Turn Over:A Secret Baby Sports Romance(13)

He shoved his phone inside his jacket and stood to face me. "Babe, you  scared me. You didn't answer your phone. You didn't tell your security.  I've been here the whole time waiting for you to get back. This could  have been something serious. I was this close to getting the authorities  involved." He pinched his fingers together.

I recognized there was a real look of worry on his face, but I also knew that it would quickly turn.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I was out with a friend. I needed some time to think."

"Think?"

I nodded. "Yes." I crossed the room, going straight to the fridge for a  glass of orange juice. "I've tried to talk to you lately, but you don't  want to seem to listen. I needed a little space."         

     



 

"I'm listening now. What made you stay out all night?"

I stood behind the counter. "I'm tired, Jake. This schedule you have me  on is insane. And the fans want every bit of my energy. It's taking a  toll on me. I can't keep going like this. Don't you see it?"

He nodded as if he were considering my statements. "You and I both know  this could be gone in a flash. You have to ride it while you've got it,  Lex. It can be pulled away with one misstep. One scandal."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously. That is dramatic."

"You side-stepped one last night." He eyed me. "Thank God there are no  pictures of you and Luke Canton together. I don't know what he was doing  at a charity event. That's definitely not his scene. Maybe if it was a  charity for hookers." Jake laughed at his own joke. "Point is honey, a  picture with him, the wrong headline and your good girl image is  ruined."

"And so what if it is? Why can't I be sexy? Why can't I wear what I  want? Sing what I want?" I don't know where I found the energy to argue  with Jake. Every muscle in my body was sore and I wasn't sure my clit  wasn't still vibrating. "Hang out with bad boys if I want?" I was  definitely pushing it now.

Luke was everything I thought he would be and more. Last night was still  seeping through my body, lingering on my clothes, painted on my swollen  lips.

"You, sexy? Come on. That was never the plan. You are the sweetheart.  The good girl. The role model every parent wants for their child."

"I wasn't when you met me." I eyed him. "I never asked to be a role model."

He raised his hand. "Shut up, Lex."

"Yesterday you threw it in my face, but now we can't talk about it?"

He closed his eyes. "I shouldn't have said anything."

I took my glass of juice with me and walked into the bathroom. "I'm going to shower. I'll be ready to go to the hospital soon."

"We're not done with this conversation," he warned.

"We are." I closed the door in his face and turned for the shower.

At some point Jake would corner me again. There would be a time when  we'd have to come to an understanding about the future of Lexi Wilde.

But that time wasn't today. I had drinks planned with Luke later, and  that was about all I could think about right now. I needed one more look  in those green eyes before I left Texas. It was stupid and  irresponsible. It was exactly the kind of thing Jake said was forbidden  for my brand. But after last night, I didn't care about my brand. Maybe  Lexi Wilde needed a new brand.



I closed the door to room 214 behind me. I had played the little girl's  favorite song, "Hearts and Tears." Some of the children were here for  short-term treatment, but others, like the one I had just visited would  be spending months under this roof.

I clung to my guitar and moved to the next room. I knocked lightly and pushed the door open.

"Hey, there."

"Oh my, gosh," the little girl squealed. "Is this for real? Are you really here?"

I walked over to her bed, careful not to touch any of the wires or tubes running into her arm.

"I'm Lexi. What's your name?" I leaned in for a hug.

"Grace." She was maybe eight.

"Well, Grace. I wanted to play a song for you. How does that sound?"

The giggling started and I didn't know if she could stop long enough for me to get a song request from her.

"Can you play ‘Hearts and Tears'?" she asked.

"Of course." I smiled. It was the fourth time I had played it this  morning, but it didn't matter. I wasn't the one sitting in a hospital  bed. I was healthy and strong, living my dream.

By the time I played a few songs for Grace, Jake was tapping on the  glass window, motioning for me to wrap it up. I gave her a hug and waved  good-bye.

"What is it?" I asked. "I was in the middle of talking to that little  girl." I was annoyed that even when I was doing what he wanted, it  wasn't enough. Jake pushed. He pushed too much.

He turned toward the nurses' station and I saw what he was worried about.         

     



 

My heart stopped. My breath caught in my throat. For a second, I didn't  think I could talk. I clutched my strings, making an awkward squeaking  sound with my guitar.

"Shit," I muttered.

The six five sex-on-a-stick that had licked me until I came last night was walking my way.

"Hey." He grinned. That killer grin that had me purring under his tongue  last night. I wasn't sure it wasn't happening again. I could already  feel the tight coil in my belly.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Mr. Canton, good to see you again," Jake greeted him nervously, but he  had already fallen into the background. All I could see were the flecks  of green in Luke's eyes. I remembered the way his flesh felt rubbing  against mine. His mouth sucking every curve of my body.

"You too." Luke nodded, but didn't look in my manager's direction.

"If you don't mind, I thought maybe I could join you while you visit the kids." He looked at me expectantly.

My eyes widened. "What? You want to do visits with me?"

He shrugged. "Why not? I'm sure there might be a Warrior fan or two in here."

"Oh no." Jake shook his head. "We have a tight schedule. We have a  hospital photographer. I think we'll have to coordinate something  another time with the Warriors. This is not a joint event."

I ignored his warnings and his stupid excuses. "I think the kids would  love it." I smiled at Luke. "I know for a fact there are Warrior fans  here."

He glared down at Jake. "You heard her. The kids will love it." He  towered over him, and Jake took a step back to get out of our way as we  moved to the next room.

"I think you scared the shit out of him," I whispered before we walked inside.

"Good." He winked. "He's an asshole."

"True, but seriously what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting after I finished here."

He ran his thumb across my lower lip and I couldn't breathe. He held me  with his stare. With his gaze. My hand was glued to the door, but I  couldn't move. I wanted to suck his thumb into my mouth. To hell with  the fact we were in a public hallway.

"I couldn't wait that long," he responded with a sexy smirk.

I didn't know what was right or what was wrong about him, but I knew  then that somehow Luke Canton was going to turn my life upside down, and  it scared the absolute shit out of me.

I nodded. "Ready to sing?"

"Oh I don't sing. I sign things. Hats, shirts." He patted a bag over his  shoulder. "I brought some kid-sized footballs. They love these things."

I laughed. "Well, let this be your introduction into the entertainment business. These kids are going to hear Luke Canton sing."

"Alexa." His voice was firm.

I liked how it sounded over my ears. It reminded me of last night. Of  the things he said to me. How commanding he was. How sexy and hot he was  in his room. How I did what he asked in his bed. I didn't say no once.

I smiled widely, pushing the door open. I didn't give him a chance to  back out. It was fun to make the big strapping quarterback squirm.

"Hey, there. I'm Lexi and this is my friend Luke. We came to say hi and sing a little for you. What's your name?"

Luke stood next to me. I could feel him beside me. The heat emitting from his body.

"Daniel."

"You like football, Daniel?" Luke reached into the bag and pulled out a  foam ball about six inches long. The Warriors logo was painted on all  sides.

The boy shook his head. "I do. And I love Lexi too."

I smiled. "Thank you." I bent over his bed to hug him. "You're so sweet."

Luke signed the ball and tossed it so the boy could catch it. "Nice grip you've got."

I'd never seen a child smile like that. Clearly, I was taking a backseat to Luke.

"Really? Do you think I should play? My mom won't let me, but maybe if you talked to her … " Daniel's eyes were wide.

"She won't let you play? That's bull-"

I quickly elbowed him in the side and glared at him.

"I mean. That's a shame." He tried to cover up his mistake. He was an expert on a lot of things, but kids weren't one of them.