Page 14 of The Hellion and the Captain (Scandals and Scores #2)

Chapter Twelve

E mmaline heard her mother before she saw her. Always a lusty vocalist, she was singing her heart out in the parlor. One of those suffragette songs she was always advocating.

Actually, Emmaline wondered if her mother hadn’t written some of them herself.

“Mother?” she said, stepping into the parlor door, halting her mother’s song mid-note.

“Emmaline, there you are!” her mother said, her lips wreathed in smiles as she sailed across the room and embraced her daughter. Lady Daughtry had always been a dreamer, living in the what-could-be and not the moment.

While it had worked out well for Emmaline, giving her freedom she would have otherwise desired, sometimes it would have been nice to have garnered as much of her mother’s attention as her causes did.

“What has kept you occupied today?” her mother asked, and thankfully, Emmaline didn’t have to lie, for she hadn’t had any practices with Rhys or the team.

After yesterday’s dusk exercises, he had commanded a day of rest, and she had spent most of it lying prone on the couch as her muscles ached in places she hadn’t even known she had muscles.

“Reading, mostly,” she said.

Reading and eating. She was starving after all her exertions over the past few days. Luckily, no one had yet noticed the sudden increase in her appetite.

“Lovely,” her mother said. “I have a meeting tomorrow. Would you be interested in attending?”

“What is this one for?”

“Expanding some of the college educational opportunities for women.”

“Interesting,” Emmaline said honestly. She appreciated her mother’s efforts and believed in them, but she had never quite overcome her mother preventing her from playing football with the women’s team, despite the extent she advocated for other women to chase any opportunity available to them.

“But no, thank you. I am unavailable tomorrow.”

“Very well,” her mother said. “Do tell me if you change your mind. Oh, and Emmaline?”

“Yes?”

“Have a seat,” she said, waving to a chair in the middle of the room, taking a seat across from Emmaline. “I must speak to you about something.”

Emmaline obliged warily, for she was never quite certain what her mother could want to approach her about.

“Your father and I had dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood last night.”

“How was that?” Emmaline said, even as she wondered how that involved her. Mr. Blackwood was the third partner in her grandfather’s shipping company, along with her grandfather and Minnie’s father.

“Lovely, of course. However, we had an idea.”

“Oh?”

“They have a son, Richard. ”

“They do,” Emmaline said, narrowing her eyes, hoping her mother wasn’t going where she had promised to never go.

“I know that you have always been certain of what you want in life.”

“I most certainly have.”

“Perhaps you might consider meeting Richard?”

Emmaline had to work to prevent rolling her eyes.

“Mother, I have met him before.”

“Isn’t he lovely?”

“He’s fine, but…”

But he didn’t make her heart race. He didn’t challenge her. He didn’t excite her. He didn’t make her hold her breath as she waited for the next time she could see him again.

Not like Rhys did.

“But what?”

“But… I might have met someone else.”

Her mother dropped the pen she was holding and gasped.

“You have? Oh, Emmaline, that is wonderful!”

“Says the woman who is fighting for the empowerment of other women.”

“Oh, I know, Emmaline. It is just…” she looked off toward the far corner of the room as vulnerability showed on her face. “We do not want you to be alone. Your brothers have their own families, and now that Lily is married, well, who do you have?”

Emmaline opened her mouth to tell her that she was just fine, but was she? Her mother was echoing some of her own thoughts.

Emmaline had always prided herself on her independence, but lately, a gnawing loneliness had crept into her heart. The exhilaration of playing football, of being part of something greater than herself, had filled that void. But now that she’d had those stolen moments with Rhys...

Emmaline shook her head, dispelling the thought. She couldn’t afford to dwell on what could never be. Rhys had made his position clear. Kisses were one thing, but anything further between them would only complicate matters, both on and off the field.

“I appreciate your concern, Mother,” she said, choosing her words carefully.

“But I am not ready to entertain the idea of marriage. Not yet. There are still so many things I want to do, to experience. And I can do those things by myself, or with others. It’s not as though Lily has disappeared, and I have other friends. ”

Lady Daughtry sighed, reaching out to pat Emmaline’s hand. “I understand, my dear. But don’t close yourself off to the possibility of love. It has a way of finding us when we least expect it.”

Emmaline forced a smile, her mother’s words hitting closer to home than she realized. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Rising from her chair, she made her excuses and retreated to her room, needing solitude to gather her thoughts. As she lay on her bed, staring up at the canopy, her mind drifted to Rhys once more.

The way his lips had felt against hers, the strength of his arms as he held her close. The passion that had ignited between them, threatening to consume her entirely. She had never experienced anything like it before.

She would continue to train with Rhys to improve her skills and prove herself worthy of a place on the team. But she would guard her heart and keep her feelings locked away where they couldn’t interfere.

It was the only way forward. The only way to protect herself and the fragile dream she had fought so hard to build.

With a deep breath, Emmaline sat up, squaring her shoulders. She would face this challenge as she had all the others – with determination, grit, and an unshakable resolve .

Love would have to wait. For now, the game was all that mattered.

Although that didn’t mean they couldn’t have some fun.

Rhys sat with Tommy and Felix at their usual table in the pub, nursing a pint of ale as they discussed the team’s prospects for the upcoming match.

It was a familiar occurrence, as the three of them were bachelors living alone.

The conversation flowed easily, punctuated by laughter and good-natured ribbing.

But despite the camaraderie, Rhys found his thoughts drifting to a certain dark-haired beauty with a fiery spirit.

“What do you think of Emmett?” Tommy asked, pulling Rhys from his reverie. “He’s come a long way in a short time, hasn’t he?”

Felix nodded in agreement. “The lad’s got talent, that’s for sure. And he’s not afraid to put in the work. I’ve seen him staying late after practice, running drills on his own.”

It was questionable whether “Emmett” was staying late for extra practice or to avoid changing with the rest of them, but Rhys had to admit that he appreciated the effort.

Rhys took a sip of his ale, considering his words carefully. “He’s dedicated,” he said at last. “And he has potential. But he still has a lot to learn.”

“Don’t we all?” Tommy chuckled. “But if he continues to get better, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

“He already is,” Felix added. “Did you see that goal he scored in practice last week? Brilliant footwork.”

As his teammates continued to sing Emmett’s praises, Rhys couldn’t help but picture Emmaline’s face – the determination in her eyes, the curve of her smile, the way her hair escaped its pins to frame her face in wispy tendrils.

He remembered the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her lips against his .

He shook his head, trying to clear the image from his mind. This was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts. He needed to focus on the team and their goals for the season. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by a woman, no matter how alluring she might be.

Which was exactly why he should be distancing himself from her.

Unless…

“Rhys? You alright, mate?” Tommy’s voice broke through his musings, concern etched on his face.

“Fine,” Rhys replied, forcing a smile. “Just thinking about our strategy for the next game.”

And wondering whether he needed to kiss her again to lose this desire for her.

Felix leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “You sure that’s all it is? You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.”

Rhys waved off his concern. “Just tired, that’s all. It’s been a long week.”

He knew the words weren’t entirely true even as he said them.

Yes, he was tired – the long hours at the bank and the grueling practices, both with the team and with Emmaline, had taken their toll.

But it was more than that. It was the constant battle he waged within himself, between wanting Emmaline and knowing that getting closer to her would only hurt both of them in the end.

He had meant what he said to her. A relationship between them would only complicate matters, both on and off the field. He had worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to let anything jeopardize his position as captain or the team’s chances at victory.

And yet, he couldn’t deny the pull he felt towards her.

It wasn’t as though he could avoid her entirely. They were to practice again tomorrow evening, although he wondered whether he should do as he had promised her and find them somewhere more public to meet up. Somewhere he wouldn’t be quite as tempted.

“We play this weekend,” Tommy stated the obvious. “Do you have any strategies, Rhys?”

Rhys met Tommy’s gaze, his mind already racing with possibilities.

“We’ll need to focus on our defense,” he said, his voice taking on the authoritative tone he used during their team meetings. “Their forwards are quick and aggressive, but if we can shut them down early, we’ll have a better chance of controlling the game.”

Felix nodded, leaning back in his chair. “What about our offense? Any thoughts on how we can break through their lines?”

“That’s where Emmett comes in,” Rhys replied, the name feeling strange on his tongue. In his mind, he pictured Emmaline’s lithe form darting across the field, the ball seemingly an extension of her foot. “His speed and agility could be key in creating openings for the rest of the team.”

Tommy’s brows furrowed. “You think he’s ready for that kind of responsibility? He’s good, but he’s still fairly green.”

Rhys paused, considering the question. It was true that Emmaline – Emmett – was a relative newcomer, and he had hesitated to thrust her into the spotlight too soon.

But he had seen the fire in her eyes, the determination that drove her to push herself harder and improve.

He had no doubt she would rise to the challenge.

“He’s ready,” Rhys said firmly. “I’ve been working with him one-on-one, and he’s made remarkable progress. He has a natural instinct for the game, and he’s not afraid to take risks.”

Felix grinned, raising his glass in a toast. “To Emmett, then. May he lead us to victory!”

The others echoed the sentiment, clinking their glasses together. Rhys joined in, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in thoughts of Emmaline.

He couldn’t help but wonder what she was doing at that moment. Was she thinking of him, as he was of her? Did she feel the tension between them whenever they were together?

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He needed to focus on the game, on the team. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by his growing feelings for Emmaline, no matter how much he might want to explore them.

And yet, as the conversation turned to other matters – the latest gossip around town, the upcoming social events – Rhys found his mind drifting back to her.

The way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, the way her hair gleamed in the sunlight. The fierce determination that radiated from her every pore, the passion that drove her to chase her dreams, no matter the cost.

She was unlike any woman he had ever known, and try as he might, he couldn’t shake her from his thoughts.

Perhaps it was time to face the truth – that despite his best efforts, he was falling for Emmaline Whitmore. And that terrified him more than any football match or potentially revealed disguise ever could.

He must be free of her hold on him. But how?