He rubs his thumb into my wrist. “I can’t be an asshole. It’s part of the job.”
My nose wrinkles. “Your fans bother you all the time?”
“It’s not a bother. An inconvenience when you’re on a date with a woman you’re trying to impress? Sure. But not a bother.”
I decide to let it go. If we’re going to date, I need to get used to him being famous. Besides, this is our first date. Who knows if they’ll be more?
“Impressing me went out the window when you decided to interrupt the reenactment.”
He puffs out his chest. “I thought I was saving you.”
I pat his hand. “Okay, big guy. You can save me whenever you want.”
In fact, I wouldn’t mind if he saved me every single day. I don’t need saving, but oh, how glorious it would be to havea man who stepped in front of danger for you whenever he thought you needed help.
Slow down, Addy. This is a first date. Gage hasn’t proclaimed his undying love for me. No matter how much I’m starting to wish he would.
Chapter 23
I can read a defense. A redheaded singer? Not so much.
Gage
“Edwards!” Coach Knox shouts. “Over here.”
I rip my helmet off as I stalk to the sideline.
“Are you trying to get our quarterback killed?”
I grunt. He has every right to ask the question since I missed the blitz pickup and blocked the wrong defender. I hesitated instead of stepping up.
“Where is your head at?”
On the sweet taste of Addy’s lips. The little noises she makes when she gets frustrated with me. The sighs she makes when I touch her the way she wants. My cock twitches, which is not comfortable when you’re wearing compression shorts.
Tanner raises his hand and bounces up and down. “I know where his head is at.”
I glare at him. “Worry about your own problems.”
He feigns flicking his hair. “I don’t have any problems.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Does Alaia know you don’t have any problems? I can tell her. Your little charade will end. Do you want it to end?”
He stomps toward me. “Don’t you dare.”
Coach steps between us and shoves us apart. “Enough! Get your heads in the game, or you’ll be warming a bench this season.”
I flinch. I’ve been a first-string running back on the Seals since the second year I joined the team. I have no plans to lose my position. But Coach is right. I need to get my head in the game and off a sexy redheaded singer.
“Go!” Coach points to the field. “Same play. Run it again.”
We don’t stop at running the play one more time. We practice it again and again. By the time Coach blows the whistle to end today’s practice session, my thighs are burning and sweat is flowing down my back.
Nolan slaps my back as we trudge to the locker rooms. “You doing okay? You seem distracted.”
I scowl at him. “Not you, too.”
He blinks his eyes. The picture of innocence. I snort. Not likely.
