"Send over the contract," I murmur, letting my stubble drag across her skin as I pull away. "I'll let my team know you're representing me."
"Don't you dare," she whispers, her voice deadly.
"It's already done," I call over my shoulder, striding for the door. "We can discuss your objections over dinner tonight.Forte, eight o'clock." I wink at her, loving the way her mouth snaps open in disbelief.
"Royce!" she yells.
"See you tonight, Emelia." I walk out of her office, pulling the door closed behind me. I grin like a maniac, confident she'll be there even though she's going to fight the truth right up until the last second.
When I hear something heavy thunk against the closed door behind me, I laugh out loud.
This is going to be the best season of my life.
Chapter Three
Emelia
"Your game is evil," I tell Ava as soon as she answers her phone. "It's ruining my life."
Her bright laughter spills down the line. "It was just a game, Emelia. I doubt it's ruining your life."
"Oh, really?" I flick my gaze at the navigation screen in my car. "Ask me where I'm going right now."
"Okay…" She laughs nervously. "Where are you going? Oh God, please don't say jail."
"I'm going to dinner with Royce Elliot," I huff. "You want to know why? Because I have to tell him, again, that I'm not representing him. He refused to hear it today. And it's entirely your fault!"
Ava sputters with laughter. "How is that my fault?"
"Six times, Ava!" I cry. "His name came up as my future husbandsix times!"
"They're still just games," she reminds me. "If he's into you, it's because you're hot. It's not because you folded your way into some wild destiny."
"Says you," I grumble, taking a left into the parking lot ofForte. Out loud, it sounds ridiculous. I know it does. But…she wasn't there today. There was nothing normal about anything that happened when he was in my office.
I'm used to unhinged athletes who never hear no. I'm used to said unhinged athletes driving me nuts. But an unhinged athlete who refuses to hear no, looks at me like he wants to eat me, and swindled me into a date? That's new.
"Even if that were the case…would it really be that bad?" Ava asks softly. "I mean, you added his name every time for a reason. You're allowed to like him."
"He's an athlete."
"So? It's not like you're related. That's my drama, in case you've forgotten."
I cringe because she's right. Not dating an athlete is my own personal rule, established because most of them can't keep it in their pants. They have different girls in different zip codes and pretend that's normal. But Ava's in love with her new stepbrother. Basically, half the planet thinks that's some sort of incest.
"Dawson doesn't hate you," I remind her. "And it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It's your life."
"Says you," she mutters.
I pull into a parking spot, killing the engine. There's no way I'm paying to valet. I may need to make a quick escape.
"I mean it," I say softly. "He doesn't hate you."
"I guess we'll see," she says, her tone ominous. "We're all going to dinner this week. Mom called a little bit ago."
Yikes.
"It'll be fine."
