This fucking guy. For someone she’s labeling as just a “friend,” he sure as hell is pushy as shit. My jaw tenses and fists tighten, thinking about how easily it would be to get him to fuck all the way off.
“That’s okay. I can just meet you there. Just text me where you end up, and y’all go ahead.” She gives him a pat on the shoulder before quickly hugging the girl.
They exchange goodbyes, and she turns toward me, her smile dropping and her lips tightening into a scowl, crossing her arms over her chest.
I don’t say a word. Not a single fucking word as I turn on my heel, my hands shoved deep in the pockets of my suit, and walk through the dispersing crowd in the lobby toward the athletic building, silently commanding her to follow me.
I still say nothing as I unlock the door to my office and swing it open, waiting for her to step inside, refusing to make eye contact with her.
I don’t bother with the light switch.
The small lamp at the edge of my desk bathes the room in enough light.
With a huff, Maisie brushes past me and walks inside. The tension feels thick in the air, and I have to clench my fist by my side to keep from slamming the door shut behind her like I want to. Instead, I close it slowly and emphatically flip the lock before turning to her.
“Got my email, did you?” she says snarkily, a hint of a sassy little grin pulling at those plump lips, pleased with herself.
I don’t immediately answer her. Instead, I undo the front of my suit jacket, watching as her eyes drop down to where it hangs open and then move back up to where I’m slowly working my tie loose.
My eyes never leave hers, watching as she shifts beneath the weight of my gaze, while I’m trying to do something I rarely do.
Thinkingbeforereacting.
Maisie’s throat bobs as she swallows, the tip of her tongue darting out to wet her bottom lip in a deliberate, unhurried motion that doesn’t help what I’m already fucking fighting.
I blow out a slow, steady breath. “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
It’s not exactly an apology, but it’s the closest to one she’s going to get from me.
She just blinks back at me, her eyes widening the smallest amount, like she, too, is surprised by my admission, but then her chin lifts, and she retorts, “Yeah? Which part? The part where you basically called me a slut for ‘distracting your players’.” She steps closer, those pretty blue eyes alight with fire. “Or the part where you assumed that I was flirting with him simply because we were having a conversation. Or, oh… the fact that even if I was flirting with him, it isnoneof your business. What I do and who I do it with is none. of. your. business,CoachHawthorne.”
Her chest is rising and falling rapidly, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. She looks pissed, like she wants to poke my chest with each one of those words, but she’s not close enough for that.
I know I was a dick, and I had no right to act the way that I did. But she can’t find out that it’s because my restraint is hanging by a thread whenever I’m near her, and I’ve barely known her for two goddamn weeks.
If you don’t include that first night…
Which we aren’t because we’re pretending it never happened.
She can’t know that I want to bend her over my fucking desk and fuck her so motherfucking hard that she feels me inside of her for days.
Or that I can’t seem to stop thinking about her despite all the reasons I shouldn’t.
None of that can happen, and she can’t ever know that I feel that way.
So, I deflect.
I push her away. Further this time.
Because when I’m the asshole I know I can be, I’m putting distance between us, where we’re both safe.
“I wasnotimplying that you were a slut,” I manage through clenched teeth.
She scoffs. “Oh, so what were you implying, then? You insinuated that I’m distracting them based on the way I’m dressed. That a woman can’t wear a dress because it’s too ‘distracting’ for men. How about they don’t look, huh? How about that? It’s not my job to teach a man how to act or how to have respect. Which you obviously have none formeif that’s what you think.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I didn’t mean for what I said to be taken that way.
