Page 5 of After the Final

“We came here for the rugby,” her black friend said. Her words are beginning to slur together a little. “I think it’s safe to say we know who Mark Barnes is.”

She gives me an appreciative look up and down. Their blonde friend laughs and jostles her a little.

“Don’t gawk at him, Viv. You’re in no position to be doing any of that.”

“What’s wrong with that? I’m just having fun.”

“And you’ve had a bit too much,” Emma points out. “Perhaps we should take you back and get you to sleep it off. God knows how much you’ve actually had to drink.”

“That would be wise,” I also say.

But I’m silently wishing that I could spend more time with Emma. I want to talk to her, get to know her a bit better. Mostly I want to see if those soft lips of hers taste as good as they look. I pull myself up on that last one. I’ve only just met her and I want to jump her. I’m approaching forty, I’m not a young man with little patience.

There is something really wrong with me.

“But you don’t need to come back with us, Emma,” her blonde friend says suddenly. “You should stay out and have a bit more fun.”

“Amy!”

“What? This was for you, and I know you wanted to experience Paris a bit more.” Amy winks at me. “I’m sure Mr Barnes here can show you a few things that are far more interesting than hanging around our AirB&B.”

Emma glares at her, but Amy doesn’t seem to notice. I do wonder if she’s trying to push us together, and I silently send her a thanks. If she hadn’t suggested, then I would have. I don’t want this to end right now.

I really do need a concussion test. What the hell is wrong with me?

“I’m sure I can make your evening end on a more pleasant note,” I say as I turn to Emma, only just realizing how erotic that sounds. “But you don’t need to call me Mr Barnes. Just Mark will be fine.”

“Mark.” Emma licks her lips and I have to fight back a groan. “Sorry. I was always told to be polite.”

“It’s fine. But I’m not a teacher, so there’s no need.” I wait. “So, how about it? Do you fancy hanging out with a boring referee?”

Emma laughs, and that laugh hits me right in the gut.

“I would hardly call you boring.” She glances at Amy and Viv, who are watching us. “Are you guys okay on your own? I don’t want to…”

“Just go, darling,” Viv urges, “and make the most of it. I certainly would if given the chance.”

What is happening to me? I just went to have a quiet drink, and I suddenly get pulled in to the orbit of a stunning woman who is making my body react in such a way that I am off-balance. I don’t like being on an uneven keel.

But I can’t stop myself. Not tonight.

Emma

I can’t believe this is happening. I never thought that I would end up meeting Mark Barnes and actually having a drink with at a quiet little cafe on the waterfront, away from everyone else. This is feeling like a strange dream.

But with Mark sitting across from me, giving me a smile that makes his blue eyes sparkle, I know that it’s definitely not a dream.

Viv and Amy might drool over the rugby players, and I can see why, but it’s always been Mark I’ve focused my attention on whenever he’s on the pitch. There’s something about his commanding presence and being in charge that turns me on. I’m not normally someone who likes having a man tell me what to do in such a manner, but it leaves me tingling when I see Mark doing it. There is a reason why he’s one of the best at what he does.

And my friends know exactly what he does to me, seeing as they both smirked at me as they left. They think I’m going to get lucky. I didn’t come here to get laid, and I only said yes because I wanted to meet Mark.

You are such a liar. You want to jump him, and you can’t admit it.

“Thanks again for getting me away from Rick,” I say, sipping my water. “He really doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.”

“It’s okay. I saw him at the bar and something said he was going to do something stupid.” Mark peers at me. “You say he’s a recent ex?”

“About a month. I told him that I didn’t care for him treating me as he did and we clearly have different things we want in our relationship, so I was done. Needless to say, he didn’t take that well.”

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