Page 7 of My Fair Player

“If you need something, just press the attendant button, and we’ll be right over,” the beautiful woman offered, and there was a tone in her voice that made him realize she was reciting a line.

Zero emotion.

She was performing a job, and he was reading it all wrong.

Loser! Loser! Loser!

“I’ll check on you in a few minutes,” she offered, moving away – and panic pushed him. He wasn’t a ‘loser’. Nadinewasn’tright. The Wolverines asked for him specifically. They wanted him to be the captain of the team. They offered himcarteblanchealong with an endorsement with an athletic clothing line that had already been arranged.

“My name is Liam,” he threw out there to her, hoping she would introduce herself again because he’d missed her name during the announcements.

And she walked away, distracted.

Loser.

He cursed under his breath in sheer frustration. There had to be a way to talk to this woman for a few minutes without an audience, to speak to her, plead his case, and convince her to marry him – if nothing else for just long enough for him to present his marriage license to the team. If he could fix his mess, then maybe he should offer to fix one of hers since she had volunteered that her life was a mess too.

Could two ‘wrongs’ actually make a ‘right’?

He was about to find out.

3

ASHLEY

“Your ‘boy-toy’is eyeing you,’ Adrian whispered behind her. “Girl, I think you should go for it.”

“He mentioned getting a drink,” Ashley whispered, glancing at him as they packed the cart of snacks, preparing to roll it down the aisle. “And we both know that I don’t drink alcohol.”

“Honey, he’s a tall glass of water – and you are parched. Drink up,” Adrian pressed. “Every being on this plane feels the raging drought in you, girl. You are like a walking version of the Sahara Desert, and I ambegging youto jump into the deep end of thehottestandfinestbody of water I have ever seen!” he practically screeched in excitement, causing her to laugh nervously. She cast a glance at him, smiling, and then hesitated as the subject of their conversation suddenly appeared over Adrian’s shoulder.

Adrian looked behind him at the man – Liam – before looking back at her, his eyes wide and giving her a pointed look.

“Drown yo’self, and I will handle the snacks,” he whispered loudly. “You can handlethis‘snack’ – and I know you know what I mean.”

“Go away,” she gritted out, feeling embarrassed and avoiding Liam’s look as Adrian disappeared with the cart. The moment she looked up about to ask if she could help him with something – her breath caught as the handsome man stepped into the already small meal prep area for the flight attendants, yanking the curtain closed behind him. “What are you doing?” she whispered in disbelief.

“My name is Liam Savage – what’s yours?” he began, whispering in a hushed tone, his eyes searching.

“Ashley – do you need something?”

“Do you?” he replied back, keeping his voice low. “You mentioned your life was a mess, so what do you need?”

A bubble of stunned disbelief fluttered in her chest as she stared at him, wondering if this was one of those weird ‘I’m about to grant your wish’ game shows or good Samaritan things. She hesitated, and he gave her a slight nod, silently encouraging her to speak to him.

“I need a break,” she breathed, her heart pounding in her chest. “I just need to get my feet under me and quit getting kicked while I’m down.”

He nodded, unmoving.

“So what do you need to achieve that?”

“Who are you?”

“The friend you didn’t know you needed – because I could use one, too.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Not at all.”

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