“Anyway, tell me what you’re up to.”
She hesitates, watching me as if she wants to continue the conversation, but I’m done. Today has been about Tommy. Annie staying here is about her and giving her some slack for a few days.
Eventually, she says, “I’m doing research for my project and preparing the outline. I need to come up with an original element.”
“An original element for a sports psychology project. What about the guys?”
“What about them?”
“You could interview them, get their take on how life was as a kid destined to become a pro. There are some real daddy issues in the team.”
She scoffs. “It would be good to see how daddy issues affect a child.”
I hold out my hands. “You can dwell on them and let them ruin your life, or you can use them to drive you forward. I’m case in point.”
“Could I interview you? Anonymously, obviously.”
“I’m cool with that. How many other guys do you need me to get on board?”
She sits up straighter, excited. As she does, her bare legs rock against mine. It’s the smallest of touches, yet adrenalin courses through every part of me. Flashes of her in my arms at the spring dance, sitting astride my knee in the car, looking into my eyes in the storm, pressed against me in her swimwear, they flood my brain.
My body is heavy, drawn to her with an urge to drop her down to the sofa and taste every part of her.
“Twenty interviews all in would be a great number,” she says.
I’m in fucking trouble here.Feigning a cough, I drag a sofa cushion across my lap. “Consider it done.”
“Will they say yes?”
I lean my head to one side, hoping she can’t see the heat running up my neck and cheeks because my thoughts are…so fucking hot. “Annie, I’m Tanner Pace, offensive captain. This is my rodeo, baby.”
She throws her head back with a hearty guffaw and now I’m the one biting down on my lip, to stop me from leaning forward and pressing my mouth just under her lobe, her jaw, the nook at the base of her neck.
“You’re arrogant as hell,baby.”
“It’s a hazard of greatness,” I tell her, thinking that if this was any other woman, in any other circumstances, I would have already lost my self-control and fucked us both into tomorrow.
She picks up a sofa cushion and throws it at me. “Speaking of rodeos. Your sister is riding tonight. Can we put it on?”
I check my watch. “It’s about time for it. I’ll grab the popcorn.”
“Popcorn?” she asks, locating the TV controller. “What would Aaron say to that?”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” And I need a second out of this lounge to give Pace Junior a fucking talking to.
“A motto for life, if ever I heard one,” she calls as I go. My mind jumps right to her brother.Nope,don’t even go there.
“How was college today?” I ask, changing the subject when I return.
“Great, actually. Only 80 percent of the campus population stared at me like I have ten heads. A vast improvement.”
I try not to find humor in her plight but her sarcasm makes me smirk. I’m functioning like a man with control over his testosterone again – it only took five minutes with my dick in the refrigerator.
“Remarkable, really, given all the added media attention around Auston, Colton and me and our domestic love-hate triangle ahead of the game this weekend.”
It’s been a lot; I’ve seen and heard it. I watched as the press stoked Quinn like a fire in our media time this week. But he handled it like a pro – like Colton – unemotional, turned it back to the game.
I’m not sure what else I can do – I can’t make it go away, as much as I’ve tried to shield her from it and distract her – so I drape an arm around her shoulder and tug her into my big bear frame.
