* * *
“Morning, Princess!” Georgia’s father greeted her in the hotel lobby with a peck on the cheek.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said with forced cheer. She was a girl with a secret. And even if it was a damn good one, she felt a tiny twinge of guilt.
“How did you sleep?” her father asked.
Gulp. “Just fine. You?”
“Eh. Can’t wait to get home on Friday. I see the bus outside. Shall we?”
She sat beside her father at the front of the bus for the ride to the airport. And even though she conveniently looked out the window when Leo boarded, she felt him pass by. In the harsh morning glare of the hotel parking lot she could hardly believe her own daring. She’d been the instigator of the morning’s festivities. She’d touched him through his clothes, her hand stroking his erection as he’d hissed. She’d been the one to rise up above him, lowering herself down on his . . .
“Princess?”
“Mmm?” she said, shaking off the memory. “What?”
“I was just asking if you were okay. You look a little flushed.”
“It’s just, uh, warm in here.”
The Deep V of Trouble deepened in his forehead. “It’s actually freezing in this can of a bus. Hugh just complained to the driver.”
“You know, this sweater is really warm,” she babbled. “It’s cashmere.”
He gave her an odd look. “Good to know, Princess,” he said, pulling out his Katt Phone.
Georgia did the same, and was greeted by a text from Becca. Guess where I am! I’ll give you three tries.
Georgia was too distracted to play the game. I give up.
You are a drag. Now I’m not going to tell you.
Fine. Be that way, Georgia replied.
“Georgia?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you frowning?”
“Um, just texting with Rebecca,” she said, raising her eyes to her father’s. “Why?”
He was studying her with narrowed eyes. “You’re acting strange today.”
“How do you figure?” Was she? Georgia had been a skillful liar during her teen years. But she was probably rusty these days.
“Are you all right?” her father asked.
“Perfectly.”
“Is it hard on you?”
“What?”
Her father glanced around, the special scowl he saved for Leo creeping onto his face. “Traveling with him?”
No blushing, she reminded herself. “He’s fine.” Damn. “I mean, it’s fine. I’m fine.” We are all fine! She needed to stop talking now.
He chewed his lip. “Let me know if he bothers you in any way.”
“Um, okay.” It felt traitorous not to stick up for Leo. Her father was the one acting strange. But her father would not like to know what had happened between them, and Georgia was too uncertain about what it all meant to make any bold declarations. So she sat there, mute, until her father finally gave up and went back to pecking at his Katt phone.
When Georgia got onto the jet a half hour later, the first face she saw was Becca’s. Her roommate beckoned frantically. “Sit with me! I’ve missed you.”
“But of course.” Georgia put her bag into the overhead compartment, her eyes flicking to the rear of the plane, where the meeting room door was already closed. But if Becca was here, that meant Nate needed to huddle up with the coaching staff and the GM en route to the next game. Was that weird? They’d won last night. That should put the boss at ease, right? She sat down beside Becca. “Everything okay?” she asked quietly. If Nate was worried about her father’s coaching, would he hover like this?
Becca shrugged. “I don’t know what the boss man is up to. He called me last night and asked me to pack a bag. So here I am. Maybe he just wants to watch the new coach in action. It doesn’t have to mean anything,” she said, reading Georgia’s mind.
Georgia wanted to believe her. “Okay. What’s up with you?”
“The mango is gone. And there are no new science experiments in our kitchen.”
“Yay!” Georgia clapped.
Becca narrowed her eyes. “That is a lot of excitement over a clean refrigerator. You look awfully cheery today.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Georgia insisted. But heat began to climb up her neck.
Her roommate’s eyes bulged. “Holy shizzle. Georgia Worthington got laid.”
Georgia reached over to clamp her hand over Becca’s mouth. “Shut it. I swear to God. You are going to get me in so much trouble.” Becca stuck out her tongue in retaliation, wetting Georgia’s hand. “Ew!” She released Becca’s mouth and wiped her hand on Becca’s wool Bruisers scarf.
“Ladies,” a deep baritone said. “Is there a problem here?”
Georgia turned to look into Leo’s handsome face. And the look he gave her could only be described as “smoldering.”
“Damn,” Becca breathed.
“Everything is fine,” Georgia said hastily. She made a little motion to wave him on. Move along.
He winked, then disappeared down the aisle.
Becca grabbed the in-flight magazine out of the seat back pocket and began to fan herself. “The heat pouring off you two is hazardous. I’d better make sure I know where they keep the onboard fire extinguisher. Because, safety first.”
Georgia grabbed the magazine out of her hands and shoved it back into the pocket, while Becca laughed.
NINETEEN
Leo: Is it something I said?
Georgia: ?
Leo: Your friend Becca put me in a room with Silas. And O’Doul is in the adjoining room. He won’t cuddle me. :(
Georgia: Have you asked nicely?
Leo: Yeah. So now I have a black eye.
Georgia: You crack yourself right up.
Leo: Thank you, folks, I’ll be here all week . . .
Georgia: You are bunking with Silas because Nate decided to travel with us to Texas and this hotel is full.
Leo: So your room, then? :)
Georgia: Nope.
Leo: But I need a word with the tatas. There’s something I forgot to say.
Georgia: I’ll put them on Skype.
Leo: Really?
Georgia: No!