Page 24 of The Forever Game

“I really wanted to be here when you walked in the door, but?—”

“It’s fine,” he cuts me off.

“It’s not fine. I can tell you’re pissed, and I tried to get out of going to drinks with Ryan, but he?—”

“Drinks, huh?” Ethan stands, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. He’s so tall and powerful, still so damn sexy it makes my stomach quiver every single time. But his tone dampens down my desire, his arched brow and pointed look making my stomach twist in a different kind of way. “Just the two of you?”

“Of course not.” I roll my eyes. “It was a bunch of people, and he wanted me to take photos.”

“Selfies, no doubt,” he mumbles under his breath, but I still hear him.

Snatching a cushion off the couch, I hurl it at his head. “Would you stop! There’s nothing going on between me and Ryan. Ugh!” I shudder. “Even thinking that for a second is grossing me out!”

The cushion comes hurling back toward me, and I snatch it before it hits my face and biff it right back at him.

Grabbing it out of the air with a growl, he huffs at me, slapping it onto the floor with a petulant grunt.

A snort pops out of my nose before I can stop it. I’m pretty sure Billy made that exact same noise last time we were hanging with Caroline and Casey.

I fight a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re being ridiculous.” I point at him. “You’ve seen you, right? Why would I want anybody else?”

He hitches his sweats, still frowning at me like a grumpy-ass bear. “It’s supposed to be our weekend. We get two days together, and then I hit the road again. And you’re late, plus you’ve brought home a shit ton of work!”

I flick my hands wide. “What do you want me to do?”

“Quit!” he shouts.

“I can’t do that.” My blood starts to boil as I grit out the words. “This job is going to get me to where I want to go.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? There are hundreds of sports agencies across the country.”

“And this is one of the best in Colorado! And I got a job there. Do you have any idea what a huge compliment that is? I can’t just turn my back on that.”

“Why do you have to work for ‘the best’?”He does irritating air quotes that piss me off even more. “Can’t you just get a job at a smaller agency that will treat you better? The one you worked for before was great.”

“They were small-time,” I mutter.

“But they treated you well, and it’d give you a chance to do your law degree part-time and?—”

“Would you shut up about my law degree?” I snap. “Why are you so obsessed with that?”

“Because you told me that you wanted to represent female athletes and give them the best shot, and right now you are nothing more than an unappreciated assistant at some agency that only represents men! You could be doing so much better!”

My anger flares. “I’m doing my time so that I have better opportunities later down the track! You don’t know anything!” I flick my hands in the air and go to walk away, but he vaults the couch and catches my arm before I can.

“I knowyou.” He stares down at me. “And you’re not satisfied in this job.”

I swallow, glaring up at him. “No,you’renot satisfied that I’m not more available, and it’s pissing you off.”

“You’re damn right I’m pissed off,” he growls. “I miss you and I’m sick of seeing you so stressed out all the time. I want you to be happy. Sorry for being the worst husband of the year.”

“You’re not—” I let out a soft growling screech and try to wrestle myself free of his grasp, but he keeps ahold of me, dragging me closer until I’m pressed against his chest and my senses are taken over by everything that is Ethan Galloway.

He’s such a presence. And my instincts immediately tune into him. I love his smell. I love his shape and texture and height and?—

My brain shuts down as my body takes over. I snatch the back of his neck, yanking him toward me. His lips crush to mine as I fist the back of his hair. Slashing my tongue against his, I inhale his very essence while trying to climb up his body. Cinching me around the waist, he lifts me off the floor, and I wrap my legs around him.

He backs us against the wall, my body hitting the solid surface and making our framed wedding photo rattle. Our chaotic kisses are turning more frenzied as he grips my thighs and then starts trailing his mouth across my jaw and down my neck.

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