Page 52 of Fumble

Chapter Sixteen

FAITH

“Shit!”I’m startled awake by the sound of Hunter shouting as he flings open the drapes, light streaming in, assaulting my retinas.

“What the hell? Are you trying to blind me?”

“Get up!” Slowly coming into focus, he’s pulling on suit pants, his crisp blue shirt open to reveal washboard abs.

“I see why girls don’t usually spend the night. You’re mean in the morning.”

“We’re late. I forgot to charge my phone, and we slept in. The entire staff is waiting at the Seahawks.” Holy crap! I try to scramble out of bed, but I get tangled in the sheets and fall flat on my face.

“They’re going to know. You’re not there. I’m not there.” He helps me up before striding out of the room. I hear him shouting at Murphy, giving him orders to go and pick up my bags from my room. I have no clothes up here other than the dress Hunter peeled off me last night. I run to the bathroom, horrified at the sight of my hair. It’s the first time it’s been sex-mussed, and I can confirm that it’s not a look I pull off with the effortless ease of Sharon Stone. I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backward.

Hunter appears at the door.

“I’m never late. I’m supposed to start my rousing speech on professionalism and dedication to the game in…” he looks at his watch, “… fifteen minutes. Fuck!”

“It’s only a five-minute cab ride from here. We can make it.”

“You’re literally naked right now. On what planet are we going to rock up there in fifteen minutes?”

“Just go! Your driver can take you. I’ll get dressed and meet you there.”

“I can’t just run out on you.”

“Hunter, this is your career. I’m not your prom date. I’m fine. You’re not skipping out on me after a one-night stand. I’m your personal assistant, and I’m supposed to get you where you need to be. Go and get in the goddamn car, and I’ll be there before you start your speech. I promise.” My heart is pounding so hard, I’m lightheaded. Without another word, he disappears, buttoning his shirt as he heads out the door, and I’m left in the stark silence of his hotel suite, staring at myself in the mirror.

I had sex with Hunter Vaughn last night. And now I’ve made him late for work—the one thing he hates more than anything.

When Murphy arrives back with my bags, heat rises in my cheeks. There’s no way he doesn’t know what happened in here last night. He sees all the women who come in and out of this place.

“I promise I’m not a slut.” His eyes widen like a deer in the headlights. “I don’t go around sleeping with guys all the time.” The more uncomfortable he looks, the worse my verbal diarrhea becomes. “I’m a virgin! I mean, I guess I’m not anymore. I was. Until last night. And now you’re looking at me like I’m a whore.”

“Ms. Fairchild, I do not think that at all. In fact, I’m paid for my extreme lack of judgment when it comes to Mr. Vaughn’s nighttime activities.”

“Oh, God!” I drop my head in my hands. “I’m a notch on a bedpost.”

“Faith. Can I call you Faith? Seems like we just went way past the formalities.”

“Of course. I’m sorry.”

“You’re not a notch. The notches don’t get to stay the night. If you tell him I said that, I’ll deny it!” With a playful wink, he leaves me to get ready. “I’ll have a cab waiting for you in five.”

“Thank you!”

Scrambling through my bag for the most conservative outfit I brought, I wrestle it on and grab my makeup bag. I can make myself presentable in the cab.

* * *

I makeit inside with around thirty seconds to spare. Hunter is walking to the podium when I slink in the door and hold myself tight against the back wall.

All eyes are on him, but his eyes are firmly fixed on me with a broad smile that sends my stomach into freefall. Reaching up, he rubs the scruff on his chin, unshaven due to our after-hours’ sexcapades last night, and all I can think of is the way his rugged jaw felt between my thighs. My cheeks flush mesmerized by him as everyone else in the room.

“First of all, I’d like to thank the Seahawks for having me today. It’s nice to see some familiar faces and a lot of new ones, too. Hopefully, you’ll find even a single nugget of wisdom in what I have to say today.

“The game looks different than when I started out. For those of you who know me pretty well, you can attest to the fact that I was an arrogant sonofabitch back in the day.”

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