Touchdowns and Temptations: A Football billionaire Romance

9

The next morning, I drive Cara”s Mercedes to practice to return it to her at noon. I notice the questioning looks of my teammates, but I don”t pay any attention to them. It”s none of their business that I”m driving Cara”s car. After what happened last night and what she told me, she”s still not interested in getting to know me. Still not, even though she wanted to kiss me. I heard her desire clearly. More than that. My body tingled and I saw myself at the destination of my dreams. Well, almost, because sometimes dreams are just dreams. Fuck! No one wants their parents watching their first kiss, right?

It would have been my chance to feel her beautiful lips on mine. To kiss them and taste them just once. But I was stupid enough to turn her down.

Have I completely lost my mind?

I think so, definitely. This can”t be true. There”s the woman I”ve been chasing for days, who I”ve been trying to get to go out with me, who asks me for a kiss, and I have nothing better to do than turn her down? It doesn”t get any dumber than that.

I”ve probably wasted my only chance to get close to Cara. I open the trunk and take out my gym bag. My eyes fall on Cara”s travel bag, which is also inside, and I can”t help but smile. Sighing, I shoulder my bag and close the trunk. After the way I behaved yesterday, I”m further away from my destination than ever before.

Alex peppered me with so many questions this morning that I felt like I was being cross-examined by the FBI. My brother wanted to know every last detail and called me stupid when I confessed that I didn”t want to kiss Cara. My motives were completely unknown to Alex.

“Noah!” Toby, our tight end and my source for Cara”s number, approaches me. “Hey!”

“Hey!” I reply and join him. “You’re alright?”

“Yeah, you good?”

“Yep,” I reply. “I can”t complain.”

“New car?” he asks as we walk together and at first, I don”t know what to say. I can”t believe he didn”t recognize the car. They”ve been friends too long and too well for that. I can”t help but be interested in how good of friends they are. If there was ever more than friendship between them.

My stomach clenches and I press my lips together to keep from making an inappropriate sound.

“No,” I say as calmly as I can. “This is Cara”s Mercedes.”

Silence falls between us and Toby exhales.

“Cara?” He laughs. “Cara Catherine Corse?”

“You know another one?” I ask slightly irritated and he rolls his eyes.

“No, but why do you have Cara”s car?” he asks, turning to look at the car again.

“I drove her home last night and she left the car with me,” I explain. “I”ll get it back to her, don”t worry.”

“I”m not worried about the car,” he replies with a wink. “It”s nice that you two get along and she”s giving you a chance.”

“Yeah,” I mumble. “She”s still not giving me a chance. She doesn”t want to date football players, she says.”

“I don”t think Cara wants to date anyone in general,” Toby interjects. “She”s extremely paranoid that every guy is only interested in her dad and not her.”

“She told me that too,” I say, not sure if I should tell him more. Yes, they are friends and get along well, but I don”t want to discuss Cara”s secrets and problems with him. She won”t like it. “She doesn”t like to be told about her dad, but she knows all the statistics herself,” I say after a few seconds.

“That”s typical of Cara,” Toby replies amused. “She”s Michael”s biggest fan and really knows every statistic, but as soon as a guy knows anything about him, she sees red.”

It”s strange to hear Toby talk so intimately about Cara and her family. If I didn”t know better, I”d say there”s another feeling rising up inside of me. Is it jealousy? I hope not. That would be bad, because then I”d be more involved than I wanted to be.

“Do you know why?” I ask, holding the door to the training building open for him.

“Not really,” he says. “I know she had some guys who promised her the moon and then shot her down as soon as they met her father and took a picture with him. High society in New York and Boston isn”t so high anymore when it comes to sports legends. Her dad is the greatest of them all.”

“Oh wow,” I reply, entering the locker room and going to my locker. “So, what am I supposed to do?”

Toby shrugs.

I sigh and open my locker to change.

“Give her time,” he advises me with a smile on his face. “Make friends with her and prove to her that you”re not interested in Michael.”

“Hm,” I say, getting out of my jeans. “I hope this works.”

“Definitely,” he says, winking at me. “She”ll fall for your charm.”

“What charm?” asks Alex, stepping up to the locker next to mine. “He doesn”t have any.”

“But you do?” Toby replies belligerently. “Half the women who go to bed with you only want to screw a football player once.”

“So what?” Totally unimpressed, Alex shrugs. “We all get something out of it, right?”

“Of course,” Toby says. “We”ve all seen your dick in every state at least once.”

I ignore their friendly banter and continue to change. Pants, pads and Jersey until I”m finally ready and reach for my helmet. I can”t get Toby”s words out of my head. Not even when I step onto the field and warm up. Cara probably doesn”t want me to leave my thoughts today until I”m back with her. It”s just a shame that I”m stuck here for at least another three hours of practice.

***

I enter the Corse Sports Managementbuilding and head straight for the elevators. I know Cara told me to leave the key with her assistant, but I don”t want to miss the chance to see her. I push the button to call the elevator. To my surprise, it opens immediately and I get in. Smiling, I go to the third floor, where Cara”s office is, and lean against the wall. Then I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and open her chat.

*Noah: Are you in the office?

The blue checkmark that indicates the message has been read and three dots appear immediately. I wonder if someone was waiting for my message and wants to see me. I”m probably telling myself that. Cara”s main concern is her car.

*Cara: Yeah, and you? Is my car still alive?

I grin and type a reply as the elevator stops on the third floor and the doors open.

*Noah: I hit a bump this morning before practice.

I can”t help but grin as I get out of the car and make my way to her office. Several angry messages from Cara arrive immediately.

*Cara: ???

*Cara: I hope you”re kidding?

*Cara: Are you crazy?

*Cara: Noah?!

*Cara: Answer me!

*Noah: How am I supposed to answer you calmly when you harassing me like this?

Her assistant is sitting at her desk, just like yesterday, and I approach her.

“Hello,” I greet her, “I”m here to see Mrs. Corse.”

She nods with a smile and stands up. “Just a moment,” she replies pleasantly. “If you could take a seat?” She points to the waiting area with two black chairs and a small table between them. To be honest, I don”t think I need to sit there. Cara”s waiting for me, and since she thinks I”ve wrecked her car, even more so.

“Who do my tired eyes see?” I turn around and Michael Corse comes up to me. We”ve met before at the stadium, before the Foxes signed me. I was watching Alex then. I”d be lying if I said he wasn”t one of my sporting idols. “Noah McCarter.”

“Good afternoon, sir,” I clear my throat and shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he says, putting his hands on his hips. “You played well last season. I”m glad we brought you in.”

I am flattered by his appreciation. It was also the right decision for me to come to Boston. If only for the chance to play with my brother. “Thank you very much. I”m very happy to hear that.”

“With you on the team, we”ll bring the Super Bowl back to Boston,” he says without putting any pressure on me. “Have you settled in well?”

“Yes,” I answer. “It hasn”t been difficult for me. I”ve liked the city for a long time.”

“You should,” he replies with a smile. “Boston is quickly becoming a home. I know what I”m talking about. In the years I”ve been elsewhere and my wife and Cara have been here, I”ve missed them and the city terribly.”

I believe him immediately. I missed my family during college, too.

“Noah!” Cara”s voice makes me jump and I turn to face her. The bright summer dress with the colorful floral pattern hugs her slender body perfectly. The decorative bow at her bust makes it look sexier than it really is. Cara”s hair is tied back in a ponytail, with a few strands hanging down. “Hey, Dad,” she greets her father.

“Hello, darling!” Michael walks up to her and kisses her on the cheek. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes,” she says, “I didn”t even know you two had a meeting.”

Cara”s gaze meets mine and something flashes in her eyes that doesn”t bode well. Oh God, she thinks I actually wanted to meet her dad.

“It was a coincidence!” I say, hoping she”ll believe me. Of course, in a way, I admire her father. What this man has done for football is unattainable. Still, I don”t put getting to know her above that. “We met in the hallway.”

“Hm.” Cara doesn”t look convinced, but she smiles. “Will you come into my office?”

“Sure,” I say and nod to her father. “Goodbye, sir.”

“Goodbye,” he says. “And have a good game this weekend. The opening game can sometimes make or break a whole season.”

If he was trying to encourage me, he definitely needs to practice that again. The only thing he”s managed is to make me even more nervous. It”s my first game as the starting quarterback for the Boston Foxes.

“You”re scaring him,” Cara turns to him and looks at me. “He”ll get through it.”

“We”ll see,” Michael replies, smiling at us. “See you on Sunday.”

“See you on Sunday,” I mumble and follow Cara into the office. She closes the door behind us and raises her eyebrows.

“He started the conversation,” I defend myself again. “You have to believe me and he said that I...”

“I know,” she cuts me off. “He”s a big fan of yours.”

She smiles at me and walks past me to her desk.

“Really?” I ask and Cara nods.

“He really is,” she says. “He likes the way you play and thinks you”ll bring the Foxes back to greatness.”

Speechless, I look at her, waiting for her to burst out laughing and tell me she”s kidding, but she doesn”t.

“Really?” I ask again. “He thinks that of me? Wow.”

Cara shrugs, unimpressed, and crosses her arms over her chest. Of course, she immediately gets defensive when you gush about her dad for too long. Crap. This is exactly what I promised myself I wouldn”t do.

“What about my car?” she asks, changing the subject. Her eyes pierce me and I can”t help but grin. I casually walk toward her.

“Let”s talk about my talent again,” I tease her.

“Stop the bullshit,” she hisses. “What about my car? If you broke it, then...”

Now I”m standing right in front of her, looking down at her. Cara stops her sentence and looks back at me. If I take another step forward, I can lean in close enough to touch her lips. We are so close. Her breath hits my neck because, despite her high heels, she is much smaller than me. The blood rushes through my veins and I have to be careful it doesn”t go to my dick. This woman is pure temptation.

“Then?” I resume our conversation, struggling to concentrate.

“Then God have mercy on you,” she hisses and I have to grin.

“Don”t worry,” I say and cluck my tongue. I place my hands on either side of her as she leans against her desk. Cara looks back at me and I lean closer to her. This time I”m not as stupid as I was yesterday. I want this woman. “There”s nothing wrong with your car.”

“Oh, really?” she asks, slipping under my arms. “I want to see it.”

“Where are you going?”

“To see my car,” she says, grabbing her bag. “Are you coming?” I look at her, still confused.

“You want me to come with you?” I ask. At the risk of losing my chance with her again, I want to hear her say it.

“If you don”t want to...” Cara lets the sentence hang in the air. “You won”t get another invitation to visit Boston.”

I don”t think I”ve ever taken off so fast.