Page 61 of Reckless Love

“Kinky stuff?” Penn asks. He frowns and shakes his head. “I don't want to imagine you that way.”

“Don'timagine her that way,” I growl.

He wrinkles his nose. “I might have to scrub my eyes with bleach or something because now it’s there…”

“Shut it.” I point at him. “Shut your mouth.”

He holds up his hands.

Elle laughs, covering her face.

“I'll start on your closet. Does that work?” I ask.

“That’s great,” she says.

“I’ll take the kitchen,” Henley says.

“I’ll do—is the bathroom safe?” Penn asks.

I growl again and Elle laughs.

“Yes,”she says.

The guys and I scatter toward our respective places, and I hear Elle go into the office and shut the door.

Now I'm curious about what she's got in there too.

CHAPTER TWENTY

OCEANSIDE DANCE

ELLE

Then

The ride to Rhodes’house in Miami was gorgeous.

“I can't believe all these palm trees are really here. I thought that was kind of...I don't know. Not a myth exactly…there are just way more than I expected!” I laughed and so did he.

He was driving a fancy new sports car and looking over at him, with the sandy beaches and turquoise water in the background, was almost more than I could take.

“It's really beautiful. Are you still liking it?”

“I do,” he says. “I miss California, but I do like it here. And the team is great. I just miss seeing you.”

“I miss you too.”

And it was true. Missing Rhodes was an everyday occurrence. I woke up thinking about him and fell asleep thinking about him. We had done a good job staying in touch, but it wasn't the same, not seeing him every day like I had for four years. He had become a hot shot, just like I knew he would, but thankfully he hadn't forgotten me.

It was weird though, staying updated about his life through his social media and looking up articles about him. He always had a sexy girl by his side when he was at a party, never the same one twice. It was hard to get used to that, but he’d always had plenty of willing girls in college too. But in the nine months since we’d graduated and his world expanding in professional football, the opportunities were vast. The women he came across now were hotter and more accessible.

It was too hard to think about all the beautiful women, so I tried not to.

For the most part, we both steeredsomewhatclear of discussing our love lives with each other. I told him when I had a boyfriend and tried to ask about who he was dating now and then, but he’d always say, “I’m focusing on my career right now and these girls that I meet…it’s just fun, you know? I don’t trust them beyond a fun night.”

“What are you thinking?” he asked as we pulled into a driveway. “Your cheeks are pink.”

He grinned over at me.