbled and fell toward the water. She reached out, not sure how she was going to brace herself.

  But she never fell. Instead, she felt Michael grab onto her and pull her toward him.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded, trying to seem strong. But as she began to walk, the pain radiated up her leg. She stumbled, and Michael tightened his grip.

  “I think I stepped on something,” she said as she took a deep breath, hoping to lessen the intensity that being held by Michael brought.

  He kept her close as they began walking toward the shore. When they got knee deep, he bent down and swept his arm under her knees and pulled her to his chest. The sound of water splashing around him filled the air as he made his way to the sand.

  Anna’s heart pounded in her chest, and she feared that he could feel it, too. Being this close to him was exposing. And she wasn’t sure how much of herself she wanted him to know.

  When they got to the white sand, he set her down onto it and then stood. Anna sat there with her arms wrapped around her waist.

  Michael knelt next to her foot and pulled it up. He sucked in his breath as he leaned closer.

  “What? What is it?”

  Michael glanced over at her with a solemn expression. “I think we might have to amputate.”

  She rolled her eyes as she nudged him with her other foot. “It hurts.” She wasn’t normally a baby about injuries but this one stung.

  He smiled. “I don’t doubt it.” He raised his hand and pulled something from her foot. He held it up triumphantly. “Looks like a piece of a shell.”

  He held it out and she let him drop it in her hand. It was the size of a sliver. She glared at it.

  “If only you could shoot lasers from your eyes, that would be obliterated,” he said as he wiped his hands on his trunks and stood. He held out his hand.

  Anna buried the piece deep into the sand and then grabbed his fingers. He pulled her up.

  “Do you think you can walk, or do you want me to carry you?”

  “I can walk,” tumbled out. She didn’t need him carrying her anywhere. In fact, she needed more distance than ever from him.

  He studied her. “You sure?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Let’s get back. I’m covered in sand, and in desperate need of a shower.”

  Michael walked a few feet over to where they’d discarded their clothes. After they were gathered, he kept pace with Anna as she limped through the sand.

  Soon they were next to the restaurant. When they got to the front door, it opened, and McKenna and Sam walked out. They were. . . smiling.

  “Anna? What happened?” McKenna asked as her gaze swept over Anna.

  Anna shrugged. “I went swimming and stepped on a piece of a shell.”

  “You poor thing,” McKenna said as she wrapped her arm around Anna’s waist to provide support.

  “I’ll survive.”

  They started down the sidewalk with Michael and Sam following behind them. When they were out of earshot, Anna turned to McKenna.

  “How’d it go in there?”

  An uncertain look passed over McKenna’s face. “It was okay. I mean, nothing groundbreaking. But we finally got to talk. Not about babies or shots. But about cooking. It was nice.” A smile tugged on her lips.

  Anna nodded. “That’s good. It’s nice to see he’s trying.”

  McKenna shrugged. “We’ll see. Hopefully, it’s not just this place and the magic you feel here.”

  Anna’s mind wandered as McKenna began talking about the steps they had to take to make the hollandaise sauce. As hard as she tried to focus, Anna couldn’t.

  Her thoughts kept racing back to what McKenna had said. Was it true? Was this place some magic universe where it felt as if someone cared about you? Or perhaps, it was a place that allowed you to see only the best in someone, when in reality that relationship wasn’t there.

  Part of her wished that it was the first explanation, but a sinking feeling told her that it was the latter. And she couldn’t think about a relationship with Michael. It was never going to happen, here or back in the states.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Anna

  Anna sat up, groaning as she straightened. For some reason, she thought it would be a good idea to sleep on the love seat last night. Despite Michael’s protests, she waved him away, telling him she was more comfortable on the rock for a piece of furniture and pretended to pass out.

  Except, she woke up every half hour, cursing herself for being s
o stupid. But what else could she have done? Ever since their intense moment swimming, she couldn’t help but feel like an idiot. She’d tried to get closer to him just to watch him pull away.

  It was McKenna’s wedding all over again. Except this time, she couldn’t blame his behavior on alcohol. He was completely sober and rejecting her. When was she ever going to learn?

  The room was silent when she stood, and she was thankful for that. She wasn’t ready to have a conversation with Michael. Especially when she wasn’t sure what she would say.

  She tip-toed past the bed, where Michael was sprawled across it. She tried to ignore his bare chest as she rushed into the bathroom. Why hadn’t they gone to a resort in Alaska? Or the arctic? A place where clothes were a must.

  After she undressed, she stepped into the shower and turned on the handle. Ice cold water sprayed from every nozzle. She screamed and reached up, trying to divert the water.

  Suddenly, Michael came barreling into the room. “What’s happening?” he asked.

  “Get out!” Anna screamed, dropping her hand to cover her body and hunching over. With no more protection against the water, it hit her like ice cold daggers.

  Michael slapped his hand over his eyes but didn’t move. “Are you okay?” he asked. He turned his body as if to focus on her.

  Anna reached up and flipped off the water. She grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around herself. “You can look.”

  Michael hesitated but then dropped his hand. His hair stuck up on one side and he didn’t look like he was anywhere near being totally awake, but he was concerned and that caused her heart to pound in her chest.

  “You okay?” he asked again. She watched as his gaze roamed her body as if he were checking on her status himself.

  “Yeah. I didn’t realize that all the nozzles were going to turn on at once.” Heat rushed across her skin as she stood there, dripping wet in the shower.

  His gaze met hers and he smiled. “Don’t take many showers in New Jersey?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest causing all his muscles to flex.