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Hannah
Edwin was there. Standing directly in front of her.
And all she could do was stare and wish he’d kiss her.
Something that was not going to happen. He’d made that perfectly clear on New Year’s Eve. He did not want her and she’d made a fool of herself by kissing him.
Even knowing that didn’t stop her from still wanting him.
Who could blame her? The man was mouth-watering gorgeous in his jeans and sweatshirt. But what in the hell was he doing there? Why had he come?
“Hannah,” he said her name in a whisper, making her blink.
Wait, maybe she was wrong. Because it sure sounded like he wanted her by the way he said her name.
She stared into his eyes, really looking at him.
Yes, there, the jaw tick and the slight tilt of his head. The way his lips parted. She had to be imagining this. He’d pushed her away, and told her no when she’d kissed him. If he’d wanted her, why would he do that?
She took a tentative step closer. He did the same. They were close enough that if she reached out and he did the same, they would touch.
Still, neither said anything.
The lobby was quiet and empty, their combined breathing the only sound in the room.
They were going to kiss again.
She knew it and she wanted it.
They moved together, at the same time, crashing into each other, their lips parting and coming together in a wild kiss.
Her hands found his face and held on for dear life as he devoured her mouth. His hands ran over her body, down her sides, and finally gripped her ass, pulling her in closer to him.
She felt his cock harden between them and holy shit, she wanted that to happen when they were naked and pressed up against each other.
He was strong and demanding and she never wanted the kiss to end.
Reality set in when the noise from the street alerted her to someone coming into the lobby. They jumped apart, both of them breathing heavily.
Fuck.
She couldn't do this. Her job had rules and not getting involved with the clients was the big one.
“This was a mistake,” she said, wrapping her arms around her waist for some sort of comfort.
“Hannah,” Edwin said, “tell me why.” The emotion in his voice tore at her heart.
“Why what?” She knew what he was asking but there was no answer she could give him that made any of this better.
“Why did you kiss me on New Year’s Eve? Why can’t we keep doing it?” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair making it even messier than it already was.
Silently, she stared at him, wishing it didn’t have to be this way. “I can’t do this and you know why. I love my job.” That wasn’t the whole truth, at least, not anymore. “Romantic relationships with clients are against the rules. I could lose my job.”
“Then why did you kiss me in the first place at the party?” He looked pained. “Why did you kiss me just now?”
She shook her head. “The party was like you said. I was drunk.” She hadn't been. A little loose, yes, but completely aware of what she’d been doing. “As for this, it was just, I don’t know, a weird fallout from the other night.”
“A fallout?” His voice raised slightly. “Are you fucking kidding me? You kissed me like you wanted to eat me alive.”
She had. Oh, she definitely had. “We need to forget it ever happened. That either of them ever happened and move on with our lives. Which shouldn’t be too hard since apparently we’re not even friends anymore.” She looked down at her feet and then back up to him. “Goodbye, Edwin.”
Walking away from him was the hardest thing she’d ever done but she knew it was the right thing. He didn’t want her, not the way she wanted him. And she had her job to think about.
A job she hated more every day, if she was being honest with herself..
When Edwin had been her client and friend, she hadn’t hated it as much. If she had a bad day, she knew she had talking to him to look forward to. The parts of the job she hated, the times she had to convince a client of one thing instead of what they really wanted, were the parts of her day that sucked.
People, even clients, should get to make decisions for themselves. She should be there to guide and help but not to choose the best decision based on money.
Now that she no longer had Edwin to keep her happy, she realized how much she despised the company she worked for. She’d gotten into this business to make a difference and help athletes. She wasn’t sure she’d ever truly helped anyone.
When she reached her floor, she looked around the empty office. Most everyone had taken time off to spend with family and friends. Something she was supposed to be doing. She’d spent four days with her parents and brother during Christmas, which had been great. She rarely got to see Heath since he played baseball for the Los Angeles Sluggers.
That’s right, she was a sports agent and her brother played pro baseball. They’d both gotten their love of sports from their dad who had also played professional baseball in his early years.
Very few people knew they were even related since Heath used their mom’s maiden name so he could make it on his own and not always be known as Buck Temple’s kid.
Edwin knew.
She’d told him one night several years ago during a phone conversation because Heath had gotten hit by a pitch during a game and she’d been upset that she couldn't hop on a plane and go be with him.
It felt like the most natural thing in the world to tell him. He’d been supportive and even sent her brother a care package. Apparently, they knew each other in passing and were friendly.
Just her luck.
Since that day, Heath had hounded her about Edwin. She always put him off, saying they were just friends. Which had been true.
Until it wasn’t any longer.
Now they were basically nothing.
Looking around the office one more time, she decided it wasn’t the place she wanted to be. So she took off and headed somewhere she knew would be better.
To her brother’s condo.
He kept a place in the city for when he was home and she knew for a fact that he was still in town. She might not be his agent, but he was a client of Top Athlete and she had access to his schedule.
The doorman let her up and within minutes, she was knocking on his door. He opened it casually, shaking his head.
“I thought you were in Valley Falls.” He lifted an eyebrow in her direction.
“I was but I’m not anymore.” She pushed past him, dropping down onto his couch.
“Someone is in a mood.” He shut the door and joined her, pressing his shoulder against hers. “Tell big brother what’s wrong.”
She glared at him. “You’re a year older than me. Stop acting like you’re fifty.”
“Stop stalling. Why are you here?”
She sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “I kissed Edwin.”
“Ho boy, it’s about time.” His words held no shock, only interest.
Her head shot off the back of the couch. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve been mooning over that man for too long, Han.” Heath looked smug. “So what’s the problem? Wait, is this why you aren’t in Valley Falls?”
She could only focus on one thing he’d said.
She’d been mooning over Edwin for a long time.
Was that true?
“What do you mean I’ve been mooning over him?”
He chuckled. “You’re so oblivious, even of your own thoughts.” He tilted his head to the side. “Are you friends with any of your other clients?”
Heath was one of the only people who knew that she and Edwin had been friends. “No, and technically, he’s not my client anymore.” Nor were they friends, something that pretty much broke her heart.
“Semantics,” he waved a hand in front of her. “Why do you think you became friends with him?”
“We had a lot in common. It just sort of happened.” That was all true even if she was now starting to realize it had always been more.
“Wrong. You liked him from the very first time you met him and do you know how I know that?” He didn’t wait for her to respond. “Because you’ve told me the story no less than ten times.”
She blinked several times. Was that true? “That can’t be.”
“It is. Admit it, sis. You like him which is why I’m assuming you kissed him.”
“I shouldn’t have.” She closed her eyes to try and block out some of the pain but all that did was conjure up images of them kissing.
“Why?” He asked. “Because of that stupid contract? I wasn’t going to tell you this but I think you need to start looking for a new job. This one is killing you. You have no life outside of it and I swear, you never smile anymore.”
She used to smile. Before Edwin broke her heart. It didn’t matter that he had no idea he had that much control over it. “I can’t quit my job.”
“You can and you should.” He was silent for a few seconds. “I’m leaving TA.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
He shrugged. “I hate the big company and how they act like they’re in it for me but they always push me toward the things that make more money. I’ve been in this world long enough to know what is good for me.”
“Where are you going?”
“To Zara and Sports World.”
She should have guessed. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me when I saw her.”
“I asked her not to until I speak to TA.” He grabbed her hand. “Leave with me, Han. Quit and come to Sports World. You could be my agent. How cool would that be?”
God, did she want to. He was right that she hated her job but like him, she wanted to make it in this world on her own merit, not on her brother’s or friend’s coattails. “I can’t,” she said, deflated. “But I’m happy for you.”
He frowned. “I hate how unhappy you are recently and I know it has everything to do with Boyle. He dropped you as his agent and then stopped talking to you altogether. If I didn’t like the guy so much, I’d call him out.”
“No,” she said emphatically. “He hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Except kiss my sister.”
“I kissed him and it was a mistake. I was drinking and he was there and it was New Year’s Eve. My emotions just got the better of me.”
“I doubt any of that is true but let’s just say it is. What was his reaction when you kissed him?”
He’d kissed her back. For a few seconds—the best of her life—he’d held her and devoured her mouth.
Her silence had Heath talking before she could. “That’s what I thought. I think he likes you too, Hannah. The man sent me a care package after I got hurt three years ago. He knew I was your brother, something you never tell anyone. Guys don’t do that just because. Trust me, I’m a guy, I know these things.”
She couldn’t seem to wrap her brain around what Heath was saying. Needing space, she stood up and paced in front of the couch. His jaw had ticked both times they’d kissed like he was trying to stop himself. And his hands had been everywhere.
Then there was his dick.
It had been hard both times.
Could it be true?
Did Edwin like her?
She stopped abruptly, staring at Heath. “Tell me what to do.”
He laughed. “You think I have any clue?” He pointed at his chest. “If I knew what women wanted, I would not be alone most of the time.”
Hannah couldn’t help but laugh as she fell onto the couch. “Great, so both of us are clueless.”
“Hey, I’m not completely clueless. At least I recognized that he likes you.” He raised an eyebrow.
“You think that. You don’t know for sure.”
“You’ve got me there but it makes sense if you’re looking in from the outside.”
She thought about that. “I mean, he did corner me in the lobby of my building today and I still don't know why.”
Heath sat up straighter. “Woah, you conveniently left that part out. Edwin is in town? And he came to see you?”
She nodded. “When I walked into TA today, he was there, waiting for me.”
Heath’s eyes went wide. “What happened?”
What happened was that he’d rocked her world. She couldn’t stop remembering how his lips had felt and how urgently he’d kissed her. “We kissed again?” That kiss had been better than the first one.
The look on Edwin’s face when she’d stopped the kiss was brandished on her brain.
He’d been upset. Confused even. He’d asked why.
Shit.
He did want her.
And she’d gone and fucked it all up.
“I love you, Han, but you're a fucking idiot. The man likes you and you're choosing a job that you hate over him.”
“So I'm just supposed to drop everything, give up my whole life for a man?” A man she wanted, sure, but she didn’t really know what he wanted.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. But when you like someone,” he raised an eyebrow, “or you know, love someone, you’re supposed to be willing to do anything in your power to make it work. That’s how relationships work.”
She groaned, wrapping her arms around her body. “I...” she swallowed and tried again. “I can’t risk it.” It was the truth. All she had was her job. Edwin was a pipe dream. Sure, maybe he wanted her, but for how long? She couldn't change her whole life plan when she had no clue what the outcome would be.
“More like you won’t,” Heath said. “If you don’t want him, fine, move on and be free. But you’re sitting on my couch talking about him, something you’ve done more times than I can count, by the way. That’s not something someone who is indifferent does.”
He wasn’t wrong but what did that mean?
Before she could contemplate it, her phone vibrated in her pocket. When she pulled it out, she saw a message from her boss. He wanted to see her.
Now.
And he did not sound happy.
“It’s Ray,” she said and stood up. “He wants to see me in his office right now.”
“Ray’s an ass and you know it.” Heath followed her to the door. “If you were smart, you’d tell him to go fuck himself and never go back there.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.” With those final words, she left and headed back to her office.
All her conversation with Heath had done was confuse her more. She thought of nothing but his words and her kiss with Edwin as she walked towards her office. She was no closer to knowing what to do when she stepped off the elevator and found Ray waiting on her.
“My office,” was all he said as she followed him down the corridor.
He didn’t speak until they were both seated. “As of now, you’re on unpaid administrative leave for two weeks.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?” She had not been expecting that. Heath was right that Ray was an ass but he’d never done anything like this before.
He swiveled his monitor so it faced her. “Is this not you?”
There on the screen was a photo of her and Edwin kissing in the lobby.
Her stomach fell. “I can explain.” Really, she couldn’t.
Ray shook his head. “You know the rules, Hannah. No relationships with the clients. Something I’ve let slide for some time now. You’ve always treated Boyle differently, more like a friend and less like a client. I didn’t say anything because as far as I could tell, it wasn’t crossing the line. Friendship is not against the rules. But this is.” He pointed to the screen.
He’d known. This whole time, he’d known that she had been friends with Edwin. “I promise you, Ray, this was nothing. If you watch the video, you’ll see me push him away.”
“I watched and that’s the reason you’re only being suspended instead of fired.”
Hannah didn’t know what to say or do. This was her worst nightmare come to life. She’d been trying to avoid this for years and one kiss with Edwin fucked it all up.
Well, two if she was counting.
Which she was.
“Listen, Hannah, you’re a good agent and a hard worker. Take the two weeks to get away, regroup, and come back. I know you won’t let it happen again.”
She barely heard his words. Her head was cloudy and her mind was in a fog. When she left his office, she wandered the streets for hours, just walking and trying everything to stop thinking of Edwin. He was the reason she was in this situation and yet, all she could think about was kissing him. Again and again and again.
She needed answers to so many questions. The main one being, why’d he look so devastated when she’d told him they couldn’t happen?
It was going to be a long two weeks.
She was going to need a distraction.