it?”
Oh, God.
“If I coach your team, will they have the same extensive rugby knowledge you do?”
“Oh, I doubt it.” The corner of her lips flexed. “But they won’t know as much as you do, either. Think of it as a challenge.”
“Mmm-hmm. Because I haven’t had enough of those.”
“Seems like you must be drawn to them.”
Definitely. And this woman had been one of the biggest from the very beginning.
“The stadium it is. I’ve got to pick up some stuff anyway. How about meeting me in the lobby in a quarter of an hour. Bring the envelope the letters were sent back in.”
“Sounds good.” She pushed her chair backand stood. “How much do we tip here?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
She hesitated. “Ash… I’ve hated you for a really long time.”
He’d been hurt by her too. But maybe it was time to put the past away. He couldn’t help but grimace as he drawled, “Tell me how you really feel.”
She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. When she left, her smile was shy and uncertain, the same as ithad been the first time they’d really talked. By that point, they’d run into each other on the beach three times. He’d purposely gone to the same spot. The first two days, she was already there. On the third, she arrived after him and laid her towel down a little closer than before. She’d stayed cool, sarcastic, and hadn’t flirted with him once, so he’d decided she felt zero attraction.
Her distance had intrigued him. He’d found himself thinking of her when she wasn’t around and foolishly trying to get her attention when she was. But he wouldn’t make a play for her, despite his growing attraction. Why risk a humiliating rejection? She’d already overheard him and Hardy discussing his sex status. Maybe she’d been turned off. Or maybe she just wasn’t interested in him…or in having sex.He wasn’t lacking opportunities, himself. Plenty of girls that week had given him inviting glances while untying the strings of their bikini tops on the beach. Some had brushed playfully against him as he stood at bars waiting for his tonic water to arrive. Several had gyrated against him on the dance floor at a disco, making him hard and sweaty and eager, but something always held him back. Somethingwas missing, and he hadn’t been able to figure it out until the night Camila came into the disco with her cousin, a guy Ash could tell right away was a grade-A prick.
Unlike most of the girls at the club, Camila wore jeans and a T-shirt. She carried a bag that looked like it could hold more than a tube of lipstick and condoms. Her cousin ditched her as soon as they were through the door,but she didn’t seem to mind as she found an empty chair along the wall and pulled out a book.
Ash snorted, and the Italian girl he’d been getting freaky with on the dance floor gave him a funny look. “You okay?”
“Yeah!” he shouted over the earsplitting Euro pop. He pulled her closer, giving in to the music and trying to forget Camila sitting a few meters away. The girl in his arms didher part to wipe his memory clean. She practically straddled his leg and rubbed herself against him before bending backward to shimmy her breasts in the air. A tad embarrassed at being used like a pole, Ash instinctively shot his gaze to Camila…and found her staring back.
Damn.
When the tempo of the music changed, Ash shouted close to his dance partner’s ear, “Think I need a break!”
She gave him a sultry grin. “Want to go somewhere more private?”
Hell, the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square would be more private than this dance floor. He didn’t really want to go anywhere with her…but how to say that without hurting her feelings? “Uh, I’d hate to take you away from the music. You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
Okay, apparently that wasn’t the way. Surpriseflickered across her face. “You…don’t want…”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at
Oh, God.
“If I coach your team, will they have the same extensive rugby knowledge you do?”
“Oh, I doubt it.” The corner of her lips flexed. “But they won’t know as much as you do, either. Think of it as a challenge.”
“Mmm-hmm. Because I haven’t had enough of those.”
“Seems like you must be drawn to them.”
Definitely. And this woman had been one of the biggest from the very beginning.
“The stadium it is. I’ve got to pick up some stuff anyway. How about meeting me in the lobby in a quarter of an hour. Bring the envelope the letters were sent back in.”
“Sounds good.” She pushed her chair backand stood. “How much do we tip here?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
She hesitated. “Ash… I’ve hated you for a really long time.”
He’d been hurt by her too. But maybe it was time to put the past away. He couldn’t help but grimace as he drawled, “Tell me how you really feel.”
She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. When she left, her smile was shy and uncertain, the same as ithad been the first time they’d really talked. By that point, they’d run into each other on the beach three times. He’d purposely gone to the same spot. The first two days, she was already there. On the third, she arrived after him and laid her towel down a little closer than before. She’d stayed cool, sarcastic, and hadn’t flirted with him once, so he’d decided she felt zero attraction.
Her distance had intrigued him. He’d found himself thinking of her when she wasn’t around and foolishly trying to get her attention when she was. But he wouldn’t make a play for her, despite his growing attraction. Why risk a humiliating rejection? She’d already overheard him and Hardy discussing his sex status. Maybe she’d been turned off. Or maybe she just wasn’t interested in him…or in having sex.He wasn’t lacking opportunities, himself. Plenty of girls that week had given him inviting glances while untying the strings of their bikini tops on the beach. Some had brushed playfully against him as he stood at bars waiting for his tonic water to arrive. Several had gyrated against him on the dance floor at a disco, making him hard and sweaty and eager, but something always held him back. Somethingwas missing, and he hadn’t been able to figure it out until the night Camila came into the disco with her cousin, a guy Ash could tell right away was a grade-A prick.
Unlike most of the girls at the club, Camila wore jeans and a T-shirt. She carried a bag that looked like it could hold more than a tube of lipstick and condoms. Her cousin ditched her as soon as they were through the door,but she didn’t seem to mind as she found an empty chair along the wall and pulled out a book.
Ash snorted, and the Italian girl he’d been getting freaky with on the dance floor gave him a funny look. “You okay?”
“Yeah!” he shouted over the earsplitting Euro pop. He pulled her closer, giving in to the music and trying to forget Camila sitting a few meters away. The girl in his arms didher part to wipe his memory clean. She practically straddled his leg and rubbed herself against him before bending backward to shimmy her breasts in the air. A tad embarrassed at being used like a pole, Ash instinctively shot his gaze to Camila…and found her staring back.
Damn.
When the tempo of the music changed, Ash shouted close to his dance partner’s ear, “Think I need a break!”
She gave him a sultry grin. “Want to go somewhere more private?”
Hell, the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square would be more private than this dance floor. He didn’t really want to go anywhere with her…but how to say that without hurting her feelings? “Uh, I’d hate to take you away from the music. You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
Okay, apparently that wasn’t the way. Surpriseflickered across her face. “You…don’t want…”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at
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