Chapter 10
Marcus
“So, we have the list,” Lily declares a week later as we discuss our pitch in her office.
Damen asked us to pull together a list of athletes we would like to interview during the tournament and pass them on to our producer, Leanne, who apparently can make anything happen.
Lily pushes her dark rimmed glasses up her nose while tapping her pointer finger against her lips.
And damn if my dick doesn’t twitch at the image.
I really need to get a handle on this deepening obsession I have with this woman.
I was quite content to admire her from afar and satisfy my needs with the string of beautiful women who threw themselves at me, but ever since that night outside her apartment, I can’t seem to shake her.
She’s constantly there, and this project is making it hard to ignore her.
“Happy?” She points to the list she has made on her laptop.
“I think so.” I snap myself out of my self induced daydream, and give her my full attention.
“I’ve contacted the manager of the Spanish international team, and he’s happy for us to interview his team.
And I’ve had confirmation of our travel from Damen’s secretary.
I’ll get the information sent over to your email. ”
“Thank you. I’ve got the England ladies manager to meet with us and Kiara Star, the current captain, to join us for some discussions and match debriefs.
” She’s busy tapping away on her laptop, totally engrossed, and I take the time to analyze her features.
“I can feel you staring, and I get it. I look good today, but please don’t drool on the desk.
It's terribly unhygienic.” She teases as a half smile creeps onto her lips while she continues to work.
“I was only staring to try and work out what that mark is on your cheek.” Leaning over, I brush the pad of my thumb over it. “I thought so. You’re blushing. You like my eyes on you.” The pink stain on her cheeks deepens as I continue to crowd her space.
“Fuck off. Don’t flatter yourself,” she bites, but she doesn’t back away.
“Looking a little flush, Petardo.”
The sound of laughter outside her door makes her jump, and she bats my hand away. “I think we’re finished here. If you don’t mind, I've got plenty to be getting on with.”
Fuck my life. I will make this woman snap. She wants me, she just doesn’t want to want me. I can work with that.
“Of course. I’ll leave you to it.” Gathering up my laptop, I head to leave.
“I’ll see you at the gala. Save me a dance.
” I wink at her, slipping out of her office just as I hear a loud thump of her throwing something at the door.
I chuckle to myself, knowing I’m getting underneath this woman’s skin.
This is going to be a fun game, making her crack.
I’m pacing my penthouse the evening of the gala, waiting for Harris to show up.
Yes, that fool is also coming. He managed to get an invite from the organizers and jumped at the chance to watch, as he liked to call it, my greatest fall.
Fall because I’m “falling” for Lily, apparently.
Where does he come up with this stuff? I’m massively regretting telling him about my plan to get Lily out of my system.
“She’ll only bury herself deeper, man. I saw the way you looked at her that night at Paddy's. That woman, if you give her half a chance, she’ll ruin you and you’ll be powerless against it.”
“Doubtful. I hold all the power. She’s putty in my hands. We just keep getting interrupted, and she’s thinking too much.”
“And you definitely aren’t used to women thinking too much when it comes to getting them into your bed,” he says, popping a grape in his mouth.
“Are you saying I only date mindless women?”
“Date? No, because you don’t do that, but the fact that you’re hoping to date Lily and not just fuck her makes me more amenable to this plan. But yes, you do only sleep with mindless women who only want a night with the Spanish heartthrob.”
“I would never do that to Lily. I’ve too much respect for her than that. And those women know the deal: it's nothing serious.” I shrug.
“But you want it to be with Lily?”
“I don’t know. Yes, maybe.” I groan, raking my hand through my hair. “I mean, the woman hates my guts. Why would she want anything other than to punch me for even suggesting what I’m suggesting?”
“Then we work out why she hates you and fix it, you idiot.” He throws a grape at me as I start to pace in front of him.
“How do you suggest I fix this?”
“How about having an adult conversation with her and just ask?” He throws another grape at me, but I continue my pacing, ignoring his childish antics.
“Sounds too simple.”
“Yes, because we don’t want that.” He rolls his eyes before cocking his arm back to throw another grape.
“Throw that at me and I’ll tell your manager what you were really doing when you were late to practice last week.
” I raise my eyebrow at him, and he lowers his arm, scowling at me.
“I thought so. Anyway, what I mean is,” I pause in front of him, sighing, “she won’t just come out and say it.
I’ve known this woman for years. If she was going to tell me, surely she would’ve done it by now. ”
“All I’ll say is that night I asked her, she looked broken.” My heart clenches at his words. “Whatever you did, it hurt her, so fix that first.”
A knock brings me back into the room, and I move to open the front door. There, looking sharp in his perfectly fitted custom tux, is Kai. “Diaz, you look hot.” He strolls into my apartment like he owns the place.
“You hitting on me?” Closing the door behind him, I watch as he helps himself to a water from my fridge. The man takes his health very seriously during the season. Whereas some players love the lifestyle, Kai loves the game more. He gets his kicks in other ways.
“You wish. I’m a catch.” He winks, and I shake my head at my best friend.
“You’re crazy, you know that, right?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. Now, are you ready for Operation Lily Love?” He wiggles his eyebrows. I need better friends.
“Lily Love?”
“Needs work, I know. I’ll get right on that.”
“Dios. What have I done?” I massage my temples. Where does he come up with this shit?
“The right thing by making me your best friend. So, are you ready?”
“Ready to be potentially shot down? Yeah, sounds like a fucking fantastic night.”
“Just work your charm. It almost worked the other night. I was hot just watching you two.” He fans himself.
“She definitely wants me.”
“There’s my egotistical best friend.”
“I’m not being a dick. She does. She just doesn’t want to.” I take a big sip of my whiskey. Wondering how I got here. I’m a grown ass man gabbing with my best friend over a girl.
“Have you tried, I don't know, being nice?”
“Yes, and those are the days that we don’t find ourselves inches from doing something we shouldn’t at work.
The days when we bicker and argue, taking chunks out of each other, I’m pulled into her orbit, and she doesn’t retreat.
It's like she wants the argument, but also wants me to kiss her. It’s fucking confusing. ”
“It’s fucking hot, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t,” I grumble, picking up my crossword book off the counter
“You did. Why else am I here?”
“You decided to insert yourself into my problems. I never asked.” I tap my pen against the book, trying to concentrate on the words and not the sassy redhead, who I can’t stop thinking about.
“That’s what best friends do.” He gives me a weird side hug, resting his head on mine.
“If you say so.” I shrug out of his hold. “Why are you so weird?”
“You love me.” He sips his water before blurting out. “Obsessed”
“Pardon? I’m not obsessed with Lily,” I scoff.
“No dickhead. Seven down, eight letters, to dominate or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires.” Snatching my crossword book out of my hands, he waves it in front of my face.
“But I’m glad your thoughts instantly went to Lily.
Not showing obsessive thoughts there at all.
” He pats my shoulder as he places the book back down on the counter.
Fuck my life. When did I become this person?
We walk into the Winter Hotel half an hour later and are immediately caught by Damen. “Boys, looking sharp this evening.”
“Thank you, sir.” Harris shakes Damen’s outstretched hand before Damen turns to me.
“This room is full of investors and other high profiled people. I could do with the help of some of them to help us grow and expand, possibly add a few extra channels to the network.” His face is animated as he speaks quickly.
“I’m looking at creating separate channels to focus on individual sports. ”
“That sounds amazing. I love the idea.” My mind buzzes with ideas about what I could do with a channel solely focused on football.
“Yes, I need to sweet talk some of these big investors. Mainly that man over there.” He points to a man, if I were to guess is in his early fifties, with dark brown hair that is starting to gray around the sides.
He’s talking to what can only be described as a younger version of himself.
“That’s Thomas Stone of Bright Investments, and next to him is his son, Hunter.
With his investment, we could really make this dream a reality.
If you excuse me.” He saunters off towards the man in question as I mentally start to take stock of how I’m going to pitch my ideas to him.
“Well, shit, Diaz. You’re in trouble.” Harris’s cocky voice cuts through my wandering thoughts.
“Why, what have I done now?” I sigh.
He nods his head to something behind me. Turning, I see what he is looking at, and I think my heart stops beating. “Pick your jaw up, Diaz,” he snickers.
“Fuck off,” I snap back. But fuck me.
Lily is a vision in red. Her floor-length satin gown clings to her perfect curves.
The neckline scoops just right against the swell of her breasts, where I can see the sparkle of a gold pendant nestled.
Her stunning mane of red hair is twisted up out of her gorgeous face, showcasing her swan-like neck that I instantly imagine marking with my teeth.
But as she turns slightly, the air is knocked clean out of my lungs.
The dress is backless and is begging me to touch her bare skin.
She’s laughing animatedly with a few of the team and a man I don’t recognize, but he’s too close to her.
He wraps his arm around her back, gently grazing her skin as he bends down to whisper something in her ear, which makes her smile and gaze up at him.
That soft smile is like a trigger, as I feel it. My resolve is gone. Snapped.