Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
ETHAN
I leaned my palms on the tiled wall of the shower and sighed.
I’d somehow managed to keep myself from fucking Zoe right there on her desk, but bloody hell, it had taken every ounce of discipline I had.
I’d meant it when I told her I didn’t intend for her first time to be on a desk, but I was bound and determined we would christen it.
I didn’t remember much of anything she said after I asked her to fill me in on her message to Coach.
I did remember the highlight, which was that the police were formally dropping the charges.
After they’d had an opportunity to review all the security tapes, they decided either we were both charged, or no one was charged.
Zoe had said something about how the fool who tried to get me charged could still try to sue, but my brain had been so fuzzed out I didn’t remember much else.
I’d been torn because I didn’t want to leave her office.
Jana saved me when she knocked and announced Zoe’s next client was arriving early.
I’d practically run home, so I could take care of the raging hard-on I had.
Now, I stood in the shower and wondered how the hell to stop obsessing about Zoe.
I let the scalding water pound down on my shoulders until it started to cool.
Toweling off, it occurred to me that all I’d managed to do was take the edge off of my out of control lust for Zoe. Hell, lust didn’t even capture it. I knew without a doubt, once with her wouldn’t exhaust my need. Not even close.
I dressed quickly and headed to the stadium.
I needed to burn off my restlessness. I mentally sidestepped my discomfort.
I wasn’t used to thinking much about a woman the way I thought about Zoe.
Oh, I loved women. I had no shame in how much I loved women.
My sisters were forever on my case about how I needed to settle down, and they constantly teased about my reputation as a player.
I didn’t know what to make of the fact that I couldn’t seem to even notice other women right now.
On my walk to the stadium, I went out of my way to flirt with a woman who happened to be waiting at a cross street with me.
It was an utter failure. Don’t get me wrong, she was gorgeous and she was interested.
The failure was all on me. Beyond objectively noticing she was beautiful, I was entirely uninterested.
Pure habit got me through teasing, but my heart wasn’t in it.
Then, I had to back my way out of an offer to meet her for dinner. So much for smooth.
I jogged down the stadium hallway to the locker room, changed into my workout clothes and set off for a grueling workout. I managed to exhaust myself, but Zoe was still lodged firmly in my brain.
A few days later after practice, Liam slid onto the bench in front of my locker. “Hey mate. You up for dinner tonight?”
I tossed my towel in the hamper in the corner and tugged a t-shirt over my head before glancing his way. “I’m always up for food. Who else is meeting us?”
“Dunno. Figured maybe we could snag Alex and Tristan.”
I sat down across from him. “Where’s Olivia?”
Liam was all but physically attached to Olivia at the hip ever since he’d fallen for her.
He used to run the circuit with me back in London.
We’d hit up the pubs, have fun with women who were tagging along and carry on.
Once we signed on with the Seattle Stars, he’d injured his knee and Olivia had been his surgeon.
That was it. He was still one of my best mates, and I was damn happy for him, but it wasn’t quite the same.
His piercing blue gaze met mine, and he ran a hand through his black hair with a sigh. “She’s out of town all week at a conference. I feel like a bloody idiot because I hate going home when she’s not there.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. He looked downright forlorn about the whole bit. ‘You have Bentley to keep you company, right?” I asked, referring to their dog, a sweet, little brown dog that often napped in Coach’s office during games.
Liam rolled his eyes. “Yes. Mate, you’ll understand someday.”
Zoe flashed through my mind. Truth was, she was almost always lingering along the edges of my thoughts.
“Right then. Let’s go grab something. I’ll round up Tristan. Where are we meeting?”
Relief washed over Liam’s face, and he stood up quickly. “Great. I’ll track down Alex. Let’s meet out front.”
In short order, I was seated at a table with Liam, Alex and Tristan. We saw each other almost daily, but with Liam and Alex settling down, we rarely spent time together like this anymore.
The evening ran its usual course except for one matter.
Though it had been a good while since Liam had hitched up with Olivia and Alex with Harper, it only came to my notice tonight that I was the only one of us left who teased and joked about women.
Usually. I didn’t feel inclined right now, and it was all because of Zoe.
Tristan might not be hitched to anyone, but the man treated sex like a purely mechanical task.
He had some woman he saw here and there, but there were no strings attached whatsoever.
I could hardly imagine him settling down with anyone.
Though I’d have said the same thing about Liam and Alex before for different reasons.
After dinner, Tristan took off to meet the very woman he occasionally saw for what I’d guess was nothing but a good fuck.
He never slept away from our flat. Me, I walked home alone in the drizzle.
I’d grown to like Seattle, despite the frequency of rainy, gray weather.
The streetlights glittered on the wet pavement.
It had been a full four days since I’d seen Zoe, and I was mulling over how to see her again.
It chafed at me that I wasn’t being myself with her.
I wasn’t exactly a shy guy. Not I. If I wanted a woman, there were no games.
I went at things quite directly. With Zoe, nothing seemed straightforward.
I could always stop by her office again, but I wanted more than a make-out session in her office.
Somewhere along the way, I looked ahead and could’ve sworn Zoe was walking a block ahead of me.
It was dark and rainy, but the streetlights cast enough light for me to recognize her long-legged stride.
She had a bold, confident walk. Though my mind had threads of doubt, my body tightened in recognition.
My stride picked up until I was almost jogging.
As I got closer, any mental doubts as to whether it was Zoe disappeared.
I slowed to a walk just before catching up to her.
“Hello Zoe,” I said, striding to match hers.
She’d been walking with purpose and hadn’t even turned to look my way when I reached her. She jumped a little when I spoke, and I suddenly realized I’d unintentionally frightened her. It was late and dark, and she was walking alone.
“Just me, luv,” I added when her eyes caught mine.
Bloody hell. She was so hot. She hadn’t bothered with a raincoat. Her hair was damp, and a lock had come loose from the usually tidy knot atop her head. It fell against her cheek. Raindrops glittered on her lashes.
“Oh, Ethan. What are you doing here?”
“Walking home. What are you doing?”
We stopped when we came to a cross street. She looked ahead and then back to me. “Walking home.”
“Little late for you to be out, isn’t it?” I couldn’t resist a little teasing. It was all but impossible with her.
Her lips tightened, and her eyes flashed before she let out a heavy sigh. “I was just leaving work. Don’t tell me you’ve been out to a bar? Your charges aren’t officially dropped yet until it’s cleared through court, so you need to behave.”
This was perfect. She had that proper, uptight air that was like gas to a fire for me.
“No bar, luv. Just dinner with my mates. What are you doing working so late?”
Another sigh and another flash in her eyes.
“I work this late a lot.”
“I bet you do. Let me walk you home.” I hadn’t planned to say what I said, but the second I did, my entire body tightened.
Traffic rolled past on the street and the drizzle fell softly around us. Zoe bit her lip and looked away. When she looked back to me, she gave a little shrug. “It’s not far, but I guess if you want to.”
I don’t know what was passing through her mind, but uncertainty flickered in her eyes. I elected to ignore my own doubts and latched onto the chance she offered.
“It’s late, it’s dark, and it’s raining. You shouldn’t be walking alone.” I hadn’t meant to sound bossy, but I did.
Zoe arched a brow and straightened. I could see her spine go rigid. God, I fucking loved how easy it was to rile her.
“I walk home alone all the time. You know? Your high-handed act is ridiculous.”
At that moment, the light changed and the traffic rolled to a stop.
She looked ahead and began walking swiftly.
I lagged for a beat, but I caught up. Once we reached the other side of the street, I reached for her hand.
Because she was walking so quickly, I sensed she intended to shake me off.
Her hand was icy cold when I slipped mine around it.
“Luv, you’re freezing,” I said just as she came to an abrupt stop.
My momentum from almost jogging to catch up to her sent me right into her.
She stumbled slightly, and I reflexively reached to steady her.
I hadn’t planned it, but it was bloody perfect.
She ended up flush against me. At which point I felt the fine shudder running through her. She was quite obviously cold.
The last thing I wanted to do was step back, but I had manners. I stepped back just enough to shake my jacket off and lift it over her shoulders.
“You don’t need to do that,” she protested, but she huddled into my jacket.
“Oh but I do. You’re cold and wet.”