Striker (50 page)

Her eyes locked onto his, staring deep into his soul. He was her best friend, her very best friend, and he deserved to be happy. She’d thought Anna could have brought him that happiness, but it didn’t look like that was the case anymore.

‘Why?’ Amber whispered, still holding his hand, her thumb gently stroking his knuckles. ‘What went wrong?’

‘Nothing, really,’ Ronnie shrugged, breaking the stare, looking down at their joined hands for a second before pulling his hand away. ‘Nothing went wrong. It was me, not her.’

‘Christ, I hope you didn’t tell
her
that. It’s probably one of the worst things you can say when breaking up with someone, even if it’s true.’

Ronnie looked at her again, downing a long mouthful of lager. ‘Are you happy, Amber? This time? With Ryan, I mean. Given his reputation, his behaviour – his track record with women?’

‘He’s changed.’

‘Well, forgive me for being cynical here, but you spun me that line before and look what happened.’

‘What is wrong with you, Ronnie? Just because
your
relationship has broken down don’t come here and rain on
my
parade, okay? What happened with you and Anna, it isn’t my fault.’

Ronnie downed the last of his lager before standing up, his eyes fixed firmly on Amber’s. ‘Isn’t it?’

Chapter Twenty-One

‘I really hate this side of things,’ Amber said, walking out of the en-suite bathroom, running her fingers through her damp hair. ‘You said it was just going to be a birthday party for one of your team-mates. I didn’t realise that meant a full-blown, Z-List celebrity, footballer-filled event with press and paparazzi lurking all over the place.’

Ryan looked at her, arching an eyebrow, a slight smirk on his face. ‘Y’know, for an intelligent woman you can be extremely naive.’

She poked her tongue out at him. ‘You should let me know the full details before you make me commit to this kind of thing. I hate being photographed, and I’ve never liked being the centre of attention. I guess I should have thought about that, shouldn’t I? Before I got involved with you.’ She smiled as he walked over to her, half-naked and handsome, sexy and dangerous. Everything she should be avoiding but, at the same time, everything she couldn’t leave alone.

‘I always thought you were a bit of a local celebrity yourself round here. Y’know, this beautiful sports reporter with a father who once played for one of the region’s biggest clubs.’

‘It’s not the same thing at all, Ryan,’ Amber said, still smiling, running her fingers lightly up and down his naked chest. ‘There’s a big difference between being a face people see on local TV now and again and being the girlfriend of a famous footballer. And not just
any
famous footballer, but Ryan Fisher. You are a bit of a publicity magnet, mister.’

‘Yeah, and not always for the right reasons,’ Ryan sighed, pulling her closer against him, quickly kissing her forehead. ‘I want things to change, Amber. I want to forget all of that crap and start thinking about getting my life in order. Coming so close to losing you, it… I’ve never been in love before, y’know? Never felt the things
you
make me feel, and it scares the hell out of me.’

She reached up and put a hand to his face, her fingers stroking his bearded jaw line, her eyes looking deep into his. In just a few short weeks he’d changed so much and her only worry was that it was happening too quick, that he was doing it all because he felt he had to. Because he wanted to prove something to her. ‘You don’t have to do everything at a million miles an hour, Ryan. Just take it easy, let things happen by themselves.’

He trailed his fingers slowly up and down her spine, and even through the thick cotton towel she was wearing she could feel those familiar sparks of electricity sending her stomach into spasms of somersaults. ‘I
want
things to happen, Amber. I want to forget the past and concentrate on the future –
our
future. Don’t you want that, too?’

She smiled again, continuing to stroke his cheek, feeling so many things, so many emotions all jostling for space in her already over-crowded head that she felt quite dizzy. Had everything she’d felt for Jim actually been about Ryan? When she’d thought that being with Ryan was nothing but a way of avoiding her true feelings for Jim, had it not really been the other way around? She wished she had a definitive answer to that question, but she couldn’t really say for sure. ‘Yeah, of course that’s what I want…’

He shut her up with a kiss, his mouth moving slowly against hers until she had no choice left but to give in to him, let his strong arms hold her close, his body hard, his breathing desperate as he pulled the towel away from her body. ‘And
I
want
you
,’ he whispered. ‘A million fucking ways, I want you.’

She felt her stomach flip over and over, an excitement only he was able to generate building up inside her – which was where she wanted him, and soon. Inside her. Deep, deep inside her.
 

‘I want to take you places you’ve never been before.’ His mouth was close to her ear, his breath warm on her face, his fingers playing with her, touching her, pulling away before they had a chance to do what she so badly wanted them to finish. ‘Places only
we’ll
ever go, away from the world and all the fucking shit it throws up. Away from everything, until it’s just you, and me.’ He moved his head so his mouth was resting on hers, their bodies so close, so very close the heat was almost unbearable. Amber was burning up so fast, just the sight of him was enough to turn her legs to jelly and make her heart beat so loud she was sure he could hear it.

She put her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating just as hard as hers was, signalling the start of a game that was going to be played out before either of them went anywhere. Unplanned, spontaneous sex. Something she’d never been all that used to, but with Ryan it was fast becoming the norm.

‘Just me and you,’ she whispered, closing her eyes as he pushed her back onto the bed, her body aching to welcome him, the pain of wanting him hurting so much she wasn’t sure how much longer she could wait. But Ryan seemed in no hurry to end the game, no rush to take it to those final stages.
 

‘I just want to look at you,’ he whispered, letting his fingers slide slowly down over her breasts, making her gasp out loud as they continued their journey down over her waist, her hips, their eyes locked together all the time, neither of them breaking the stare. Not until the urge became too much, so overwhelming it was impossible to hold back any longer and she almost forced him inside her, raising her hips up so hard against his, desperate to finally feel him where she wanted him to be.

Closing her eyes, her stomach dipped as the combined feeling of his mouth kissing her slow and deep and his body entering hers took over, rendering anything else unimportant. When he was with her like this, when there was nothing else to distract him, nobody else there to tempt him away from her, this was a heaven she’d never even realised could exist. She’d never wanted to fall for a footballer; it had never been an option for her, after everything that had happened with Jim, but you couldn’t help who you fell in love with, could you? As the old adage said. Because sometimes all those clichés were true.

She kept her eyes closed as his hands ran up from her hips, over her stomach, touching her breasts so lightly it forced another tiny gasp from her, a gasp which fast turned into a moan as his hands continued moving up her body until his fingers entwined with hers above her head as he thrust deeper into her. She could feel him there, feel him moving, feel him about to explode and when it happened it rocked them both, their bodies moving together to give each other an endgame they both wanted, both needed. He came first, filling Amber with a beautiful calm as white-hot pins and needles flooded through her, every jerk of his body, every move he made inside her giving her a release she didn’t want to end because it felt so peaceful. So utterly perfect. And as he slowly withdrew, touching her gently with his hand, his eyes staring into hers as he helped her reach her own goal, Amber had never felt happier. She’d never felt so beautiful, so special, so absolutely sure of what she was doing as she did right at that second, with this man by her side.
 

‘Jesus, Ryan…’ she breathed, throwing her head back as the last of those post-sex shivers left her body. ‘Now I know why I love you.’

He rolled over onto his side, resting up on one elbow as he looked at her, reaching out to stroke strands of hair from her eyes. ‘That’s the first time you’ve actually said those words,’ he whispered as she turned to face him. ‘The first time you’ve even alluded to loving me.’

He was right. She never
had
actually said the words, even though she’d been sure that she loved him for a while now. Ever since that night, really. The night he’d nearly thrown it all away. She’d just never been able to say it. ‘That’s because I do,’ she said quietly, running her fingers lightly over his lips. ‘I love you.’ She couldn’t stop her hand from flying to her mouth as she said those words, the shock and surprise that they’d actually come from
her
making her eyes fill with stupid tears, nervous laughter suddenly taking over. ‘Oh, my God. Ryan. I love you. Yeah, I… I love you.’

She watched as his face broke into a smile, the way his eyes crinkled up at the corners sending those butterflies dancing round her stomach again. This was it! She’d actually said those words and meant them, or, at least, it felt as though she did. Maybe they never
had
been
meant for Jim, even though she knew, in her heart of hearts, that Jim Allen would never go away. Ever.

But she’d fallen in love with Ryan, despite herself, despite everything. She’d fallen in love with him. Could she now finally let go of the past and start living?

*

Red Star’s Tynebridge Stadium wasn’t just a football ground. In this day and age of big money football, billionaire owners and exaggerated excess, very few grounds in the top flight of football were. So, as well as function rooms, executive boxes and hospitality suites on offer to those that wanted them, Tynebridge also had its very own nightclub and entertainment complex built adjacent to the stunning, purpose-built, recently-erected new stadium. It was used frequently by local celebrities for events and shows, had its own club nights open to the public at weekends, and it was the venue of choice for most of the region’s top-flight footballers when they needed somewhere to host a private party – as was the case tonight – or as private as it could be when celebrities galore, as well as some of the biggest names in football, were expected to turn up, and press and paparazzi would doubtless be lying in wait, ready to snap anyone that could sell a photo.

Amber clung onto Ryan’s hand as they got out of the taxi, the freezing January air making her shiver in the short, black, one-shoulder dress she was wearing.

‘You cold?’ he asked, sliding his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him.

‘Freezing,’ she smiled, slipping her arm round his waist as they walked towards the entrance of the club, photographers seemingly jumping out of nowhere to grab that snap of Ryan Fisher and the latest woman in his life.

‘Tell you what,’ he smiled, his mouth close to her ear as they continued walking past the posse of paparazzi and their clicking cameras, the flashes almost blinding them. ‘We’ll get inside, grab a drink, then find somewhere quiet to warm ourselves back up.’

She couldn’t help smiling back, turning her head to receive a much-welcomed – especially from the waiting photographers – kiss from her handsome footballer. That was the money shot, right there, and she didn’t care who saw it. Not anymore. She was in love with this mixed-up, crazy man. She was in love. End of story. ‘Like you haven’t had enough,’ she said, staring into his eyes for a second before they escaped inside the club.

‘Hey, I’m Ryan Fisher. Nothing is
ever
enough for me, beautiful.’

‘Shut up,’ she laughed, pushing him gently before pulling him back against her, stopping to kiss him longer and slower, falling against him like a rag doll as his mouth touched hers, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck. ‘Oh, God, Ryan. You’ve got me going crazy here. I used to be so sensible, so grown up. Now all I want to do is drag you home and have lots of dirty sex.’

‘Suits me,’ he grinned, grabbing her hand and making to go, but she pulled him back, still laughing.

‘Oh no, mister.
You
wanted to come here so we’re staying. For a little while, at least.’

‘Am I still on a promise for the dirty sex, then?’

‘If you’re a good boy.’

‘How good?’

‘Very good,’ she whispered, kissing the spot just below his ear which made him groan out loud, especially as she teamed that kiss with a sly feel, her hand quickly touching him down below, so quickly it almost didn’t happen, but quick enough for him to know it
had
happened. And even
she
was surprised that just that slightest of touches had caused a reaction. ‘For Christ’s sake, Ryan, it doesn’t take much, does it?’

He pulled her against him, kissing her again, both of them unable to stop laughing. ‘You are so fucking good for me, Amber. You know that, don’t you?’