Chapter 4

FOUR

Sleep eluded Charlotte that night. Every time she went to close her eyes, she ended up reliving that kiss until she was a sweaty ball tangled up in the sheets. Inevitably, the tears would follow. Her reaction to Noah hadn't waned since that long-ago night in London.

Three years earlier…

"Damn that insipid creep," Charlotte muttered beneath her breath.

She'd come to the team hotel to catch up with Sophie Osbourn, the daughter of the Blaze general manager, and the lead designer for Truly's jewelry. Thanks to Charlotte's jam-packed schedule promoting her brand throughout Europe, coupled with Sophie's rigorous academic demands as a design student, their brain-storming sessions mostly took place via Zoom. Luckily, the team's London game coincided with Sophie's fall break, allowing the two women to spend the day creating together in person. It had been a productive session and Charlotte was looking forward to spending the next two days wandering the London Gemstone Mart with Sophie as they put the finishing touches to next summer's collection.

If only she could lose the pest who kept popping up every place she'd been all week.

Shame on her for being nice to anyone in the media. But the reputation of the Blaze was important to Jay. And Jay was important to Charlotte. So, after repeated requests, she'd allowed Bucky Kincaid to buy her a drink at an after party following the Blaze's championship win last season. Like most men who sought her out, he thought her politeness entitled him to something more.

Not surprisingly, he was staked out in the lobby when she and Sophie finished up. There would be no polite way to avoid him if she left through the front door. Instead, she'd ducked into the pub next to the hotel, hoping to slip out to the street that way. If only she hadn't stopped to say hi to a few of the Blaze players playing darts.

Her hesitation gave Bucky enough time to follow her. He arrived at the players' table with his trademark insolent swagger, offering up a round of drinks to the guys without taking his eyes off Charlotte. Something in his haughty gaze made her shiver.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm off to the loo," she announced to no one in particular. She'd once used a service entrance there as an escape route. It would work again today. Bucky was quickly on her heels, however.

"It's dark back there. I'll escort you."

Was this guy for real?

Time to nip this in the bud. It wasn't like Bucky was some bigshot in sports media who could torch the team in the public eye. He was just a wannabe jock, trying to worm himself into pro sports by any means necessary. Except he would not be going through her to elevate his status.

Charlotte stopped short of the ladies' room. Bucky moved to hem her in. She gritted her teeth, cursing herself for not calling for her security team to escort her the two blocks back to her flat. Jay would be furious at her. But, dammit, she enjoyed living like a normal woman now and then.

Besides, she could handle this creep. She jerked her shoulders back, so she was practically looking down at him.

"I can manage going to the restroom by myself, Bucky." It was a challenge to keep her tone civil. "Been doing it for years."

He eased his body away, but not far enough. She still had her back pressed against the wall.

"It's just that you've been avoiding me. I was hoping to grab a drink and catch up," he said.

Charlotte sighed. Clearly, she was going to have to spell it out for him. "I don't think that's going to happen. I've got a busy schedule this week. In fact, I have plans for the evening and I really need to get going."

She inched forward, but Bucky didn't budge. Charlotte thought he might have growled. It was dark in the hallway, and she couldn't quite make out his expression. Judging by the grip he had on her elbow, he wasn't pleased about being turned down.

When will I learn to be a better judge of a man's character?

Her pulse began to pound so loudly it was hard to think. Fortunately, her panic eased when she spotted one of the Blaze players, the backup quarterback, illuminated by a shaft of light as he exited the men's room behind them. Charlotte had never met the guy. Not that it mattered right now. Noah Hudson was the lesser of two evils.

She hoped.

"Just one drink." Bucky's words didn't sound like a request. "You know you want to."

That. Was. It.

She jerked her arm free, surprising Bucky enough to throw him off balance, and allowing her to shove past him. Right into the arms of one of her brother's football players. Noah let out a grunt of surprise when she slammed into the solid wall that was his chest. He smelled like soap and hops.

And safety.

"Babe," she improvised, angry that her voice wasn't as steady as she would have liked. "There you are. I hate it when you leave me alone at the bar." She maneuvered her mouth close to his ear and whispered. "Please play along."

After a moment's hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her waist, seeming to be careful where he placed his fingers. She arced into the shelter of his body with a sigh of relief.

"I got you," he murmured.

And he did. Even though he was holding her modestly, she could sense his readiness to throw down in her defense, if necessary. His demeanor was a balm to her panicked nerves.

"Can we go home now?" she asked loudly, hoping Bucky would get the message and disappear. She didn't want to drag Noah into this any further than she already had.

"Mm-hmm," he replied.

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze when she laced her fingers with his. She said a silent prayer that the hallway would be empty when they turned, but no such luck. Bucky was right where she'd left him, arms crossed over his chest and his feet spread wide like the troll overseeing the bridge in Billy Goat's Gruff.

"Well, isn't this cute?" Bucky's tone implied he didn't think it was cute at all. "Does McManus know you're screwing his sister, Hudson?"

A startled breath escaped Charlotte's mouth. Shit. Guilt washed over her at involving the chivalrous guy beside her. And the last thing either of them needed was Jay intervening. Before she could voice a retort, Noah beat her to it.

"Does McManus know you like to manhandle women in the dark?" His tone was lethal, nothing like the shy guy he was made out to be. "Including his sister?"

Touché, she wanted to yell. She squeezed his hand instead. Then she dodged to the side of the hallway and through the emergency exit door with Noah in tow. Bucky didn't follow, but that didn't mean he wouldn't simply slip through the bar and back into the hotel lobby to cut them off. They needed to hurry.

Noah tried to let go of her hand, but she held fast. They weren't out of this yet. Besides, having him near settled her ricocheting nerves.

One of the elevators opened its doors just as they arrived. She tugged him into it, relieved it was empty. The fewer people who witnessed his involvement in this little drama, the better.

"What floor?" she asked.

Noah arched an eyebrow, but didn't answer. Great. Apparently, he was done playing Boy Scout.

"I'm not staying here," she told him. "I can't very well walk out the front door right now. He's been dogging me all over London."

His face hardened with her revelation about Bucky. He reached around her and pressed the button for the twenty-first floor. She was about to let out a sigh of relief when Bucky suddenly showed up, forcing the doors back open with his hand.

Charlotte froze.

And just as suddenly, she was melting beneath the carnal power of Noah's kiss. Before she could think twice, she was in his arms, her body fitting perfectly against all that warm muscle. She didn't even think to resist—mostly because she wasn't thinking. She was simply feeling. And, damn, did Noah's lips feel good.

Charlotte had kissed more than a few men in her twenty-seven years. She'd never been kissed like this, though, that was for sure. Noah may be quiet and unassuming, but his kiss. . . his kiss was nothing short of an erotic adventure.

His tongue swept into her mouth, daring hers to play along. Never one to turn away from a challenge, she was only too happy to oblige. Especially since this was the most action her lips had seen in—well, a while.

It was as if her body was on autopilot, sliding provocatively against his while their tongues dueled. What started as a chivalrous gesture to save her had morphed into a sensual mating of their mouths. He kissed her like a man on a mission. A mission to pleasure her thoroughly. And, oh, was she down for that.

His hands began to roam over her body, leaving a trail of heat wherever they went. She nipped at his lip, beseeching him not to stop. Not to let go. Ever.

She let out a whine of protest when he abruptly pulled his lips away. The elevator had stopped. More importantly, they were the only two people inside. She vaguely noticed the doors opening and Noah punching at the button agitatedly. Her breathing was a bit fractured as they climbed the remaining floors. Unable to shake off the sensual haze brought on by that kiss, she blindly followed him to his room. Once there, she hurried to the window, threading her fingers through her affirmation bracelets, trying to reclaim her composure.

"I'm going to find your brother," he announced behind her. "He needs to know about Kincaid."

No!

The last thing either of them needed was her brother getting involved. Not when it had taken several years for her to live down what Jay considered her poor choices in men. He would think she'd sought out Bucky's attention on purpose. Not only that, but she didn't want Noah somehow becoming collateral damage in her brother's eyes. Not when she gave him no choice but to help her.

She spun around quickly to stop him. "Jay isn't arriving until tomorrow. And I'd rather he didn't know about this. I'd almost prefer Kincaid's boorish behavior to Jay in big brother mode." That was a lie. But she needed to brazen this out. It was for Noah's own good. She crossed her arms over her chest and notched up her chin. "Trust me, I plan on avoiding this place for the rest of the team's stay."

An expression she couldn't decipher flashed in his knowing eyes before he quickly shuttered it.

"Suit yourself. You're welcome to hide out here." He picked up a book from the end of the bed and headed for the door.

"You don't have to go," she called after him, ashamed that she couldn't quell the panic lingering in her voice, but relieved she was able to bite back the rest of her thoughts.

Please don't go. I don't want to be alone.

He remained where he was, which she took as a good sign. She wandered nervously about the room, searching for the words to thank him for his help earlier. Except it was hard to know where to begin without mentioning that mind-blowing kiss.

Her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. The intensity of her response had been over the top. He'd only been playing the role she'd thrust him into. Yet, she'd acted like a woman who hadn't seen any action for years. It was true, she hadn't. That didn't mean she couldn't have played it a lot more chill, however. He'd likely chalked it up to her Princess Charlotte reputation of churning through lovers. Her face burned hotter at the thought.

She spied a travel backgammon set on the coffee table, moving closer to sweep her fingers over it.

"I haven't played this in forever." She settled onto the sofa to give her shaky legs a break. "Jay taught me when I was in the first grade. Before he...left."

Before he deserted me.

That wasn't fair. Charlotte's father had done a number on Jay. Hindsight was twenty-twenty, and she suspected that her dad resented the closeness between his daughter and the son his wife brought to their marriage. That's likely why her dad made the choices he had.

And while Jay wasn't physically in the same place as Charlotte, he had always been there for her whenever she needed him. Even when she was a rebellious brat. Which, she was ashamed to admit, was often during those teenage years.

She shook her head at her ridiculousness and looked up at Noah. "The last time we played together, he accused me of cheating."

Noah snorted.

Excuse me?

"I was nine," she argued. "And I don't cheat."

At least not anymore.

She set up the pieces on the board before arching an eyebrow at him, hoping he'd stay. A long moment later, he tossed the book back onto the bed and sat down in the chair across from her. Her stomach did a little victory dance while the rest of her body began to relax.

Charlotte filled the hours, chatting nervously. All the better to avoid the elephant in the room. Noah listened patiently as she jabbered on, nodding, and laughing where appropriate. It was refreshing to be around a guy whose ego didn't demand to own the conversation. He was easygoing with a depth he kept hidden for some reason, only showing it to her when they landed on the topic of education.

And football.

They'd somehow ended up watching her favorite movie, both of them on the same bed. She never once felt uncomfortable or threatened. She was so cozy, in fact, she ended up falling asleep, only to awaken just before six, with his arm draped loosely over her waist.

The sense of contentment was so unexpected it brought tears to her eyes. This was what a genuine relationship might feel like. This was the feeling she'd been searching for all these years.

Except this wasn't the way she wanted to start a relationship. Not when she'd trapped Noah into helping her. Sure, he was the first guy she'd felt secure enough to let down her guard with in a long time, if ever. And he'd laughed and debated with her most of the night. But what if he was just being nice?

Her insecurities quickly snuffed out much of the serenity she was feeling, and her best friend, anxiety, set in. She needed to hurry out of Noah's room to avoid any sort of walk of shame. No way did she want to saddle him with that kind of gossip. Not to mention the potential wrath of her brother.

The Blaze players were moving to a different hotel today so they could focus their attention on preparing for Sunday's game. Charlotte would sneak away this morning and come back in a few hours. If she timed it right, she could catch Noah before the buses left and thank him for his help. Maybe with a few of those scones from the corner bakery he mentioned last night. That would be a nice gesture. One that a friend would make to another friend. She was surprised at how much she wanted Noah Hudson as a friend.

If not more.

He groaned softly, but didn't wake when she slipped from beneath his arm. She gathered up her stuff and tip-toed from the room, thanking the powers that be for an empty hallway and elevator. Three hours later, she made her way back to the hotel, security in tow this time, with the scones and a rehearsed thank-you speech.

"Are those for me?" Sophie asked, startling Charlotte.

All her thoughts this morning had been so centered on Noah that she'd forgotten about the gem show today.

"No," Charlotte hedged. "They're a thank-you gift for a friend." She glanced around the lobby, a lick of panic jumping up her spine. "Has the team left yet?"

"Nope." Sophie gestured in the direction of the ballrooms. "They are finishing up their morning meeting."

"Great. Just let me drop these off and we can head out."

The meeting was breaking up, and the players were milling about, gathering up their luggage before heading to the buses. Charlotte spotted Noah on the other side of the large room. Rather than call attention to herself by cutting through the crowd, she stepped back into the hallway and hurried to the door closest to where Noah stood. He was talking with two of his teammates when she peeked in through the partially open door.

"Where'd you get off to last night?" one of them asked. "You had the high score in darts, but then you vanished."

"Collins said he saw him getting hot and heavy with some woman in an elevator," the other one said.

"Whoa, ho!" The first guy slapped Noah on the back. "What do I always say? Ya gotta watch the quiet ones. QB Two is a playa after all. Is there going to be a round two?"

Noah shook his head. "No chance."

"Dude, I'm sure you can get her a room at the hotel."

He gave his head another shake. "She's not worth the effort."

Charlotte bit back a gasp at the ferocity of his tone.

His teammates groaned.

"Too vanilla in bed, huh?" one of them said.

Noah settled the strap of his carryon onto his shoulder. "Turns out she's not my type. Not even close." The bitter way he said the words rattled her.

As the trio of players headed away from where Charlotte was hiding behind the door, she stood frozen, mortified by what she'd overheard. Had the entire night been all an act? She'd honestly believed he was being real with her. Clearly not. The sting to her pride brought on by his words made her woozy.

She's not worth the effort. She's not my type. Not even close.

Of course she wasn't. She was nobody's type, apparently. And she really couldn't blame Noah. She'd forced him into the charade. A charade that, from the tone of his voice, he very much wanted to put behind him.

So much for being friends.

Or anything else.

The least she could do was follow his lead and stay out of his life. Gulping a sigh, she tossed the scones she'd brought for him into the nearby trash can. She was grateful to have found out about Noah when she did. Thanking him—especially in front of his teammates—would have been a bad idea. If he wanted to pretend as if nothing happened, she could, too. She'd make do with being grateful from afar.

But that didn't mean she'd like it. She ducked into the ladies' room for a quick cry before meeting up with Sophie. After that, she'd simply forget all about Noah Hudson.

Charlotte woke with a start. Light was peeking in through the cracks in the mini blinds. Morning, thank God.

Her road trip down Memory Lane was finally over. Turns out, no matter how hard she tried, forgetting about Noah Hudson wasn't in the cards. And now that she had a second kiss to torture herself with by replaying it over and over in her mind, erasing him from her conscience wouldn't be any easier this time around.

Except she had survived it once. And she would again. It was Charlotte's custom to begin each new day with an affirmation. Something she could manifest into being. And today's was an easy one.

So what if Noah Hudson had the ability to stir up her emotions three years after they'd met? That didn't mean she had to let him. This trip to the States was about seeing the twins off to school for the first time. And working with Bridgett to find a CEO. Panty-melting kisses from quarterbacks had no place on Charlotte's agenda.

With that resolved, she tossed back the covers and swung her legs out of bed. She bit back a shriek at the sight of the twins standing eerily silent in the doorway. Those two were never quiet. Unless they were sleeping. And since they were both dressed for the day, she doubted they were sleepwalking. Seeing these two, hearty and whole, had all the tension brought on by dreams of Noah evaporating instantly. These two adorable faces always had that effect on her.

They looked so much like their parents. It was uncanny. Except for the fact that Vivian had inherited her father's dark hair and icy blue eyes, while Grayson mirrored his mother with blond hair and silver eyes. They both had the same silly sense of humor, however. Charlotte liked to think they got that from her.

Too bad neither was looking very silly this morning. In fact, they looked like they'd both swallowed a bug.

"Good morning, my little chickadees," Charlotte practically sang.

Vivian's bottom lip curled into a pout as she clutched her stuffed dalmatian closer to her body. Grayson puffed out his chest. Charlotte's stomach rolled. Something was not right here.

She dropped down to her haunches and reached out for the twins. "What's wrong? You guys are scaring me this morning." They were both stiff as boards in her embrace. "Okay, did someone eat the last donut? I won't be mad. I'll buy more."

They pulled away and Charlotte thought her heart might shatter. Obviously, whatever had them so solemn was more serious than chocolate frosted donuts with sprinkles.

"Are you going to marry Noah Hudson, Aunt Charlie?" Gray asked.

Charlotte almost choked on her own saliva. "I'm sorry? What?" She glanced between their stoic faces. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"It's on the TV," he replied. "Mommy and Daddy were arguing about it."

Shit.

Her butt hit the floor with a hard thump.

This cannot be happening.

"Vivi is mad because she wants to marry him," her nephew continued.

Charlotte might have laughed at the idea if she wasn't so disappointed that neither of them would ever marry Noah. She cupped her niece's cheek.

"Oh, sweet girl. He's a very good choice for your first crush." She was surprised at the ache in her heart those words brought on. "But not everything you see on TV is true. We're just friends," she lied.

Vivian sank down into Charlotte's lap, her eyes a touch brighter and her sulk fading. Charlotte wrapped her arms around the little girl, glad that she could make her happy so easily. Yet sad that Vivi would likely have her heart broken by Noah and countless other males in her life.

"Then I guess you should explain that to Daddy," Gray was saying. "Because he said Noah better be ready to clean out his locker today."

Vivian let out an ear-piercing wail. It was all Charlotte could do not to join in.