Page 34 of Snap

Everyone laughed except Bam, who joined in a moment later.

"Hey, I've turned over a new leaf," Bam said. "I am a reformed citizen now." He puffed out his chest.

"Uh-ha, sure," Hawk said sarcastically.

We were almost to Waves when I caught sight of a red haired woman wrapped in a black coat. I stared for a moment. I'd know the way she moved anywhere.

"I'll catch up with you guys later," I said.

"Later, dude," Chase said.

When the guys disappeared into Waves, I trotted after her.

"Rubie," I called out. "Wait." For a moment I was worried it wasn't her, and was shouting out to a stranger.

Then Rubie stopped and turned around slowly. Her smile of recognition made my heart do a flip.

"Ollie." She walked back towards me and, with no hesitation, straight into my arms. "I didn't think I'd see you tonight."

Our lips met in a searing kiss that went straight to my heart. And my dick.

I wound my arms around her and drew her closer to my chest. I kissed her like a starving man. I'd never tasted anything or anyone so sweet. I couldn't get enough, not now, not ever.

I kissed her until I had no breath left and had to come up to breathe.

"It seems like the… work thing finished just in time." Another couple of minutes I and would have missed her. "Did you have a nice evening out with your friends? Do you want to go back in?"

"No," she replied. She hurriedly added, "I mean, I had a nice time but I don't want to go back inside. I can think of a lot of other things I'd rather do. Things best not done in public." She trailed the tip of her finger down the side of my face.

"I can think of a few myself." I cupped her cheek and leaned in for another kiss. "Your place is closer."

She untangled herself from me and took my hand.

"You didn't want to go inside and have something to drink, did you?" she asked. "You've probably had a long night. How was your work thing, anyway?"

For a moment I forgot what I'd told her. When I remembered, I felt like shit. I really should tell her the truth before this got out of hand. But not here, not where the guys might walk out of the bar at any moment and see us.

"I don't want to be with anyone but you." I pulled her to me so we walked hip to hip, fingers laced. Her skin was warm against mine. Hot enough to ignite me. Damn, the things the woman made me feel. Touching her was like getting lost inside a flame. I couldn't get enough.

"It sounds like your boss works you too hard." She looked up at me and smiled.

When my heart was done flipping, I smiled back. "Yeah, he's a bit of a hard ass, but he just wants to see us all succeed." All of that was true. Carson Thomas was passionate about the Rapids. As much as any of us players were, maybe more. He'd still be around when we retired and moved on.

That was a depressing thought. When you have one goal your whole life, it doesn't leave much room for anything else. Everyone joked about me going into acting or modelling, but I really didn't know what I wanted to do after football.

"I suppose that's what most bosses want for their employees," she said. "That, and to make more money."

I chuckled. "I don't know, my boss has plenty of that already." Although that was probably split between several ex-wives.

"One of those, hmmm?" she said. "More money than they know what to do with?"

"Something like that," I agreed. I didn't really want to talk about Carson Thomas right now. "How was your night?" We stopped at the traffic lights and waited for the pedestrian lights to turn green.

"Fine," she said. "I'm not used to having girlfriends to go out with. So it was… Nice."

"You?" I asked. "I'd have thought you would have loads of friends. I mean, you're smart, sweet, sexy as hell."

"I'm not sure those are the attributes of a friend," she pointed out. "Especially the last one."

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