Page 59 of West Bound

“Phoenix. Oh my God. Put me down. People are looking,” she grunts as she bounces with each of my heavy steps.

We step up to the elevators and the people who were about to step in, move aside to let us pass.

“I’m so sorry,” she tells them.

The doors close and I take the chance to smack her backside.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t act like that didn’t make you wet.” She harumphs but stays quiet. “This is what you’ll get every time you try to run from me. I was gentle this time. Next time…you won’t be as lucky. “

“There will be no next time. I’m not a child. You cannot spank me.”

“Oh I can and I will. I’ll spank this little peach ass of yours red and raw and you’ll be begging me for more.”

In the reflection of the shiny metal doors, I can see her jaw hanging open and her green eyes are wide with disbelief.

“I told you last time that if you left your mouth hanging open like that I’d find something to put in it.”

She snaps her jaw shut and tries to pout but her position over my shoulder doesn’t allow for it.

“Don’t stick anything in it that you don’t want me to bite off. I barely regained the ability to talk after this morning, so I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from fucking my throat hoarse.” She lifts an arm and flings it back into my butt and makes me startle.

“Oh little girl. You just poked the bear.” I flip her over and cradle her in my arms wedding style. “Not. Smart.”

Her eyes shine with mischief. “Or was it?” She waggles her brows at me and I smile.

The elevator comes to a stop and we step out to my floor. I walk us to my door and set her on her feet.

“Are you changing ooorr..?”

“Nope. This is our next stop.” I open my phone and scan it, making the door beep and the lock slide open.

I push the door open and let her walk in first. She comes to a stop in the small foyer and looks at the living area that opens to a kitchen and small eating nook. There’s a hallway that leads to the only room in the suite and bathroom, and a balcony that runs the length of the living room to the bedroom.

“This is nice. I would’ve taken you for a lavish five thousand square foot penthouse type guy. This seems…”

“Humble? Meager? Lowly?” I ask.

“Normal. Nice,” she answers, spinning in my direction. “It’s nice.”

“It’s temporary,” I reply. “My personal assistant has been trying to help me find a new place, but he’s still in New York so it hasn’t been very easy for him. That’s another thing I need to find.”

“What’s that?” she asks as she walks to the windows and looks out over downtown.

The sun is still high in the sky, but the colors are changing to a soft peach. It’s like even the sun and sky know how perfect the color is to describe her.

“A new PA. My current guy, Aric, doesn’t want to move to Texas. He’s been great for the last five years, so it’s going to suck finding someone knew. He said he would still handle everything from New York, but I’d really like someone to be in my home base. He wasn’t too happy about that.”

I think back to the conversation I had with him just a week ago when I told him I think it was best if I had someone here locally. His tone immediately turned cold and I understood he was worried about his career, and I reassured him that I would help him find a job. I knew plenty of athletes in New York that would love to have an assistant as proficient and organized as him. He said he was fine, but I knew he wasn’t. I’ve already put the word out to a few guys about Aric, and I know he’ll have a job before the season is over.

“I can ask around, if you’d like.”

“Yeah?”

She shrugs a shoulder and turns around, pressing her back against the glass. “Sure. I know lots of people in the sports world, and someone always knows someone who knows someone. Ya know?”

I walk over to her and frame her body with mine, my arms resting on either side of her head and my body looming over hers. “I know.”

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