Page 41 of One Last Chance

“I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Cassandra Miles. And you are?”

Cassandra places her hand out to me while her eyes look me up and down.

Accepting her hand, I respond, “I’m Chloe Mason.”

She runs her manicured fingers through her hair and lifts her lips in a smile before she zooms in on the screen. “You have a lot of pictures of Domenic. Do you know him?” She straightens, and her eyes narrow in on me.

“Um… you could say that,” Tom answers her question. “Cassandra, this is Miss Mason, she went to school with Domenic.”

Her eyebrows lift in surprise. “Is that right? Do you live in Vixen Falls? Domenic has never mentioned you.”

Feeling a little hurt by her words, I look away and grab a cold bottle of water from the table. “No, I don’t live here anymore. I used to. I’m based in New York now.”

“Right, well, nice to meet you, Chloe.” She turns away, leaving Tom and me, and heads straight for Domenic. She interrupts the conversation he is having with another player and kisses him.

Anger and jealousy consume me when I see them deep in a kiss. Her hands hold onto his shoulders, and he cups the back of her head. My heart sinks that little bit more when her hands travel down his chest, touching what was mine last night.

What am I doing?

Why do I keep putting myself in these situations?

Ignoring Domenic and Cassandra for the rest of the day, I place my full attention into my job where it should be, impressing myself with some of the images that come through. We continue to take some more pictures inside the gym where the players train. I even had a couple of the boys flirting with me. Usually, I would be flattered, but not so much today. I want today to be over with, so I can go back to the lodge.

Feeling the vibration of my cell in my jeans pocket, I answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Chlo, it’s Sophia.”

“Oh, hey… how are you?” I ask, looking around the room to find a quiet corner.

“I’m great. Just checking we’re still on for tonight?”

Leaning against the wall, I answer, “Would you kill me if I canceled?”

“No, you’re not. You’re coming out tonight, and that’s final. Now, Megan and I will pick you up from the lodge at seven thirty for dinner. Be ready.”

My thoughts go back to Domenic and how he had invited me out to dinner tonight. Maybe it would be good to get some distance from him, to think about the situation we have involved ourselves in. I know I love him, and he says he loves me, but this whole thing is so confusing.

How can our relationship work with me in New York and he’s here in Vixen Falls?

This is his home and the place of his team.

I simply cannot ask him to leave.

“Chloe, you there?”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I’ll be ready. I’ll see you later, okay? I’m in the middle of a shoot.”

“Okay, see you then. Oh, and I have a surprise for you.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Nothing. Just wait till I see you tonight.”

Smiling to myself and wondering what the surprise could be, she ends the call, and when I turn to head back, Domenic grabs my hand and leads me down the hall to Coach’s office where he shuts the door behind him.

“What the—”

Before I can end that sentence, Domenic’s mouth is on mine in a hungry kiss. His tongue drowns out all thoughts but him as his hands run down my back, then beneath my thighs where he lifts and drapes my legs around his waist. His hands squeeze my butt, and he leaves my mouth to devour my neck. I’m gasping for air when his tongue leaves a wet trail down the opening of my shirt.

---