Scored (22 page)

Another sequence of loud bangs broke us apart. “Now what?” Lewis said with a frown. “You best wait here again while I go see who that is. I’ll get rid of them as soon as I can. Oh, and here.” He delved into his jeans pocket and withdrew a scrap of black lace. Tossed it through the air toward me.

I caught my panties and shoved them into the pocket on the robe, remembering how he’d dragged them from me in a frenzy the evening before.

“Keep quiet,” he said, pressing his index finger to his lips.

I nodded.

Once again he shut the bedroom door and I tiptoed over to listen. I wanted to figure out who it was visiting him this time. I took a towel so I could sneeze into it if I needed to, but luckily the tingling had abated. Perhaps I would get away with it.

“Hey, Taylor, how are you?” Lewis asked.

“I’m alright, boss.”

“Sure? You look a bit pissed off.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Come in and sit down.”

There was a pause.

“So you gonna tell me what’s up?”

“It’s just…” Taylor said and then paused.

I could just imagine him sitting on the sofa, his hair short and spiked in a young trendy style and the trademark silver earring he always wore when he wasn’t on the pitch flashing in the sunlight.

“Just tell me, mate. What’s happened?” Lewis’ voice, uncharacteristically soft.

“I had to phone home last night. It was my mam’s birthday but there was some bad news.”

“What kind of bad news?”

“It’s my nan, she’s been taken into hospital.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What’s up with her?”

“They don’t know, she’s eighty-five, not as strong as she used to be, and her chest gets bad in the winter. But it’s not winter now, the weather is great over there, so I don’t really know what’s happened.”

I could hear the upset in Taylor’s voice. He was just a kid and he’d had a mountain of pressure dropped on him by being on the starting line-up each match. And now this. Worries at home.

“My mam’s gone to visit her today,” he went on. “You know, to find out a bit more from the doctors.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Lewis asked.

“Nah, I just wanted to let you know. I don’t want to be distracted. Really I don’t. This is too important. Fuck, it’s the chance of a lifetime and I know I can’t go dashing back to see her. That’s out of the question, isn’t it?”

“It is, at least for another couple of days. But she’s not on the critical list or anything, is she?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well in that case, don’t go pressing any panic buttons. Call home again later and hopefully there’ll be more information to go on. But traveling back to England before Tuesday is contractually out of the question and also it will play havoc with team training.”

“I know and I’m not asking for that—”

“But,” Lewis interrupted. “If the news is bad tonight, we’ll figure something out. Okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I’ll talk to Fellows and the powers that be. We’ll use a private jet. But hopefully it won’t come to that.”

“Yeah, hopefully she’ll perk up. Sometimes she just doesn’t take enough care of herself. I keep offering to pay for someone to go in and cook for her. But she won’t have it, too independent.”

“They get like that. My grandfather did.”

There was a pause. “But thanks, though, boss. You know, for understanding.”

“Anytime, and I’m glad you let me know. There’s no point trying to cope with something like that when you have people here who care about you.”

“I appreciate it.”

There was another bang on the door.

“Bloody hell,” Lewis said. “It’s like Piccadilly Circus here today.”

“I’ll get going. Leave you to it,” Taylor said.

I heard the shuffle of feet and the door opened.

“Room service.”

“Oh, so you’re not eating breakfast with us?” Taylor said.

“I’ve got some calls to make. Thought I would do the two jobs at once. I’ll see you at training in an hour.”

“Okay.”

“Where would you like your breakfast tray, sir?”

I was pretty sure that was Bohdan’s voice.

“In the lounge will be fine.”

I decided to freshen up and brush my teeth. When I came out of the en-suite the bedroom door was open.

“Come get your breakfast,” Lewis called.

I grabbed my phone and wandered into the lounge area. The doors were flung open and the fresh morning air fluttered into the room bringing with it the sounds of the city.

Lewis was sitting, in just his jeans, on the sofa tucking into a plate of scrambled eggs.

“Dig in,” he said, gesturing to the table.

I looked at the choices. Fruit, croissants, muffins, toast, bacon and eggs. Also a huge pot of tea and a jug of tomato juice.

“This looks nourishing,” I said, sitting on the sofa opposite him. “And an awful lot for one person.”

“Bohdan knows he’s feeding two up here. I just asked him to be a little discreet about the amount of crockery and cutlery he piled on the tray.”

“How did you get him on your side like this?”

Lewis shrugged. “Like I said, money talks.” He scooped in more egg. When he’d swallowed he said, “But even if he hadn’t been willing to help me out, I would still have sneaked you up here somehow. The risk is more than worth it.”

“I’m glad you think so.” I poured two cups of tea then broke into a croissant. It was still warm and smelled divine. “Is Taylor all right?”

“You heard, huh?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, these things happen. Contrary to what Fellows believes, life doesn’t stop just because there’s a tournament.”

“You were sweet with him.”

“That bloody word again.” He set down his empty plate and picked up his tea. “I am not sweet.”

I grinned. “You are a little bit.”

He frowned and rested back on the sofa, sipped his tea and crossed his ankle over his opposite knee. “I think I may have to change your perception of me later.”

“Why? What’s wrong with being sweet?”

“It’s not the image I want to project.” His phone jiggled on the table and he reached for it. “Sorry, hang on.” He studied the screen for a moment. “Nothing important.” He paused and held it up. “Smile, honey.”

There was an electrical click as he took a shot of me.

“Hey, really, while I look like the wild woman of Borneo?”

“I like you wild.”

“Huh.” I reached for my phone. “Two can play take-the-morning-photo game.”

He grinned, rested back again and held up his tea. I captured a shot of him looking impossibly gorgeous and relaxed. His broad bare chest golden, a slight crease in his belly because of the way he was casually propped on the sofa, and his long legs crossed. But it was his expression as well as his pose that struck me. His smile was easy and soft, the skin around his eyes crinkled slightly, and he had a delicious coating of morning stubble. He looked as relaxed as Lewis Tate ever was.

“I best get going,” he said, taking a slurp of his tea. “I really do have a couple of phone calls to make and the coach takes us off to the training ground at nine-thirty.” He stood and reached for a banana. “Will you be okay for a few hours?”

“What, hanging out in my luxury tower?” I grinned. “Of course. I’ll be absolutely fine.”

Wandering around the enormous suite on my own was like living someone else’s life. I didn’t belong here. I could never afford to stay somewhere like this. It probably cost my year’s rent for one night.

But I wanted to make the most of it. So I had a deep bubble bath, again. Flicked through the sports channels, caught up with a couple of emails, and finally a little before noon settled down on the chaise to read and let my hair dry naturally.

I’d pulled on the pretty black lace negligee and matching thong after my bath, and because the day was hot and the terrace private, I soon discarded the robe and sunned myself like an indulged cat. The heat warmed my bones and caressed my flesh.

I was lost in my Gascoigne biography when I heard the door slam. I turned and saw Lewis striding past the large dining table and into the lounge. He tossed his phone and a pair of shades onto the table.

He looked hot and sweaty, his knees muddy and his red and white top stuck to his body. A streak of mud sat on his cheek and there was a graze on his right elbow.

“Hi,” I said, shifting on the chaise.

He stopped, his eyes narrowed, and he swept his tongue over his bottom lip.

“Good training session?” I asked.

“Stand up.”

“What.”

His eyes narrowed further.

I placed down my Kindle and stood. “What?” My heart stuttered as I took a step toward him.

“Where did you get that?” He nodded at my negligee.

“What, this old thing.” I jutted out my hip and fingered the lace at the hem. Threw him a sexy grin that I hoped was a little more confident than I felt. “Do you like it?”

“Too damned much.” He moved close and the raw scent of mud and sweat filled the air between us. “Are you trying to finish me off? I’ve just done a three-hour workout. You really think I can cope with more?” He pinched my chin between his thumb and index finger and pressed his lips to mine.

He tasted hot and salty.

“Turn around,” he ordered in a hoarse voice.

I hesitated.

“Turn around and bend over the end of the chaise, Nicky. Now.”

A bolt of excitement shot through me at the dominant tone of his voice. My pussy was already dampening, a knot of desire growing in my stomach. I held his steady gaze for a long moment then turned, feeling very naked in my sheer negligee and sinfully tiny thong. I rested my hands on the curled back of the chaise, looked out over the rooftops.

“I said bend over.” He pressed the center of my back, forcing me double. “I’m going to fuck you from behind. You reckon you can handle it?”

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck me from behind. Say it.”

“Fuck me from behind, Lewis. Please.” I shifted my butt left to right, as though inviting him.

He lifted the scrappy material I was wearing up to my waist, exposing my buttocks.

“Your bum is so cute,” he said, smoothing the globes of flesh, massaging and rubbing, stretching my cleft. “I can’t wait to see it shake as I ram into you.”

“Yes, please.” I went to straighten but the pressure on my back increased and he bent me further over the chaise.