Page 97 of The Wildest One

“You need to go stretch and get ready for practice. You’ve already done more than enough.” She smiled again, this one smaller than before. “But thank you.” She had a closet in her room, and she opened the door to put her bag inside.

I had to pass the closet on my way out. But instead of leaving, I stopped directly behind it. The placement put me only a pace away from her.

Less than a foot or so from her body.

A closeness I fucking needed.

And even though her scent was all I could smell and I’d gotten a little of the nearness I’d been craving in the parking lot, it wasn’t enough.

I needed more.

She must not have realized my new position because when she turned around, she looked startled. Even after she calmed, she was still drawing in long breaths.

My fingers clenched at my sides. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“What did you mean to do, then?”

I touched her waist. I couldn’t help myself. “I want to …” I was scanning her eyes, trying to read them. My other hand went to her hip, and I was so tempted to pull her against me.

She just felt so fucking good.

“Beck …”

I waited for her to push me away; it didn’t happen. I waited for her to tell me to back up; that didn’t happen either.

My arm lifted, my palm pressing against the wall above her head. The movement caged her in, but there was plenty of space for her to get out if she wanted to.

She clearly didn’t.

“I want to kiss you so fucking bad.” The hand that was on her waist wrapped around the back of her head, getting lost in her wild web of red hair. “Tell me you don’t want me to.”

I could feel her exhales, especially as my face got closer to hers. “I don’t want you to.”

Her eyes were saying something different.

“I don’t believe you.”

She turned silent and still didn’t wiggle her way out of my hold. “Do you have any idea what this is like for me? How hard this is? My father is the owner of this team, Beck.”

“And?”

“And—” Her voice cut off when her phone began to ring. She set her hands on my chest, holding them there, tapping my pecs, as though she was rethinking her decision or she was having second thoughts, and then she ducked under my arm and went to her desk.

“This is Jolene,” she said as she answered, her eyes on me.

The moment was over.

Her attention … lost.

Whenever she hung up, if I stuck around for that long, I wouldn’t be able to get her back to that place.

So, I left.

Jolie

I need some shots of you working out, so after today’s workout, do you mind sticking around, and the video team will snap some footage?

Me