Chapter 15
NFL BAD BOY CLEANS UP. AND brINGS A DATE Insiders call it “Surprisingly sweet”
Alaia
Tanner knocks on the bathroom door. “The limo is waiting downstairs. Are you ready?”
Am I ready? Good question. I’m dressed in a fancy floor-length gown that glitters more than the floor of Bootlegger after Mermaid Karaoke night. My hair, make-up, and nails are perfect since a team of stylists showed up this afternoon to dress me. On the outside, I’m ready.
On the inside, not so much.
This is crazy. I don’t belong at a charity ball on Tanner’s arm. This is not me. I don’t even own a pair of heels. I wear flip-flops and torn jeans. Maybe a dress if I’m trying to impress someone.
“Alaia, are you okay?”
The concern in his voice has me reaching for the door. “I’m okay.”
He rakes his gaze over my body and growls. “We’re not going.”
“What? After everything we’ve been through? We flew to New York. You rented this obnoxiously expensive suite. You bought me this dress, I’m afraid to ask the price of. I spent the day getting plucked to within an inch of my life.”
“Don’t care.” He scowls. “I’m not going to spend the entire night fending men off you.”
As if. “You wouldn’t.”
“Have you looked in the mirror? You’re gorgeous. You’re going to be the most beautiful woman at the ball.”
I snort. “Are you delusional? Have you been drinking? I’ve seen the guest list for this event. There are models – real life models – who will be there.”
“And yet you’ll be the most beautiful woman there.”
I hold up a hand. “You don’t have to flatter me. I’m here. I’m going.”
“I’m not trying to flatter you. I’m telling the truth.” He threads a hand through his hair. “I mean, I knew you were gorgeous. I have eyes. I’m not blind. But in this get-up? Holy shit.”
A tremor of excitement works its way through me. Tanner Long – the sexiest player of the Steel City Seals team – thinks I’m gorgeous. It can’t be real.
“You’re really good at this charming thing.”
“No. I’m not.” He reaches for my hands. “I’ve never had to be charming before. You’re different.”
“This is fake, Tanner.”
No matter how much I want a repeat of our kiss on July Fourth. No matter how much I long to touch his naked skin. No matter how much I long to be with him. It’s not to be.
“You are the most beautiful woman I know. Nothing fake about it.”
I was already worried about attending this charity gala and sticking out since I obviously don’t belong. The chance I manage to walk on these heels and not trip, is less than zero. But now I’m also worried about how I’m going to stop from throwing myself at Tanner.
“The limo’s waiting,” I blurt out. I need to get out of this suite with its enormous California King bed before I lose control of my senses. Before I forget that Tanner is a player who doesn’t do relationships.
Before I forget how men in general aren’t worth the hassle. How they decide to give the job you worked your ass off for at the sports magazine to a man who’s less qualified. Always for your ‘own good’.
“Fine. We’ll go.”
I giggle. “Isn’t Belinda forcing you to attend this event?”
“Belinda is out of control. Her cameraman leaked the footage from the practice the other day and now she thinks we should continue this charade until Christmas.”
My eyes widen. “You didn’t tell me.”
“Because I didn’t want to pressure you.”
“You’ll find I’m not susceptible to pressure.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“You’ve met my twin sisters. Grow up with Beth and Anne and you’ll learn to handle pressure pretty damn well.”
He chuckles. “Your sisters are a blast.”
“You would think so since they tricked us into kissing on the Fourth.”
His eyes darken. “No one needed to trick me into kissing you.”
Sparks ignite in my belly and travel down to my core. I wonder how it would feel to have Tanner kiss me other places. Maybe I should let myself have one night with him. If I know it can’t be more, I won’t get hurt. Or get my hopes up. Maybe.
The phone rings and Tanner mutters a choice swear word before walking away. My shoulders sag in relief. Phew. Temptation averted again. But for how long?
“The concierge wants us to get moving. The limo is blocking traffic.”
I grab my wrap and purse from the counter and follow him to the door. “After you, charmer.”
He places a hand on my lower back to guide me out of the suite to the elevators. The material of my dress is thin, allowing me to feel the heat of his hand on my back. I nearly moan.
I blame my hormones. I’ve been in a constant state of arousal since our kiss. I’m going to pay my sisters back for their trick if it’s the last thing I do.
I manage to keep my jaw from falling to the floor as he escorts me into the limo. The vehicle is nearly as long as a city block.
“What happens at the gala anyway?” I ask once we’re situated in the limo and moving through traffic.
“We’ll have dinner. There are some speeches. Afterwards, there’ll be a band and some dancing.”
My stomach rumbles in response. “Good. I’m starving. I didn’t have a chance to eat lunch with all the plucking and trimming and teasing of my hair.”
He cringes. “The food in these things is never good.”
“Never good? Don’t you pay ten thousand dollars a plate?”
“Try fifty thousand.”
My eyebrows – what’s left of them – fly up. “Fifty thousand and the food isn’t good?”
“Correction. The food is good. But it’s not very much.”
I groan. “My stomach hates me.”
“Don’t worry.” He winks. “I’ll feed you.”
I roll my eyes at the corny innuendo. “And the gala is a fundraiser?”
It’s part of Belinda’s plan to save Tanner’s reputation.
“Yep. It’s a fundraiser for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It’s a—”
“Degenerative disease linked to dementia and possibly caused by suffering multiple concussions.”
He grins. “I’m impressed.”
There’s no reason to be impressed. “I’m a journalist. When I found out the Steel City Seals were coming to Smuggler’s Hideaway for training camp, I researched every possible interesting topic I could think of related to football.”
“You did? Why?”
My cheeks darken, and I glance away. “Trying to find a story.”
He grasps my chin and forces me to meet his gaze. “There’s no reason to be embarrassed.”
I gaze into those green eyes I’m obsessed with and my big mouth opens and I vomit the truth. “Of course, I’m embarrassed. You’re three years younger than me, and you’re at the height of your career. My career has barely begun.”
And it will crash and burn if I can’t save the Gazette. But I don’t tell him how the newspaper is struggling. He wouldn’t care anyway.
“I’m an athlete. I have a limited shelf-life. You have decades to grow your career.”
“If I ever manage to get my career off the ground. I’m about done with writing The Siren’s Spill and ‘reporting’ on crabs loose on the island.”
“You have to admit. Crab day was hilarious.”
I try to keep a straight face, but my lips quiver.
“You agree it was hilarious.”
“Fine,” I huff. “Tourists scrambling onto tables as if crabs were some sea monster come ashore to terrorize them was pretty funny.”
“I’ve never seen a grown man try to climb an electricity pole before.”
I lift an eyebrow. “You haven’t?”
“Everyone knows you should never climb an electricity pole. If you need a pole to climb, stick to a telephone pole.”
I giggle. “Got it. Electricity pole – bad. Telephone pole – good.”
The limo stops and I glance outside. There’s an honest-to-goodness red carpet. Crowded around the red carpet are fans. Even from inside, I can hear the roar of the crowd.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go,” I suggest. “You don’t want to go. I’m hungry. Let’s hit up McDonald’s.”
“I’ll get you McDonald’s afterwards.”
The door opens and Tanner steps out. I gather my courage. This is it. I can do this. I can act glamorous.
He reaches a hand inside the vehicle and I grasp it. As soon as I’m outside, I’m blinded by the light.
“Fucking paparazzi,” Tanner mutters before shielding me behind him.
I tap his shoulder. “Isn’t the whole point of this charade to convince everyone you’ve changed your ways?”
“I’m not letting these monsters attack you.”
Those words warm a place inside me I didn’t realize was cold. I don’t need someone to protect me. I can’t trust someone to protect me without taking over my life. But gah, it’s tempting.
“I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”
“I messed up. I never should have agreed to this. I didn’t think about these vultures.”
I whirl around to face him. “It’s okay, Tanner.”
A muscle ticks in his jaw. “It’s not. I should protect you. It’s what a partner does.”
“A partner also lets his partner fight her own battles.”
We might be fake but this is important to me. A partner shouldn’t take over someone’s life. Not even for her ‘own good’.
He studies me. “Are you sure? The limo hasn’t left yet. We could be at McDonald’s eating hot French fries in ten minutes.”
I laugh. “I’m sure.”
“Okay.” He nods. “But all you need to do is say the word and we leave. I won’t have you harassed.”
He needs to stop being perfect is what he needs to do. Because I want to accept his offer to return to the limo. But we wouldn’t be going to a fast food restaurant. We’d be rushing to our hotel, where I can have my wicked way with him.
The idea holds merit. One night with Tanner and then we can return to being friends and our fake relationship.