Page 33 of Her Devils

“What is it?” I ask.

There’s a beat of silence before she tells me what’s bothering her. “I’ve wanted to spend time with you since we first met at the Wild Horse party. Even before we made our deal, I was immediately attracted to you, Jameson.”

I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face at her words. I love how Lenley is becoming more confident in expressing herself with the guys and me. “That’s a good thing,” I murmur, “because I noticed you the second you entered the room. You made all the other women disappear.”

“Shut up,” she scoffs. “Don’t use one of your pickup lines with me. You really don’t need to.”

I’m confused. “I mean it, Len. I didn’t know who you were, but I knew I wanted to talk to you.”

Her gaze hardens at my words, her delicate jaw working as she attempts to stay calm. “Then tell me what happened. What made you lose interest in me?”

I open my mouth to ask her what the fuck she’s talking about, but the shuttle pulls to a stop by the airfield, and we need to get off unless we want to be taken back to the hotel.

Lenley descends the two steps on the minibus, and I follow after her, grabbing the paper bag with the food.

“Hey.” I curl my fingers over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

She turns around, looking at me through narrowed eyes, and crosses her arms over her chest. “You said you thought I was attractive when we first met,” she bites out, her tone more furious than I’ve ever heard it.

This is why I don’t do relationships. I don’t understand women, no matter how fucking hard I try.

Not that this thing with Lenley is a relationship, but it’s the closest thing I’ve experienced to one since high school. “Yeah, I did. What—”

“Why do you think we haven’t spent any quality time together, Jameson?” She’s angry, and that’s oddly sexy. I like it when sweet Lenley shows her claws.

“Between our busy schedule now that the competitive season has started, and Peyton and Channing always beating me in getting your attention, I’ve been waiting for the right time.”

She shakes her head. “That’s bullshit.”

I stand my ground. “No, it really isn’t. I’ve been wanting to spend time together, just the two of us, for a while now, but there’s always something in the way.”

She doesn’t look convinced. “Peyton and Channing are just as busy as you are, but they found time for me. You haven’t done more than a few texts here and there, and I guess that’s okay since you aren’t my boyfriend.”

I run my hand through my hair. This is frustrating. “No, I’m not your boyfriend, Lenley, so I don’t understand what we’re arguing about.”

My words don’t do anything to calm her down. “We’re arguing about the fact that you blamed me for not spending alone time together when you haven’t even talked to me that much. If you don’t like me enough to hang out with me, then you don’t have to stick to our deal.”

I groan. “Princess, I wasn’t trying to blame you, and what the fuck are you talking about? I do want to hang out with you.”

“Could have fooled me. I’ve learned a few things since the last time we were together, so if you think I’m going to be too boring—”

Ah, this is what’s playing on her mind. “I don’t think you’re boring,” I clarify.

She’s still on the offensive, her words coming in fast and hot. “Really? Channing and Peyton have spent every minute they weren’t training with me, but you—”

“I’m different from my brothers, Len,” I say, struggling to remain calm. “I’m a planner, and I like to have control of my life. I’m not the type to blow off work to go to the movies, and I wouldn’t ask my teammates to give me space. Work has been crazy, and Peyton asked us for some time to talk to you one-on-one to figure out this stepsibling bullshit after your parents’ surprise wedding. That’s why I stayed away, but believe me, it wasn’t because I changed my mind about our deal or because I lost interest in you. I was just waiting for a moment when we weren’t distracted or preoccupied with other things.”

The first crack in the wall she erected between us finally appears. “So it isn’t because you didn’t enjoy the times we were together?”

I blame Lenley’s insecurity on Penn. That asshole has been making her feel like she doesn’t exist and she isn’t enough for him. The guys and I are helping her come out of her shell and realize that Penn is full of shit, but I know it’s hard to forget years and years of conditioning.

I close my fingers around her hand, dragging her with me through the area reserved for the skydivers, and stop only when I close the locker room door behind us and flip the lock.

“Lenley, you aren’t boring, and you aren’t plain.” I infuse my tone with all the certainty I can muster. “Penn wanted you to believe that because he thought he could have his fucking cake and eat it too. He thought that by convincing you that no one would want you, you’d wait for him for who knows how long, and in the meantime, he could continue fucking around while you were pining for him.”

She keeps her eyes trained on me, but she doesn’t say anything, so I continue.

“God knows I despise Darrius Penn as much as Peyton does, but it isn’t just because he’s a fucking douche who got where he is by birthright and cheating.”

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