He looked into my eyes then, and I saw in the warmth in them that he knew very well that I knew much more than I let on. He grinned.
“Well, if I helped you brush up a bit, I’m glad,” he said.
I chuckled. “Maybe,” I acknowledged. “Now. Coffee. Black? How many sugars?”
“Let me,” he said.
I grinned. “Tyler Blake. I would trust you with almost anything. But not my coffee machine. That’s a step too far.”
I realized, as I said it, that it was true. I actually did trust him more than almost anyone I knew, which I reasoned was ridiculous since I still didn’t really even know him.
He laughed. “It’s a fancy one, hey?”
I raised a brow. “It is. I don’t know why I trust myself with the thing most days. I’ll make the coffee. You can make toast.”
He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
I laughed. “Well,” I commented as he went through to my kitchen and started making toast with ruthless efficiency, “you are good at teamwork.”
He frowned. “I try to be,” he said. I wondered why he suddenly looked so bothered. “I guess,” he continued, “I sometimes worry about loyalty and stuff.”
I took a guess as to what he meant. It wasn’t hard to assume that he meant his loyalty to Jake.
“Why?” I asked. I reached into the cupboard for another cup, chose one with yellow and purple bands on it, then started making the coffee.
“Well, because…” he coughed. “It’s hard to say what happens when your brother lies to you. You have brothers?”
I smiled. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that we knew essentially nothing.
“No,” I commented. “I’m an only child. Yourself?”
“I have a sister,” he said. “Fallon.”
“Nice name,” I said, putting one coffee down on the table and then making a second one.
He nodded. “I wish I saw her more often.”
“Why?” I frowned.
“She’s in Miami with the family. It’s hard for her to get around.”
“Oh?” I asked. “Why is that?”
“She’s in a wheelchair.”
“Oh.” I stared at him, feeling embarrassed for having asked that. “I’m sorry. What?” I trailed off, not knowing how to ask what had happened to her.
“We don’t know exactly,” Tyler said. “It’s not that she can’t walk, just that it’s so painful and she tires so fast that she doesn’t. It’s pretty much impossible for her to get around without the chair, even though there’s nothing, so to say, wrong with her legs.”
“Oh.” I shook my head. “That’s too bad. How old is she?”
“She’s twenty-eight.”
“Hell.” I felt my face tighten with sorrow. “That’s pretty rough.”
“Mm,” he nodded. His handsome face was still. “Sometimes I feel like, well…like it isn’t fair. Like I shouldn’t have a career as a sportsman when Fallon can’t even walk. I feel so bad about it, sometimes.”
I frowned. “You’re not playing, or your having the same experiences as her, would make you both hurt. It would make everything worse. If you’re happy and centered then that happiness can only uplift her too.”
He looked at me, eyes huge. “You know,” he said after a long moment, “no one ever said it like that before.”
I chuckled. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this life,” I said harshly, “it’s that you should only have regret for what you didn’t do. What you did do can be fixed. And if you didn’t play sport then there would be so much of you that you “didn’t” live.
He frowned. “You think so?”
“I know so,” I said.
We were quiet as we sat down at the kitchen table together. He had made toast while I made coffee and we had a simple meal together. While I sipped coffee in the sweet, fragrant warmth, I found myself thinking about the previous night.
I recalled the way his lips had felt on mine, the sweetness of his body pressing mine to him. I recalled the crazy amazing feeling as he pushed into me. I felt myself turning on.
“You probably need to get somewhere soon,” I commented lightly, trying to focus on something else. I tried to recall my dad’s technique about horses.
“I guess,” he shrugged. “Nothing planned until midday when we go practice. But I should go so I don’t make you late.”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
It was already almost half past eight. I drained my coffee.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go.”
We headed silently out to my car.
I turned to him. He looked confused and reluctant.
“Oh, what the heck,” I sighed. I kissed him. I felt the touch of his lips jolt right through me and as I left him to make his own way back I had to turn sharply away, blinking back sudden and utterly unexpected tears.
It was hard to focus on work that day. I kept on thinking of Tyler. Not of Jake, so much—though memories of that exciting evening did lurk in the back of my mind.
“Ms. Richmond?”
“Yes?” I looked up at Stella, my secretary, a small frown on my brow. I hoped that it wasn’t obvious that I was blushing.
“Just these forms to sign,” she said. She put them down and walked out, oddly deferential. I sighed.
Now that someone had crossed that barrier around me, I guess I’d forgotten about it. I leafed through the papers, doing my best to focus.
“Okay…the copy of the contract for the new vehicles, and the blasted building contract…” I set them aside for reading—our legal guys had already vetted them for me—and reached for my coffee.
It was hard not to see Tyler’s face in my mind and recall the way he’d spoken to me, the way we’d looked at each other.
It was only at lunch break, as I picked up my jacket and got ready to go to the cafe that I thought of something.
“Dammit! What if I’m falling in love?”
It was a strange thought: Strange and wonderful. And terrifying. I didn’t want to consider it just now. It was something I’d rather talk about than think about.
At the cafe, I reached into my bag for my phone. I wanted badly to talk to Jess, and it occurred to me to check if she’d contacted me—we’d made a plan to have dinner together tonight, I recalled. There wasn’t anything from Jess, but there was a message. I felt my heart start to thump when I saw it was a message from Tyler.
Ryanne? I would be happy if you joined me for dinner on Friday. Hope you can make it.
I felt my heart warm and a smile came, uninvited, to my face. That was so, so sweet of him! So touching.
“Oh damn,” I said, glad that no one else was at the table to hear me. I really was falling for this guy. What the heck was I going to do?
“Okay. Talk to Jess tonight. Then make a plan.”
I should have been celebrating that I’d met someone I could fall in love with! That finally, after two horrible relationships, I had found someone I could learn to trust again. But actually, it was a disaster. I absolutely couldn’t afford to fall in love with Tyler.
I just imagined the headlines: Transport Tycoon Falls for Football Player. Or even worse, Transport Tycoon’s Boy Toy.
“What am I going to do?”
I might have several million but I couldn’t afford what people would think. I sent off a reply.
Let me see how the week goes. Thanks.
I put my phone away and ordered my lunch, feeling strangely sad. I didn’t want to have to walk away. But I just couldn’t see how I could do anything else. I would just have to wait and see.
CHAPTER 14: TYLER
I sat down heavily after a grueling training session.
“Whew.”
My face and body were sticky with perspiration, my heart thudding in my chest. I felt Blade flop down next to me on the bench.
“Hell, man! You were on fire out there!” he chuckled. “I never knew you were so fast.”
I couldn’t help a smile spreading across
my face and through my whole body. It was quite an accurate description: I felt like I was. “Thanks, Blade,” I said. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He grinned, showing very white teeth. “Thanks. It’s Tyra. I knew she was watching.” He chuckled.
“Oh?” I frowned. I hadn’t actually known Blade had any romantic life at all. I don’t know when that happened. “I didn’t see her?” I was curious now.
“Well, you’ll meet her later,” he said with a big, proud smile. “If you’re coming tonight, that is?”
I shrugged. “We’re going out?”
He laughed. “It’s Tuesday. We’re all heading out to the bar for the traditional Tuesday thing during game week. Where’ve you been?”
I shrugged again. “I guess I forgot it’s Tuesday,” I said. It was strange, but true. I had.
He chuckled. “Hell, man. And I thought I was bad. You sure you’re not in love?”
I stared at him. It suddenly cannoned into my brain. The fact that I had been in such a good headspace during the practice. The fact that I was so distracted. I was acting like I was in love!
I was in love.
“What?” he frowned. He had a gentle smile on his face and I had the feeling he might have guessed. I sighed.
“I dunno, Blade,” I said, shaking my head. “Got a lot on my mind, I guess.”
“Yeah?” He shrugged and reached for his boots, untying the laces. “Well? Want to talk about it?”
“It’s okay,” I said. “But count me in tonight, huh? I want to meet Tyra.”
He laughed. “I don’t mind you meeting her,” he said meaningfully.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Blade, one thing you can count on, and that is that I absolutely wouldn’t even try to steal your girlfriend. I wouldn’t be that stupid.”
He really did laugh at that, his big, solid shoulders shaking with mirth.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “Really.”
I smiled. “I’m going to go shower,” I said, sniffing theatrically. “Before I gas all of us by taking off this shirt in a public place.”
Blade chuckled. “Same here, man. I’m, like, a biohazard.”
I didn’t stop laughing about that until I’d come out of the shower.
When I had, dressed in my clean things and heading to the bar, I thought about what he’d said. The frightening thing was, he was right. I was in love. It was such a surprising prospect—one I’d never thought about before.
“Dammit, Tyler. Why?”
I didn’t know. But I was looking forward to this evening and a chance to discuss things with guys I trusted. Jake, Blade and Dax.
Should I tell Jake?
I had no idea. Ever since the incident where he’d set me up to spend the night with Ryanne, I’d felt a kind of ambivalence about him. I couldn’t exactly say why—besides, he’d been dishonest with me. What he’d done had been kind, though. He’d stepped aside for me. It just made a weird sort of atmosphere between us. I hoped to be able to address that a bit tonight.
The Mescal Sports Bar was pumping when I got there. I looked round the room and saw Dax sitting at a table in the corner. I waved.
“Hi!” he called. “We’re early.”
“Great,” I nodded. There was someone else opposite him, partly obscured by the coatrack. I could just see a big, muscled form. When I got closer, I noticed that the muscled form was Jake.
“Hi,” he said, looking up at me. His brown eyes looked tense. I looked down into them with a vague nervousness I couldn’t quite understand.
“Hi,” I said. I sat down.
“So, guys. You think Coach has a good strategy for this upcoming game?”
I nodded. “Makes sense to me, Dax,” I said. “Seems to play on what we know were their weaknesses last time.”
“Mm,” Dax nodded, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I agree. You?” He turned to Jake.
Jake nodded. Took a sip of his drink. “If we just keep an eye on Watney, we’ll be fine.”
We would be playing the offensive—what we did best—and Watney was famous as a linebacker on his team. Jake was right—that was the guy to watch out for.
It was typical of Jake to see the one core problem. If it came to seeing small potential problems, like accidentally forgetting a visa when we were traveling or something like that, Jake would be the guy to do it. But the core problem was something he always saw instantly. It was one of the reasons I enjoyed getting his perspective on things that bothered me.
Dax nodded. “Mm,” he said. “Well, I hope Coach has built in something to watch out for that sneaky thing he always does.”
“Yeah,” Jake nodded. “Not sure that what we’re doing will counter it, but we can hope, eh?”
“Exactly.” Dax shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I realized he was nervous about the game this weekend. I looked around.
“Blade said he was coming too,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah,” Jake nodded. “I saw him at the training session; said he might be delayed.”
“Okay,” I shrugged. “Well, hope he makes it soon. Has anyone else met Tyra?”
Dax chuckled. “You mean, the Tyra? I saw her once. She was at the practice. Did you see her?”
I shrugged. “No.”
“Well, you’ll see her now. ’Scuse me a minute,” he said, getting up. “Just want to see what that sign over there says.” He pointed at the board where the specials were written.
I was alone at the table with Jake.
I shifted uncomfortably, feeling nervous. Looked at him and then looked away.
“How’re you, man?” Jake asked.
I shrugged. “Okay.”
“Is there something you wanted to tell me?” he asked.
I shrugged again, not sure what to say. “Not really,” I sighed.
“I have a lot of questions, but I guess I shouldn’t ask them,” he said with a grin.
I nodded. “Probably not,” I said mildly.
Jake sipped his drink, wiping his mouth with his hand. “Yeah. Well, maybe we can chat later?” he said. “I think Dax is about to tell us what the dinner specials are.”
I grinned. “Looks like it.”
He came over with a purposeful expression on his solid, rugged face.
“Well, they had their usual specials and an additional special on nachos. Shall we get some to share? Beats starving while we wait for the rest of the guys.”
I nodded, laughing. “I agree.”
We ordered a plate of nachos and chatted about our fellow team members and the current season.
When the nachos arrived, I couldn’t help recalling the ultraspicy soup from the night before. I smiled.
“You ever had Thai seafood soup?” I asked out of the blue.
Dax frowned. “No don’t think so, Tyler. Why?”
“It’s hot,” I said, grinning. I couldn’t help that the memory made me smile. Jake frowned.
“I didn’t know you liked Thai-style food?”
I shrugged, hearing a question slipping into his voice. “Well, a person has to try new things, huh?”
He nodded. “It can be…what’s that word…instructive.”
I saw a look in his eyes and I knew precisely what sort of new thing he was thinking of. I blushed and so did he. I felt Dax looking from me to him and back. I laughed.
“Sorry. Just thinking of something else,” I explained.
Dax shrugged. “I wonder where—oh! Hey! Randall!”
He waved a hand at Randall Byrne, one of our teammates. He came over to join us, settling himself on the bench beside Dax. I grinned in welcome. Randall had come into the team more recently than the rest of us—Dax, Jake, Blade, Lex and I were the oldest team members—but we were all starting to get used to each other.
“So?” he asked. “Looking forward to the game?”
Dax rolled his eyes. “We’re not talking about it.”
“Superstition,” Jake supplemented.
&nbs
p; “Tradition,” I said.
He nodded. “Sounds sensible.”
“Nachos?” I asked.
“Sounds even better.”
We all laughed. Blade arrived shortly afterward. With him was a stunning woman.
“Hey, guys,” he said shyly. “This is Tyra.”
“Hi,” I said respectfully. I moved along so Blade could park himself on the bench beside me. Tyra sat opposite, on the right-hand side of Dax, who had gone an interesting shade of pink.
Seeing how Blade stared at Tyra made me smile. His heart was in his big brown eyes in a way I had never seen before. It lit him from within.
I felt really happy—it was like seeing Blade come alive. A precious thing.
I wondered if I looked like that at Ryanne.
“So,” Blade said. “Guys? Tyra Halliday. Tyra? These are the guys. Well, four of them.”
“Hi!” she smiled. She had skin a rich tan color, masses of curling dark hair and almond-shaped eyes. She spoke with a voice like velvet. She was beautiful.
“Tyra. Pleased to meet you. Tyler,” I said.
She grinned. “Another “t” name. I like it. Hi!”
“I’m Jake,” Jake proffered, reaching out a hand.
We all introduced ourselves and then I turned to her.
“How did you two meet?” I asked, curious.
“Well, I was singing at the club, and we saw each other. And, well…” she grinned. “he came over and said hi.”
“You’re a singer?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she nodded.
“Wow,” I nodded. “That’s amazing.”
She blushed. “Thanks.”
I felt Blade stiffen beside me and decided to peel back my enthusiasm just a little, in case the poor guy was getting jumpy.
It occurred to me that the women we met were usually in a similar sphere as us: people in the public eye like singers, models, dancers. Not usually tycoons.
It made me wonder about Ryanne and how easy it would be for her to fit into my world, or me in hers.
Short answer—not so simple.
The thought was quite upsetting.
When I met her, none of that had entered my mind, of course. I assumed it was just one night and nothing more. I hadn’t thought that I would fall for her, or what I would do if I did. And now that it had happened, I had no idea what to do about it.
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