Dare to Desire (Dare to Love 2)

He narrowed his gaze. “One of these days, I’m going to put you over my knee and give you a good spanking,” he muttered.

“Alex! Wake up. You’re going to test, they’re going to love you, and you’re going to take the job. Whether it’s weekends or football season only … you’re going to be back in the spotlight.”

“So?” he asked, frustrated, not getting the problem.

“So maybe you don’t remember yourself when you were a star, but I do. And I’m realistic enough to know that you loved that life. The only reason you’re with me now is because that didn’t work out for you. When the fame returns, so will the willing women. In droves. So forgive me if I keep a level head and make sure I can still pull myself together when you decide you’ve had enough of me this time!”

Without warning, a male voice sounded through the elevator speaker. “Is everything okay in there?”

“Yes, sorry.” She pulled out the red button on the wall, and the elevator began its descent once more. “We hit the stop button by mistake,” Madison said in a shaky voice.

Alex wasn’t feeling any steadier as the pieces of the puzzle she’d been presenting since he’d gotten the job offer fell into place. He should have seen it sooner. Madison was uncomfortable with the women who paid attention to him. To him, they were the perks of fame he’d loved as an up-and-coming star quarterback and ones he’d taken advantage of more times than he wanted to admit. And though he no longer encouraged them, when he looked back at the man he’d been before his injury, he recalled how he sure hadn’t pushed those women away when he’d been with Madison in the past.

She ran five steps ahead of him to the car, and he let her go. He knew better than to think words could convince her he really had changed for good. Like everything else with Madison, it would take time. And infinite patience.

Unless he didn’t take the job. He could stick with the Thunder and the work he was doing there and give up on the idea of television and broadcasting altogether. And be the pitiful face of how to walk away from a career gracefully? he thought with more than a little disgust.

He loved the work they were doing with the organization, and if he could manage to do both things, he’d stay on here. But he was honest enough to admit that the thought of returning to football in some sort of public capacity appealed to him. He couldn’t give that up, even for Madison. He had to believe that wasn’t what she’d want him to do either.

He knew he was a different man now, and no amount of time in front of the camera would change that. It was her turn to change, he thought, with no small amount of frustration.

But he didn’t know if she could alter a lifetime of ingrained negative expectations. And he didn’t know where that would leave them if she couldn’t.

TEN

Alex arrived at the rooftop bar where Riley had suggested they meet to talk. He was surprised she’d pick a bar, given her pregnant state, but it worked for him. The fact that she’d still come when he called meant a lot to him. There was no one else he could talk to about his problems with Madison besides the one woman who knew her almost as well as he did.

He ordered a Patron Reposado, in the mood for something other than scotch tonight, and though he’d assumed Riley would drink an iced tea, he figured he’d wait till she chose herself. Her pregnancy hormones had her eating all sorts of weird shit.

Someone slid into the seat beside him. Not Riley. He glanced at the man and swore. “Really? You?”

Ian shrugged and grinned. “I feel the same way. But my wife can’t be in two places at once. Believe it or not, she thought I could handle you better than I could Madison.”

He wasn’t surprised Madison had called Riley too.

“Okay then. A Glenlivet for my … brother,” Alex said to the bartender.

He glanced at Ian, daring him to argue or throw in the word half, but he didn’t. “I get why you walked out on Riley after she landed herself in the hospital,” Alex admitted as the guy behind the bar slid a tumbler toward Ian.

His brother took a long sip. “Can’t say it was one of my finer moments. Looking back, I don’t think it was the right way to handle things.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “What would’ve worked better?” They both knew Riley had been as stubborn in her own beliefs as Madison now was in hers.

“I should have cuffed her to the bed until she saw reason.” Ian lifted his glass. “A little dominance once in a while doesn’t hurt.”

Alex shook his head and grinned. “Probably more than I want to know about your relationship, but I get your point.” He swallowed a gulp, closing his eyes at the soothing burn. “I threatened to take her over my knee,” he muttered.

Ian shrugged. “So do it.”

The other man clearly wasn’t kidding. Alex was definitely considering it. That was a boundary they hadn’t crossed, not that he wasn’t tempted. Not to cause her pain but to give her pleasure.

He cleared his throat. “I need to run something else by you,” he said, figuring it was the right thing to do.

“Go on.”

He went on to outline Rachel’s offer, the lack of details, and the potential conflict with his current job.

“And that explains why Madison called Riley in a panic. She thinks you’re going to end up moving to what? East Coast? West?”