He didn’t seem to notice that I was seconds away from going nuclear. He continued. “I mean, when I was your age, I was well into my career with the NFL. I was breaking records every season, and during the off season, I spent every spare second of my time with your grandfather being groomed to take over a multinational corporation.”
I nearly laughed with derision, but I held on to the explosion brewing inside me so tightly, I couldn’t move a muscle.
If I so much as tried to lift one side of my lips, I would lose control. If that happened, he would hold my “immature outburst” over me for the next decade or so, and he’d dictate my life movements for my lack of maturity to make my own decisions.
The muscles in my jaw twitched, but still, he droned on. “I was only a year older than you are now when I had you. Then I had to take care of you on top of everything else.”
I knew I should be used to this lecture, but it stung every time. It never failed to remind me of my mother. How she had always shut me out, thus leaving my father to take care of me. Or at least, the slew of nannies they hired to take care of me.
He was lost in his rant, though. “You, on the other hand, want to stride in here to chat about how busy you are? The only thing you need to do is go home and study for the bar exam.”
“Are you done?” I asked, my teeth gritted and my tone flat. “I wanted to talk to you about the exam. That’s why I’m—”
The door cracked open, effectively cutting me off. A really tall, really well-built guy with short black hair and the most sparkling hazel eyes stuck his head through the door.
From the immediate change in my father’s demeanor, the guy was one of his players. An important one, judging by my father’s sudden genuine smile and welcoming expression.
“Oh, shit. Sorry, Rich. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting. I didn’t check in with Olivia. I’ll come back later.” His voice was deep, low, and smooth. He could work for a phone sex line with a voice like that. I was pretty sure he could make a girl come just by talking to her. He’d make a killing.
Oh wait, he probably already does. I mentally admonished myself for even taking notice of how good-looking he was or how sexy his voice was. Even if my father didn’t have his rule about my staying away from his players, I wanted nothing to do with the arrogant assholes anyway.
I waited for my father to tell him that he should go back to Olivia and wait, just like I’d had to, but instead, he motioned the guy inside. I fumed at the gesture.
“Nonsense, James. You know you don’t have to check in with her. You’re welcome anytime.” The edge in my father’s voice that he’d had while he lectured me disappeared into thin air.
My head snapped back like he’d slapped me. This arrogant asshole football player didn’t have to check in with his receptionist, but I did? He was welcome anytime, but I had to make an appointment two days in advance?
Fuck that.
I narrowed my eyes and looked straight at my father. “Yes, James,” I seethed. “Don’t bother waiting outside. We’ll be done here in just a second. I’m not taking the bar exam, that’s what I came here to tell you.”
I grabbed my bag and was about to storm out when my father chuckled, actually fucking chuckled, and then spoke like I was a clueless teenager throwing a tantrum. “Of course you’re taking the bar, Gabrielle. You know the rules.”
That was it. The rage had finally bubbled all the way up, and I lost the last bit of self-control that I’d been managing to hold on to.
“Rules? How about this for rules?” I snapped and walked straight to the asshole football player and kissed the living daylights out of him.
Chapter Five
James
Well, shit. That was the last thing I expected when I stuck my head into Richard’s off
ice that morning. My lips still tingled from the force of the blonde’s kiss. As shocked as I was, I had to admit I was a little turned on, too, as she slammed the door shut behind her.
I couldn’t help it. The chick was fucking hot. She had legs for miles, perfectly accentuated by a short denim skirt that hit mid-thigh, decently sized tits that formed just a hint of cleavage visible in her tank top, and blonde curls that actually looked natural and hung to just below those tits. Then there were her eyes.
She had deep blue eyes, almost the color of the sliver of faraway ocean visible from my yard. I had no problem imagining them drunk with lust or hazy post-orgasm.
People thought my expertise was football, but any woman I’d been with would agree that my real expertise was between the sheets. Or up against a wall. Anywhere, really. Making women scream my name as they came so hard they forgot their own.
Richard cleared his throat. It dawned on me that I’d just made out with some girl in my boss’s office. Probably not the greatest idea. “I’m so sorry, Richard. I have never seen that girl before in my life. I have no idea who she is.”
“That’s okay. I should be the one apologizing. That’s my daughter, Gabrielle.”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Shit.
I hadn’t just made out with some girl in my boss’s office. I’d made out with his daughter in his office. Just before I wanted to ask him for more money.