there were at least ten customers in that store with their cell phone cameras out. All of them ready to auction your story to the highest bidder. Believe me, it isn’t me that blogger was interested in. I’m just as much the victim here, you know. Now everyone thinks I’m involved with a football player.” The last two words were uttered with disgust.
It bothered Brody that fans were so eager to sell him out for cash; worse, that some mystery blogger was exploiting his celebrity and that of his friends. But the second part of Shannon’s denial bothered him even more.
“Have you got a problem with football players? That would make you the first woman I’ve met who does.”
Shannon rolled her eyes, mimicking him by crossing her arms under her breasts drawing his attention to them like a laser. They may be small, but they were perky and the sight was doing a number on his body.
“Then give me a medal, Brody. I grew up in Texas. You can’t fling a cat there without hitting a football player. I’m immune.” She took a step closer. “Let’s move on to something else. How dare you stalk me at my home yesterday, annoying my neighbors.”
Brody had to mentally shake himself to catch up. “I told you the other night we’d discuss our situation yesterday. But you had a great time dodging me.”
“Well, golly, Brody, did you expect me to sit around all day and wait for you to just drop by when it was convenient for you? I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but I actually had work to do yesterday. Not everyone jumps when you say so.”
She was beginning to royally piss him off. “Oh, we all know how industrious you are, Shannon. And for the record, I wasn’t annoying your neighbors. They actually like football players.”
Again with the eye roll.
“Maddox is seven and his father is deployed five-thousand miles away. Of course he likes you. Especially when you show up with all kinds of Blaze gear. But you bullied poor Mrs. Elder to no end.”
“That woman?” Brody hadn’t bullied anyone, least of all the little old lady. He’d merely pointed out the need for some safety and security measures if she were going to watch children in her apartment. She’d told him in no uncertain terms that the only safety and security measures she needed was her cane. That was before she’d nearly taken out a lamp and some china figurines demonstrating her stealth with the stupid thing. “She shouldn’t be babysitting those kids. She’s one cat short of being a crazy cat lady!”
Shannon opened her mouth, presumably to defend her batty neighbor, but no sound emerged. Somehow they were standing inches apart again, her warm palms flat on his chest, his hands kneading her shoulders, their breathing fractured. She smelled like berries and vanilla, the ingredients from her protein shakes, and Brody wanted nothing more than to lap her up. Cameras or not, he began calculating the best way to lay her down on the storeroom floor and show her a thing or two about football players. He reached up to trace his finger along her jaw. His gut clenched when he caught sight of her damp eyes.
“You have to believe me,” she whispered. “I didn’t tell the blogger anything. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.” She swallowed. “I swear I won’t tell anyone your secret, Brody. I’m very trustworthy. Please. I need the internship credits. There aren’t any other slots left. Believe me, I tried yesterday.”
Once again, those whiskey eyes were nearly his undoing. His body wanted desperately to believe her, but his head was telling him not to trust her. Not to trust anyone. She was definitely a conundrum. But right now, she was his conundrum.
He touched his forehead to hers and sighed. “We might be able to work something out.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you, Brody.”
Well, he hadn’t heard that too many times in his life. Brody pulled back. “That wasn’t what I had in mind,” he lied. “Sorry to disappoint you, but
It bothered Brody that fans were so eager to sell him out for cash; worse, that some mystery blogger was exploiting his celebrity and that of his friends. But the second part of Shannon’s denial bothered him even more.
“Have you got a problem with football players? That would make you the first woman I’ve met who does.”
Shannon rolled her eyes, mimicking him by crossing her arms under her breasts drawing his attention to them like a laser. They may be small, but they were perky and the sight was doing a number on his body.
“Then give me a medal, Brody. I grew up in Texas. You can’t fling a cat there without hitting a football player. I’m immune.” She took a step closer. “Let’s move on to something else. How dare you stalk me at my home yesterday, annoying my neighbors.”
Brody had to mentally shake himself to catch up. “I told you the other night we’d discuss our situation yesterday. But you had a great time dodging me.”
“Well, golly, Brody, did you expect me to sit around all day and wait for you to just drop by when it was convenient for you? I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but I actually had work to do yesterday. Not everyone jumps when you say so.”
She was beginning to royally piss him off. “Oh, we all know how industrious you are, Shannon. And for the record, I wasn’t annoying your neighbors. They actually like football players.”
Again with the eye roll.
“Maddox is seven and his father is deployed five-thousand miles away. Of course he likes you. Especially when you show up with all kinds of Blaze gear. But you bullied poor Mrs. Elder to no end.”
“That woman?” Brody hadn’t bullied anyone, least of all the little old lady. He’d merely pointed out the need for some safety and security measures if she were going to watch children in her apartment. She’d told him in no uncertain terms that the only safety and security measures she needed was her cane. That was before she’d nearly taken out a lamp and some china figurines demonstrating her stealth with the stupid thing. “She shouldn’t be babysitting those kids. She’s one cat short of being a crazy cat lady!”
Shannon opened her mouth, presumably to defend her batty neighbor, but no sound emerged. Somehow they were standing inches apart again, her warm palms flat on his chest, his hands kneading her shoulders, their breathing fractured. She smelled like berries and vanilla, the ingredients from her protein shakes, and Brody wanted nothing more than to lap her up. Cameras or not, he began calculating the best way to lay her down on the storeroom floor and show her a thing or two about football players. He reached up to trace his finger along her jaw. His gut clenched when he caught sight of her damp eyes.
“You have to believe me,” she whispered. “I didn’t tell the blogger anything. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.” She swallowed. “I swear I won’t tell anyone your secret, Brody. I’m very trustworthy. Please. I need the internship credits. There aren’t any other slots left. Believe me, I tried yesterday.”
Once again, those whiskey eyes were nearly his undoing. His body wanted desperately to believe her, but his head was telling him not to trust her. Not to trust anyone. She was definitely a conundrum. But right now, she was his conundrum.
He touched his forehead to hers and sighed. “We might be able to work something out.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you, Brody.”
Well, he hadn’t heard that too many times in his life. Brody pulled back. “That wasn’t what I had in mind,” he lied. “Sorry to disappoint you, but
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