Not My Romeo (The Game Changers 1)

“Yes. It’s for nursing mothers.” She’s turned to face me, her chest rising.

Oh. Okay. I never went to church growing up, and I haven’t stepped in one since one of the players got married a few years ago. I didn’t grow up with religion, not from my mom and not in foster care with Lucy.

“Ah. Nice.”

We stare at each other.

Why can’t I think of anything else to say?

Because you’ve never had to work for it, asshole.

She leans against the door, as if needing a quick escape. “Want to explain why you’re here?” Her tone trembles around the edges, and it only ramps me up, knowing I can affect her.

“I happened to have breakfast with Timmy and Laura this morning. We planned it yesterday after the press conference. They also invited me to church, and I followed them here, not really sure if I’d come in or not. What are the odds you’d be at the same church?”

“There are only two in town, so fifty-fifty.”

“I saw your car in the parking lot. I don’t know what I expected. If I hadn’t seen you in the foyer, I might have sat down and tried to catch you after it was over.”

“I see.” She chews on those lips.

“You drove away from me last night, Elena. After I told you some stuff I don’t tell anyone.” I ease in closer to her, hot awareness zipping down my spine. And I know exactly what that prickle means. I want her. Bad.

She clasps her hands in front of her. “Jack, look, you seem like a nice guy—”

“I’m not.”

She frowns. “You are.”

I start. No one ever says that. “Then you need to read some of those articles about me.”

“I did. Forget that. Those opinions don’t matter. I saw how you looked at Timmy and see how the press is portraying it. I don’t believe everything I read, Jack. Also, Quinn thinks you hung the moon. Plus, you apologized very well last night.”

“I was sure I screwed it up, because you left.”

She bites her lip. “You did take your shirt off for me in the rain.”

Why is she standing so far away from me? I take another step closer, eyeing her curves in that skirt.

She holds a hand up. “And we had a . . . nice . . . Valentine’s Day.” Her lashes flutter for a moment. “And I forgive you for lying and leaving. But it can’t happen again.”

And by it, she means sex.

She sounds as if she’s reciting a speech, her spine straight, eyes stern enough to give me doubts about what the hell I’m doing. I waver for half a second before roaring back. I saw how she looked at me when I walked in. Like I was a lollipop she wanted to suck.

“I’ve seen you naked, Elena. It very much did happen. And quite spectacularly.” I stare at her face, taking in the soft curve of her cheek, the way she fidgets from one foot to the next.

A small laugh comes from me. “I don’t think I’ve chased after a girl this hard since high school. I did bring you back your . . . item. Doesn’t that make you happy?” I enjoy the blush that colors her face as I pull that scrap of fabric completely out and dangle it in front of her.

She takes a step closer. “So were you just going to show up at my house and hand them over? Because that’s fascinating. You obviously know where I live.”

I hesitate. “Yes.”

“How?”

“I had someone look into it. You have to come closer if you want these panties.”

“Fine.” She’s now two inches from me; I can feel the heat of her skin, the shirt she’s wearing close to brushing up against my chest. I inhale her scent, fresh with a bit of—

“Did you drink whiskey before you came?” My words are incredulous. “Do you have no respect at all?” I chuckle.

She tilts her head up and gives me a glare. “It was a leftover sip from last night! If you had to live in this town and deal with my family—who, by the way, are doing their best to set me up with Patrick—”

Jealousy crawls all over me. “The preacher? No way. He’s not for you. You’re too wild.”

“No, I’m not!”

I grin. “Want me to tell you the ways you’re wild?”

She ignores me and makes a grab for the panties, and I jerk them behind my back. She reaches behind me, grappling for them, her tits against my body, firm and hard and so freaking perfect.

“Give me those,” she hisses.

“Take them.”

“You’re too big!” She makes another move for them and comes close to getting them. I dance off from her, and she follows me, teetering a little in her heels, making little grabs, but I switch hands and put them farther from her reach.