Chapter 16
. . .
Drew
Iexpected today would be all kinds of unpredictable. And it is because Will Jones is the living version of a loose cannon.
An impossibly handsome, incredibly dangerous loose cannon.
Up until this point, I’ve always liked men who took the easy road in life.
The ones who played it safe with their heart—and consequently, mine too.
The only exception to that rule was Paul Tierney.
After our fling ended, I convinced myself that the next guy would be more like the men who had come before him.
Will is everything I vowed to avoid, and while he might convince himself that my silence is down to the shock of what he just admitted out loud, we both know the real truth.
There’s been something simmering between us since the day he showed up at my place and started unpacking my grocery shopping.
“Which of your rules am I in breach of this time?” Will muses, the weight in his voice revealing how stressed he is.
Things between us just got really complicated, really fucking fast.
It feels like my heart might beat out of my chest when I finally whisper, “All of them, I think.”
He moves his hand from my cheek to the nape of my neck, and for a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me.
Holy shit. He might not recall how many women he’s slept with, and I cannot blame a single one of them for falling under his spell. Because if he pulled my lips closer to his mouth, there’s no way I wouldn’t let him do what he wanted with me.
“We can never go there, Will,” I whisper.
His fingers tighten a fraction, eliciting tingles all over my body. “Is this your way of telling me that you feel something between us?”
I turn my head and gaze out of the windshield. The sky is bright and sunny today, the total opposite of my cloudy brain.
“This is me telling you that it’s pointless, voicing how I feel about you, because nothing could ever happen.”
When my eyes focus back on Will’s handsome face, pieces of dark hair fall into his eyes. It would be so easy to just go ahead and lay it all out in his car and confess to my attraction.
“I’m your publicist, your coach’s daughter, and our families have been friends since before we entered this world. You’ve had some pretty catastrophic ideas in the past, but this one has to be at the top of that list.”
Brown eyes continue to hold me captive.
“Is this just about sex for you?” I ask, recalling the way he glanced at my right thigh as I drove us to the gala. I loved his eyes on me that night, and I’d be a liar to deny it. “If it is, then it would be safer to hit up Candice for another round.”
Will frowns. “That hurts to hear you say that. Not everything for me is about sex. I don’t know how to explain my attraction to you, but I know it isn’t just physical.”
So much of me wants to throw the passenger door open and run a million miles away from this situation, and I know he wouldn’t stop me from climbing out of the car and doing just that.
My butt stays fixed to the black leather bucket seat, and I drop my eyes down his body.
He’s wearing an emerald Rogues hoodie with his initials stamped on the left sleeve.
Black track pants hug his thick hockey thighs perfectly.
Dressed in casuals or a tux, Will is hot as hell.
But just like how he described with me, I’m drawn to him for more than his looks.
At one time, I found his cocky smirk infuriating.
Now, it makes me want to kiss him, just so he’ll grin even wider.
“The last thing I want to do is hurt you,” I finally say.
He sighs heavily and pulls his hand away from my neck.
Instantly, I feel the loss.
“I’ve fucked everything up, haven’t I?” he groans in an exasperated voice.
“They say it takes two to tango—and for good reason.”
My response sparks a flicker of excitement in his eyes, and he strokes his thumb over the top of my hand.
“You’ve caught me totally off guard, Drew.
” Will pushes a spare hand through his tousled hair.
“This is going to sound really conceited, but … I’ve never wanted someone I couldn’t have, and I don’t know what the fuck to do with these emotions now that I have them.
I didn’t choose to be attracted to you. Before we started working together, I always saw you as the good girl and daughter of my parents’ best friends.
” His forehead finds the top of his steering wheel.
“After I slept with Candice, I immediately regretted it. To be honest, I’d wanted to pull back even before we climbed into bed together. I wasn’t sure why I had been reluctant to go through with the hookup, but now it’s much clearer.”
Slowly, he swivels his head to look at me, although it’s still resting on his steering wheel.
“I wanted her to be you. You make me laugh, even when you’re pissed at me for being a dick.
But most of all, you fascinate me, and seeing you all professional and serious …
” His eyes move across my body, and I feel them everywhere. “Fuck.”
The single word makes me giggle, and he pulls his hand from mine, gripping the steering wheel hard.
“I wasn’t laughing at you,” I reassure him. “I’m shit at accepting compliments.”
He smiles at me. “I know you are. I’ve learned a lot about you over the past few weeks.”
More silence fills the car before some clarity finally breaks through the haze of confusion.
“I think we need some time away from each other. It’ll offer us both perspective. You can focus on hockey and won’t be tempted to post stupid stuff online …” I trail off and lift a brow at him. “Who am I kidding? You’re always tempted to do that.”
I can tell he wants to laugh, though he doesn’t. Instead, he throws his head back into the headrest and gazes at me with a burning need that should be criminal.
“I’ll be posting a statement on your X account later today. After that, things will go quiet on your socials for a while. I can use this time to work on some of my other clients, and if I need you, then I’ll reach out via email.”
Will swallows thickly. “This is you pulling back, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and no.”
Will groans, and I know it’s at himself.
“In three weeks, when you play the Blades, I still plan to travel and meet you in Brooklyn, and I’m hoping that Repeet will want to meet while we’re in town. I also wanted to gather some social media content and—”
“Drew.” Will stops me in a soft voice. “I really fucking like you.”
The way he says it makes my heart—and panties—melt.
“I know.”
“Do you like Tristan?”
I shake my head. “No. He gave me a ride home to be kind, and that was it.”
“Are you seeing anyone else?”
Will fires the questions at me, and I continue shaking my head. This boy is so freaking intense—and every bit his dad’s son. So many times, Kate has talked about how Jensen pursued her relentlessly until she gave in and dated him.
I wonder how many women Will has made swoon like this until he finally had them exactly where he wanted—between the sheets and screaming his name.
Heat pools in my core. I know he’d be good in bed—better than good. It’s been a long-ass time since I’ve been with anyone. In fact, the last person was Paul.
“You’re killing me here.”
I reach across the car and pat his shoulder lightly. “Get a grip on yourself, Hotshot. I’m not seeing anyone, and even if I were, there are plenty more fish in the ocean for you.”
His face contorts, and I hate myself for saying it too. But this is our reality—we’re not supposed to be together. Whether it’s for a single night or a few fun dates. The universe and our lives are both telling us no.
“Is it because you know I’d rock your world and spoil you for all other guys?”
I scoff and almost choke on my own breath. “Only you, Will. Only you could say something like that to your publicist and get away with it.”
Bratty attitude on full display, he leans across the center section, woodsy cologne hitting me from all angles. “Only because I’m your favorite client.”
With him this close, I struggle to process thoughts, let alone form words.
After a second, I find my voice, although it’s labored as I say, “In your dreams, maybe.”
He pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger.
Abort. Immediately.
“I have dreamed about you, Drew. And each of those times, I was definitely your favorite.”
I should swipe his hand away and set clear boundaries.
That’s exactly what I should do.
“Can you imagine how my dad would react if he found out that we were …” I trail off, struggling to find the right words to describe something I want to do so badly.
Will breathes out, and it tickles my face. Instinctively, my tongue swipes across my bottom lip. He tastes as good as he smells. I knew he would.
“But he thinks you’re still a virgin, so why would he ever suspect you of sleeping with his forward?”
“Will,” I warn.
“Drew,” he volleys back.
“I stand by what I said earlier—we need some time apart. Things have been really intense lately, and while you’re playing well, the start of your career with the Rogues has been rocky in other ways. You need some time to bond with your teammates, and I need …”
What do I need?
“What do you need, Baby?”
I release his grip on my chin. “I need to focus on my own career, and you need to stop calling me that nickname.”
I can’t be sure if it’s disappointment or frustration that flashes through Will’s eyes. Either way, he knows that I’m making sense.
I refuse to risk everything I’ve worked for just to find out how well he would rock my world in bed.
My thighs clench, and I bite on the inside of my cheek.
“As of the day after tomorrow, I’ll be away in Pittsburg for a week.”
I nod once. “I know. I keep a close eye on your game schedule.”
Will closes his eyes and puffs out another breath. “If respecting professional boundaries is what you want, then I’ll comply with that.”
I can’t help it when I say in a shocked voice, “You, comply with the rules? All right, who are you, and what have you done with my client?”
So much of me wants him to laugh, if only to alleviate the unbearable sexual tension between us.
I set one hand on the door handle, ready to leave, like I should’ve done ten minutes ago.
“Where are you going?”
I tip my chin at the restaurant entrance. “I’m going back inside to order another plate of waffles and finish up on some emails I need to send. They have free Wi-Fi, and I’m still hungry.”
Will dips a hand into his right pocket, and I stop him with a palm on his thigh.
He freezes in place as soon as I touch him.
“If you’re reaching for your wallet, then I won’t accept your money. Technically, our breakfast should’ve been put through business expenses.”
I feel sure that he understands the true meaning behind my statement—everything we do from now on has to be purely by the book.
No more sociable work meetings at his place or in a bar.
No more banter back and forth by text.
No more showing up at my apartment so we can travel to events together.
“When will we see each other again?” Will asks when I push the passenger door open and swing one leg out of the car.
I turn back to him and grab my bag from the floorboard.
“When we next meet at the office for the routine catch-ups that we should be having every two weeks. I’ll send you a calendar invite.”