Page 59 of My Secret Bandit

“Thanks, man,” he said. They shared a multi-step handshake before Xander left us.

“How are you?” I asked him, holding onto him tightly before putting some distance between us.

My feelings for Mateo grew every minute and I was proud of the connection we shared, the man he was on the field and off, but I still wasn’t ready to share our relationship with the outside world.

I still didn’t want to be a distraction or a burden. I didn’t know what would happen, but I had a gut feeling that once our relationship was public knowledge, reactions would lean more negative than positive. I wasn’t ready to expose either of us to that.

Taken aback, he looked around and saw the lobby full of potential onlookers.

“I’m good, baby.” His hand twitched, reaching out before falling back to his side. The level of control he used to keep me comfortable—to keep us to ourselves—caused an ache in my chest.

Over Mateo’s shoulder, I watched the few remaining people leave the conference room with the last one kicking the doorstop.

With a secretive smirk, I nudged my head toward the door, walking backward until I was sure Mateo followed.

“Jameson. What are you doing?” A light and playful expression covered his features as we slipped inside and I pushed him back against the closed door. Bodies pressed together, fingers through his hair, I pulled his mouth to mine.

He laughed against my lips before his own hand found its way to the nape of my neck, curling around hair loosened during my workout. I tilted back to deepen our kiss.

His lips always lit a fire inside me, whether it was a simple peck, or one more filled with need like this one. This time, though, it felt different. Something more lingered in his touch. Passion and devotion and loyalty and… love. He said the words while talking me down from my panic attack and my brain called it a slip. Or chalked it up as a way of getting my mind to focus on something other than my fears. But the way his mouth hungrily moved against mine and the way his hands gripped as tight as they could, so I couldn’t slip away, felt different. Different, but in the best possible way.

“Mateo,” I said as his mouth traveled along my neck. “I—“

The kissing stopped, and he eyed me in a way that made my heart grow and my body melt at the same time.

“I know, baby. But we’re not rushing through this conversation. We can talk about it later. Right now, we have a game to get ready for.” Smiling down at me, we shared one last kiss before emerging from the refuge of the conference room and heading back to our room.

Before anything else, I needed to wash the dried sweat from my body. I headed for the bathroom and Mateo followed. Turning on the shower, I watched him take a shaver from a small, black leather bag. A sad murmur escaped my lips before I could control it.

“What’s wrong?” Reaching out, he traced the pout of my lip.

“I like this,” I replied, rubbing my palm against his jawline. The stubble he kept all week grew into a short beard. I loved it, it was sexy as hell and most of all I loved the way it felt scratching against the contrasting softness of my skin. There was a certain sensualized tingle it left after it brushed against me.

He laughed and rubbed the hair my hand just left. “I shave before every game.”

“Like a superstitious kinda thing?”

“No. Not really. Well… actually I don’t know.” He turned and watched me from the mirror. His eyes shifted down to the device in his hand while he continued thinking. “I don’t think it started out that way, but I guess it kind of is now.” He shrugged at his own revelation.

After a long minute of looking between me and the shaver, I couldn’t take it anymore. I placed a towel on the hook and turned back to him. Reaching around, I placed my hand on his. My thumb pushed his against the button and the rotating blades came to life.

“Mateo. Shave. Please.” I told him before peeling off my sweaty clothes and stepping into the shower.

When the buzzing sound changed, I wiped condensation from the shower door and watched as he leaned over the sink, trimming down his facial hair until his dark golden skin revealed itself. Moving back under the water, I wet my hair, lathering it in a citrus scented shampoo before rinsing it out and replacing it with conditioner.

Mateo cleared his throat from outside. “Can I get in?”

I smiled at the shyness in his voice, caught off guard by the sudden rush of butterflies moving through my stomach.

He’d seen me in the most intimate ways, but there was still something about showing off my body to him that made me nervous.

“Of course,” I said, opening the door so he could step in. His eyes moved over my body, sending a second rush of emotions through me.

“So, these pregame rituals… do they usually involve showering with women?” I teased.

“You know they don’t.” His mouth stretched into a sweet, shy smile, but the desire burning in his eyes told a different story.

Tampacameintothegame undefeated.

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