That’s another reason I can’t stop myself from listening in: her voice is like the first sip of coffee on a hangover. See, she’s got me turning into a damn poet already, and I haven’t even met her yet.
She sounds damn stressed, though, and that intrigues me more. I know she’s got her work cut out for her trying to manage myPlayboy reputation, but surely I can’t be the cause of her worry so soon. No, whoever’s on the other side of that phone, and whatever event she’s apparently bringing a plus-one to has to be the cause.
The urge to fix whatever is bothering her surprises me with its strength.
I sneak forward, catching my first glimpse of her as she mutters, “I’m so fucked,” to herself.
“That’s not the tone I’m used to hearing women say that in,” I muse, shooting her a smirk.
She lets out a sound of surprise and whirls around to face me, her eyes wide and her lips parted. She may as well have punched me in the gut, given the way my whole body reacts.
Holy fucking shit.
She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my damn life. Most of her blonde locks are piled up in a wavy ponytail, but a few strands frame her face. Big green eyes lock onto mine, her lips pink and plush as she mouthsoh. She’s wearing a tight black top and high-waisted, sleek gray pants with low black heels, looking both hot as fuck and far too sophisticated to be dealing with my antics.
But deal with me, she shall. Because even if she wasn’t our new social media manager, there’s no way I could stay away from her.
One thing is immediately clear to me, clearer than anything else has ever been in my life:
This girl will be mine.
“Oh my God, you scared me,” the woman gasps, hand over her heart. I watch as she tries to wipe the stress and worry from her face, though it lingers in her eyes. Whatever that phone call was about is really weighing on her. “I didn’t realize you were there. Sorry, I didn’t mean for you to overhear my problems. Wildly unprofessional of me on day one.”
She laughs a little, but the humor falls flat. I raise a brow, leaning against the doorway.
“I’d say I didn’t mean to listen in, but that would be a lie,” I say, grinning wide at the way she blinks, trying to hide the way her lips quirk up in an amused smile. “You look stressed as all hell?—”
“Gee, thanks,” she snarks.
“Beautiful, but stressed,” I correct graciously. “Can I do anything to help?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You don’t even know me, and you want to help?”
I step into her office and hold out my hand expectantly. “I’m Jake, Jake Jones, center for the BlueHawks,” I introduce.
She laughs, and it sounds like music. “I know who you are,” she says, “With the amount of gossip articles you have based on you, it’d be pretty damn hard not to.”
I bow and give her a wink, making her laugh again. Fuck, that’s my new favorite sound. “I live to entertain,” I joke. “But if I’m honest, I only introduced myself so you’d tell me your name. Or if you’d rather, I could just keep calling youminein my head.”
She blinks at me, mouth dropping open at my boldness. “God, everyone was right,” she says with a giggle. “You’re trouble.”
“And you are…” I prompt, leaning in a little closer.
After making me sweat for a few more seconds, she slips her hand into mine and shakes. “Cara,” she introduces.
“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” I comment, eating up the way she grins and tries to pretend she’s not blushing. “So, now we know each other. Can I help?”
She grins and starts to shake her head, then pauses, going still as though she’s having an epiphany. I can almost see the lightbulb above her head blink on.
“Actually…” she murmurs, tapping her bottom lip with a pink nail. Then she scrunches her brows and shakes her head, as though she’s talking herself out of whatever she was about to say. “Never mind. That would be crazy.”
My grin grows wider. “Crazy’s my specialty,” I tell her. “Go on, tell me.” When she doesn’t immediately open up, I put on my best puppy dog expression and say, “Pleeeeease.”
She laughs, and all my needling works, because after a small sigh, she gives in.
“What are you doing on Saturday night?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at me. Assessing me.
I blink, not expecting that. “Uhh…nothing,” I say, having no idea if I already have plans but knowing that even if I do, I’ll be canceling them in a heartbeat to join in with whatever scheme Cara’s got going on.
