Page 55 of Sportsball is for Lovers

An apology on my lips, I turn to the speaker.

But it’s not a random Karen.

Sadie.

She’s wearing dark jeans and white Keds, a purple smock around her torso. Her wavy hair is pulled back from her face, her makeup neutral and understated. The faint scent of her perfume wafts over me, making my dick react automatically.

“I didn’t know you worked here,” I tell her mildly, biting back my initial, irrational urge to propose marriage. I don’t actually want to get married. I just want her.

Sadie scoffs. “Really? He didn’t send you here?”

I shake my head. “Went for a walk and needed to escape the rain.”

She purses her lips.

“It’s good to see you,” I offer hopefully. I don’t know what I’m hopeful for. A glimmer of her attention? A scrap of her affection?

“Yeah, whatever,” she mutters.

“I met with the Grizzlies today,” I add. “Do you mind thanking your friend for me? I really appreciate her referral.”

Sadie frowns.

“And yours, of course. You connected us. I can’t forget that,” I add quickly. “I know you did it to help my brother, but you also helped me at the same time, and I⁠—”

“Shut up,” she snaps, her face going red. “I didn’t do it for you.”

“Can I make it up to you? Buy you coffee?”

Bury my face in her pussy until she screams my name several times over?

“I don’t want anything from you,” Sadie snaps.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you didn’t like me,” I say mildly.

“I don’t,” she says.

But she can’t meet my eyes, her gaze averted toward my shoes.

Stepping closer, I tip her chin up.

“Is that so?” My voice goes down an octave, gritty and dark.

“I don’t like you,” Sadie says. She swallows loudly.

“The hitch in your breath tells me otherwise.” Maybe she isn’t as averse to this as she makes it seem.

“It means nothing,” she lies. Her pulse flutters wildly in her neck.

“You might not like me,” I tell her quietly, “But your body likes what I do to you.”

“I don’t. It didn’t mean anything.”

“It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

Her rich brown eyes dart up to mine, then back down my face. She can’t hold my gaze.

Fuck, she is such a good little sub.

“Let me take you out,” I urge. “We can have a lot of fun together.”

“I don’t have time for fun,” she argues.

“There’s always time for fun.”

Sadie opens her mouth to protest.

“Just think about it,” I tell her. I press a soft, open-mouth kiss to her lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”