Page 55 of I Am Lioness

The swell of my breasts…

They fit in his hands like they’d been made with him in mind.

“You can’t do this to me,” he all but groaned. “Fifteen minutes, I promise.”

I leaned forward, wild blonde curls falling around us like a blanket, and pecked his lips, tapping the very tip of his nose with a finger. “Lies. You know damn well we’ll be at it for at least forty-five.”

With lithe speed, I was on my feet beside the bed throwing on my black robe before he even realized what was going on.

“C’mon fiend, we have a lot to do today.”

“Shower with me then.” He called out as I padded into the bathroom.

Stepping beneath the threshold, I peeked over my shoulder. “Sorry, stud, you’re on your own.”

I was bent over the counter rinsing the toothpaste from my mouth when Knox sauntered into the bathroom. The very second I shut off the faucet and reached for a nearby hand towel, he slapped my ass and wrapped my hair around his hand, pressing my body flush against his front. “Sorry isexactlywhat you’re going to be screaming later on tonight when I get your sweet ass back in that bed.” He growled, a hairsbreadth from my ear, leaving me a whimpering mess when he released me to go shower.

My little threatleft Hazel shivering in anticipation against me. I released her from my grasp and hopped into the shower without another word, chuckling to myself.

My girl was a sore loser when it came to our shenanigans and it was cute as hell. When I finished my daily routine in the bathroom and came back into the bedroom, Hazel was nowhere to be found. I assumed she’d gone out into the main area of the suite to order breakfast or lounge around until I was ready, but as I was dressing and packing a small duffle bag for the gym, shouting erupted from somewhere in the suite.

Freezing in place beside the bed, I listened intently, straining to hear bits and pieces of the heated exchange that soon was taking place just on the other side of the bedroom door. I quickly recognized the two irate voices to be Hazel and Jason.

What the hell?

Slipping on a t-shirt, I padded over to the door and stopped close enough to hear the escalating altercation yet far enough away to go undetected.

I’d never been one to eavesdrop but seeing as though it pertained to my girlfriend and the man who quite obviously had some underlying feelings for her, I couldn’t help myself.

“Two days, Hazel! That's it, two!”

“You think I don't know that,” she snapped.

“Then what the hell do you plan to do? A new coach isn't going to magically appear overnight, much less out of thin air.”

“Tell me something I don't know! Just leave it be, Jay, I've got it under control.”

Jason chuckled sarcastically. “Quite obviously youdonothave it, otherwise you would have secured a new coach by now. Do you realize how difficult it’s going to be to find someone in forty-eight hours?”

“I said I've got this, Jason! Back the hell off!” Hazel roared vehemently.

The silence that ensued was deafening. Time seemed to tick by slowly until Jason finally spoke, his tone even and cool. “I didn't think it was possible for you to be more stubborn but yet again you prove me wrong. You don't want my help? Fine. But when the Board pulls you from the League, because they will without hesitation, I don't want to hear a word about it.”

And then the door slammed shut followed by a furious Hazel groaning loudly and stomping down the hall in a fit a rage.

I stood stock still in disbelief. To say I was stunned was putting it lightly.My mind was reeling, running a mile per minute as I digested everything I’d just overheard.

The enormity of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. In the two weeks I was away, Hazel had not only failed to meet the Board's requirements,she’d also lied to me.

The last time we had spoken about it—which was a few days before I was due to fly out to Miami—she claimed to be debating between the two most qualified and professional men she’d interviewed, so I left it alone under the assumption she had everything under control.

Oh, how wrong I was.

I wanted nothing more than to storm out of the room and confront her right, then, and there, but the rational side of me knew better than to act out in a moment of anger.

Taking a few deep cleansing breaths, I sauntered back over to the bed, collected my bag and my sneakers, and headed out to the main room, hoping like hell I could keep my temper in check.

Hazel was staring out the window when I entered the spacious area and dropped down onto one of the white couches, slipping my feet into my shoes.

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