I’m stunned beyond belief. I ignore thehang onto himbit for now and say, “But I can’t play football if I get pregnant. Plus, I’m only twenty-three. I’m not ready for a baby and all that.”
Mom tilts her head, her blonde hair brushing one shoulder. “You’reright, honey. You should play for at least a year before you go getting knocked up.”
A year? More like ten years.
But I don’t say it, realizing my mother probably isn’t the best person to ask for relationship or family-planning advice. Instead, I stuff a bite of mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar into my mouth and decide to call Juliette this afternoon.
I also don’t voice the fact that I don’t need a man to take care of me financially. I’m doing a pretty damn good job of that myself.
Now, in other areas of my life—like between the sheets—I wouldn’t mind a man taking care of me.
And Miles will be home soon to do exactly that.
I’m back in Phoenix Hale’s office to look at the new sketches. My spine is steely and straight. The man exudes charm from every pore, and I’m not falling for it. Nope, not a bit. Not even when his excitement is palpable as I reluctantly sit beside him on the forest-green leather couch.
And okay, his excitement might be a little contagious, but that fades as soon as he opens the first page of his sketch book to reveal a drawn Jordie wearing a white, flowy dress.Seriously, dude? Didn’t we already discuss this?
Phoenix smirks and flips to the next page, pulling a gasp from me. The white dress is in shreds, and underneath, I’m wearing…
“My football uniform?” I question, my voice squeaking a bit at the end. I stare at the words at the bottom of the page.Just Jordie.
“Yep,” the smug man beside me says, still smelling like mint and something sweet. Dammit, why does he have to smell like a cup of minty hot cocoa?
“That’s… amazing,” I breathe.
“Your very ownSupermanmoment.” He pauses and lowers his voice as we both stare at the drawing. “I like to think of it like you’re stripping off society’s expectations of what a woman should look like, howshe should dress. Beauty and raw femininity come in many forms, and your strength and confidence are what draw people to you, Jordie. Being feminine doesn’t mean being prissy or fancy. It means embracing who you are as a woman.”
I’m blown away. It’s hard to even put into words what that means to me. Phoenix sees me,the real me, and he appreciates it.
“I love it.” I turn my face to find him looking at me, his gaze intense and heavy. “Thank you.” Those last two words come out in a whisper.
Our faces are inches apart, and from this distance, I can see the details of his eyes. The vivid blue is surrounded by a circle of smoky navy around the perimeter of his irises. They are gorgeous.
“I want to make you happy,” he replies, and for some reason, those words hit hard.
Luckily, whatever spell Phoenix has put me under is broken when there’s a knock at the door, and we both straighten. I hadn’t even realized we had been leaning into each other’s space.
Jesus, have mercy. What is wrong with me?I’m pretty sure Phoenix Hale isn’t human. He must be some kind of warlock or something. Yes, that’s it. He’s a sex warlock who draws women in with his magical eyeballs.
“Here are your coffees,” Charlotte chirps, setting down our cups and a small crystal plate holding two scones. “Thought you might want a little snack as well. These are the orange-blackberry ones. Divine!” She holds a hand over her heart and swoons like the scones are the edible manifestation of Chris Hemsworth.
And she’s not too off. I have to hold back my groans each time I take a bite of the buttery, crumbly bread. Phoenix walks me through what the campaign will look like and shows me the color palette the lab has developed for the makeup they’ll use during the photo shoot. They’re also giving me my own line of eyeshadow and allowing me to choose the colors.
Phoenix pops the last bite of his scone into his mouth and washes it down with a drink of his iced coffee. “We’d also like to do a lipstick line for theJust Jordiecampaign, but we’ll release that closerto the end of your football season. I’m picturing an ad with a kiss print on the Super Bowl trophy after the Dragons win it all.”
His cheeky wink makes me laugh. “Let’s hope you’re right. I think we’re going to have a lot of talent on the team.”
We talk for a few more minutes about football, and it’s nice and easy. The sex warlock doesn’t make any more appearances, and by the time I go out to set an appointment for the photo shoot with Charlotte, I’m feeling much better about my deal with Hale Cosmetics.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
You brought up my boner
Phoenix
I spent the morning in the Hale Cosmetics laboratory with Jordie as she chose the colors for the eyeshadows and lipsticks that would bear her name. My brother Helix is the head scientist of research and development, but his new lab manager, Dr. Nicolette Bell, was the star of the day. Nicolette had Jordie relaxed and laughing as they looked at sample after sample.
“I’m glad Nicolette said she didn’t mind coming to the photo shoot,” Jordie says as we walk across the skybridge to the main office building from the three-story building that houses our lab facilities. “I feel so comfortable with her.”
