Kickin' It (Red Card #2)(22)

“Beep. Wrong answer. The answer is ‘Well, of course, Slade, but I like watching her run in—’”

“Client,” I choked out, taking another swig of beer. “Also my sister’s age, so . . . off-limits.”

“Why’s that?” He crossed his arms.

“Look, you met her, she needed my help, and if it wasn’t for your wife . . .” I smiled and waved at her. I loved her, but she had thrown me under the bus when she asked me to take on Parker as a client. “I wouldn’t be in this position.”

My attention was suddenly stolen by a girl with auburn, honeyed locks wearing short white shorts, a black tank, and gray Converse making her way out of her bedroom and into the party, smiling.

“Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, bro.” Slade patted me on the back. “And I’ll be here when you cry into your bottle of wine.”

“I’m not as lame as you.” I laughed and then gulped back two more swigs. “Plus, she’s not my type.”

He followed my gaze, seeing the same perfect tits, long muscular legs, and gorgeous hair with a makeup-free face and easy white smile as I did. “Riiight.”

I rolled my eyes and went in search of another beer. In the kitchen I watched Jagger with murder in my eyes as he wrapped an arm around Willow and whispered something in her ear.

“I think they’re hooking up,” came Parker’s amused voice.

I turned slowly and pried the beer from her hands. “No drinking during training.”

“Hey!” She put her hands on her hips while I took a long, searing sip and stupidly wondered if she’d already pressed her lips against the bottle. And as luck would have it, Slade chose that moment to wink at me from across the room.

Was everyone against me?

Parker scowled. “I can have one beer.”

“Not with my training, Cheetah Girl. I bet you hurt everywhere . . .” I actually enjoyed the look of fury on her face as she tucked her hair behind her ears and stared me down.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but my muscles have muscles that are sore. You’re evil, and why are you even training me? April said you don’t train your clients.”

Caught.

I looked down and shrugged like it didn’t matter, like I couldn’t smell her perfume, like I wasn’t aching to feel her tan legs wrapped around me. God, I really was an asshole, wasn’t I?

“I didn’t have time to get anyone else.” I forced a smile. “Besides, my usual trainer made the last guy cry and he was over three hundred pounds. I thought I’d give you a break.”

“Bet you could make anyone cry,” she fired back.

“Is that what you want?” I asked curiously. “For such crippling pain and soreness that you cry yourself to sleep?”

She hissed out a breath. “I could take it.”

“Bet you could,” I said, seriously watching her swollen mouth suck in a few shallow breaths as I cornered her against the pantry door. “But unless you do something to really piss me off, you won’t ever have to suffer like that.”

“I piss you off by existing.”

“Because you’re immature and spoiled,” I answered honestly. “Because you took an opportunity people would kill for and let your anger rule you.”

“Wow.” She smiled brightly. It was insincere, and I hated it. “Must be nice to have all the answers, know everything. How’s that working out for you?”

I spread my arms wide. “That’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

She bit down on her bottom lip, all traces of her smile gone. “Yeah. Totally obvious.”

She reached past me for a bottle of water just as Willow approached. “You’re up!”

“Yay.” Parker made a motion with her hands and popped open the water, droplets slid down her neck as she took a huge gulp. Two Sounders players behind her gawked like horny college students. I quelled them with a fierce glare. They held up their hands and looked away but not before glancing back one last time.

Idiots.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Finally.

I moved to the corner of the kitchen and answered. “April, what’s the verdict?”

“Well, she’s healthy as a horse, that’s for sure.” I gripped the phone tighter.

“Yeah, I figured that, what about everything else?”

“Blood test checked out. She did have some higher levels of benzodiazepine in her urine.”

Disappointment hit me in the chest, disappointment and anger. “You’re sure?”

“I’m positive, but Matt, that doesn’t mean—”

“Thanks, April.”

I hung up the phone as red filled my line of vision.

Did she think she could take advantage of me?

My hospitality?

My family?

My time?

My training?

I stomped over to her. “We need to talk.”

Parker gave me a funny look then smiled. “Okay, then talk.”

“Not here.”

“Matt—”

I grabbed her by the wrist, causing her to spill water all over the kitchen floor. She stumbled behind me. “Let me go!”

“Stop being so unreasonable!” I snapped.