Page 10 of Gossip Game

He eased his body away, but not far enough. She still had her back pressed against the wall.

“It’s just that you’ve been avoiding me. I was hoping to grab a drink and catch up,” he said.

Charlotte sighed. Clearly, she was going to have to spell it out for him. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’ve got a busy schedule this week. In fact, I have plans for the evening and I really need to get going.”

She inched forward, but Bucky didn’t budge. Charlotte thought he might have growled. It was dark in the hallway, and she couldn’t quite make out his expression. Judging by the grip he had on her elbow, he wasn’t pleased about being turned down.

When will I learn to be a better judge of a man’s character?

Her pulse began to pound so loudly it was hard to think. Fortunately, her panic eased when she spotted one of the Blaze players, the backup quarterback, illuminated by a shaft of light as he exited the men’s room behind them. Charlotte had never met the guy. Not that it mattered right now. Noah Hudson was the lesser of two evils.

She hoped.

“Just one drink.” Bucky's words didn’t sound like a request. “You know you want to.”

That. Was. It.

She jerked her arm free, surprising Bucky enough to throw him off balance, and allowing her to shove past him. Right into the arms of one of her brother’s football players. Noah let out a grunt of surprise when she slammed into the solid wall that was his chest. He smelled like soap and hops.

And safety.

“Babe,” she improvised, angry that her voice wasn’t as steady as she would have liked. “There you are. I hate it when you leave me alone at the bar.” She maneuvered her mouth close to his ear and whispered. “Please play along.”

After a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her waist, seeming to be careful where he placed his fingers. She arced into the shelter of his body with a sigh of relief.

“I got you,” he murmured.

And he did. Even though he was holding her modestly, she could sense his readiness to throw down in her defense, if necessary. His demeanor was a balm to her panicked nerves.

“Can we go home now?” she asked loudly, hoping Bucky would get the message and disappear. She didn’t want to drag Noah into this any further than she already had.

“Mm-hmm,” he replied.

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze when she laced her fingers with his. She said a silent prayer that the hallway would be empty when they turned, but no such luck. Bucky was right where she’d left him, arms crossed over his chest and his feet spread wide like the troll overseeing the bridge in Billy Goat’s Gruff.

“Well, isn’t this cute?” Bucky’s tone implied he didn’t think it was cute at all. “Does McManus know you’re screwing his sister, Hudson?”

A startled breath escaped Charlotte’s mouth. Shit. Guilt washed over her at involving the chivalrous guy beside her. And the last thing either of them needed was Jay intervening. Before she could voice a retort, Noah beat her to it.

“Does McManus know you like to manhandle women in the dark?” His tone was lethal, nothing like the shy guy he was made out to be. “Including his sister?”

Touché, she wanted to yell. She squeezed his hand instead. Then she dodged to the side of the hallway and through the emergency exit door with Noah in tow. Bucky didn’t follow, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t simply slip through the bar and back into the hotel lobby to cut them off. They needed to hurry.

Noah tried to let go of her hand, but she held fast. They weren’t out of this yet. Besides, having him near settled her ricocheting nerves.

One of the elevators opened its doors just as they arrived. She tugged him into it, relieved it was empty. The fewer people who witnessed his involvement in this little drama, the better.

“What floor?” she asked.

Noah arched an eyebrow, but didn’t answer. Great. Apparently, he was done playing Boy Scout.

“I’m not staying here,” she told him. “I can’t very well walk out the front door right now. He’s been dogging me all over London.”

His face hardened with her revelation about Bucky. He reached around her and pressed the button for the twenty-first floor. She was about to let out a sigh of relief when Bucky suddenly showed up, forcing the doors back open with his hand.

Charlotte froze.

And just as suddenly, she was melting beneath the carnal power of Noah’s kiss. Before she could think twice, she was in his arms, her body fitting perfectly against all that warm muscle. She didn’t even think to resist—mostly because she wasn’t thinking. She was simply feeling. And, damn, did Noah’s lips feel good.

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