Don't Stop Believing

Hanson

Hanson

When I left Lacey’s office, I was irritated. I usually walked away from a woman feeling on top of things. Sometimes literally. Instead, she had taken me for a ride. And not in the fun way.

I got into my car and drove to the training facility. I was meeting up with Brian for a workout. I wanted to show Coach I was as dedicated and committed as I had said I would be. I also needed to work out some of my frustration.

“What’s gotten you so worked up?” Brian asked when I was on my fifth set of twenty on the weights.

“Nothing,” I said.

“That doesn’t look like nothing,” Brian said. He was on his second set of bicep curls.

“It’s that PR Manager,” I said. “Lacey. I met with her just before I came here. She really rubs me the wrong way.”

What I meant was that I wanted to rub her the right way, but she wouldn't let me. I wasn't about to admit that to Brian, though. I'd just get some (probably well deserved) lecture about keeping my eye on the prize.

I put the weights on the stand and sat up, searching for my water bottle. When I found it, I squirted water all over my face before drinking the rest of it.

“Is she a pain?” Brian asked.

I nodded. “An enormous pain. But God, it makes me want her.”

Shit. I'd let it slip out. Brian was like a brother to me and I could never hold anything back from him.

Brian chuckled. “That sounds more like you. I was worried for a moment that you’d found a woman you weren’t attracted to.”

I shot him a glare. I knew I'd regret mentioning anything about Lacey to him.

“It’s not my attraction to her that’s the problem,” I said. “She doesn’t seem to be attracted to me. At all.”

Brian shook his head, smiling. “Imagine, Hanson Bell has met his match.”

“Shut up,” I said, putting my bottle down and walking to the treadmill.

“What about her makes you care so much?” Brian asked. “I’m sure you can just find someone else.”

I nodded. “Of course. But I don’t want someone else. I want her.”

“Because you can’t have her?”

Yes.

“No. Because she’s hot. God, you should see this woman. She’s got it all. The body, the face, the mind. Too bad she’s just all about business.”

Brian shook his head, letting his weights drop for a breather.

“Maybe you should just play with the women who want to, you know? It would probably work out for the best that way anyway. If you slept with your PR Manager, the one who's trying to clean up your image, that would just be ironic.”

“What it will be,” I said, pushing up the speed on the treadmill, “is an achievement. And I’m all about success.”

Brian shook his head without answering. I pushed the treadmill faster and faster. I wanted Lacey Townsend. I wanted to f**k her. The fact that she didn’t want me just made it that much worse. I didn’t just want her. I wanted her to want me, too. That was the challenge.

I always got what I wanted, and this time would be no different.

Chapter 11