Page 38 of Unmasking Love (D.C. Renegades #1)

Aiden

"I like how hard you work."

“Young Gun are you bringing Harper to the Gala tonight?” Duncan asks as he takes a seat and starts undressing.

“That’s so badass. Such a flex to make her come to you.” He says with an appreciative shake of his head.

“I guess so. I gave her the option to get a car service but she said ‘no’.”

“We should have rented a limo together! Like prom. I didn’t get to go to my senior prom,” Crosby says wistfully. I don’t want to get into high school memories right now, or ever. I want to shower, nap, and recharge my social battery for the gala.

These things are always a pain. Season ticket holders who want to contribute to game strategy. Season ticket holder wives who get a little tipsy and then flirty. I’m not high enough on the team totem pole to get much attention but I’ve witnessed it.

Once my gear is off and in the bucket for cleaning, I check my phone. I smile when I open the picture message of Harper getting her nails done for the night. When she picks me up tonight it’ll be the first time I’ve seen her in person in a week.

We’ve been on the road. It was another west coast swing and we flew back late last night. Harper didn’t answer my call when we landed and this morning she texted apologizing for falling asleep.

I c alled her immediately and assured her I wasn’t upset in the least. I just missed her.

And I can’t wait to see her all dressed up.

Harper always looks polished, even when she was snoring softly on my shoulder at Teamsgiving she looked flawless. I’m going to have trouble keeping my eyes, and my hands, off of her while we’re at the party tonight.

***

“Hey handsome!” Harper’s smile is blinding when I open my apartment door. I step back to let her in but I don’t let her get far. I pull her close to me and press a kiss to her lips. When I pull back I run my thumb along the edge of her lips to tidy up the just darker than nude lipstick she has on.

She reaches up and wipes it from my lips too.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” I tell her as I try to take her in all at once. The soft makeup on her skin, the gentle curls of her hair that’s pulled over one shoulder, the sparkle of her jewelry, and this dress.

This fucking dress.

It’s sinful.

Harper toes the ground and a slit opens up to expose her thigh and I need to bite my fist to stop myself from biting her.

“You like?”

“Harper, yeah, I like you in that dress.” And I’m going to like her out of it too. She smiles and twists her foot a little and I am treated to another inch of her thigh. “We better go before we don’t leave at all.”

Her laugh is musical and I lock up behind us before taking her arm in the crook of mine and walking us down to her car.

On the ride to the event she tells me about her clients today and the two closings she had. I tell her about practice and a little more about the gala. This i s for season ticket holders and sponsors and there is a silent auction portion of the event. The proceeds go to the Children’s Hospital.

We spent an hour before practice yesterday signing photos and jerseys and other memorabilia. The sponsors put together different experiences for people to bid on too. I’ve been to enough end of year holiday galas for all my different teams to know how these things go.

We valet Harper’s car and I escort her inside the hotel. She takes a glass of champagne off a tray and walks into the room. I wave off a drink and follow her.

“Oh wow, this is really nicely done.” She says with a small sip.

“Yeah,” I nod, impressed by the decor in the room. White twinkle lights cover the ceiling and the only other lights in the room are votive candles on the tables. The bars and display tables are accented with poinsettias and it’s fucking romantic.

I guide us over to the back wall, hoping to keep us sequestered from the rest of the party. Where I turn to face one of the walls I see Harper’s eyes actively scanning the room.

“I think that’s Marcus Andersson. He owns Delta Engineering and I heard they’re opening another office in Baltimore. I wonder if he’s moving there and needs to sell his D.C. area property? Or if he’ll want to keep it and buy a second home?”

I shrug, because, hell if I know.

I wave at a few of the guys as they come in. Crosby has a blonde on his arm and Duncan walks in next to Otis Sullivan the star pitcher for the D.C. Monumentals. They both wave our direction and after they visit the bar they join us at the side of the room.

“Harper Daniels! Don’t you look hot!” Duncan says as he leans in to give Harper a kiss on the cheek. She laughs out a surprised “thank you” and I suppress the urge to kick him in the shin.

Yes , she looks hot. No, he doesn’t need to announce it. That’s something just for me.

“Do you know Otis?” He asks.

“No, I haven’t had the pleasure,” Harper says in her professional voice. She reaches out a hand and they shake. He doesn’t linger long which I appreciate. “I’m Harper Daniels,” she says as she turns to Crosby’s date.

“Nice to meet you Harper,” she says and they shake hands too. “I’m Crosby’s cousin, Caroline.”

“I knew Cros couldn’t get a real date!” Bryson jokes as he steps up to the group. “What girl would date a guy who wears crocs?”

“I’m not wearing crocs tonight!” Crosby insists as he lifts up the hem of his pants to show us his Gucci slides.

“Don’t get him started,” Caroline says. “I gave him laces in his Christmas stocking one year and he wouldn’t even touch them.”

“C’mon Caroline, let’s get you a drink and you and I can come up with more ideas to bother Crosby.” Bryson says and she beams.

“Why is it so weird? When the league shares drip reports I’m always featured.” Crosby says. “Ladies love my unlaced style.”

“I’m sure they do,” Otis placates.

Conversation turns to the latest in recovery techniques and while we’re all discussing the pros and cons of cupping, Harper sets her hand on my forearm.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” she smiles. She softly kisses my cheek and nods at Crosby, Duncan, and Otis before walking away and delicately lifting her glass of champagne in her fingers.

I keep my eyes on her as she steps into a group of couples talking and introduces herself.

I zone out of the conversation around me as I watch her chitchat.

After a few minutes she pulls a business card out of her sparkly clutch and with a brilliant smile she turns and moves to a group a few feet away.

From a distance I watch her work the room. Part of me is impressed.

A b igger part of me is annoyed that she won’t even take one night off to enjoy being dressed up with her boyfriend.

***

“Will you dance with me?” I ask, sort of abruptly. Harper gives me a questioning look but I can’t stand here and talk about traffic congestion on I-95 at VA123 anymore. I’m going to snap if I hear the word bottleneck one more time.

“Umm, sure Aiden.” Harper says politely then she turns back to the man she was talking about traffic with. “Here’s my card, let’s connect this week and I’ll show you some of the homes that I have within the perimeter you’re looking for.”

I don’t wait before pulling her with me across the dance floor. She’s been nursing the same glass of champagne all night so I know she’s as sober as I am. But I doubt she’s feeling as bored.

The dull ache fades as she steps into my arms and we begin to sway to the instrumental version of White Christmas the band is playing. The scene and the music are different from the first time we danced together at the club but the way my body pulls closer to her is exactly the same.

“Sorry,” she mumbles while she concentrates on my shoulder and keeps her head tilted away from me.

“For what?” I ask and pull her closer so she doesn’t feel the pressure to look at me. I think she’s more likely to open up if we’re not looking into each other’s eyes.

“For networking, that was rude,” she dips her chin.

“I dunno about being rude, but it was, boring.” I grin hoping I can get a rise out of her.

It works, she pulls her head back and looks me in the eyes. Her fight response kicked in and I get to watch it fade when she realizes I’m teasing her.

“Well, not everyone can be an exciting professional athlete.”

“You’re right, my job as a barely playing back up goalie is so glamorous.”

“Shut up,” she scoffs. I hope she realizes that both of us downplaying what we do will get us nowhere.

“I’m so glad you’re here with me tonight.” I tell her as I run a ribbon of her hair through my fingers near her shoulder.

“But you just said I was boring.”

“No, I said the conversation about finding that guy a house within a certain freeway milage was boring.” She playfully rolls her eyes.

“But you have made this night a treat. I’ve gotten the chance to pay attention to you, to make sure you’re taken care of.

Usually I spend the night trying to avoid talking to anyone at all. ”

“You don’t have to take care of me,” Harper says quietly while studying my shoulder again.

With two fingers under her chin I pull her face back to me. “I don’t have to, I want to, and it is a gift that you let me.”

She smiles quietly again and I decide to leave it at that. I’m not mad she was working. I’m not upset she used the night to her advantage. I love that about her. She goes after what she wants.

I watch as Coach Bradford and his wife laugh with the general manager and a few other staff members across the ballroom.

We all know that Gavin has been an incredible goalie his entire career.

His nickname is Ironman, after all. And that’s not just in the lockerroom, the entire league calls him that.

But he’s getting older. I’m probably at or near my peak physical level and with informed conditioning, an actual recovery plan, and regular game time I would get even stronger.

Har per sways gently with me to the music and as I trail my finger tips along the satin of her dress I’m not thinking about our physical intimacy. I’m processing how her drive and determination is inspiring me to go after what I want for my career.

“You’re thinking,” Harper says and I realize she’s been watching my face.

“I am.” I smile down and let myself melt into her chocolate eyes.

“Care to share?”

“I like how hard you work.” I tell her.

Instead of the look of pride on her face that I was expecting, she scoffs. “Like I have a choice.”

“What do you mean?”

She looks away, over my shoulder. “Listen, I know what I look like. I can get attention but I have to work twice as hard to secure the deal. I have to do extra research and provide more details to prove I’m not just a pretty face.”

“Is that why you know the intricate details of traffic patterns?” I tease as I duck into her line of sight.

“Yeah, and why I know how tankless water heaters work, or how much voltage is required to keep multiple electric cars fully charged in a garage.”

“How much voltage?” I ask, half to lighten the mood, half because I’m curious.

“A lot.” She smiles up at me and as we spin I see Coach Bradford and his wife again. “You met Danielle, right?”

“Bradford? Yes, when I came to practice.”

“Okay, come with me.” I kiss her temple and pull her behind me off the dance floor. Harper’s approach to proving her value is something I can work with. One, I’ve played on a lot of teams and have insights into their strategies.

Two, I’ve studied every team in this league so I could be ready. Coach saw Denver’s left side preference, but he shared it after I had already told the boys.

Maybe I shouldn’t just wait for my opportunity.

Maybe I should make my opportunity.