Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“Prepared how?”
“If that’s what it’s about, do we confirm or deny?”
“Deny, of course.” He scowls. “You’ll be fired.”
“Like I said, I went into this knowing the risks.”
He swallows and looks away, and then he reaches for my hand. His is warm and large in mine. Comforting. “We deny it unless they have black-and-white photographic evidence. Which they won’t because we’ve been careful. You’re the best at what you do, and the team needs you. I don’t want you to lose it all for me.”
I give him a dry look. “Yes, unscrupulous PR managers are hard to come by.”
“I can’t believe I’m the one wanting to actually be serious here. If you’re fired …”
I won’t be picked up by another team. He doesn’t say it, but he doesn’t need to. Sleeping with one of the players when I’m the one responsible for their reputations won’t look good on my resume.
“We’ll see what happens. It might not even be about that.” I climb out to find some clothes when Oskar walks over and takes my shirt from my hands and lays it over the side of the bed.
“This is the plan. We deny until we can’t any longer. Then if it comes to it, I’ll say I pressured you into it.”
I recoil. “Not a chance.”
“It’s the only way for you to get out of it.”
“Yeah, and possibly get you arrested.”
“Not if you’re unwilling to press charges.”
I step closer and cup his face, careful of his healing scar. “I will never, ever say it. And if you try to, I’ll tell them everything.”
“So stubborn.” He scowls and steps away from me. “My reputation will barely take a hit from this. Maybe I’ll be traded, who knows? But you’ll lose everything you’ve worked for. They’ll think you fucking preyed on me or something.”
“I won’t tell them that you forced me.”
“Okay, maybe not that. But if we have to admit it, and only if we have to admit it … we’ll end it.”
My heart beats faster. “What?”
“Yeah.” He’s nodding to himself. “If denying it doesn’t work, then we’ll cut all ties and keep the whole thing quiet so long as you’re allowed to keep your job.”
“That’s what you want?”
“If it keeps you out of trouble, then yes.”
I study his face for a moment. The clenched jaw, pleading eyes. He’s completely serious about this.
I shove the invading emotions down. “We’ll hope it doesn’t come to that.”
We’re mostly quiet as we drive to the San Jose facilities, and Oskar’s hand doesn’t leave my thigh once. I’m grateful for the connection, but I’m determined for us to get out of this intact. As nervous as I am, it helps to go back over every time we’ve been together in my head because the more I do, the more I’m sure they’ve got jack shit when it comes to us.
I pull into a parking space and give Oskar’s hand a squeeze before he can withdraw it. “We’re okay,” I say. “They’ve got nothing, and as soon as we’re done here, we’re going to fuck the afternoon and all this stress away.”
He finally grins over at me. “You know me far too well. I think you’re my soul mate.”
I bark a laugh, ignoring the longing swoop in my gut at what was obviously a joke, and jump out of the car, trying to stamp down the nerves. This is just another meeting, probably about Oskar’s career with nothing at all to do with us. It could be a trade for all I know; even though the likelihood of Mick being the one to deliver the news is low, it could happen. Maybe.
Positive vibes only.
I school my face into its politely detached, professional mask and hold the door open for Oskar to pass. Then we take the elevator up to Mick’s floor, and I force down a deep breath before knocking.
“Come in.”
Oskar flicks his messy hair back and nods at me that he’s ready.
We’ve got this.
My footsteps falter slightly when I walk in and see Keerson sitting on Mick’s side of the table. He throws me a confused sort of half smile, like he doesn’t know what he’s doing here any more than we do.
“Thank you for coming on short notice,” Mick says, standing and offering his hand. “I’m sure you had better things to do with your day.”
“Better than meeting with the man who pays my salary?” Oskar asks. “No such thing.”
Mick chuckles and gestures for us to have a seat, and his relaxed demeanor gives me hope. Until he claps his hands over his gut and leans back into his chair, the way I’ve seen him do a handful of times. “Look, we’re here to clear up a little confusion, and I’ve asked Keerson to be here for the discussion on the off chance we need the PR department involved.”