Page 56 of Catching the Coach
She gives me a smile and a nod. “I know, and thank you for understanding that.”
I lean down and give her a slow kiss, teasing her lips open with my tongue. She opens her mouth for me and I tangle my tongue with hers. She moans softly into my mouth. I pull back and give her a smirk. Her eyes are dark with hunger. “That’s for teasing me earlier,” I say.
Her cheeks flush and she covers her face with one hand. “I can’t believe I did that. I blame the wine and peer pressure.”
I pull her hand from her face. “I thought it was fucking sexy as hell, and if I wasn’t out in public and with your son, I would have been more than happy to play along.” Her flush grows deeper. “You’re the sexiest woman I have ever laid my eyes on Lucy.” I kiss her again. I need her, but I know I can’t have her right now. Not with Hudson down the hall. We break apart, slightly breathless. I take a step back. If I don’t leave now, I’m not going to leave at all.
“Goodnight, Coach.”
“Goodnight, Kessler.”
I force myself to get into my truck and drive away. Once I’m on the road, I use my Bluetooth and call Dale. He answers on the second ring.
“Hello?” his voice heavy with sleep.
“Dale, it’s Kessler. Sorry to call so late, but we need to do something about the pap’s harassing me.”
“Just a minute,” he says. I hear shuffling on the other end, and him having a muffled conversation with Mary, his wife. A few seconds later he comes back onto the line.
“Ok, Kessler, now what’s going on?”
I relay what happened in the parking lot back to him. I can hear him taping on something on the other end. Probably his keyboard. “Shit,” he mutters.
“What?”
He lets out a sigh and I can imagine he’s leaning back in his chair scrubbing a hand over his eyes. “There’s a video of you threatening one of the paps. Tell me you didn’t threaten this guy Davis.”
“Does it show that he tried to open the back door to my truck where the boys were?” I ask, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight, my knuckles are white.
“No, it doesn’t,” Dale says, his voice flat. “Come by tomorrow morning before you head to the clubhouse and we’ll draft up a press release.”
I nod my head, even though he can’t see me. “Ok, great Dale. Thanks.”
He’s quiet for a few beats before he says, “I know you like your private life private Kessler, but we’re going to have to get ahead of this, and the only way I can think of doing that is to have you and Lucy go public with your relationship.”
I open my mouth to object but he stops me first.
“I know, I know, it’s giving them what they want, but if we can lay all the facts out there first, they can’t speculate and print any more lies.”
I let out a sigh. “Ok, Ok. I know you’re right. But tomorrow is just about releasing the truth about what happened at the game. I need to talk with Lucy first before I publish that we’re together.”
And if I know Lucy like I think I do, that’s not going to be an easy thing to convince her of.
“Ok, but don’t wait too long. There’s already an article online trying to guess who the boys were. It’s only a matter of time before they find out.”
I clench my jaw so tight I feel like I might break a molar. “Ok, I’ll talk to her tomorrow. Thanks Dale. Tell Mary sorry for the late night call.”
Dale chuckles. “No need to be sorry Kessler, that’s why you pay me the big bucks,” he jokes. Dale is worth every penny if he can make this stop. I disconnect the call and pull into the parking garage to my apartment. Once I get inside. I toss my keys onto the entry table and head to the fridge. I grab a beer and pop the top, chugging the whole thing down. Lucy is not going to like this, and I don’t want to lose her because of it. I scrub a hand down my face and put my bottle in the recycling then head to my room. I’m exhausted and I need to try to get some sleep before shit hits the fan tomorrow.
* * *
I’m sitting in Dale’s home office bright and early the next morning. Mary, being the amazing hostess she is, left a pot of freshly brewed coffee and blueberry muffins she baked yesterday before leaving us to our task.
I’m on my second muffin and third cup of coffee as Dale reads over the statement again, making sure it’s clear and to the point. He sits back in his chair and takes off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I think that’ll do it. I’ll send this off to the team and let them take care of the rest.”
I crumble up my muffin wrapper and toss it in the trash. “Thanks Dale.” I check my phone and stand. “I should head to the field.”
Dale stands and comes around his desk and claps me on the back. “I’ll walk you out.” He walks me to the front door and opens it.
