CHAPTER FOUR
He doesn’t look up.
“I hate this job.”
Slowly, like it pains him to do so, he finally raises his eyes from his tablet screen. “We all hate this job.”
We do? From the way he gets off yelling at people, I’d always thought he rather enjoyed it.
“Athletes are assholes.”
Asbell lays the tablet softly on the table and cocks an eyebrow upward. “You were misinformed and thought theywere nice people beforehand?”
“Well —” whatever I was about to say is cut off when Oliver sits in the chair beside me. He is dressed at least — if a pair of wind pants and a white T-shirt count as dressed. His hair is still standing atop his head wildly in every which direction.
I roll my eyes and scoot my chair an inch away from him. Can’t he see we’re in the middle of a public cafeteria? Reportersand cameras aren’t allowed but it doesn’t mean the gossip mill won’t be churning. The large open space with tile floors and concrete walls is a perfect location to have a conversation echo. Conversations among the athletes eating breakfast, some with their families, is steady but I swear the volume drops at least two notches when he walked in.
Asbell’s eyebrows get higher. “Are you the reasonMs. Marston is trying to quit?”
“She’s not going to quit,” Oliver says.
Jerk face. “Yes, I am.”
“No you aren’t. I’ve been watching you since the day we arrived. Besides first check-in time when you told me you were my PR rep, you haven’t given me an ounce of attention. You think I finally got you to notice me and I’ll let you quit now? You do not understand the determination I have.”
Asbellnods his head. “Athletes are known for their determination.”
“What?” Whose side is he on?
“I don’t know what happened this morning. I’m serious,” he says when I roll my eyes. “My roommate let this crazy into our room. She gets into bed with me and takes a picture while I’m sleeping.”
“Uh-huh.” I look to Asbell and it doesn’t seem like he believes the story either.
Oliver sticks his fingersin his hair pulling. “I swear to you. I’ve never seen this person before in my life.”
“How did a fan even get into the building?” We have a huge security team. They check IDs. Someone would have to sign her in. At least that’s the way it should be done.
Now it’s Oliver’s turn to roll his eyes. “Who knows who she actually did sleep with last night. She probably stopped by my room while doingthe walk of shame.”
Asbell groans. “My God, you young people. So much drama. I am not paid enough to babysit you all.” Here comes the yelling.
“Me?” I should not be included in this.
Waiting for Asbell’s answer, I don’t see Oliver as he leans over until it’s too late.
He kisses me! Full on the side of my face. When I turn to confront him, he does it again…on my lips.
To be fair I don’t pullaway. In fact, there might even be a few seconds — no more than five — when I kiss him back.
Purely out of shock, not because his lips are soft and moist and the way they line up against mine is kind of perfect. Finally, when my head catches up and I remember I’m kissing a snowboarder in the middle of the athletes’ cafeteria, I pull back with a shocked gasp.
“What the hell was that?”
Oliversmirks. “The best kiss ever.”
It was good, but I don’t know if it was the best kiss ever. I mean has he seen the episode ofVeronica Marswhere Logan and Veronica kiss?
Asbell groans again. “Are you two sleeping together?” He points a finger at both of us, tipping back and forth.
