“This isn’t part of the image.” She swatted at me. “You can’t grope me in front of everyone. Proper boyfriends don’t do that.”
“I never said I’d be a proper boyfriend.” I winked.
I released her, but felt I had shifted the power back in my direction. I grinned. Maybe it would work after all. As far as fake girlfriends went—I had scored epically. She was smart, sassy, and sexy as fuck.
“Go. You don’t want to be late. That’s the first thing that has to change. No more tardiness.” She wagged a finger in my direction. “You are here for your country. It shows respect to be on time.”
I was tempted to grab her again, but I knew I was already testing my limits with her.
I looked up at the stadium. Today felt different. It helped I didn’t have a raging hangover. And I had this overwhelming sense that I had someone in my corner for the first time in a long time.
Aspen had her own motives. I wasn’t a prat about it, but there was sincerity under her skin I detected beneath the designer suits and the business talk. She was a bright woman and she didn’t bullshit me like everyone else.
I took one step inside the fence before the first reporter came out from behind the bushes. Where in the hell did these wankers hide?
“Lach, what’s your statement on hitting a member of the paparazzi?”
I felt the anger grip my shoulders. Who in the hell did this guy think he was? I pursed my lips, but before I could spit out a comment, I felt Aspen’s hands glide around my bicep.
“Mr. Kenzie is here for practice. Maybe we could set up an interview later?” she suggested, flashing a beautiful smile at the bugger.
“Are you his publicist?” he asked. “We heard he’s no longer represented by an agent.”
“Me? No, I’m his…” She looked into my eyes, searching for the words.
“This is my girlfriend.” I pulled her into an embrace.
“Girlfriend? Can I get a name?”
I felt her tense in my arms, but this was what we decided. I needed a respectable woman on my arm.
“Her name is Aspen Pitch and I’d appreciate it if you’d give her some space.”
“How long have you been dating? What did you think about the video with Lach and the Brazilian girl?” he asked her.
“Lachlan really needs to get inside. How about another time?”
She wiggled free and reached up to kiss me on the cheek.
I threw her a wicked smile before planting a deep kiss on her mouth. She squealed, but I didn’t let go, despite the way she squirmed to break free. The photographer snapped a few pictures while I kissed the hell out of her.
“See you after practice, love.”
Her lips came together in a pout.
I walked through the tunnel into the dressing room for the UK team. I wasn’t used to being the first one in to practice. I wondered if too many things were changing too quickly.
Yesterday everything had come crashing down. Today I was a new man. At least that was what I had to convince everyone.
No more drinking. No more women. No more slugging the press.
I was here for Mother England and her football fans.
“Look who decided to show up.” Alex whistled behind me.
I gritted my teeth. “The kits are here today.” I held up my red and blue uniform.
“They were here yesterday if you had stuck around to see them get delivered.”