Page 30 of The Wedding Deal
“No one gave that to you. You earned it.” He hugged her tighter to him, basking in the feel of having her in his arms. “That pivot move was amazing.”
She pulled back, her forehead bumping the brim of his baseball cap, that amazing smile of hers still curving her lips. The second their eyes met, a zip of electricity shot through him. Another current coursed through his body as she inhaled, her breasts pressing against his chest. Her smile wobbled, and she quickly dropped her arms.
She felt it, too.
She swiped the strands of hair that’d fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. Then she punched his shoulder. “Thanks, coach.”
He lightly punched her shoulder back. “Anytime, James.”
As he’d hoped, her confidence grew from that completed play, and he was able to see her celebratory dance one more time before they called the game.
But as they walked back to the hotel, she stayed by Stacy’s side, close enough that he wondered if she was avoiding being near him after that moment they’d had in the end zone.
If he was smart, he’d give her the space and follow her lead. He told himself it was good that one of them had self-restraint or self-preservation or whatever the hell it was.
Even as he was also cursing it and the distance between them.
That’s it. From here on out, I’m going to shut those stray thoughts about her down.
They were finally getting along, and the business side was coming together. No need to ruin it all for a few days they’d both later regret.
Chapter Eleven
Right as Charlotte was contemplating if she should change into pajamas and watch some TV before crashing for the night, Stacy had texted to say they were hitting the resort’s giant hot tub and that she should meet them there. After their football game on the beach, her muscles could use some heat and jets. Plus, she really liked Stacy and her two bridesmaids, Bridget and Grace. They’d taken her right in, and she wasn’t quite ready to go to sleep anyway. She was still riding the high of doing better than expected this afternoon.
The good thing about basement level expectations was that something as simple as not falling on her face and managing to catch the ball during an official game—twice—was a win.
As she walked toward the bubbling water of the hot tub, her confidence wavered slightly. The other girls were so tall and beautiful and tan. They looked like they hit the gym on a regular basis, too.
Charlotte rarely saw the sun besides through her office window. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to the gym, although she often walked to work, which was a good three miles there and back. Of course she usually grabbed a pastry on her way…
“Come on in,” Stacy yelled, waving her toward the luminescent blue water. “It feels amazing.”
Expelling a deep breath, Charlotte slipped out of her swimsuit cover-up. The halter top of her red and white polka dot bikini supported and hoisted the girls nicely, and the bottom had the mini-est of skirts, so in addition to helping to cover her generous hips, at least her butt cheeks weren’t hanging out. She slipped into the water, hissing at the heat.
Immediately a pink drink with an umbrella was thrust into her hands.
On instinct, she nearly refused it. This was a work trip. But she was off the clock, and Lance wasn’t here.
“Cheers!” Stacy lifted her cocktail, Bridget and Grace followed her lead, and Charlotte thoughtwhat the hell. They clinked glasses, and Charlotte fought off brain freeze as the slushy, heavy-on-the-rum drink slid down her throat.
“Wow, that’s so strong it’ll walk right into your cup,” Charlotte said, and the girls laughed.
“I love your cute Texas twang,” Stacy said.
“I don’t have a twang.” She gestured to the girls with her drink. “Y’all are the ones with accents.”
“Not here in North Carolina, honey,” Grace said, and they all laughed. Yes, she liked these girls a lot. Never before had she clicked with a group of women so quickly, and she wondered if it was because of the situation or the football connection or if it was because she was usually more reserved around new people.
The heat and jets were working magic on her muscles, and complete relaxation had just set in when Stacy sat up straighter. “Oh look. The guys are headed this way.”
Charlotte’s heart began beating faster as she froze in place, too afraid to look. She hoped “the guys” didn’t include Lance—or at least she tried to, but the amount of anticipation that whirred up at the thought of seeing him told a different story. It suddenly seemed like it’d been a long time since they talked, which was silly. After the game they’d retreated to their individual rooms, and since he had a lot of calls to return, she’d texted to say she might as well complete the paperwork she needed to. She’d given up asking him to fill out the termination forms and began typing in her own answers that she’d simply have him approve later.
The real reason she’d wanted to stay in her room, though, was because she’d hugged him without thinking today, and she needed a little distance to keep her head right. It always got so messy around him.
Finally, she dared a glance over her shoulder, and there he was, next to his brother. He was turned away from her, talking to Mitch as he ever-so-casually ripped off his T-shirt. Even in the dim light, she could see all the grooves and dips. The lean muscled body. The trail of dark hair disappearing into…
Yeah, not going there.
