He scoffed. “You got that right. I couldn’t wait to get away from that shit hole.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. He’d had it made in Texas, but he wanted bigger and better things. “Speaking of which, how do you like it here so far? How’s the team?”
Lifting a brow, he peered at me incredulously. “I thought you despised everything football, Bris?”
I waved him off. “You misunderstood me. I don’t despise the sport, just the guys you play with. They’re nothing but arrogant pricks on the prowl for some ass.”
He burst out laughing. “And let me guess, you think I’m the same way?”
I picked up the knife to cut a piece of my steak and then pointed it at him for good measure. “Oh, I know you are, but you’d better not let me catch you being a dick to some helpless girl. I get that you’re famous and you can have all the women you want, but eventually that has to get old. What if some guy used me just to get a piece of ass?”
His jaw clenched and I liked the fact he was protective of me; it was sweet. Then again, I really didn’t want to imagine him being like all the other dirtbags I’d met from his last team. I couldn’t go anywhere with him without one of them wanting to get up my skirt. After a while, it became too much of a hassle and I avoided being around the players altogether. Those weren’t the type of men I wanted to associate with.
“No,” he growled, “I wouldn’t. You’re my sister, and the last thing I want is for someone to hurt you. That’s why you’re going to stay far away from the guys on this new team.”
His forehead creased as it always did when he was upset or stressed about something; it was something I learned to recognize when we were kids. “Today didn’t go so well?” I asked, curious.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Not at all. It’s obvious some of them don’t want me on their team, but they’ll just have to get over it. I’m there and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Does being a dick help? You have a reputation for being a jackass, but I know that’s not what you’re really like. Why do guys always have to be driven by their testosterone?”
He snorted. “Women love it. Nobody wants a pussy.”
“And we don’t want pricks, either.” Shaking my head, I took another sip of my drink, mumbling under my breath. “Men can be so stupid.”
Ryan leaned closer and winked. “It’s because we have to put up with pigheaded sisters.” I tossed a French fry at him and he popped it into his mouth, grinning devilishly. “We’ve talked about me for the past hour, but what about you? How’s the job going?” Ryan may be an ass at times, but he was always an attentive brother.
“Great,” I squealed excitedly. “I have so many clients and even more dying to get an appointment with me. I can’t begin to tell you how lucky I am to have gotten this job.”
“You earned it, Bris. You’re extremely talented.”
“Aww, thanks. I appreciate that.” I finished the last of my steak and fries and then polished off my wine. “Are you sure you’re happy in your apartment? You could always live with me for a while,” I offered.
He chuckled. “Not gonna happen. I make more money than you, sis. Besides, what would all the ladies say if they came over and there was another woman? You’d totally ruin my game.”
I held up my hands in defeat. “Okay, I get it. It’s probably for the best anyway. Now I can let all my boyfriends come over without having to deal with an overprotective ass of a brother.”
He rolled his eyes. “Speaking of which, are you dating anyone?”
“Nope,” I answered sadly. “It’s hard to find someone when you work all the time. Plus, all the girls I hang out with at work are married. However, I did meet someone at the bar while I was waiting on you.” I smiled, remembering the way those amber eyes had gazed at me. There were even specks of green inside them that made them stand out. I’d never seen anything like them. His hair was so dark it was almost black, and there were several times I imagined myself running my hands through it.
Ryan glanced up at the bar, curling his lip. “Please tell me it’s none of them,” he said, pointing at the men who now inhabited the bar. I turned around, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“He must’ve left. He had mentioned making an appointment with me to decorate his house, but then he got a phone call that looked pretty urgent. I never even got to ask him his name.”
His gaze narrowed. “Be careful when you go out to meet your clients, especially men. You don’t know if they’re luring you into a trap or not.”
I burst out laughing. “You worry too much. All of my clients are elite members of society. It costs a lot of money to meet with me.”
He held up his hands. “I’m just saying, sis. Be careful.”
“I will. And now that you’re here, you can be my big brother and protect me.”
Chuckling, he shook his head and guzzled down the last of his beer. “Knowing you, you’ll need it.”
Chapter 5
Jaxon
I never intended to stay the entire night, but Sadie was like the fucking Energizer bunny; she was all over me. Don’t get me wrong—it was hot and I’d never been with a woman as into sex as she was, but damn…enough was enough. My head pounded, but I had no choice but to get up and get the hell out of Sadie’s house. I had to be at practice in an hour and the last thing I wanted to do was go there smelling like her pussy.
The thought of sneaking out crossed my mind, but it wasn’t going to be easy with her arm around my waist. I slowly eased out of her hold and quietly picked up my clothes off the floor. Sadie was still asleep in her bed, covered in dark purple sheets that matched the color of her walls. I spent a long time searching for my shoes, but I finally found them under her bed. When I got up, she was right there staring at me, her mouth set in a firm line.
“Leaving so soon?”
I quickly slid on my shoes and started for the door. “I have practice. Gotta get there before I’m late.”