Chapter 10
Colin
THIS PARTY CAN’T end soon enough. Walking back out there and pretending like everything is fine is next to impossible, especially when Ollie corners me and wants to talk about weekly sessions where the two of us can work one on one.
Looking at him now, I was stupid not to immediately recognize Sam as his sister. The signs were all there: last name is the same, they’re both from Melbourne, and the physical similarities are striking. “Let’s do Wednesdays,” I offer. “After practice.”
Ollie’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”
I nod. “Absolutely. We’ll get started this week.”
“Ripper! Can’t wait.” He tips his beer at me and starts to leave. “I’ll catch you later.”
The second he leaves, my assistant coaches appear.
Ryan and Elliott are both men I’ve worked with before in my college career, and each of them were eager to step into a bigger role.
We’ve all grown up together in the sport, more or less, and it was gratifying when I got to call them and offer them the jobs.
“Hell of a house you got here, Coach,” Ryan says.
“It’s not a house – it’s an estate,” Elliott quips, his laugh booming across the yard.
I roll my eyes. “It’s a rental and I had nothing to do with it.”
“You ready for tomorrow?” Ryan asks, raising a brow and tipping his head subtly at Sam.
I tense. Did he see that? Hear it? Then I realize that Sam is surrounded by a bunch of players, and he’s probably just nodding at them in general. “Absolutely,” I confirm.
“How are we doing this?” Elliot asks. “Bring the full team together in the morning and you kick it off?”
I nod, dragging my attention away from Sam. Shit. Is this how it’s going to be whenever she’s around? Me completely distracted? “Yeah. Yes. Definitely.”
This has to stop. I don’t know how, but it has to.
I don’t get involved for this very reason.
The longest relationship I’ve had was off-season after my senior year of undergrad, and even then she knew the score.
I promised Scott that this team would have my undivided attention.
But how the hell am I going to do that when the same woman I broke my rules for is right fucking here? This can’t happen.
I shove my hand in my pocket and feel for the quarter, needing the reassurance of it as I turn my back on Sam, focusing entirely on my assistant coaches and what they’re saying.
It’s hours – long, tortuous, endless hours – before the party wraps up and everyone leaves.
When it’s over, the sun is long gone and I’m left staring at a backyard that’s more or less picked up, thanks to Ansel whipping the guys into a cleaning frenzy before they all left.
I’ve got to give it to the man: he’s earned the full respect of this team, and I’m grateful for it.
I close the house up and make my way upstairs, my footsteps on the wooden floors the only sound in the barren space.
I hate this house.
In my ensuite bathroom, I strip down and take a shower to wash the day off, not bothering with clothes after drying off.
I’ve always slept hot, and tonight is probably going to be worse than usual.
Slipping beneath the covers, I lie on my back and tuck a hand behind my head, staring into the dark above me.
Sam Nash is here. My wife is my player’s sister.
Hilarious to think that I’d actually managed to get myself under control after moving here, for the most part.
I finally wasn’t thinking about the woman I’d fled from every second of every day.
But now? Ha. All the moments we had in Vegas together flash through my mind.
The way we stumbled into the gifted suite and kissed, hands roaming over each other’s bodies.
The way we fell onto the bed and she dared me to take my pants and boxers off.
How her lush mouth opened when I did. How she grinned as she told me to strike a pose, and I did, but then I slid my clothes up, stopping myself from doing something we couldn’t come back from.
And today? Fuck me. All I wanted to do in that kitchen was push her against the counter and shut her up with a kiss.
She was even more stunning in the daylight, her anger at me a fuse I wanted to see detonate.
I wanted to pull her against me, carry her up to this bed and lay her out.
I needed those soft lips beneath mine more than I need to breathe.
Desperate to feel her body against me as I did every filthy thing to her I could think of.
Regrets? I’ve got a few. Starting with how I kept my hands and mouth to myself in Vegas, because I’ll never know what it’s like to worship a woman like Sam. And that’s the biggest regret of my life.
On a groan, I flip to my side, punch my pillow a few times, and try like hell to get some sleep.