Page 61 of Scoring Eden

I buzz him in, and it’s only seconds before knuckles rap on the door. Even though I know who it is, I check the peep hole before letting him inside.

The biggest guy I’ve ever seen, wearing blacked-out aviators and a ball cap, pushes in behind him.

“Don’t mind Doug,” Alex says with a grin. “He’s here for security.”

I’d assumed so already, given that his hat has the word “security” printed on the front of it in block lettering. He’s also wearing some kind of headset. And given his sheer size, it isn’t a stretch to think that he was born into this world destined for a career in protection.

He dwarfs my apartment, the kitchen surfaces reaching his hip bones. He could sit on them and still manage to keep his feet on the floor. That’s probably an exaggeration. But believe me that the man is tall, with thighs like tree trunks, and biceps as thick as my head.

He’s intimidating as hell, which makes him the perfect man to get Macon and me past the paparazzi unscathed.

A portion of panic drains from my blood.

“Fancy coming with me at some point to meet my ex-husband, Doug?” I ask him. “I think I’d quite enjoy watching that man shit his pants in public.”

“I can’t touch him unless he tries to touch you, Miss,” he grunts.

“I think just a hard glare in his direction would do the trick.”

Alex chuckles. Doug, though, shows no facial expression whatsoever. He also shows no sign of moving, despite me motioning him into the living area, so I leave Doug to guard the front door with his arms crossed, and I take a tentative seat on my couch beside Alex.

“Are you okay?” Alex’s smile fades. “Aspen told me Macon went out there alone.”

Guilt burns across my chest again. “My sister needs to leave you alone.”

“She’s only looking out for you in her own relentless and menacing way.”

I smile at that. “I know, but it’s not fair to make you leave practice.”

“You didn’t think I’d leave practice if you’d called me yourself?”

My shoulders lift as I pick at the threading of a throw pillow. “I didn’t want to ask you to.”

“You wouldn’t have had to.” He shakes his head. “And for the record, Aspen didn’t make me do anything.”

What?

He left practice by choice?

“Wait. Are you telling me that Aspen didn’t have to make several unhinged and outlandish threats for you to come to our rescue?”

He looks at me like I shouldn’t have to ask that question at all.

But it’s not like I know him well enough to demand that he drop everything because I need help. And I certainly don’t know him well enough to predict that he would do it without me asking at all. I know Brynn said that Alex is the type of guy who would, but he’s her big brother. Of course she thinks the sun shines out of his ass.

All I’ve got to go on is a bizarre arrangement, money in my bank account, and a couple of public kisses. None of those things signify trust. Yet, he’s pouting at me like a wounded puppy.

“Won’t you get in trouble?”

He’s already on thin ice with the team. That’s the whole reason we’re doing this. If he starts leaving practice because of me, then surely that will only work against him.

He gives me a true smile then, his easy nature returning. “I think Coach is so ecstatic about the fact that I’m in a relationship that I could fuck you on the field during a game, and he’d stand there cheering us on.”

That’s an image I won’t be able to get out of my mind for a while.

“Oh,” I breathe. “Well, then, I don’t know what to say. Thank you, I guess.”

He dismisses my words with a flick of his hand. “Don’t worry about it. You can show your appreciation with a blow job later.”