Chapter 2
I made a face at my reflection. Blond hair, blue eyes, toned physique. Some people seem to find it appealing. ‘God’s Gift,’ my teammates call me. As if I was sent from heaven to make women fall at my feet.
As for me, well, when I look in the mirror, I just see myself, Ollie Tucker, center for the Storm Valley Rapids. Women threw their underwear at me, followed me around when they saw me out in public. I don’t see what they see in me.
I’m just a guy, I whispered to my reflection.
I clamped my lips shut and glanced around. Too often, someone was watching me. The last thing I needed was to have someone take video footage of me talking to myself. With my luck, it would go viral so quickly my head would spin.
If anyone noticed, I couldn’t tell. People just bustled on by, bodies bundled in winter coats, scarves wrapped around their necks.
I adjusted my grey, blue and white Rapids scarf and made my way through Lacey’s department store to the menswear section.
Not my favourite place to be. If it wasn’t for Mum nagging about the holes in my jeans, I wouldn’t bother. Okay, and the holes in my shirts. And jumpers. Come to think of it, I could do with some new socks too.
Yeah, I don’t spend much time worrying about my wardrobe. My time is usually taken up with practice. Or thinking about practice. Or watching replays so we could practice and play better. Or training. Football basically consumed my entire life. It was my life.
It was all I wanted since I was a kid and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Mostly.
I could live without the eyes on me wherever I went. According to Chase, the team’s wide receiver, I’d get stared at even if I wasn’t on the team. With as much exercise as we did, we all had bodies women seemed to appreciate, so I put it down to Chase poking fun at me, like he did with everyone. Like we all did with each other.
The store was warmer the deeper I went. I unwound my scarf, slipped off my coat and hung both over my arm.
A few people stared. A kid pointed but her father grabbed her hand and pulled her away.
I lowered my head, looked down at the floor and wove my way through the crowds.
I was lucky my mother hadnt insisted on coming. She would have chosen all my clothes, right down to my socks. That was the downside to living at home. The upside was that she washed those clothes. Of course, the downside to that was her seeing every time I added a new hole to anything.
I reached the shirt section without anyone throwing their panties at me.
Bonus.
I hung my coat and scarf over a chair and started looking through the racks. Out of habit, I started with the stuff that was on sale. I could afford one of everything in the store but that wasnt how I rolled. Id leave all of that to Bam, or Chase.
I ruled out a bright red shirt and a green one. I pulled out a blue button down. That was better. The black one would work too. I might splurge on both.
The back of my neck tingled like it did when someone was watching me. I should do what I usually do and ignore the feeling.
Instead, I looked up, looked around.
Lost my breath.
The most beautiful woman I ever saw was looking right at me.
Her red hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail. Exactly the right amount of makeup enhanced her blue eyes, making them deeper than the ocean. Her arms were covered in freckles. I wanted to count them all. Hell, I wanted to lick them all.
Right down to the soft-looking jumper and jeans that fit like a second skin, she was perfection. My dick noticed too. I held the blue shirt in front of my groin.
Can I help you? I found myself asking.
What? She blinked and shook her head. No. I mean yes. She frowned.
She didnt seem like she was the kind of woman who was used to being flustered.
Um. Great, I wasnt the best with words, but I could usually put a sentence together. Apparently she wasnt the only one who was flustered. I glanced down at the floor and tried to gather my thoughts.
When I looked up again she was still watching me. Her cheeks were slightly pink.
I cant decide which of these to get. She held up two blouses on hangers, one a soft green, the other black.
Right, I said. I can see why that would be a conundrum. Shit, where did that word come from? I must have spent too much time with Bam.
She smiled, but it wasnt in the way that people did when they thought someone was an idiot. It was… Warm, encouraging, like maybe she found me charming.
I supposed it was possible. I like to think I was reasonably nice. My mother certainly seemed to think so.
So, what do you think? She cocked her head at me.
My heart flipped. Part of me desperately wanted to give her an answer, to be helpful.
The other half realised that the longer I took to respond, the more time Id have to be around her. It was silly, Id known her for all of two minutes. I didnt care, I didnt want her to leave.
You could—try them on? I suggested. Any one of the guys on the team would have offered to help her, but I blushed. I mentally facepalmed myself. Could I be more fucking awkward?
Right, she said. Could you show me where the change rooms are? And maybe… Stick around and give me your opinion?
She must have assumed I worked for Laceys. I had offered her my help after all.
I thought quickly. If I left my coat and scarf and went to help her, I may never see them again. On the other hand, and more importantly, if I didnt go with her I may never see her again. I could buy another coat and scarf.
Of course. Please, come this way miss— I looked at her expectantly, hoping shed give me her name.
Rubie, she said.
Thats pretty, I said. Yeah, any of the other guys would have said something about her being a precious gem. There was a reason most of them were single.
Im Ollie. I didnt give her my full name. I had a feeling she had no idea who I was. I liked it that way. It was refreshing.
Thats cute, she said with a smile. Does anyone call you Oliver?
Only my grandmother, I replied. My mother used to until she realised that, when she yelled at me, Ollie sounds so much worse. I grinned.
I cupped my hand around my mouth and pretended to shout, Ollieee!
She laughed, a husky sound that went right to my groin. That explains my name.
I chuckled. The fitting room is just here. The womens fitting room, of course. I only knew where to find it because Ive been shopping with my mum too many times. They even had a chair outside for long-suffering men to sit on. I didnt sit on it now. I couldnt have sat still if I wanted to.
Ill wait outside, I said.
Oh, you dont want to come in too? she asked lightly.
Before I could do anything more than blush and stammer she disappeared inside and let the curtain swing closed behind her.
Ive never been so aware of having a flimsy piece of fabric between me and any woman before. I wanted to peel back one side and peer inside.
I didnt.
I stood outside with heavy balls and listened for sounds of her zipping and unzipping, buttoning and unbuttoning. I couldnt hear anything over the music that came out of the shops loudspeakers.
After a couple of minutes, she swept the curtain aside and stepped out wearing the green blouse.
She raised her hands and turned around. What do you think?
What did I think? I wasnt sure I could think. My brain was mushy and my mouth was dry. My cock was trying his best to spring to attention in my jeans.
I— My voice squeaked. I tried again. I think that looks very nice.
Nice?She looked better than nice. She looked hotter than hell.
The blouse fit her like a glove. It clung to her curves and accentuated her breasts. The hem of the fabric sat at her hips like it was made for her.
She looked slightly disappointed.
I mean, it looks amazing. There, that was a better word for her. Gorgeous, stunning, incredible. A few more came to mind, but those would do for starters. I didnt dare to say any of them. I just smiled and hoped I hadnt screwed up somehow.
She smiled back. Ill take amazing. After a moment she added, Ill try on the black one.
I managed to squeak out, Okay. Shit, I sounded like a guy whose balls hadn’t dropped. For the record, they had, they just liked what I saw, that was all.
She smiled at me over her shoulder before she disappeared back into the fitting room. The curtain felt shut again.
If the green one looked incredible, the black blouse left me weaker than if I was tackled by a seven foot high, seven foot wide opponent. Seven times. What? Seven is an unlucky number for me.
I, um, well. Wow, I stammered. That looks, that looks, yeah.
I think that means you like it? She looked at me intently with her intense blue eyes. She didnt seem like the sort of woman who really cared about what other people thought, but for some reason she seemed to care what I thought.
I mean, personally, I think you should buy both of them, I said with a giddy nod.
Id happily buy both of them for her, if I thought shed let me. I could afford it, but I had a feeling that even offering would be the mother of all screw ups.
I added, But if I had to choose Id choose the black one.
You know, she said slowly, if anyone else said that, Id pick the other one. She lifted her chin and locked her gaze on mine. For some reason, I dont want to do that with you. She had a wicked glint in her eyes. I do want to do other things with you.
Was my face on fire? It felt like it.
She lightly rested a hand on my arm.
Her touch made my knees weak.
I shouldnt be saying stuff like that here, she said. You might get into trouble. Or I might.
I wont tell if you wont, I managed to say.
She took her hand from my arm and a finger to her lips. No one will hear it from me.
I immediately wished shed put her hand back where it was. The skin under my shirt was on fire. I half expected to see smoke and flames arising from the cotton.
Maybe we could, I don’t know, go and get something to eat? I asked. I mean, after youve finished deciding which blouse you’re going to buy. If either.
She glanced around. Are you allowed to do that? Ask customers out, I mean.
Am I—oh, right. Sure. I mean, we’re both adults. We can do what we want. And honestly, if I did work here, Id quit to get a date with her.
She flashed a smile. Great, in that case I’d love to. She hesitated for a moment. I should probably get changed back into my other clothes. It wouldn’t be a very good start if I got arrested for shoplifting. The cheeky smile she gave me showed the dimple in her cheek.
Id be right there next to you, I said. As an accessory to shoplifting.
Only if I want to kiss my football career goodbye. Which I didn’t.
You know anywhere nice and quiet?
As a matter of fact, I do. The look she gave me made me wonder what I was getting myself into.
I couldn’t wait to find out.