Striker (38 page)

‘Because I thought you might actually understand.’

‘Oh, I understand plenty, Ryan. I understand plenty.’

They both looked at each other for what seemed like minutes but it was only a few seconds in reality, before he turned and walked away, the sound of the front door slamming telling her he was gone. And it was anyone’s guess when she’d see him again.

He had no idea what he was doing, she was convinced of that now. He had no idea how close he was to throwing it all away if he carried on the way he was going. She’d honestly thought they were making some headway, that he was finally beginning to understand what was really best for him. But it seemed she was wrong.

She was about to head off upstairs to get ready herself when the doorbell rang again. For a second she thought against answering it, thinking it was probably just Ryan back to irritate her even more and she wasn’t in the mood for another round. But she hated ignoring it; after all, it could be something important. It wasn’t.

‘Going somewhere?’ Jim asked, smiling a smile that, much to her annoyance, made her heart skip what felt like a dozen beats.

‘What are you doing here? What if Ryan sees you? How are you are going to explain that one, huh?’

‘He’s out, isn’t he? I’ve just seen him get into a taxi.’

‘Are you spying on me?’

‘Something like that, yeah. You gonna ask me in?’

‘I’m going out myself.’

‘Night in with the boyfriend not work out, then?’

‘Piss off, Jim.’

‘You look amazing.’

‘Good. Then I might get some attention when I hit the bars later.’

‘Is that what you want? Attention?’

Amber said nothing, just looked at him, not knowing exactly what she was going to do next.

‘If you want to talk…’

‘I don’t want to talk, Jim.’

‘Even better. Because I’m not much into talking myself right now.’

‘What do you want from me?’

He moved closer, standing right in the doorway so she could neither shut the door in his face nor get out of his way to avoid him. ‘I want to be inside you again, Amber.’

‘Jesus Christ,’ Amber sighed, finally standing aside to let him in. A reflex action brought on by what he’d just said? Probably. She didn’t even know if she cared anymore.

‘A night out with the girls, then, is it?’ Jim asked, looking her up and down which, against her better judgement, only served to turn her on, that familiar tingle between her legs striking up within seconds.

She didn’t answer him, just walked on through to the kitchen, finding a bottle of vodka in one of the cupboards and pouring herself a shot.

‘Nobody said living with a player like Ryan would be easy, honey.’

She looked up at him before quickly re-filling her shot glass. ‘You don’t know anything, Jim.’

‘I know he’s pissed you off.’

‘And what if he has?’

‘You might want to vent your frustration.’

‘How, exactly?’

He walked over to her, taking the glass from her hand and placing it down on the counter before slowly sliding a hand up and under her dress, touching her thigh as his mouth moved closer to hers. ‘Well, for starters, you could fuck me so hard it hurts. I can take the pain.’

She felt her stomach flip over in a barrage of excited somersaults. Ryan deserved some kind of payback, after the shit he was pulling tonight. And the mood he was in, she’d lay money on him ending the night with some random bimbo in The Goldman, and she didn’t even think she’d care if he did. So why shouldn’t she take Jim up on his offer? And what a way to start her own night – fucking the league’s sexiest, most popular manager.

‘You can, huh?’ she smiled, backing up against the counter as his fingers slipped under the sides of her panties, slowly pushing them down.

‘I can,’ he whispered, his mouth now resting on hers, his breath warm on her face, the smell of him overwhelming, taking over everything she was feeling, dissipating that anger that had been building up just enough to make her still want revenge, and know that this was the only way she was going to feel any better.
 

Amber closed her eyes as his hand slid between her legs, making her gasp out loud. His touch was firm yet gentle, his fingers moving back and forth in a slow, rhythmic motion that sent a million white-hot tingles shooting through her, kicking off an ache for him so bad she didn’t know how long she could stand it.

‘Jim…’ she groaned, throwing her head back as his lips started kissing the base of her throat, his other hand in the small of her back, keeping her close. Everything was wrong, what they were doing here, yet it felt so right. She was living that age-old cliché, and for once she didn’t care. Ryan had been at his worst tonight, so surely she deserved this? Surely she deserved to have the revenge she badly wanted right now. No matter how childish and petty that revenge might be.

Pulling his hand away, Jim lifted her up onto the counter, pushing her dress up over her thighs, pulling her panties off and throwing them aside. He looked at her, looked down between her open legs before quickly removing his jacket, tossing it away like a used dishcloth, even though it probably cost more than Amber earned in a month. She wanted him so badly now, so much it physically hurt, and when he finally freed himself, pushing his way inside her before either of them had the chance to change their minds, as far as Amber was concerned it was like somebody had just injected her once more with a dose of that much-needed medicine. Within seconds he’d taken her over, and as dangerous and stupid as that may have been, for Amber it felt like coming home. There was no other way she could describe it. Despite everything he’d put her through, despite the pathetic way she’d always run back to him even though he’d never really cared, he was what she needed. He’d been the first person she’d ever given herself to, and she couldn’t forget that. She couldn’t let that go, no matter how hard she tried. She was stuck in a world in which he was always going to be present, so the only thing she could do was follow her heart. Even if it was going to lead her in every wrong direction going.

Biting down on her lip as he came fast and hard, she held onto him tight as he gently touched her down there, helping her reach her own climax, his mouth on hers, their kiss as rhythmic as the movement of his fingers, eventually leaving them both breathless. She’d had her revenge on Ryan. And had it made her feel any better? She wasn’t entirely sure.

‘You feel so good,’ Jim whispered, his forehead resting against hers as their breathing finally began to slow down. ‘So fucking good.’

‘I’ve really got to go,’ she said, her fingers gently stroking the back of his neck. ‘I’m going to be late.’

‘Call it off, Amber. Ring them up, cancel, and stay here. With me. Stay here.’

She shook her head, letting go of him and sliding down from the counter, pulling herself together as another slice of cold reality hit her. But she didn’t regret what she’d just done. Not yet, anyway. ‘I’m going to be late,’ she repeated. ‘You’d better go.’

He bent down to pick up his jacket, quickly slipping it back on over his dark shirt. ‘This isn’t the end, Amber.’

She turned to look at him, walking over and sliding a hand round the back of his neck, bringing his mouth down to touch hers again, the kiss deepening as his arm held her against him. ‘I didn’t say it was,’ she smiled, letting go of him again, walking slowly backwards, her dark red hair now beginning to fall free of the grips that had been holding it up before, stray strands lying loose over her bare shoulders. ‘I’ll see you later, Jim.’

He smiled, too, that all-American, drop-dead-gorgeous smile. That charming smile that had gained him a whole army of female football fans. That smile that still made Amber’s heart skip a proverbial beat. ‘You kill me, Amber. You freaking kill me, baby.’

‘Well, just try to stay alive for a little while longer, okay? I haven’t finished with you yet.’

He started to make his way out of the kitchen, stopping only when he reached where she was standing, sliding an arm around her waist again,
his
mouth so very close to hers as he spoke, his voice low and husky. ‘And that, Ms. Sullivan, had better be one hell of a promise.’

*

The music was thumping, so loud it almost felt as though the floor was vibrating, a steady, heavy bass beat reverberating through the club, making it almost impossible to speak without shouting.
 

Ryan was having a night like he hadn’t had in a long time. People were flocking around him like he was the second coming of Christ. Men were shoving drinks at him, telling him how great he’d played that afternoon, how much of a local hero he really was, whilst women couldn’t get enough of him, all of them stunning to look at and quite willing to give him anything he wanted. He was seriously considering offers. If Amber couldn’t understand how much today meant to him then he might as well spend time with those that did. And surely this was his well-deserved reward after getting Red Star those three winning points that had now sent them to fourth in the league table. He was making his mark at a club he’d supported all his life. Jesus, he was on top of the frigging world tonight!

‘You gonna leave a few for us?’
Gary
winked, joining Ryan at the VIP table they’d commandeered for the night, dumping two more bottles of champagne down in the centre. ‘On the house, apparently. You’re our lucky charm tonight, mate. No doubt about it.’

‘It’s not like we can’t afford the drink,
Gary
.’

‘That’s not the point. If we don’t have to pay for it, all the better. And that goes for the women, too.’

Ryan looked at
Gary
through slightly narrowed eyes.

‘Oh, come on, Ryan. Are you telling me you’ve never used the services of a high-class call-girl? Sometimes needs must, mate.’

Ryan said nothing, just turned to look out onto the dance floor where a pretty and very-young-but-definitely-legal blonde and a brunette with legs up to her armpits were putting on a show especially for him. He could feel himself reacting, too, dangerously close to having to find a quiet corner and relieve the pressure, if truth be told.

‘Jesus fucking Christ,’
Gary
whistled, leaning back and watching the floor-show. ‘You are one lucky son-of-a-bitch.’

‘You reckon?’ Ryan asked, draining his glass of champagne. He was sick of drinking the stuff now, if he was honest. He might start hitting the shorts next. A few vodka shots should set him up nicely.

‘Yeah, I reckon. Those two are yours for the taking,’ Gary said, indicating the two girls still gyrating against each other on the dance floor, although their eyes were very much on Ryan, ‘ … not to mention the rest of ‘em. You’re on fire tonight, mate. On frigging fire!’

Ryan grinned, running a hand through his dark hair, making it even more messed-up and sexy. ‘Yeah. I fucking am, aren’t I?’

‘Looks like The Goldman is gonna get the pleasure of your company tonight, then?’
Gary
smirked, looking out onto the dance floor again, his expression suddenly changing. ‘Oh, shit! Are you frigging kidding me? What the fuck are
they
doing in here?’

Ryan followed
Gary
’s gaze, his stomach flipping an unexpected somersault the second he saw her, looking hotter than he’d ever seen her look before.

‘I said to her, I said, Debbie, babe, you and your WAG brigade can go where the hell you like tonight, just don’t fucking turn up here. Frigging brilliant!’

‘What? This
bothers
you?’ Ryan asked, tearing his eyes away from Amber for a second, although something was telling him not to let her out of his sight.

‘Yeah, it frigging bothers me,’
Gary
replied. ‘I mean, me and Debbie, I know our relationship isn’t exactly conventional, but doing shit right in front of her, mate – that’s off limits.’

Ryan stared at him, and for a brief second he wondered just what the hell he was doing there. Then he looked around him, at the women who wanted him, the men who wanted to
be
him… who the hell
wouldn’t
want that? No matter how sick and twisted it could sometimes become.

‘Yeah, well, Amber’s looking like a wet dream come true so I’m off over there to see what’s happening.’

‘What? You’re leaving Barbie and her mate to go and see your fucking girlfriend?’

‘Yeah,’ Ryan grinned. ‘Weird, isn’t it?’

‘You’re telling me.’

‘I’m sure you can keep those two amused,’ Ryan went on, nodding his head in the direction of his dancing fan club. ‘I might need them later.’

Gary
just laughed, shaking his head as Ryan got up and made his way through the crowd, over towards Amber and the rest of the Red Star WAGs.
 

‘Hey, beautiful. Couldn’t keep away, huh?’

Amber turned around, her eyes immediately meeting his. ‘Sorry, are you talking to me?’

‘Don’t play games, babe. You’re looking hot tonight, by the way.’