"I don't know if anyone has told you this. But I'm stubborn and when I decide I'm doing something. I commit with everything I have."
"Is that your way of saying, you won't be breaking up with me in the morning?" I turned to look back at her.
I was surprised to see her staring at me. But when I looked into her eyes, I had my answer.
"Yeah I guess it is." She said. I went to put my knife down and was planning on making her say that again, when she pointed at me. "Don't you dare stop cutting them veggies!"
Stupid darn vegetables. Who needed them anyway? I turned back and started cutting them up.
It was after nine in the morning and I had been waiting for her to wake up. I didn't want to wake her up. But I also couldn't stay in my room any longer. I glanced at her closed door. I assumed because it was her day off she would sleep in.
I was going to head to the public pool and do some laps. Since my shoulder injury, I had to do laps after I did a major weight session. Which is what I did yesterday.
I was grabbing my keys when I saw something come flying up the hallway.
I looked down at the pen and walked the past it came, past the dining room and into the lounge. And bang. There she was sitting at the dining table. My dining table was covered in books and papers.
She was rubbing her temples.
"You alright?"
Her head snapped up. And she was looking at me with wide eyes, wearing her glasses. I noticed the empty mug to her left, which I'm assuming had had coffee in it.
"Math is going to be my undoing." She groaned. "All the numbers have ganged up on me."
"How long have you been studying for?"
She frowned and lit her phone up. "Since after five."
"Why didn't you sleep in?"
She reached across the table and grabbed another pen. "Too much on my mind."
"Victoria’s Secret?"
"That and," She paused, biting her bottom lip. "it doesn't matter."
"Is it me?"
"Nope." She went back to working out the equation.
Maybe she needed a break? "What's your plans for today?"
"Just this." She gestured down to her work. "It's going to drown me."
"Can you ditch it for the day?"
"For?"
I grinned. "Me."
Her blank expression, changed. And she smiled. Closing the textbook in front of her. "Okay, but if I fail math, it's your fault."
"I doubt you’ll fail."
She pushed herself away from the table. "The way I'm doing. I will."
"You put too much pressure on yourself."
"So what do you suggest we do today?"
"I'm about to go do laps at the pool. You can come? Then after that I'm taking you out."
"Are you?” She stood in front of me. "And where are you planning on taking me?"
I grabbed her by her hips. "That's a surprise." I kissed her forehead. "So do you want to come to the pool first? Or want me to pick you up after?"
"Nah. I'll come to the pool. I think I have a bikini somewhere. I'm actually not sure if I packed one."
My eyes were on lips, so red, so plumb. "We can get you one on the way. Maybe a one piece."
She laughed. "You're funny."
But I wasn't joking.
I never thought I would get Emerald to agree to date me and now that she had, I wanted to impress her. I was putting my stuff in a locker when a guy ran in to the changing room.
"Emerald Asher is out there!" He basically yelled to his friends.
"Yeah, of course she is. Next you’ll say she is stripping naked." One of his friends laughed at him.
"I'm not joking! I know that ass and those perfect breasts. She’s my background on my phone! I know her body better than you lot. And I'm telling you she is out there!" He quickly ran to a locker next to mine. "You guys might not believe me, but I'm getting a picture with her." He bolted out.
"Maybe he was serious." One guy got up and just like that the locker room was empty.
Suddenly, I was moving quicker. Locking the locker. The last thing I wanted her to deal with was drooling fans. I walked out and knew where she was by the crowd.
I started pushing my way through to her when I noticed she was posing for photos.
I couldn't exactly rip her away from what she was doing.
She was wearing a white bikini with gold trimmings. She looked stunning. And the boys were loving looking at her too much.
"Excuse me." I pushed past another guy.
My eyes locked with hers. I wasn't happy with how that guy had his hand on her side. Posing for a photo.
As soon as the picture was over, I took my chance before another guy could get in there for a picture.
"You alright babe?" I kissed the side of her head and pulled her to my side. Giving all the guys a clear message. She’s mine.
"Yeah I'm fine." She went to her tippy toes and kissed my cheek. "So are you going to show me how much of a good swimmer you are?"
"Emerald when are you going to do a full naked pose?" The same guy that had announced to the locker room she was here asked.
"There is only one guy that sees me naked and that's my husband." She smiled sweetly. "Sorry to let you guys down." She went up on her toes and waved for someone to come to her.
"Now, you can all back off." I said not liking that fact they were picturing her naked. But loving the way she was implying I was the only guy to see her naked.
A man, I hadn't seen before started to break the crowd up. With the help of two other men. Which made me useless.
I watched them all disappear and then the men went back to standing on the side lines.
"Hold on a sec who are they?" I pointed to the men that had just broke up the crowd and were now watching her.
"My bodyguards." She shrugged.
"Do they always follow you?" Why the hell hadn't I noticed them?
"Nope. But seeing as I was coming to a public pool. I didn't want you to have to put up with my fans."
"I should have thought of that." God, I was an idiot. She couldn't just come to any public pool!
"Doesn't matter. Now go do your laps." She pushed me away. But I wasn't ready to leave her.
"Actually, I just remembered something." I held back my smirk.
"That being?"
I made sure she was close to the edge. I let go of her and with one gentle push, she fell into the water.
I watched her find her feet and stand up. Her hand pushing the hair from her face.
"Pay back is a bitch, Emerald." I smirked at her.
"You already dropped me in the ocean for that!" She splashed water at me. "You're lucky it's hot."
I slid down into the water. Walking towards her.
"Don't even think about coming to suck me up. Because I'm not talking to you." She turned her back to me but before she could swim off, I grabbed her around the waist and pulling her back to me. Why did I get tingles every time I touched her? Like I couldn't get enough of her. Her skin was so welcoming. It sent my body into a fit.
I’d never been addicted to a woman before. But when it came to Emerald, she was my own personal drug.
I kissed her bare shoulder. "So how much sucking up do I have to do?" My hands ran down her perfect sides, over her hips and stopping just below her belly button and I wanted nothing more than to go down further. When she didn't answer. I slid my hand under the strap of bikini bottoms. "Emerald? You'll tell me to stop right?" I kept my hand frozen were it was. Till she nodded her head.
I looked around and made sure no one was watching. No cameras on us. I slid my finger against her. Fuck, she was soft. I kept one hand on her stomach, pushing her back into me.
"Do you want me to stop?" I whispered against her ear. She didn't say anything.
She shook her head and I had my answer.
So I slid two fingers across her soft and sensitive skin. With one thrust, I was inside her. Her chest was rising quickly, and her hands went to my arms.
Like I was holding her up.
"You want me to stop?" I thrusted my finger in her again and she clamped her mouth shut. I kissed the side of her head. "I'll stop if you want me to."
She shook her head. She was trusting me right now. I thrusted my finger in her again over and over. Her clamp lips broke apart and the sweetest moan left her lips.
Now, that's my girl.
"Damn, you're tight." I gritted out. As much as I wanted to put two fingers in her. I couldn't. If she was this tight, how the hell was she meant to take me? Suddenly, something Scott said on our wedding day, came back to me. He said she was a virgin. Surely not. No way would I be that lucky. There was no chance I would be her first.
But the more I felt of her, the more I got my answer. She was a virgin.
Her hand tightened on my arm. "Dane you need to stop."
"Why?"
"Because those boys are heading straight for us." She quickly wiggled out of my grasp. Just as four boys started saying my name.
I wasn't finished with her yet.
"I'm going to the spa. Get me when you're finished. And I mean with your laps. Not with your fans." She swam off.
My eyes were on her as she climbed out of the pool and headed to the inside pools and spa. Even though I was answering every one of the kids question, I didn't look at them till Emerald disappeared inside.
I had spent an hour and half doing laps and only stopped when my shoulder started to pinch. I headed inside to find Emerald. I scanned the pools not seeing her. She said she was going to the spa, right? That was over an hour ago though. I looked at each spa, and no Emerald.
Maybe she left?
That's when I spotted one of her body guards.
"Hey do you know where Emerald is?" I asked him.
"In the sauna Mr. Sullivan." He answered professionally and gestured to the closed doors.
"Thanks."
I walked forward and pushed open one of the double doors to the sauna.
Why were there so many people in here? Fuck, it was hot in here.
Then I saw her. Laying down on one of the benches. Her knees up and eyes closed. She looked to be on her own planet. Maybe that's why she hadn't noticed that every man with a pair of eyes was stripping her free of her bikini. No wonder there was so many men in here.
And suddenly it was hotter in here, and it wasn't the steam.
There were beads of sweat running down her perfect body. Her back slightly arched. Did she have any idea what she was doing to the men in here? Or me for that matter?
I walked towards her. Kneeling on one bench and I only had one idea to bring her back to earth. I brushed her lips with mine, at first her eyes went wide and then she smiled.
"You ready to go wife?" I pulled my lips from hers.
She nodded and I helped her sit up.
"How was your laps?" She asked, as I held her hand as she stepped down. The last thing I wanted was her slipping on the wet benches and falling.
"Fine." I grabbed her by the waist as soon as she was down. Shooting a few glares at the men watching. Yeah that's right boys, she's taken.
"I've never been a swimmer." She said, pushing the door open.
"I never was either." I took her hand. Bringing her hand to my lips I kissed the back of her hand. "Sorry for keeping you so long."
"You didn't keep me, from doing anything. It was actually relaxing."
"So you weren't doing a mental checklist of what you should do be doing?"
She looked at me a bit guilty. "Maybe."
"Well that list will have to wait. Cause I have you for the day."
"Shouldn't you be at the club?" She looked at me, as if she knew I was blowing work off.
"Maybe." I repeated her answer back to her.
"Dane. You need to be focused on your career and reputation. Not spending time with me."
"You made me first. I'm putting you first."
"Dane the whole point of us being together is for your reputation to be repaired. So you need to get your ass to the club. Anyway, I'm fine by myself."
"Not happening. I have this afternoon planned and," I pulled her to a stop, wrapping my arms around her. "it involves you. And our first date."
"Date?" She frowned. "What today?"
"Yep." I had it all planned in my head and with a few phones calls everything was locked in. I was going to give her the best first date. I just hoped she liked it. "Go get dressed."
I whacked her on the butt and she squealed. She looked at me as if she couldn't believe I’d just done that.
"You're unbelievable!"
"Only for you babe." I winked. "Now get dressed."
Chapter 9
DANE
I had hoped I’d put enough thought in to this. I was nervous for some reason. I had never wanted to impress a girl on a first date before. Never once had I cared if it was successful or not. But I was counting on her love for animals to help me win this date.
I pulled in to the Zoo and glanced at her. I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face when I saw her features light up. "The Zoo? Are you serious?" She looked at me, as if I had just brought her to see the sign.
"You love animals right?"
"Yes."
"So I'm guessing you've been before."
She shook her head quickly. "Nope. I never had time. I was booked in for an African safari when I was in Africa. But Dad got sick and I had to fly back to take over the company."
"You can do that? Just take over his company like that?" Surely, she didn't take that on as well. Did she know how unbelievable she was? I knew someone had to be incredibly smart to be able to do that.
"It's not a big deal. I'm cc into all Dad's emails and meetings. I know his schedule, nearly as well as I know mine." She shrugged it off. Like being the second in charge to a billion-dollar company was something everyone did.
"Do you take over from him a lot?"
"Only twice. So far."
"You just drop everything and go to him?"
She frowned. "Of course, I do. I’m his family. And he doesn't just give me millions on millions not expecting me to earn it by some means."
"So that money he gave you has strings attached?"
She frowned. "Not so much string but expectations. Dad has always expected me to be able to take over from him. I was sixteen when I first did it, I was in Africa at the time. It was only for a month and then again a few months later when the doctors ordered him to take leave due to stress."
"You're incredible you know that?"
"More like insane." She laughed. A grin spread across her face and her eyes went wide. "Do you think I'll see a meerkat?"
I laughed. "Yeah babe I think you will."
"Dane it's just not acceptable. You had close to no disposals. Only kicked two goals and nine behinds. That in itself is enough for us to bench you. The fact that you aren't giving your all to training, late to conferences, and you're meant to be leading this group of players."
I just sat there and let the coach, CEO and director attack me.
"Your head isn't in this." The director pulled himself forward at the conference table. "Do you want to tell us what's going on?"
I knew I wasn't playing my best. I knew the last two games were the weakest I've ever played. I knew why too. But I wasn't about to tell them that mind wasn't on the game, it was one a blonde with killer curves and smile to die for.
"Is it your wife?" Coach said. "Marriage is a stressful thing, we understand if that is. But we need to know your performance will get better. That you will recommit to the game. In fact, we've been talking about it and we think maybe you should take a break from seeing her."
"What?" Suddenly, they were getting a response out of me.
"Just until you remember what is important. Till your head is back in the game. Show us you still want to be captain and you are still our main player. Some distance between her and you, might be the best thing for your career."
I’d married Emerald for my car
eer. Now she was becoming the reason I wasn't playing my best. I was too worried about the fact that she was in the stands. I doubted everything. It was fucking with my head.
But when it came down to it. My career did come first.
"Okay. I'll crash at Scott's for a bit." Just till I had my career back in the limelight and maybe I would be able to think straight.
But when it really came down to it.
I was bad for Emerald.
I could never put her first. She deserved that. Maybe it was better that I ended our relationship before it got serious. It would kill me to go backwards with her. But I couldn't let her impact my game. Which I had been letting. I had been more focused on taking her out on dates and then thinking about those dates, then I had been worried about winning games. Which was probably why we had lost the last two games because I wasn't kicking straight.
"Maybe some time with the boys will do you good." The CEO nodded his head. "Wouldn't kill you to spend time with them."
I knew whenever I spent time with the boys it ended with me drinking and with a new woman.
Was I doing the right thing, ending it with Emerald? It wasn't like I was being given a choice. Being with her repaired my public image. But really being with her, impacted my game. They were telling me I couldn't have both.
I wasn't ending things with her. I was just putting my mind back on the game. After two weeks of me being fully committed to the game maybe then I could try and rebalance both.
Surely, I could have the woman and the career.
Right?
Or should I do her a favour and let her go? Who the hell would want to be second? She deserved to be first. When it came down to it, I had nothing to offer her. She has a career, she has the limelight, she has money, she didn't need a man and she didn't need me.
I still didn’t know why she decided to marry me.
But I'd be the first one to say that I got the better half of the deal. I had her for another nine months and then she would be free. I was the dead weight and history showed that I normally always brought everyone around me down.
I wouldn't do that to her.
I had to somehow figure out how to make her equal with my career. But first, I had to get a grip on my career before I completely let it go to shit.
Mr and Mrs Sullivan: Standalone Arranged Marriage Romance Page 11