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There was no correlation between Elizabeth being gone and his shitty hitting streak He’d just been a little preoccupied since she’d left the other one And she wasn’t co back He knew he shouldn’t have pushed her about Arkansas The very next s and said she had a client as going to be drafted into the NFL nextshe had to deal with She said she’d be back as soon as she took care of it

He kneas more than that

Even worse, he missed her, which made him feel all kinds of stupid, because he wasn’t supposed todeal, right?

So why did he s and practice and hts he spent on the deck looking out over the ocean were lonely Like tonight He leaned against the railing and listened to the give and take of the sea in the darkness It used to fill hioddamn it, it had never been lonely before In a couple days he’d gotten used to having Elizabeth around

Tio have a few drinks and soet about her as soon as he slid his dick into so would likely improve, too

He went inside, laid his drink on the counter and picked up his phone, stared at it for a few minutes, then put it back on the counter

Shit He didn’t want to go out with soe him

Elizabeth was a pain in the ass Mouthy Opinionated Obstinate

But she challenged hi and he swept it up off the counter

Elizabeth

"Hey," he said as soon as he pressed the button

"Hey, yourself You ho into your driveway in about ten nored the rush So, she was back She was co back to hiotta be careful Wasn’t this his game to play? Because it sure seeotten too close, because he wanted too much information?

He fixed himself another drink and picked up the place since he’d beenclothes all over for the past five days By the time Elizabeth caain He went out and grabbed her suitcase from the trunk of her car She sed that in"

He rolled it and talked to her as they walked to the front door "Then what good would I be?"

She grinned at hirinned back at her "Hoas the trip?"

She shrugged out of her suit jacket and folded it over the back of the sofa "Exhausting Exhilarating Negotiations are fun but nerveracking, especially since it’s the draft You don’t really know if a tea you’re talking about has to be couched very carefully so you don’t blow it"

He handed her a glass of wine and sat next to her on the sofa "Who was the client?"

She arched a brow "Blane McReynolds Offensive linereat talent We’re pretty certain Ta to draft hined"

She kicked her high heels off and propped her feet on the table in front of the sofa "Honey, I’ blood rolling in for when the old tiood to me anymore"

"You’re so devoted to your clients"

She batted her lashes "Always Anye’re pretty secure about Tampa Bay, and they have the second pick in the draft Their offensive line is shit, and they need to build with strong talent, especially at offensive tackle, whichhard at Blane He’s pretty thrilled about that, but you never know Tea’s for certain The poor kid is a basket case He’s worked his whole life for this" She turned to him "You rereat job for me"

Her lips lifted "Thanks I was practically a rookie myself back then"

"Didn’t seem that way to me You went in there balls to the wall and didn’t take no for an answer"

She laughed "I didn’t even knohat I didn’t know back then With you or with Mick God, I was fearless"

"You still are"

She kept her gaze on his "Thank you, Gavin A little shot of confidence is welcoone for a reason And ot a backup tearinned, and he could hear the excitement in her voice "Yes Two, in fact, are interested in Blane Both with first-round picks, but they could go another direction, too" She scrunched her shoulders, then took a long sine "This stuff makes my head hurt"

"Turn around"

"Why?"

"I’ll rub soave hiood"

She turned and presented her back to hi his thumbs on the ers kept slipping on her silk blouse

"Take your blouse off so I can get to your skin"

She pulled the blouse out of the waistband of her suit, then drew it over her head Gavin sat back and admired the muscles of her back as she moved, the way the hairs on the back of her neck curled He bent and pressed a kiss there

"M than the shoulder rub"

"You say that now because I haven’t really started rubbing your shoulders yet I’ave him a look over her shoulder "That experienced at it, are you?"

He brushed his lips across hers, then turned her head to face forward "That good at it Just relax and drop your head forward and let led but dipped her head toward her chest, and Gavin went to work, starting easy at first, then when her body beca into the muscles Elizabeth ers