“When the guys decided to form the company, I’d just signed my first contract.” He shrugged. “Couldn’t think of anything better to do than go into the start-up with family.”
She twisted toward him, obviously interested, and he continued.
Although he spoke to the guys often and they wanted to come by and commiserate, Damon had been too wrapped up in his issues to hang with his buds. Still, he knew the guys wouldn’t take no for an answer much longer.
She let out a low whistle. “Your family holds some pretty impressive people, even considering who you are.”
He chuckled and pulled into the parking lot of the closest hotel to the bar with a valet. He’d rather walk an extra block than leave his car outside. Was the price of his vehicle ridiculous? Hell yes. But a man had to have one vice and an expensive car was his.
After settling things with the valet, he wrapped an arm around Evie’s waist and they headed toward the bar. And damned if she didn’t feel good and right by his side.
He held open the door and they stepped into the dimly lit tavern-looking establishment. It never failed. As people realized a celebrity was in the house, they went quiet and then the whispering began.
“You always cause such a stir?” Evie asked.
He didn’t like it but it was part and parcel of the life he’d chosen. “That’s why I prefer Allstars,” he told her. “People have more respect for privacy. Come on. I see Emerson and a bunch of other guys on the team.”
He gestured to a table where a bunch of his teammates sat with cleat chasers hanging all over them.
“Jesus, there’s more boobs than clothing,” Evie muttered, causing Damon to grin. “I thought the term groupie was a cliché but apparently not.”
He shrugged, too used to the sight to be affected. “It’s part of the life.”
One wink and he could have his choice, including the same chick he’d gone home with when drunk one night. Candy? Connie? Ronnie? He groaned, hoping there wouldn’t be an issue. She seemed preoccupied with Drew Brown at the moment.
It was a sad fact that any of the females at that table would leave with him if he asked. But they only desired him as a trophy. So they could say they’d slept with Damon Prescott. And the more deluded ones? They hoped for more. Evie, on the other hand, had substance.
“Is it part of the life for you, too?” she asked, a hint of snark in her tone.
“Why do you want to know? Jealous?” he asked, hugging her tighter to him.
“You wish,” she muttered, and he thought she was right.
Maybe he wanted her to care.
“I’m just trying to figure out how many hearts you broke and if any of the women in your past could have drugged you to get back at you,” Evie explained.
He paused halfway across the room, stopping before they could be overheard. “I don’t lead women on.” It was important that she believe him. “Which means none of them have a reason to punish me for something.”
Before she could reply, someone bellowed, “Prescott, come join us!”
“Here goes nothing,” he muttered and led her to the table where his teammates waited.
“Who’s the babe?” Emerson asked, chugging a beer after he spoke.
Damon frowned. “Watch how you speak to her,” he warned his teammate. “Evie Wolfe, this is my—” He caught himself before saying backup. “This is Gregory Emerson, one of our quarterbacks. You already met Devon and James at Allstars.” He continued around the table with three more players, all nodding hello. “Guys, my … girlfriend, Evie.”
That pronouncement caused an uproar. Not from the two men who’d seen him with Evie at Allstars, but between Greg Emerson, Drew Brown, and the women who were looking Evie up and down, clearly finding her unworthy, everyone else had something to say.
“Her?” Candy, Mandy, or whatever looked at Evie with a scowl on her face.
Damon stiffened at the implied insult.
“Do you have a problem?” Evie asked, standing up for herself.
He was proud of her, but she didn’t need to get into it with one of his past mistakes.
Damon shot the woman a warning look. She only wished she could compete with Evie, who lacked bleached-blonde hair, fake long nails, and equally fake breasts. Considering the fact that Evie had snagged Damon, the formerly single quarterback, then yeah, he wasn’t shocked by the other woman’s attitude.
“Since when do you have a girlfriend?” Drew, a tight end, asked.
Damon pulled up one chair next to Emerson, then looked around for another, not finding one.
Evie put her hand on his arm. “Don’t worry, honey. We can share.”
Evie on his lap again meant a hard-on for the entire night, and he was oddly looking forward to it. He settled into the chair and waited. Evie glanced at him and was about to sit.