I OPEN MY eyes and I'm immediately aware of Aiden's absence. His presence fills a room and the loss of it leaves an empty spot in my chest. So much for morning sex. I hit my fist against a pillow. "Why the hell did I let this happen again?" I mutter. My mad crush is quickly turning into obsession. Poor Aiden couldn't get away fast enough.

After a quick shower, I walk down to the bus and try not to think about my aching lady bits. My self-fulfilled shower orgasm only made me crave Aiden more, and I'm not in the best mood. There are also faces missing from the bus. This adds to the empty feeling in my gut. The players who won't be returning have a later bus that's taking them back to Albuquerque.

I catch a glimpse of Aiden heading to the bus parked behind this one and I'm thankful I don't need to face him. Lane's head sticks through the door and he spots me. I scoot over and make room. Each day I'm more and more thankful to call Lane my friend. Without him I'm not sure if I could handle the cold shoulder the other players give me. In college we were well on our way to "normal" by the time regular season rolled around. I don't feel any closer today than I did on day one.

"You okay?" Lane asks with an inquisitive look.

"I'm fine. Can I have a bite of your apple?"

"Hmm." He looks at the apple in question, his teeth marks in the red flesh. "After you taste me, baby, you'll never go back to Patrickson."

"Shh, you ass," I say quietly, hoping no one heard.

He hands me the apple and I purposefully circle it around and bite over his teeth marks. It was a large piece and the juice slides down my chin. I exaggerate a tremble starting in my legs and heading up my chest to my arms.

I chew slowly and wipe the juice from my lips with the tip of one finger. "If you couldn't guess, that was a bite-induced orgasm." I peek sideways to see how Lane is handling my teasing. His eyes are focused upward and I adjust my gaze to the glacial expression of the man who left me unsatisfied this morning. I literally can't help myself and lift the apple to him. "Bite right here and you won't need sex," I say testily.

I guess Aiden is still riding the jealousy train because he's obviously angry. "I'll pass so you and Lane can share your aphrodisiac in private." He moves farther back in the bus and takes a seat behind us where I can't see him.

Lane takes the apple from my suddenly weak fingers. "I guess things got interesting after I went to bed last night."

"Interesting is a good word."

***

I have a damn blister on my right foot and the trainer took his time administering ointment and a bandage. Sometimes the rules for reporting injuries are stupid. It's eight o'clock at night when I finally make it back to my hotel room. I grab a few grapes from the refrigerator in place of dinner, take a shower, and go straight to bed. Lane texts me that he already ate, and Aiden doesn't call or stop by. Food is overrated, I tell myself and rub my nearly empty belly. I really don't feel like eating.

The next morning we're back on the bus and heading to Albuquerque. My hotel suite is no longer waiting for me and I take a smaller, less expensive room. Next week I need to find an alternative arrangement. I open my suitcase and pull out my comfortable jeans and a lightweight hoodie. I don't want attention when I head out for dinner. Aiden might have gotten to me last night but dammit I'm hungry and I refuse to allow his jealousy to keep me from eating two nights in a row.

My phone buzzes before I leave the room.

Candice: Steph and I in city. Dinner?

Me: Just heading out. Can meet you.

Candice: We're downstairs.

Me: Two minutes.

Candice and her parents made one of the preseason games and Candice texts me whenever she isn't busy. I haven't seen Steph since dinner at her mom's. I so desperately need girl time and can't wipe the grin from my face. I don't bother adding makeup or combing my hair. I lift the hood of my shirt over my head and go to the lobby.

Candice screams and runs toward me as soon as I step from the elevator. I pull her into my arms and give her as big of a squeeze as she gives me. Steph is next with only slightly less exuberance.

"You're life savers," I tell them. "We need a private room somewhere with no boys allowed."

"Oops," Candice says. "I just sent a text to my brother."

"Hell no. Send him another and tell him you had a flat tire or something."

"Done," Steph says and grabs Candice's cell phone. "What are you doing?" Candice growls while trying to grab the phone back.

"You want to see the two of them together. I want the lowdown without Aiden around to keep her quiet."

I shake my head. "No way am I talking sex to Aiden's sisters."

They freeze for two seconds and then Candice is back in my arms. "I knew you'd catch him."

Shit. Did I just admit to having sex with their brother? I glance at Steph and see the sly smile on her face.

Hell.

"We aren't getting married or anything," I whisper to Candice and push her back. "It was barely sex at all and I'm saying nothing more. Steph, please cancel the date with your idiot brother."

She types into the phone then looks up. "Done."

"What did you say?" Candice asks when Steph hands the phone back over. Candice reads it out loud.

Sorry brother dear but you pissed the lady kicker off and are no longer invited to girl's night out.

"Perfect," Candice says and gives me another excited grin.

I'm not so sure that it was perfect but hopefully it keeps Aiden from searching for us. There's no way I can verbally spar with him tonight. I'm still angry that he got mad over me teasing Lane. The jerk left me minus one incredible orgasm and he doesn't deserve to eat with us.

We find a quiet bistro and take a table in the back. Candice's phone buzzes a few times and she finally turns it off. "Aiden isn't happy and he wants to know where we are. Until you tell us what he did, I'm not speaking to him."

Crap. I can't tell them he left me without a promised orgasm. These are his sisters and one is only sixteen.

"Oh, it's good. She's blushing," Candice says as she laughs.

I lift my fingers and pretend to lock my lips.

"No way." She doesn't miss a beat. "Okay, I don't need descriptive sex, just the outline of your affair."

"Affair," I say with a smile. "Neither Aiden or I are married. I don't think this qualifies as an affair."

"Tryst, tête-à-tête, hot sex, though that's a little gross when it involves my brother but whatever you want to call it-spill."

I glance at Steph and she's no help. "Don't let her age stop you. When I have boyfriend issues I call her."

"She's sixteen," I mutter.

Candice takes my hand. "You have no idea what my softball teammates talk about. We all have that special fantasy guy picked out to pop our cherries."

I choke on my water and pull my hand away from hers to cover my mouth.

"See?" Steph says. "She also reads romance novels, but I don't think Mom or Ty has any idea what's actually in those things."

I read romance novels at her age too. Now I prefer a good mystery but hey, I never knock romance, because they were my mother's favorites. "We hooked up and he snuck out before dawn. He saw me later that morning on the bus joking around with Lane Grisham, the other kicker, and Aiden's been a jerk since. Bottom line, a rendezvous," I look at Candice when I emphasize the word "rendezvous" and continue, "is a no-no at this point in my career. I slipped up and I hope you don't have your heart set on me and your brother because it's not happening."

Candice ignores the entire end of my statement. "He's jealous. My brother never gets jealous. Ask Steph."

A slow smile spreads over Steph's face. "Never," she agrees.

"And that helps me how? I really don't need a guy in my life right now. Lane and I are friends and at least he believes in me. Your brother has made it very clear that a woman shouldn't be playing pro football. I'll stick with having the people around me who offer unconditional support." I sweep them both with my gaze. "You two and your mother have moved to the top of my friends list. Thank you for backing me."

"Psh," Candice says and stares at me with her big expressive eyes. "Our goal is to be number one in your fan club. It's so incredible to turn on the news and see your face and hear about everything you're doing. It's also good for our brother to be taken down a peg or two. For way too long he's been the God of football in this town. It puts a lot of pressure on him. Maybe this year with the light on you, he'll do better."

Without thinking, I immediately come to Aiden's defense. "He hasn't had a front line to help him out since he started playing for the Pronghorns. He has too much talent for a team as bad as this one. I have no idea why he sticks around and you need to lay off him. If the team gets their shit together, your brother will shine."

"She likes him," Candice squeals to her sister. "She even defends him after he's been a jerk." Her hand comes up and she fist bumps the air. "Ca-ching."

I glance at Steph, who can't take the grin off her face. "I've been set up, haven't I?"

"Yep and you failed. You're into our brother and we aren't letting you go without a fight." Steph continues smiling.

I cover my eyes and groan. "Not now. I need to concentrate on my game and not a hot guy with an attitude."

Candice claps her hands and several guests at the restaurant turn her way. "Beauty and the beast. It's perfect."

"You're hopeless," I tell her.

"You haven't seen anything yet," she says gleefully.

"That's enough talk about your brother and our non-existent romance. I need girl talkclothes, shoes, anything without testosterone."

And that's when the night takes a turn for the better.