Page 110 of A Quarterback for Christmas

She smiles, flicking her gaze over my shoulder to Drew. “Sorry, Drew. I did promise Bella that I would be on my best behavior. But I can’t help myself when I’m around all thismuscle.” She waves a flippant hand over his chest. “Granted, you’re not as big as this rugby boy I used to date, but it’s still impressive.”

Checking my wrist, pretending there’s a watch on it, I look straight at her. “Oh, look at the time. Didn’t you say you were meeting friends for drinks after the game? Wouldn’t want you to miss out on those.”

Looking between Drew and me, her smug smile fades as she realizes I want her out. I wouldn’t normally kick her out like this, but there have been plenty of times she’s politely asked me to leave the flat for a few hours so she can have some alone time with whatever guy she happens to be dating. “Ah, you know what? You’re right. Sorry to cut this meeting short, but I’ve got to meet my cousin Johnny before he makes the worst mistake of his life and marries the biggest headache my family has ever met.” She lets out a hesitant chuckle and takes a few steps back. “It was lovely meeting you, Drew. Maybe I’ll see you again when you come back next year for a game.”

“Definitely. My team has signed on for at least another five years of games here. I’ll make sure to save you a ticket.” Without even trying, I can see he’s won over Perry and I’m left wondering if he was always this charming and I’d just never noticed it before.

“Well, it’s settled then. I’ll see you here in a year. Bella, I’ll see you back home tonight… maybe tomorrow. Who knows?” Perry winks at me before she struts out of the room. The now empty room because everyone else left after greeting Drew.

Still staring at the door, I feel a shiver run up my spine because we’re finally alone, but I still seem too much of a chickenshit to turn around. Drew clears his throat, and when I slowly turn to look at him, I suck in a breath because he’s watching me intently. “So that’s Perry?” he asks with amusement.

“Yup, that’s Perry.”

“She seems nice.” He’s holding back the laughter now as he steps towards me.

“She is. What’s so funny?”

He scratches his chin. “Ahh. I don’t know why, but I thought Perry was a guy.”

“Oh.” I push my head back, dumbfounded. “But I told you I live with her.”

He shakes his head in an amused motion. “Yeah, you said you were bringing your flat mate, Perry. I assumed it was your artsy, live-in boyfriend.”

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“Quite the opposite, actually.” There’s that smirk again, and my stomach flips because I’m wondering if his expectations about tonight match mine.

“Did you want to maybe get out of the stadium? I know this great pub that’s just a few stops away on the Bakerloo Line. It’s three floors, so we’d be able to find a quiet spot.”

Scratching his chin, he looks down at the field, then at me. “Normally, I’d say I’d love to, but I’ve got to be back at the hotel by two a.m., and I’m concerned I won’t be able to leave the stadium without being recognized. I know it’s not the U.S., but it was a full crowd tonight, and my face was on the screen enough for it to be imprinted in their minds.”

I blink, feeling stupid for suggesting it. “Of course.” Drew’s famous now amongst NFL circles and all the fans in England are out celebrating. I should have thought about that. “How long is the VIP bar open here? Maybe we could stay and talk?”

He looks a little somber. “I think it closes in a few minutes. They want the stadium cleared.”. I’d invite him back to my flat, but we’d have the same issues getting there. I don’t know what to do. Disappointment courses through my veins, because it feels like this could be it.

As if Drew can read my mind, he takes my hand to get my attention. “Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but why don’t you come back to my hotel? The team has arranged transportation, and there’s a bar in the hotel that’s open twenty-four seven. We could hang out there and talk as long as we want. Uninterrupted.”

The last word sends a little thrill to my core. Uninterrupted time with Drew? I didn’t need to think about it. “Sure. I’d like that.”

Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he leads me out of the room. “Great. Then follow me, Belly.” I groan, pushing him in the chest but laugh at his antics because strangely, it feels like we’re picking up right where we left off.

Chapter 32

Drew

Watching Bella laugh isn’t something new to me. I used to secretly observe the way it would make her eyes light up for years, wondering if I’d ever be able to draw that out of her instead of that lip curling snarl she seemed to only reserve for me. Watching her laugh tonight feels different, though. Bella’s happy, and more confident, not to mention sexy as hell in a Rattlesnakes jersey. The only disappointing thing about my whole view right now is that she’s not wearing my last name on the back of that thing since I didn’t want to offend her boyfriend. The boyfriend that doesn’t exist.

We’ve spent the last four hours talking. Or, I should say, she’s talking, I’m listening, hanging on every single word she says about her time here because I love seeing her face light up as she talks about attending the London School of Fashion and all the things she’s made. Bella’s always been beautiful, but she’s simply glowing now. I’ve never seen her so passionate before. Well, unless you count hating me. She was pretty passionate about that for a long time, but now that she’s here, focusing on herself, I can’t help but feel happy for her.

“So, yeah, I made Perry this insanely intricate dress with all these sequins for some charity ball she went to. It took hours, and my fingers still haven’t recovered.” She shows me the palmof her hand as if that’s all the evidence I’ll need. “Only for her to tell me that she doesn’t need it.”

I chuckle. “Can you wear it somewhere else?”

She scrunches her nose and sticks her tongue out. “I don’t have many balls that I’d need a dress like that to go to.”

“Have you got a picture of it?”

She looks down at her phone, flips the screensaver off and starts swiping through her phone. I try to casually pretend I’m not looking, but I’m scanning those photos like my life depends on it, searching to see if there’s a guy in any of them.

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