Page 46 of Love your Billionaire Boss

“True. I’ll see you at practice later.”

Kenny downed his coffee and grabbed his keys before heading down to the parking garage. There was still no text from Cleo, which was bothering him way more than he wished it would. He had other things to focus on, like making things right with his coach so he could start next game. Maybe this was why he didn’t get too close to women. Relationships were too complicated and distracting.

He arrived just before eight and clambered up the stairs to his coach’s office, who was sitting in his brown leather chair with his back turned. Kenny swallowed hard before knocking lightly. His coach spun around quickly and waved him in.

“Glad to see you’re alive,” he said sarcastically.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry for missing practice the past few days.”

“You take this game seriously, don’t you, Kenny?”

“Of course, sir. It’s my life.”

“Well, clearly not your whole life or you would have been here, and not in New York.”

Kenny looked taken aback.

His coach nodded knowingly. “I know all about your partying in the Big Apple when you should have been here.”

“H-how?” stammered Kenny.

“You were the talk of sports radio this morning. You seemed to make an impression on that Tinsley woman.”

Kenny looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed. He should have known.

“She said all good things. In fact, she said you were one of the more respectable players she’d met.”

Kenny looked at his coach with a hopeful expression.

“While this looks good for our team’s reputation, I’m still pissed,” his coach continued. “Now I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if you can’t get your head in the game then I can’t start you.”

“Please, sir. It won’t happen again. I just needed to blow off some steam.”

“Everything all right?”

“Yes. Everything is fine now. Again, that will be the last time I blow off practice.”

His coach studied him for a minute before sighing in defeat. “Fine. Don’t be late for practice today.”

“I won’t, sir.” Kenny started for the door before turning around.

“Yes?”

“Don’t be too hard on Nico.”

His coach rolled his eyes and waved him away.

Kenny rode the elevator up to the fitness level. There wasn’t anyone there, which wasn’t unusual given there was practice later. He was happy to be alone. He grabbed a towel and a water bottle from the locker room before hopping on the treadmill. He checked his phone, but there was nothing from Cleo. He scrolled to his music app and put on a workout playlist.

He began with a speed walk, then a jog, and then sprints. The music and the movement helped, but he couldn’t get his mind fully off of his night with Cleo, which frustrated him. Kenny increased the speed and ran faster, beating his last time that his trainer had recorded. He smiled to himself thinking about the smug look Kev had given him about their times. He hit the stop button after thirty minutes and caught his breath.

Heading to the locker room he undressed, shoving everything in his locker. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before turning the sauna on. Once it heated up, he stepped inside, laid down on the warm wood, and closed his eyes.

As much as he tried to fight them, his thoughts brought him back to Cleo’s house when they had just finished in the shower. He had wrapped her up in a fluffy white towel before doing the same and carrying her to her bedroom. They had lain in comfortable silence for a few minutes, catching their breaths after their steamy shower.

It would have the perfect time to talk about what had happened. He knew he owed her an explanation after he ruined a perfectly good night. At one point, she had even rolled over and looked at him as if she was about to ask, but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, he pressed his lips against hers and they started up again. When they were finished for the second time, they were so tired they passed out. Lucky for him.

He knew he couldn’t avoid her forever or come onto her anytime she tried to talk, although he wouldn’t mind doing the latter again. And again. Still, Cleo was a good girl. He knew it deep down, which was probably why he was so drawn to her. But it was probably also why he needed to avoid her. He didn’t want to hurt her.

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