ChapterOne
Carlie
“So, what do you think?”Griffin Starke lowers his dimpled chin to meet my gaze. I cannot believe the handsome, hulking linebacker is actually sitting in front of me. With his long, sandy blonde waves and deep blue eyes, he’s even hotter in person than on Sunday Night Football. I’ve always been a sucker for big boys, and damn…he doesnotdisappoint, barely able to fit in my chair opposite mine. I reach for my cup of mint tea and take a sip, pulling myself together, unable to believe I’m going to refuse him outright.
“I want to help you out, Mr. Starke. Really, I do.”
“Griffin,” he says. His low voice rattles every bone in my body, and I struggle to keep my thighs from quivering. “Call me Griffin.”
“But it’s not good for my business. You’re a high-profile case. If my face were to get into the papers, people would know what I do for a living.” I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows. It shouldn’t turn me on, but damn if it does. “And given your behavior off the field, there’s a good chance that’s exactly where I’ll end up.”
Griffin sits back and runs a massive hand through his hair before letting out an exhausted sigh. Some linebackers are a little on the chubby side, but I can actually see this man’s six-pack through his black t-shirt. My mouth is like the Sahara; I take another sip of tea.
It hasn’t been easy for him lately, recently dubbed “The NFL’s Bad Boy.” You can tell by the weary look in his eyes. From drinking too much to getting into minor scuffles in bars, he’s steps away from getting in serious trouble with the organization.
He crosses his toned arms over his chest, staring me down. “I’ll double your rate.”
I nearly choke.
“I just don’t think it’s worth it, Mr.,” he narrows his eyes at me. “I mean, Griffin. This is my business. Being a professional bridesmaid and wedding date for hire requires a certain level of discretion. Can you imagine how you’d feel if you learned your friend hired a bridesmaid instead of asking you because she was afraid you would hijack her day?”
He cranes his neck forward. “Whoa. What kind of a jerk would hijack their best friend’s day?”
“Someone with a reputation to do so.” My eyes remain locked on his, hoping he catches my drift. When his look of interest melts into understanding, it nearly breaks my heart.
“You can’t believe everything you read.” He shakes his head.
Busted.
“That doesn’t matter, Griffin. I can’t risk losing my business because I’ve been identified. It would turn people off.” Now it’s my turn to lean forward. “This is how I earn my living.”
My stomach clenches, thinking of all the bills stacked on my entry table. The bridesmaid business hasn’t been going great lately, which is why I added wedding date to the list of services. Once I did that, things kicked up, but they still aren’t perfect, especially after I bought a new car when my other one shit the bed, leaving me one week behind on rent.
Don’t give in. Something will come along.
“I’ll triple your rate.”
A manic laugh escapes my mouth. “You’re so used to getting what you want.”
“I am,” he says before the words have even fully left my mouth.
“Why me?”
“Because I’m already here in Rose River Point. The entire wedding party is here. Hell, the entire organization is here.” How can he have such gorgeous skin? Smooth and clear. You’d think wearing a helmet all the time would give him at least one blemish. “And I have a feeling about you.”
I nearly do a double take at his words. “What do you mean a feeling?”
“You’re calm.” He scrunches up his nose. It looks like it may have been broken at some point, which only adds to his handsomeness. “You know who I am. You know about the bad press. I think you could really help me stay…focused.”
“Focused? Griffin, it’s a wedding. Every moment is pretty much scheduled. You won’t have time to act out.” The thought of an open bar, fully stocked with lots of liquor, crosses my mind. “If you take it easy on the sauce. Besides, I’m not a babysitter.”
“But, you kind of are.”
I gasp. “I most certainly am not. I am hired to show up and present well. To make the family think whatever my boss-of-the-day wants them to think.”
“Well, I want them to think that I’ve got a woman on my arm who's been taming me.”
The thought of taming a man like Griffin Starke—a beast ready to strike—sends a wave of wetness into my panties. I let out a little cough and play it off by clearing my throat.