Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55599 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“I try to avoid that conversation by not being around the next morning.”
I cringe. “Look up manwhore in the dictionary sometime.”
We find the dark SUV with the driver taking us to our hotel, both of us getting in the back of the vehicle.
“So anyway,” Dane says. “I think you should start your own company.”
I get a good, long laugh out of that suggestion. “I’m a junior publicist without any experience running a business. Once I pay my bills next week I’ll have about eighty bucks to my name.”
“I could help seed you with money.”
My stomach rolls at the idea. “Absolutely not. I can’t afford to owe anyone money.”
“Look, you’ve got a niche thing going here. Watching over pro athletes. I’ll become a model player and say it’s all because of you. Then, you hire more people to do this job for other athletes, actors and musicians. It’s a gold mine.”
I can’t believe he thought of this. It’s not a bad idea at all, but I’m too risk-averse to try it.
“Maybe,” I say, knowing if I tell him no, it’ll cause an argument.
“The number one rule my agent taught me is to know your own value. You’re undervaluing yourself in a big way, and your aunt is taking advantage of it.”
It hurts to hear someone say that about one of the few family members I have left, even though he’s probably right.
“I’ll think about it, okay?”
He nods, typing into his phone. “I’m ordering Chinese delivery to our room. What do you want?”
I haven’t eaten anything but half of a sub sandwich at lunchtime and I’m ravenous.
“Veggie fried rice, crab Rangoon and an egg roll.”
He grins at me. “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Our driver drops us off at the door of our hotel and we go up to our fourth-floor room. The hotel staff left a gift basket on the desk with fruit, champagne, bottled water and snacks. I shake my head as I open it and take out a bag of chips.
“What?” Dane asks.
“At the hotels I stay in, you have to pay if you open the bottled water. And there are loud wall air conditioners and sketchy carpet stains.”
“Think about my idea,” he says. “You have nothing to lose.”
He’s partially right—I have nothing. Nothing to invest. No experience hiring, budgeting or recruiting new clients. I wish I could take his advice, but it would most likely put me in a deeper hole than the one I already live in.
“I’m getting in the shower,” I say, gathering toiletries and clothing from my bag.
Dane’s on his bed looking at his phone, his suit jacket hanging over the chair at the desk.
“Hey, put on those little black shorts and a tank top,” he says, not looking up from the screen.
My heart pounds erratically. “What?”
He meets my gaze. “You know what I said.”
“Yeah, but why?”
“Because you look hot in them. You’ve got a nice ass.”
My jaw falls and I force it closed. “I’m not here for your entertainment.”
He hums in amusement, his gaze back on his phone screen. “You like that I think you’re hot, Josie. Wear the shorts.”
I want to argue, but he’s right. I’ve always been the bookworm. The sidekick to the girls most guys wanted. It feels good to know Dane thinks I’m attractive, superficial as that may be.
“If I wear them, it’ll be because they’re comfortable, not because you like my ass in them.”
“Bullshit. You’d like nothing more than to lie across my lap and get that gorgeous ass spanked.”
I keep my head down as I rush to the bathroom, my clothes clutched to my chest to hide my nipples. No man has ever said anything like that to me. My heart is racing and I’m hot all over.
I won’t admit to him that he’s right because I can’t even process how right he is. I didn’t think I’d be turned on by spanking, but when Dane suggested it just now?
It turned me on hard.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Dane
I push a button on the screen of the treadmill in the team training room, increasing the speed. Sweat rolls down my chest. When I swipe the back of my hand over my forehead, droplets of sweat go flying. I kick the speed up as high as I can manage for the next three minutes.
HIIT training is good for endurance, and it also helps calm my mind when I’m restless.
I can’t stop thinking about Josie. Though I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, I’ve gotten used to having her around. More than used to it, actually.
I like having her around. That’s something I’ve never experienced. Usually, once I’ve spent the night with a woman, there’s nothing more to talk about. No reason to see her.
Josie is funny, though. Interesting. Smart. My physical attraction to her started after I got to know her better. That’s another first.
My so-called date with Abigail Matthews is just a few days away. We’re meeting up for lunch on the day of a game in Chicago. The only bright side is that I haven’t forgotten Josie’s offer to “coach” me on a suitable date.