Striker (33 page)

Ryan reluctantly stood up, pulling his clothes back on and running a hand through his damp, dark hair. He felt good – now. Amber was like a drug he needed in order to carry on, and he could have as much of her as he wanted without it doing him any harm. So why did he still feel the need to go out tonight and face losing the closeness today had given them?

‘What was all that with you and Gary before?’ Amber asked, shoving her wet hair up underneath her hat.

‘Hmm? Sorry?’ Ryan asked, her voice knocking him back to the here and now.

‘This morning. You and Gary. What was it all about?’

He’d forgotten all about that. ‘It was something and nothing, babe.’

Amber doubted that very much, but he seemed fine now. So maybe it was best not to push it. She was all too aware of the banter that went on between team-mates, and it could quite possibly
be
over nothing. She had to remember that Ryan’s moods could be a touch up and down at the minute so it probably took very little to make him edgy. At least she knew what it took to calm him down, and that was a much more pleasant exercise, as far as she was concerned.

She walked over to him, sliding her arms round his neck as she kissed him quickly. ‘Well, if they’re trying to wind you up, just ignore them. Okay?’

He smiled, kissing her back as he held her against him, not really in the mood to get back out on the training pitch. ‘I’m a big boy now, Amber.’

‘Yeah, I know,’ she smirked, letting him go and walking towards the door. ‘See you later, handsome.’

How much later, however, was entirely up to him.

Chapter Thirteen

‘He didn’t come home,’ Amber said, opening the door to let Ronnie through. He immediately pulled her in for a hug and she held onto him for a few seconds, glad he was there. ‘I never asked you to come round here,’ she went on, pulling away from him and walking off into the living room. He followed her, his hands in his pockets.

‘I know. I know you didn’t. But Anna said you were upset, said you two had a long chat last night…’

‘You should be with
her
, Ronnie. Not me. She’s your priority,’ Amber said, folding her arms as she looked out of the window of her and Ryan’s home. The one he’d wanted her to share with him, yet it was the one he treat more like a hotel at times.
 

‘Amber, sweetheart…’

‘Do you know what?’ Amber interrupted, turning round, her arms still folded in a defensive manner, her tone irritated. With good reason. ‘I really don’t need to do this. I shouldn’t
have
to do this…’

‘Hang on, slow down, will you? Do what? What are you talking about?’

‘He’s taking the piss, Ronnie. That’s what he’s doing. I mean, one minute he’s fucking my brains out in the dressing room at the training ground, telling me he loves me, and the next I don’t see him for frigging dust! One quick text to say he’s having a drink with the lads and that was it. Not one more word. His
phone’s
on voicemail, and that’ll be because he knows I want to talk to him…’

‘Okay. Look, can we back-peddle a bit here? Because you lost me a good few sentences ago. What is it you don’t have to do, Amber?’

She leaned back against the window sill, looking straight at Ronnie, pushing a hand through her messed-up, unbrushed hair. ‘Help him, Ronnie. I don’t have to help him.’

‘No. You don’t,’ Ronnie sighed. ‘But I’ve already told you that… Amber…?’

She’d been distracted by a car pulling up outside and she watched as Ryan climbed out of it, watched as he leaned in through the driver’s window, saying something to whoever was behind the wheel before turning round and quickly running up the driveway.

‘Amber…’ Ronnie’s voice held more than a touch of warning as he watched her expression change, her body language stiffen as Ryan opened the front door, slamming it shut behind him.

‘I can’t believe him,’ she said, but she didn’t move from where she was standing.

‘Just… take it easy, kiddo. Maybe he has a perfectly good explanation for staying out all night.’

She looked at Ronnie. ‘You actually believe that, do you?’

Ronnie pushed a hand through his hair, looking over at the living room door as Ryan walked through it, throwing him a warning look.

‘Ronnie? What… what are you doing here?’ Ryan asked. Shit! That’s all he needed. Although, maybe having Ronnie around would mean Amber wouldn’t kick-off quite as much as she would have done if she’d been alone.

‘Amber was worried about you.’

‘I can speak for myself, thanks, Ronnie.’

Ronnie held his hands up, walking over to her and kissing her on the cheek, squeezing her shoulder. ‘I’ll leave you to it. You gonna be okay?’

‘Yeah,’ Amber smiled. ‘Thanks, Ronnie.’

‘Take it easy, alright?’ He looked at Ryan, even though he was still talking to Amber. ‘Think of the derby match, kiddo. You can kick his arse after that’s over and done with.’

Amber smiled again, waiting until Ronnie had left before she looked at Ryan, the smile fading fast. ‘A phone call would have been nice.’

‘Amber, I’m…’

‘Sorry, yeah, of course you are. After the event.’ She looked out of the window, at
Gary
sitting outside in his silver BMW. ‘I take it this is just a flying visit?’

‘We’ve got to get to Tynebridge, Amber. You know how it is. We’re off to the hotel this afternoon, y’know, in preparation for the derby match tomorrow…’

‘Yeah, I know how it all works, Ryan.’

He looked at her, and he literally felt his heart sink. He was one stupid son-of-a-bitch at times. Why couldn’t he just have said no to
Gary
yesterday? Even though it
had
been one hell of a night – a blast, if Ryan was honest. But, in the cold light of day, after the event, had it really been worth it? ‘I’m so sorry, baby. I don’t know what else to say.’
 

Amber just looked at him, taking in his tired eyes and unkempt hair, and she hated the way he still looked so handsome, so hot, even in
that
state. But she said nothing. Just looked at him, her arms still folded against her as a barrier to stop him getting too close. She didn’t want him close. He’d get close to her again when
she
felt like it. On her terms. Two could play at that game.

‘I… We… we went out for something to eat, and the lads, they… they wanted to go on to a couple of bars and I… I…’

‘Couldn’t say no.’ It wasn’t a question. ‘Did you go to the casino?’

He said nothing, looking away briefly for a couple of seconds, unable to meet her eyes.

‘Jesus, Ryan…’

‘I need to be a part of this team, Amber. Believe me, baby…’

She held up her hands as she walked away from the window, past him and out into the hall. ‘Save it, Ryan. I knew what I was doing when I got involved with someone like you so I really shouldn’t be surprised.’ She swung round, fixing him with a stare that told him she wanted the truth from the question she was about to ask him. ‘Just tell me one thing, Ryan. One thing – and be honest, okay? Did you sleep with anyone last night? Did you pick up some wannabe WAG in a bar and take her back to The Goldman because, yes, I know exactly where you lot go to indulge in your pathetic pulling games. I’m a fucking reporter, for heavens sake.’

‘No. No, I didn’t sleep with anyone. I… I was at The Goldman, I’m not… I’m not gonna lie so, yeah, I was there. And there… there
were
women there but, I didn’t sleep with anyone, Amber. I didn’t.’

‘Did you kiss anyone? Did you touch them? Give them something to remember before they toddled off back to their routine lives?’

He shook his head, his eyes staring into hers all the time.

‘You better be telling me the fucking truth, Ryan. Because I will walk away from this in a heartbeat if I find out you’ve been lying. I swear, I will fucking walk away.’

He made an attempt to reach out for her but she stepped backwards.

‘I can cope with you not coming home, okay? Because I’ve been there and I’ve done that and I’ve coped with all of that before…’ She quickly stopped herself, because what she was talking about were the things she’d had to put up with when she was involved with Jim. Her relationship with Ronnie had been completely different, and most people knew that. What they didn’t know was that she’d been through
this
shit before.

‘Before?’ Ryan asked, frowning as he looked at her, an expression of confusion slowly crossing his face. ‘I thought you and Ronnie were…?’

‘Me and Ronnie were fine. Everything about that relationship was fine…’ She fixed him with a glare that she hoped was as cold as she intended it to be. ‘I can cope with most things, Ryan. Believe me. But you touch another woman again while we’re together and that’s it. I’m gone.’

‘Amber…’

‘I’ve already packed your bag for the hotel, it’s down by the door,’ she said as she turned away, running up the stairs.

‘Amber! Jesus… Are you gonna be there on Sunday? Amber? Are you gonna be at the match?’

She stopped and turned around, knowing that if she let him leave the house in the middle of an argument then his mind would be on anything but the game. And she didn’t want to get the blame for him putting on a crap performance tomorrow afternoon. Especially in an important derby match.

Sucking up everything she was really feeling, she walked back downstairs, sliding her arms around his neck and letting him pull her close. On her terms wasn’t going to work the day before a big game. She loved the sport too much to be petty. She needed him to leave the house thinking everything was fine between them, even if it wasn’t completely perfect. Far from it.

‘I really am sorry, babe,’ Ryan whispered, stroking a stray strand of hair from her eyes, a feeling of utter relief sweeping over him. He really hadn’t wanted to leave for the hotel with this on his mind.

‘Just stop saying that, Ryan. Please.’

‘I don’t deserve you.’

‘No, you don’t,’ she said, a small smile creeping onto her face. Jesus, how could she be so angry with him yet still want to fuck him so bad? ‘Go on. You’d better get going,
Gary
’s waiting.’

Ryan smiled, too, holding her tight and needing her so bad; it was like an ache that wouldn’t go away. ‘Sneak into the hotel tonight, Amber. Please.’

‘You
are
kidding, aren’t you? Ryan, they’d go ballistic!’

‘Fuck ‘em! I want to fuck
you,
and I know it’s against all the rules but, Jesus, Amber, I really need you, baby.’

‘You should’ve thought about that last night, then, shouldn’t you?’

He lowered his mouth down onto hers, kissing her slow and deep and she couldn’t pull away. She wanted to, if only to show him she hadn’t forgiven him completely, but she didn’t. She couldn’t. He tasted too good and felt even better.

‘Come on, Amber. Be a bad girl and break some rules with me. You know where we’re staying. Come on.’

‘The day before the big local derby match against Wearside Spartans? Are you crazy, Ryan?’

‘Yeah,’ he replied, running his fingers lightly down her neck, his touch sending shivers up and down her spine like some demented, out-of-control elevator. ‘Living on the edge is right up there on my list of priorities.’

She couldn’t help smiling. ‘Jim’d kill you if he found out. And he’d probably drop you from the first team, too.’

‘Not for this match he wouldn’t. It’s way too important.’

‘Oh, still as cocky as hell I see.’ But Amber knew Ryan was right. He’d be punished, for sure, but he probably wouldn’t be left out of Sunday’s game. There was pride being played for as much as points in this fixture.

‘Please, Amber.’

She looked down at the ground for a second before slowly raising her head to stare into his eyes. ‘It’s not a good idea, Ryan. Really.’

He threw his head back, sighing heavily. ‘Jesus! I need you so fucking bad right now. This is killing me.’

Amber let go of him, leaning back against the banister, gently kicking his holdall towards him. ‘Well, like I said before, you should have thought about that last night.’

‘So, what am I supposed to do then, huh? Because I’m almost sure that being sexually frustrated isn’t good for a player’s game.’

Amber smiled, almost enjoying the fact he was feeling that way. It served him right. ‘Oh, I’m sure an intelligent young man like you can think of some way to relieve yourself.’ She leaned back against the wall, sliding her hand underneath her shirt, letting her fingers run lightly over her breasts, her eyes on his all the time.

‘Shit, Amber. You’re getting a kick out of this, aren’t you?’

‘Call it your punishment,’ she said, pulling her hand away and walking towards the front door. ‘Now get out, go on. You don’t want to be late.’

He leaned over to pick up his holdall, stopping beside her and sliding an arm around her waist, pulling her in for another kiss, enjoying the taste of her, the feel of her lips against his, before she gently pushed him away.