Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Josie
I smile at Dane as he walks into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet from a shower.
“I guess I should shower again, too. So I don’t go to the arena smelling like sex.”
He grins playfully. “I like you smelling like sex. Put on one of my sweaters, too. Every male creature will know you’re spoken for, even the blind ones, because they’ll smell me on you.”
“Gross.” I laugh at his reasoning. “I’m not considering mating with a dog or anything, caveman.”
“You feeling better?”
I woke up with his head between my thighs. How could I feel anything but amazing? After a round of oral that nearly made me pull his hair out, he made me come a second time with long, slow sex. Dane is making me into a morning person.
“I’m good. You’re right. It’s just a job. I still get to be with you. Once the season is over, I can look for another job.”
I get out of bed, Dane catching me around the waist to stop me for a kiss. Something inside me tightens at the way he’s looking at me. This is really happening. My aunt can ruin my career, but she can’t ruin this .
He kisses me harder, dropping the towel. I feel his erection against my stomach, thick and insistent. Reluctantly, I pull away.
“I have to shower before we go. So we can keep going here, but I’m showering after and that means we’ll be late.”
He makes a growly sound of disapproval against my lips. “We have ten minutes. Eight to fuck, two to shower.”
“I can’t shower and get dressed in two minutes.”
Another growly sound. I kiss him and turn to walk to the bathroom. He smacks my ass as I go, the sting making arousal swirl low in my stomach even as I glare at him.
“Not my fault,” he says, putting his hands up in mock surrender. “Your ass is too tempting and that’s on you.”
I roll my eyes, quickly grab clean clothes and walk into the bathroom. His constant interest in my body secretly thrills me. No matter what I’m wearing or what I’m doing, he thinks I’m sexy. He doesn’t care if my body is perfect; he loves it exactly as it is.
As I wash myself in the shower, I can’t help wishing it was his hands on me instead. I avoid getting my hair wet since I don’t have enough time to dry it.
When I emerge from the bathroom dressed in black leggings, a dark-purple tunic and black boots, Dane looks like an ad for the dark suit he’s wearing. It’s cut to define his body just right, a pressed white dress shirt beneath the jacket and a plain red tie.
“You want a sandwich?” he asks as he passes me a travel mug of coffee.
I look at my watch. “No, we have to go.”
The doorbell rings and we give each other a look of confusion. His parents left yesterday and we aren’t expecting any deliveries.
“I should answer it,” he says, his brows lowered. “It could be a photographer. You stay out of view.”
“If it’s a photographer, they’re trespassing.”
“Trust me, I’ll let them know.”
We both walk toward the front door and I stand off to the side, out of view. He opens the door, his expression perturbed.
“Can I help you?”
“Hi Dane, I’m Monica Allen, your new representative from JG Publicity.”
My heart stutters in my chest. This can’t be happening.
“I don’t understand,” Dane says, glaring at her. “I didn’t request anyone new and I want to keep working with Josie.”
“Josie’s been reassigned.” Monica steps into the house uninvited. “Your home is beautiful.”
Dane and I exchange a concerned look. This is an unexpected development, to say the least. Even more unexpected than not getting the promotion.
Monica is admiring the house when her gaze lands on me. “Josie? What are you doing hiding there like a stalker?”
“I wasn’t hiding.”
“You need to leave, Monica,” Dane says.
She turns her plastic smile on him. “JG Publicity has a contract with the Mammoths and I’ve been assigned to be your personal publicist for the remainder of the season.” Then she turns the smile on me. “Josie, Jane wants you to report back to the office immediately.”
With my tail between my legs, I’m sure. Monica is loving this. I want to smack the smug smile off her face.
“No.” Dane shakes his head. “We were leaving for the arena and that’s still what we’re going to do.”
“I’ll be going to the arena with you instead of Josie. Arnold said you can call him if you have questions about the new arrangement.”
I’ve never done anything to her, and she’s acting like this is the moment she just conquered her greatest nemesis.
Dane meets my gaze, his mouth set in a tense line. We’re beat and we both know it.
“I need to pack my stuff,” I say.
Monica gives Dane a fake, sweet smile. “I can stay behind and lock up when she’s finished.”
He narrows his eyes. “I trust her alone in my house. You, not so much. Go to the arena and I’ll meet you there.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but Dane cuts her off.
“You’re not my fucking boss. I’ll meet you at the arena.”
Monica widens her eyes and then leaves without another word. Something tells me that tiny victory is the only one I’m getting today.
Dane follows me into the guest room, where most of my stuff is still stored. I pick up Mr. Darcy, who is curled up on the bed, and sit down, putting my cat on my lap.
“Well, this sucks,” he says, sitting down beside me.
“She’s going to try to get you in bed.” Tears well in my eyes. “I don’t know why she still has it out for me. She got the promotion.”
“Hey.” He puts his thumb and forefinger on my chin, turning my face so I’m looking at him. “She can try anything she wants and it won’t work. I’m with you.”
I’m embarrassed by my inability to stop the tears that spill over. My own aunt, the only family I have left, seems to enjoy hurting me.
“You have to trust me, babe,” he says, putting his arm around my shoulders.
“I do. It’s not that.” I take a deep breath. “I have to accept that my aunt is never going to like me, don’t I?”
“I’d do a hell of a lot more than that if I were you. Tell her to fuck off. You don’t need the money from that job. I’ve got you.”
I lean against his shoulder, grateful for his strong, steady presence.
“You may not be able to travel with the team anymore, but I still want you here,” he says. “You’re not packing anything. My bed is your bed now.”
I look up at him. “It’s really soon for that.”
He shrugs. “Your aunt forced our hand. You’re not leaving.”
“I’m glad we decided that,” I say wryly.
He kisses my forehead. “You know you want to stay. We’re good together.”
“So you’re saying you, me and Monica will all live here together?”
“Yep. And I’ll do my best to make you scream my name in bed at two a.m. because fuck her.”
I laugh at the mental image. “This is going to get awkward. You know that, right?”
“Awkward for her. Not for us.”
“I don’t want her seeing you in just your boxers.”
He grins. “Jealous?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll make sure I’m dressed outside the bedroom.”
I cringe. “You’ll have to share a hotel room with her when you’re traveling.”
My heart pounds at the thought of Monica in skimpy pajamas, alone in a hotel room with Dane. I’ve never been the jealous type, but nothing like this has ever happened to me.
“It’ll be okay.”
I scoff and meet his gaze. “How would you feel if I was going to be spending multiple nights alone in a hotel room with a single, attractive man?”
“I mean...I’d fucking kill him.”
“Exactly.”
“But Monica’s not attractive.”
I glare at him, but his expression remains serious. “She’s nowhere close to you, Jo. You’re so sexy you make me crazy. You’re the only one I want.”
Warmth pools in my stomach despite the crummy Monica development. I take his hand and squeeze it, grateful for his reassurance.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go,” he says. “Come in the usual entrance for the game tonight, I’ll make sure your name’s on the list.”
“I may find something to wear in your closet.”
His lips curve up in a smile. “Good. I’ll see you there.”
With a final kiss, he leaves. I cuddle with Mr. Darcy for a few more minutes before finally facing reality.
I have to go into the office and talk to my aunt.