Serving Tegan (Sexy As Sin)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Roman

It's probably bad form to manhandle your player in a cafeteria full of other athletes, but I'm far beyond caring about any of that now as I drag Alexandria over to a corner by her severely underworked arm.

“Ow,” she says, shoving at my wrist as soon as I come to a stop.“What's wrong with you?”

“What's wrong with you ?” I hiss at her.

I see the moment she realizes that this is serious.This is not me catching her slacking off.This isn't me catching her eating fast food when she's not supposed to,breaking her nutrition plan. This isn't me having to bang on her apartment door to wake her up for practice,or any of the other things that I have to do to get her to give a fuck about this sport.

“Tell me you didn't send Tegan Sharpe into my hotel room last night.”

All the color drains out of her face, and she swallows. “It was just supposed to be a joke.”

“Next time you want to play a joke on someone,” I say through my teeth,“leave me the fuck out of it.You've embarrassed me for the last time.Be ready for your fucking match tonight.”

I stomp out of the cafeteria.We should be practicing.We should be getting ready.But I can't fucking look at her.

So instead, I walk the grounds for a solid hour. I watch pedestrians go back and forth in front of the tennis center, people who have nothing to do with this world that I’m caught in the middle of. The sun beats down through the palm trees, and I can smell the salt on the water.

By the time I get back, the afternoon matches are about to begin. Today is only day two of the tournament.And I'm ready for it to be over already. Usually, I find it intoxicating being back when I’ve been away for a little while. When you spend your whole life doing something,it becomes all you know, and coming back to it is like coming home.

And once that’s gone, what else is there?When you’re someone who was once in the spotlight,they don't just let you leave.They reject you but shackle you to it all the same. They offer you a couple million a yearto coach a mediocre tennis player.

Alexandria is not going to win this tournament. She's going to make it far because she has me as a coach.But she's not good enough to beat Tegan,and we all know it, including her.

I don't even know what I'm doingas my feet take me to the court. I know Tegan's match is up next,and I can't seem to stop myself.I settle into a row in the bleachers off to the sidewhere I'm not terribly visible.A couple of people glance my way,and I know I've been recognized, even though I pulled my hair backand put on some sunglasses.It doesn't help that there's a portrait of mein the welcome center.

They announce Teganand the woman she's playing against, an English tennis playerwho's good, but not as good as Tegan. She sets her things on the chairson her side of the court. A towel, a bottle of water,a small bag that she rummages through,pulling out a hair tie.And even as I watch her,I realize I have made a huge mistake.Because when she looks up,I'm right there in her direct line of sight.

And she sees me immediately.Her face gives nothing away.She watches me for a moment. And then, like I'm not even there,she turns away,drinks down some water,and takes a seat.

It's a solid match.Tegan’s English competitor puts up a good fight. It's not an easy match for Tegan.By the time it's over,she's dripping with sweatunder the Miami sun.

She uses the hem of her shirtto wipe her brow and I see the soft, flat expanse of her belly,the belly I touched last night.I remember how soft her skin was under my hands,what she smelled like.

I wonder what could have happenedif I hadn't stopped her in the dark. How long it would have taken her to figure outI wasn't who she thought I was.Would we have gone all the way?Would she have realized before or afterI fucked her into an orgasm?

“Excuse me?”

I rip my gaze away from Teganand look up at a middle-aged womansmiling kindly down at me. She's wearing a tennis outfitlike she's ready to join the tournament at any moment.

“Are you Roman Jostad?”

“Um, yeah.”I sit up straight in my chair,realize that while I was watching Tegan,the stands were beginning to empty.

The woman thrusts a program at me. “Can I have your autograph?”