Page 53 of Match Point

Yes, he’d snuck out because it was easier than staying. He’d known it was a mistake, but he let his dick rule his head. A common occurrence when it came to Sorcha. They were about as compatible as oil and water.

“I had to get my workout gear from the car.” Not one-hundred percent true. He’d purposely left before she was awake to avoid any awkwardness. How did that turn out for you?

“Don’t bother. You don’t want to be my trainer. Fine. Don’t be my trainer.” She jabbed at the controls with one angry finger. The machine belt escalated, along with her temper. He could read it in the starkness of her features. “I’ll do it on my own.”

He raked a hand through his hair and willed his own annoyance down. “What are you so pissed off for? You knew this was temporary.”

“Yeah, I knew,” she bit out, staring straight ahead. The skin of her neck and chest bared by the razor back top was reddened from their late-night activities and he ached to crawl into her bed and push the clock back a few hours. That wasn’t possible, nor was it possible to erase what she’d overheard.

“You have plenty of help now and you know what to do. You don’t need me anymore. I have faith in you.” She’d be traveling the world and he’d be in Seattle. They were from two different worlds. He was a novelty to her, and she’d grow bored with him.

“Yet not enough to be my trainer. Oh wait, you’ll be there for moral support.”

“Yes, I will.” He’d put a lot of effort into getting her into a good place. Winning the Invitational was the ultimate goal and he’d played his part. He’d cheer her on, but he couldn’t commit to more.

“So, last night was nothing?” Hurt, mingling with accusation, colored her voice.

“I seem to recall you telling me not to read too much into it.” He rested his hands on his hips, his own temper flaring. She couldn’t have it both ways.

Sorcha offered no verbal response but the fury in her eyes told him all he needed to know. She was an illusion, a shining star that looked close enough to touch but was unobtainable. After the Invitational, she’d be gone, and he didn’t want a long-distance relationship.

“What outcome do you foresee for us? I mean, yes, the sex is great. But we’re the complete opposite in personality and what we want out of life. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but I want the family thing, kids, a home, a dog, the whole works.”

Eyes narrowed, she began to jog faster as the speed of the belt increased. “You’ve never asked me what I wanted.”

“You told me what you wanted the first day I met you. You said you wanted to be at the top of your profession and that was your sole focus.” Of course, she had alternative motives, ones that she lied about. From the beginning, she’d been skirting the truth and tried to manipulate first Leo then Howler. He understood her reasoning but that didn’t change the facts.

“That is what I want.” Air puffed from between her parted lips, her color rising with the exercise.

“Then why are we arguing? You said not to read too much into last night, so I didn’t. You said getting back to the top was your top priority and I believed you. I committed to a month and that month his almost over.” He crossed his arms and watched her in the mirror. There was an attraction between them, he couldn’t deny it. But there was more to a relationship than sex. He’d known this interlude with Sorcha was temporary. A month. He’d committed to a month out of his life to get her into shape and set her up for success

“So, what’s next?” she asked, the question coming between pants of breath. She’d skipped the warmup in her agitation. Stubborn to the bitter end. “You don’t want to be my manager. Are you staying for the rest of the month or is this it?”

What he wanted was to sweep her into his arms and crawl back into bed. Had he not panicked earlier, that might have been his reality. “I’ll still be working with you until the end of the month. Howler has a practice partner for you. He’ll meet us at the ranch tomorrow.”

Given their initial conflict, he’d never counted on developing feelings for her. Perhaps it was the close proximity, or the fact that she challenged him like nobody else. Either way, he couldn’t continue on as before. Because if he did, he’d never want to leave.

Chapter Forty-Two

“Vegas Baby, get down.” Raina shook her head at the dog’s exuberance. “Come in, Sorcha. Sorry about the dog. He still needs to learn some manners.”

Sorcha scratched the dog’s ear and he sat down, his tail thumping. She walked further into the main level where Howler and Raina lived. She was more nervous than she cared to admit and was grateful to the dog for a distraction. The main room was large with dark hardwoods and light-colored furnishings.

Raina sat on a grey couch, feeding the baby with a bottle. “I just made some coffee. You can help yourself if you want. The cups are next to the fridge and I have a few different flavor creamers.”

“Thanks, I’d love a cup.” She hadn’t had a chance to have her morning coffee. After her fight with Leo, she’d thrown herself into the workout. Just the thought of him brought tears to her eyes. She poured a cup of fragrant coffee and reached for the sugar decanter, but hesitated. Yes, she could indulge; the restricted diet had paid off, but until she won the tournament, she’d be on her best behavior.

The baby started to fuss, and Raina lifted him onto her shoulder.

Sorcha took a seat next to her, eyeing the baby, who was wrapped in a soft green blanket. She sipped at the coffee. It felt good against her raw throat. The second Leo had left the gym, she’d broken down, tears falling even as she ran at top speed on the treadmill. How had such a perfect night turned into a perfect nightmare?

“Ash sure does have a lot of hair.”

“Yes, he takes after his dad.” Raina ran her fingers over the baby’s small head, her wedding ring flashing in the light.

Bitterness and anguish rose in Sorcha at the word dad. She lowered her cup, unsure how to start. The baby threw his head back before he turned his face toward Sorcha and plopped back against his mother’s shoulder. “He looks like his dad, too,” she said, reaching out and tracing a finger along the soft cheek.

“He also has Howler’s lungs. If you’d gotten here ten minutes earlier, you would have heard it for yourself.”

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