Page 66 of Off Pitch

“Maybe I need to learn more,” she challenges, shaking off any unease or nervousness she’s feeling.

“I’m not sure there is anything more for you to learn.” I instinctively grind my hips into hers, searching for any friction. Harlow gasps when she feels how fucking hard I am in the middle of the damn bar, wearing those gray sweatpants she likes so much.

“I’m sure there are things you could teach me,” she says in a low tone.

So fuckingseductive.

“Harlow…” My lips brush against hers.

“Knox…” she says, pressing her body tight against mine.

Body language. This is what Lane was saying earlier. I canseehow much she wants me right now. I could lead her out of here, take her back to my penthouse, and fuck her all night, and she wouldn’t protest. Shewantsme to do that.

But I’m still not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t want to fuck things up between us. We’re getting along well. Really well. I want to ensure I keep her in my life when we end this whole arrangement. Sex could ruin all of that. We could lose all the progress we’ve made.

I can’t risk it…

“We, uh…” I stammer, peeling my body off of hers. “We should head back to the table before they start wondering where we are.”

“Right,” she says, looking dejected and a bit embarrassed. She removes herself from under my arms and pads off down the hallway.

I scrub a hand over myself, wondering what the fuck I was thinking coming over here in the first place. I all but invited her to tell me how much she wants me… and then I fucking stopped it from going further. Now I’m left with a goddamn hard-on in the middle of a busy bar.

I need to get a grip on myself. She’s just a woman. An insanely attractive woman whose company I happen to thoroughly enjoy.But still, just a woman.

But she’s not just a woman, is she?

No, she’s the one woman I never thought would be able to get through to me. Now, I seek her out at every game. I see her every day. I go to fucking dive bars just because she wants to go.

So no, she’s not just a woman. She’sHarlow. The woman whose attention I crave more than anything.

Fuck me.

twenty-six

Harlow

It has been justover three weeks since that night in the bar.

Three weeks since it seemed like Knox was ready to make a move.

Three weeks since he pressed his fucking dick against my hip and then left me standing there.

Of course, I’ve told myself we shouldn’t do anything anyway. So, I should be fine with nothing happening. But also, don’t rile me up in the middle of a bar if you’re not going to take care of me, you know? I think I almost broke my vibrator that night.

Knox and I have continued flirting with each other, but we haven’t taken things that far again. We’ve been very close in public, with plenty of new photos showing up in the tabloids, but when it’s just us, he usually tries not to be right next to me.

If we’re on the couch, he sits on the other end. If we’re in the kitchen, he’ll lean on the cabinet opposite me.

It’s kind of frustrating. He goes from acting like he was ready to bend me over and fuck me in the middle of the damn bar to holding himself back from me. So, have I been misreading the situation? Was he just caught up at the bar? Maybe he doesn’tactually want me, and he’s trying to back off so I don’t get the wrong idea. Bit of a confidence blow if that’s what it is, but I’ve bounced back from worse.

Tonight is all about confidence, though. Tonight is the Stars’ Charity fundraising dinner. We’ll have to be close to each other all night to play the part we’ve agreed to. The players interact with the donors for much of the night since it helps bring in donations. Knowing Knox, he’s dreading even the thought of having to schmooze with people he doesn’t know, but at least I’ll be there to help and encourage him.

I find myself in front of Lucia’s building now since she, Rory, Ella, and I are getting ready together for tonight. I grab my dress bag from the back of the taxi I took to Chelsea and walk inside, heading straight to the elevator and taking it up to the fourteenth floor.

“She finally made it,” Lucia says, opening the door and gesturing me inside.

“So fucking dramatic, Luc,” I reply. “I’m not late. Ella’s not even here yet.”

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