I pity whoever owns that helmet.
“The guys stepped up to the plate for this.” Pace smiles as he nears me. “I can’t thank them enough, and you too.”
I’m the afterthought, but I’m good with that.
The athletes are the stars of the show today. Truth be told, they are every single fucking day.
I won’t complain because it’s lined my pockets and set me up financially for the rest of my life.
I’m smart. I invest wisely.
“I didn’t know she was coming.” Pace lowers the helmet in front of him. “How do I look?”
I glance over my shoulder to see Maren on the approach.
“What the hell?” I mutter.
Her gaze is focused on my face and only my face. I reach out a hand to offer her comfort when she’s a foot away from me.
“I tried to call you.”
Those are the first words out of her mouth.
I yank my phone from my pocket. I tap a finger over the home button, but the screen stays black.
“It’s dead.” I close my eyes. “I forgot to plug it in last night.”
“Hey, Maren,” Pace says from where he’s standing. “How are you?”
“Fine,” Maren spits the word out. Her gaze is still locked on my face. “How are you?”
“I’m really, really good.”
His cock is hard. He’s rocking a fucking hard-on while he’s talking to my girlfriend.
Girlfriend.
Is she my girlfriend?
“Keats!”
I turn when I hear my name bellowing from behind me.
Two of my clients, Colson Rees and Louie Holland, both raise their hands in greeting.
Louie’s includes a lift of his middle finger in the air.
I take the high road and wave back. “Thanks for joining us, gentlemen.”
Maren glances in their direction. I see the relief on her face when she realizes they’re both dressed.
“Baseball players,” she says under her breath. “They are baseball players, aren’t they? Louie and Colson.”
I smile at her. “You’ve been studying.”
Her gaze darts back to the two players when Louie tugs the T-shirt he’s wearing over his head.
Colson’s hands drop to the button on the front of his jeans. “Do you want us naked now?”
He pushes his jeans down to reveal bright red boxer briefs.
Maren grabs my forearm. “Can we talk outside for a minute?”
Gladly.
I don’t need the woman I’m falling head over heels for surrounded by naked dicks.
I take her hand and lead her past Colson and Louie grateful that in a room with this many men, she only has eyes for me.***We stand on the sidewalk in front of the studio as rain gently falls on us.
She inches closer to me. “I have an important message for you.”
I hope it’s that she loves me.
The words have been sitting on the tip of my tongue for days, but I haven’t said them yet. I want to. Fuck, do I want to, but I don’t want to scare her.
I stare into her blue eyes. “What is it?”
She perches on her tiptoes to drag her lips over mine. “Blue unicorns are the best.”
I let out a laugh before I cup the back of her head and kiss her properly.
I let it linger as her breath stutters when I claim her bottom lip with a nip of my teeth.
“Stevie did call.” She takes a step back. “But I came down to tell you that Finn Remsen wants a word with you.”
“He wants a word?” I huff out a laugh. “Those are his exact words, aren’t they?”
She nods. “He called and left that message an hour ago. He said he didn’t appreciate you ignoring his calls, and it’s urgent that he speak with you.”
“He can wait.” I kiss her again. “I have more important things to do.”
“Wrangle cocks?”
Hearing her say the word makes me hard. “You’re making me want things, Maren.”
She inches closer, and with her lips pressed to my ear, she whispers. “Is one of those things me?”
I tug her closer. “Feel how hard I am.”
She squirms against me as people pass by, oblivious to us. “Get back to work, boss.”
I stare into her eyes. “How did I get this lucky? What did I do in my life to deserve this?”
“You’re a good man.” She rests her forehead against my cheek.
“You make me a better man.” I close my eyes. “I want to be the best man I can for you.”
“Keats!” Noah Foster’s voice booms from the doorway of the studio. “You need to get inside. Let’s get this thing moving.”
I turn toward him. “Noah, this is Maren. She’s my girlfriend.”
Maren’s eyes latch onto mine. A smile takes over her lips.
“Good to meet you, Maren.” Noah bows his chin. “I need to steal your man for a few hours.”
Maren grazes a kiss over my cheek before she turns her attention to Noah. “It’s lovely to meet you too, Noah. Thank you for doing this for us.”
Us.
Fuck, yes.
I want that to be one of her favorite words because it sure hits high on the list of mine right behind: