Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
It was silent for two seconds.
And then the bus erupted into chatter, every guy yelling for her attention while they shoved teammates out of seats to make room.
I threw my head back in a laugh, but Vince’s jaw was tight as he stood up and pointed a death finger at every single one of them.
“Don’t you fuckers even think about it.” He snapped at Jaxson in the very back. “Jax, let her sit next to you. You’re the only one I can trust.”
“Hey!” Carter said in mock offense.
Vince ignored him, turning to his sister next. “If any of them lay a hand on you—”
“Oh, my God. Relax,” she told him, and then she skipped to the back of the bus.
Vince was pulled into a conversation with Daddy P and one of their defensemen as the driver started us toward our first destination. I held onto the stripper pole in the middle and leaned against the seat, half-listening to them and half-watching where Grace had just slid into the seat next to Jaxson in the back.
I swore I could see him gulp even from here, his eyes like that of a deer caught in headlights as someone handed Grace a beer and she chugged half of it, wiping the suds from her lips when she was done. She pinned him with that beautiful smile of hers next, and I didn’t miss how his eyes raked over her. Grace was stunning — it was impossible not to notice.
If she wasn’t Vince’s baby sister, I’d say Jaxson might actually have a chance.
Then again, she did confide in me earlier at the hotel bar that she was seeing someone, so maybe it didn’t matter.
Still, I found it hard not to watch them as the night’s entertainment, especially when we went out to the first bar and Grace grabbed Jaxson by the hand, dragging him onto the dance floor. The look she gave me over her shoulder as she passed told me what my job was, and I pulled Vince to the opposite side of the crowded place, making sure to distract him.
It wasn’t much of a favor, if I was being honest.
Distracting Vince Tanev was my favorite thing to do.
• • •
“I don’t know how y’all do this during the season,” I groaned as Vince held the passenger side door open for me to crawl inside his Maserati. I never grew tired of the way that engine purred to life beneath me when he took his place in the driver’s seat.
“Stamina, baby,” he said with a wink, leaning over the console to kiss me. His hand slid over my thigh, and he kept it there after he broke the kiss, driving with one hand as he usually did when I was beside him.
It had been a fun weekend in Austin, but I was glad to be home, the lights of Tampa welcoming us as I smiled and watched the palm trees pass out the window. I was so exhausted from the long hours partying all weekend that I was in a daze, and I didn’t notice we were heading toward the beach until we were halfway across the Courtney Campbell bridge.
“Vince, you’re going the wrong way,” I said on a frown.
“Am I?”
His mischievous smile was all he left me with as he continued driving, and we crossed into Clearwater until we were right on the beach, pulling up to a massive, beautiful home guarded by a large metal gate. It swung open with the tap of a card Vince swiped out the window, and he drove the Maserati up the stone driveway to park in front of the beautiful home.
“What is this?” I asked, my fatigue fading under the excitement. “Did you rent us this place for the night or something?”
“Or something,” he said, cryptic as ever, and then he rounded the car and helped me out of it.
It was dark, but even still I gasped when we walked through the grand foyer, the layout of the house steering us right toward the expansive windows that provided an uninterrupted view of the Gulf of Mexico. The sand was white as snow, reflecting the moonlight above.
There was no furniture in the home, and it seemed brand new, the marble floors glossy and smooth. My heels clicked on them as I crossed the space and went straight out the back doors, inhaling the scent of the ocean, breathing in the salt air as the waves lapped at the shoreline.
“Do you like it?” Vince asked, wrapping me up from behind.
“It’s unbelievable,” I breathed, turning in his arms. “And very empty.”
“Well, that’s because I thought we should pick out furniture together.”
My heart galloped before sliding to a halt.
Vince took my silence as shock, which it was, and he held my hair out of my eyes as the wind battled against him. “I bought this house,” he said. “For us.”