Page 16 of King of Hearts

Arna

Was I experiencing perimenopause or did I just walk into the Sahara Desert - because this heat was slap-you-in-the-face noticeable.

Thanking God that there was a fan in the board style room Andy guided us too, I chose the seat with the best air flow and prayed it would keep the sweat at bay. I was finding it hard to breathe, especially with the lingering warmth which remained from the ghost of his palm on my back.

My - lower - back.

Professional exchange or not, his touch sent goosebumps along my entire body and it took everything in me not to visibly react.

The guy was a snack and just being in his company made my pulse quicken more than when I stood watching the team finish training. If I watched for research purposes and then left, I wouldn’t feel as flustered as I did, but I was captivated when Andy took control. He was in total command, managing the players he was working with. Dominance had never been something I was drawn to before, but the authority in his presence was undeniably sexy.

Not long after, as I stood admiring some of the images which hung on the walls, the man who introduced himself as Andy’s manager approached and walked me through the building. He was a sweet guy and far more forthcoming than his, “mosthigh-profile client.” Apparently, he’d been with Andy since his first game, taking him on as a favour to an ex-colleague who was managing some of the other Hearts players, and now Kieran managed a few too.

He mentioned that despite the “tough guy exterior Andy portrays”, he was a good man with strong morals and if I got to see even a little of that, the article would be a hit. While I arrived determined to maintain a focused approach to our conversation today, hearing these things softened my defences a little.

While I took in more of the images of teams and players which lined the walls, and glanced into the occasional open door, I’d listened to what he said and knew instinctively that I both liked him and could see he cared for his clients.

“You look much better today. How are you feeling?” Andy’s easy cadence broke me from my thoughts. He was self-assured and looked comfortable here at the club, just like he had at his house. Interesting. The pros column of my ‘why you should quit your job and climb Andy Gloss like a tree’ was growing. Mentally filing that away for later, I opened my notebook as he took the seat opposite, pushing a bottle of water across the table in my direction.

“Yes. Sorry about that.” Thanking him I opened the drink and took a sip, trying to replenish some of the lost hydration from my body’s reaction to him. “I get random headaches which sometimes come on suddenly and if I don’t take my blockers quick enough, they knock me about. I went home and slept for fifteen hours that day.” Feeling my cheeks flush at the unnecessary explanation, I mumbled an apology, took a deep breath and put my game face back on.

Why the hell was I telling him my entire medical history?

“Anyway, let’s focus on you.” I continued. He suddenly appeared sheepish and I got the sense speaking about himself was not something he felt entirely comfortable doing. I could not have a third failed interview. I needed him to feel more relaxed and sitting in this room, on opposite sides of what appeared to be a boardroom meeting table, it felt stifling and not at all an atmosphere conducive to an intimate conversation.

“Actually, can we walk and talk?” He frowned as if he was unsure of my intention. “I would just really like to get the full picture of what it’s like to be a football player with the Hearts. Plus, I get antsy when I sit still too long.” Gosh, I needed a muzzle. I’d given Andy zero airtime yet he now had my medical record and an insight into my hyperactive personality. This was why I was an editor rather than an interviewer. It was natural for me to be the one talking and the fear of getting fired was making me exceptionally talkative.

“Yeah, that works. I will show you the weights room first.” Smirking, he stood and the way he so easily agreed while maintaining his commanding presence woke parts of me which needed to remain asleep. A welcome reminder that I needed to keep my distance, which meant no more sensual back touching.

He opened the door and I was assaulted with his sinfully masculine smell sending an alarm to my lady parts. Doing my best to breathe him in but remain impassive, I briefly closed my eyes and prayed that the next hour would both drag, so I could bask in the pheromones, and fly by, so I didn’t act on said hormones. Clearly, it was going to be a struggle to keep those walls in place.

Professionalbarriers activated, Arna.

The weights room was exactly as expected. A large space with enough gym equipment to make Arnold Schwarzenegger proud. The dumbbell rack lined an entire wall and held some that I was certain weighed more than I did. Parts of the floor were lined with rubber, however, most of the area was made of artificial grass, replicating a smaller football field. There was an area for boxing, a cardio wing and a vast space where I assumed players stretched and cooled down in front of floor to ceiling mirrors. The Hearts spared no expense in ensuring their team had access to state-of-the-art facilities and many of them were currently taking that opportunity.

On the way, Andy briefly explained what a typical training day was like, including strength and conditioning, a few hours of drills, a practice game and a session or two with some of the younger players. I wanted to ask more about these mentoring sessions but was afraid he would close up again so I let him continue with the other parts of his daily schedule while enjoying the warm baritones of his voice.

The club apparently provided two balanced meals each day led by a team of nutritionists and somewhere in between all of this, he had a meeting or two with coaching staff. It sounded far more interactive than I would have imagined, and the impressive physique of the players was making more sense. Looking around, I thought about how much Marlee would give to be here right now. She would likely need a defibrillator to assist with the heart failure, but she would love it all the same. There was no shortage of attractive, fit and burly men lifting weights raring to play the game she loved. But it was difficult to identify their best features when the one by my side seemed to fill all the space. Here today, he was the complete opposite to the haughty man I’d experienced at our other meetings. There was certainly a side to Andy Gloss that he didn’t want people to see and for some reason, I wanted to peel back the layers until I got to the depths of his soul.

“We are expected to be in here for at least an hour a day,” Andy said. “Some use it more and some less depending on their positions on the field or current injuries.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, impressed with the commitment that many were exuding.

Andy turned to look at me with what I perceived to be disbelief written on his features. “You really have no idea, do you?” I blanched, feeling embarrassed that I was making Urban Pulse look both disorganised and unprofessional again. “I don’t mean that in a bad way.” He clarified. “It is oddly - refreshing.” He added, glancing towards me, before we continued walking. Intentionally pushing his comment aside, we continued through the room but I couldn’t stop myself feeling a little happy that he seemed genuinely pleased with this. Pleased with me.

“Oi, Gloss, want to see if you can beat my push-up record? Just hit eighty-one.” One of the guys said, wiping his forehead with his bicep. There was no denying he was a good-looking man with his thick frame and green eyes, but he had arrogance written all over him and when his imperious gaze lasered in on me, I knew the question was more for my benefit.

Internalising the eyeroll I wanted to give, I remembered my purpose in being here and extended my hand.

“Hi, I’m Arna from Urban Pulse.”

“Arna, this is Jay. What he lacks in manners, he makes up for in his kicking abilities, thank God.” I laughed as Jay, who was vaguely familiar now that I was actually looking at him, grinned and took my hand before placing a kiss on the top.

“What Cap means to say is without me, the Hearts would be nowhere near the top of the ladder. I am the diamond of this team.”

“Oh yeah, that is exactly what I meant to say.” Andy said dryly.

“A cavalier attitude is a must for any successful team,” I said, smiling as if it were a compliment. Clearly uncertain of my comment, Jay shrugged and turned to Andy who was doing his best to hide his grin.

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