Love in Lockdown

Make Her Run

Nate wasn't sure if it was boredom, loneliness, or something more but he hadn't been able to stop thinking of Paige. There were only so many places to wander in the hotel and he hadn't seen her anywhere.

Tired of his own company, he made his way to Blake's room on the fourth floor. As he climbed the stairs his mind lingered on their moment in the stairwell. She was obviously attracted to him, but she was also indifferent to him, and he found it enticing. Almost as enticing as her pretty mouth.

He was never lonely back home, but he never felt he could trust the intentions of the women who knew of him before they dated. They were often attracted, very willing, and held a strong preconceived idea of what dating Nate Howard would be like. Paige on the other hand obviously felt the same connection he did, but she was guarded.

She had been warm, but reserved; trusting, but also guarded. He wanted more time with her. More of her.

Cassy was putting Owen down for a nap when he came into the room, and Blake was nowhere to be seen. He kicked back on the couch and flicked out his phone to check the training roster emailed out that morning.

Cassy had been gone a few minutes when someone knocked on the door. Assuming Blake had forgotten his key Nate jumped up in one smooth movement, swinging the door open with a wry smile that quickly darkened as his gaze settled on Paige.

Dressed in full length black slacks that fit firmly on her hips, with a strappy cream silk top that contrasted her olive skin, her eyes flashed with surprise to find herself face to face with Nate.

Once again her body betrayed her as she felt the now familiar flush tickle up chest to her cheeks, Nate's eyes sending heat wherever they traveled. Paige pushed down her frustration as she fought for composure. She wouldn't let herself get caught up in him again.

Nate leaned against the door frame, his bare arms rippling as he tried to appear relaxed when he was anything but in her presence.

'Hello again.' His voice came out rougher than he intended as his eyes dropped down along her neck and to the top of her cleavage before moving back to her face, stopping briefly at her mouth. Her cheeks were a strong pink and his ego greedily soaked up her reaction.

Anger flashed in her honey eyes, turning them dark amber, as she held out a package. 'For Cassy. She requested a few things for Owen.'

Nate noticed she avoided touching his hand as she handed over the bag, her indifference not an active avoidance.

'She's just putting him to sleep, do you want to come in for a moment?'

He straightened and softened his tone, trying to look less like he wanted to taste every part of her body.

She stepped back and shook her head. 'I can't. Staff aren't allowed in the guest's rooms. I know you know that.'

He chuckled at her tone. 'Cassy is here. We're all locked in here for two weeks, there's no harm in getting know one another.'

'I don't need to get to know you Nate. I don't want to get to know you.' Her voice faltered and she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, moving to the middle of the hall.

Nate stepped forward into the hallway, closing the distance between them. 'I think you do Paige. I want to know you.'

She stepped forward, looking directly into Nate's eyes. He let his gaze travel across her face, a satisfied hum escaping his chest.

Paige took a deep inhale, her eyes flashing with something unreadable. 'You're impossible.'

A sharp smile picked up his mouth and Paige spun away from him, moving along the hall before he could respond. She turned the corner, pressing her fist against her breastbone, her heart hammering. His arrogance had left her breathless. She hated arrogant men, didn't she? Isn't that what had her body feeling heavy and on fire? Anger?

Nate watched her storm off, her ass swaying as she broke into an almost run. He'd be hurt, watching a woman run away from him, but for a second she had dropped her guard and he could see, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Blake came stalking down the hall, smiling as he passed Paige.

'You have quite an effect on her I see.' He said, pushing past Nate to collapse into an armchair.

'What effect is that?'

'The 'make her run' effect,' Blake chuckled, never one to miss a chance to take Nate down a peg.

'Very f*****g funny.'

Nate was aware football players had a bad reputation for hedonistic behaviour with little repercussions, and while much of it was deserved there was a side to their lives that directly encouraged the lack of control many of the younger players displayed off the field. From morning until night their days were controlled with training, press meetings, strategy, more training, physical therapy, strict meal plans, and traveling for away games. They were constantly together, monitored by the coaching and management teams, and for the top players, followed by the media.

The result was young players believing they were invincible, and with more money than they could spend, enjoying the small windows of freedom with too much vigour.

They were loved by the fans and shown little trust by those who were not caught up in club pride. There was also a small percentage who were neutral, and over the years Nate had gotten very good at picking which camp people were from.

Paige seemed neutral, and as he rode the elevator to the gym on the top floor with Blake, he found himself feeling hopeful. It was a lightness that felt foreign and as soon as he recognised it, he fought the urge to quash it away. It was reckless, but the world felt different and I didn't want to keep living his life from a few paces back.

Players were waiting outside the gym as the equipment was being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by a team of hotel staff. It was a surreal scene as they moved with a certain grace from one piece of equipment to the next, working as a single unit and each with a role. Brian Tucker stepped out of the elevator, extinguishing the small flicker of hope he had been savouring. Brian was the last person Nate wanted leading training. His leg wasn't up to a full session and 67 Brian was still as sharp as he had been in his 40s when he'd coached my father, the great Sam Howard. Blake glanced lowly at Nate with something unreadable in his expression, and Nate's stomach dropped. It was pity.

He knew. s**t.

An hour into training and Nate was sure everyone had all realised that this two-week lockdown was not going to be a holiday. The plan was to work, exhaust and focus the players so they would have nothing left. They'd be thankful for the isolation and boredom.

Nate was no stranger to training hard, but it was grueling, and just when his lungs felt like they were on fire and on the verge of collapsing and exploding simultaneously, Brian called 'stop'.

They hit the floor or leaned against the nearest wall, downing water and sucking in air. There was something comforting about being punished as a group, the pain seemed shared. Brian left with a simple 'good work boys'. An ice bath and massage later, Nate found himself at Cassy and Blake's door feeling more anxious.

An injury wasn't a big deal, but he had a feeling surgery would be on the cards, and he could say goodbye to finishing on a high. Nate's entire career was played under his father's shadow and he didn't want it to end on the anticlimax of ligament surgery.

Cassy opened the door with Owen on her hip. 'Hey stranger, you talking to me again.'

'I could never stay mad at you Cas.'

Being a family, they were assigned a larger suite than most and had taken no time to settle in. The bedroom was separated from the living area by an ornate sliding door, and the living area was edged with a small kitchenette. Owen's play frame was on the floor by the couches along with three books made out of colourful fabric, and there were more little board books on the coffee table, along with a few toys that looked like they made noise.

Cassy sat down in the armchair opposite Nate and bounced Owen on her knee.

'Blake is still getting his massage. He'll be back soon. Want to stay for lunch?'

'Sure. Let's order up though because I don't think I could manage the walk down the hallway to the elevator right now.' Nate kicked his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back in the chair.

'Blake texted me and said Tucker had it in for you guys today. You ok?' Cassy's eyes Nate's and she gave him the faintest half smile.

Nate groaned and leaned further back into the chair. 'You too? How did you know? Is it that obvious?'

Cassy sighed, her voice serious as she kneeled on the floor and gently placed Owen on his playmat.

'Nate, a knee injury is not something you ignore. You need to deal with it through the team. Blake said you're hiding it well, but it will be harder to do it here with no privacy and everyone in each other's space all the time.'

'Cassy. I am dealing with it. Just not with the team doctors.'

'Seeing someone outside the team doctors is against your contract Nate. This is serious.' Owen started fussing, and Cassy gave him her attention, rattling the hanging toys on the fine timber frame.

'Owen needs a nap. I'll put him down, and we'll order something to eat when Blake gets back. But you must promise to talk about this with him. He's your friend and you can trust him Nate.'

'Sure. Get Owen to sleep and we'll talk.'

She scooped Owen against her chest and walked into the bedroom, closed the door, and left Nate alone with his racing heart.

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