“When am I getting an assigned seatmate?” Noah James asks, striding over with his usual grin.
Before I can respond, another voice cuts through—low, rough, unmistakably Irish.
“You’ll have to ask Cat,” Rogue says from behind me.
His voice sends a jolt straight through me. I turn, and there he is, just a few feet away, hands in his pockets, that small, knowing smile tugging at his mouth.
The sight hits me like it always does. Unexpected, inconvenient, and completely impossible to resist. He is entirely too pleased with himself for catching me off guard.
Noah grins, undeterred. “Any other pretty girls traveling with us soon?”
I shake my head, forcing a smirk. “Depends on how much you cooperate today. June’s got a great idea for a new trend, and she needs all your help.”
The guys groan good-naturedly but gather around June anyway. She steps forward, phone in hand, suddenly in her element.
As they crowd around her, I turn back to Rogue, who’s still standing behind me.
“Where were you?” I whisper.
“I had a little meeting just now.” He shifts closer, voice soft enough that only I can hear. “They want me to do a press conference with Messi before the game. Him, me, and a few of the others.”
My eyes widen. “Really? Did you agree?”
He tilts his head, eyes glinting with amusement. “I was going to decline.” He pauses, then adds, “But then I thought, what would my kitten say? So I agreed.”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “Smart man.”
He shrugs lightly, that faint half smile still there. “I’m learning.”
I glance past him and laugh. The boys have started doing the dance while June shouts out instructions.
“The land, the sea, the sky!” she calls, dramatically motioning with her arms.
Half the players are doubled over laughing; the other half are trying to keep up. “Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes!” she continues, somehow keeping a straight face.
Rogue leans closer, his voice a low rumble by my ear. “You’re not going to make me do that, are you, lass?”
I glance up at him, biting back a grin. “No, Rogue. I think you’ve done enough for today.”
He chuckles quietly, the sound rolling through me more than it should.
Standing there under the sun, surrounded by laughter, the smell of grass, and the man who keeps undoing me with every look, everything finally feels right.
Chapter 28
It’s been four days since New York.
Five days since the bridge, since her lips on mine, since the sound of her breath catching in her throat.
Christ, it’s torture.
The flat’s too quiet. Always is after practice. Just the hum of the fridge and the echo of her laugh stuck in my head.
I’ve gone through every distraction known to man—training, gym, even paperwork—but none of it’s worked. Every time I close my eyes, she’s there. The sound of her laugh. The way her hair brushed my jaw when she leaned in. The feel of her—warm, alive, and soft.
I was already drawn to her before. But now? Now it’s worse. Now it’s wanting her in ways I shouldn’t. Wanting her in ways that make staying away a punishment.
I open the fridge, hoping for something edible. Half a carton of eggs, an expired yogurt, and a questionable takeout container stare back at me. Grand. Real chef material here.
