smiled, her red lips overlined and ridiculous. He supposed she was experimenting with some new look, at least that’s what she’d admitted to him two days before when she cornered him the parking garage, and he immediately noticed her two new adjustments. Ryder would never begrudge anyone from wanting to make themselves feel better by having plastic surgery, but this? This was Dolly Parton on steroids.
“I did it for you,” she explained, motioning to the deep well that made up her cleavage. “They’re for you.”
“Um…thanks?” he asked, not sure how to react to the huge double up in cup size. She had to be sore and there was no way the size was good for her back.
It had been two days and Ryder, at Greer’s insistence, had touched them, and kissed them, and still wasn’t used to the mammoth size or the feel of something not quite real behind that swollen skin.
“Ryder,” Greer called again, and he clenched his jaw, finally turning to face her. She hurried toward him, those huge tits bouncing and nearly slipping out of the gold and white, low cut halter she wore.
“What?” he asked, shifting a look around the field. The glances were outright gawks now, and the embarrassment Ryder felt grew heavier as Greer threw her arms around him, kissing Ryder hard. He wasn’t feeling it. Not now. Not this public. “Knock it off.”
When he pushed her back, arm in his grip, Greer’s good mood deflated. “What the hell is your problem?”
“You’re embarrassing yourself with those…” He turned, mouth tight as he fought for the right words. None came to him, at least none that would start an even bigger scene than the one Greer made walking onto the field. “Can you just…go sit down and try to be inconspicuous?” One glance down at her oversized chest and Ryder knew the question was stupid.
“Why are you so…” Then Greer went silent, staring across the field, her attention on Reese standing next to Baker, laughing at something the big man said. “She’s here?”
Ryder turned, instantly spotting Reese, hand curling in a fist when he noticed how close Baker stood to her, how loudly she laughed. Greer cleared her throat, bringing Ryder’s attention back to her, and he frowned at the look she gave him.
“What?”
“You’re awfully interested in what she’s doing.”
“Yeah? So? We’re supposed to be working together to get this camp on a roll.” He turned from Greer, heading toward Reese and Baker, spotting the kicker’s wide smile, then her shifting gaze as it landed on Greer. Her gaze moved down, over Greer’s body, and the smile left her face.
“You told me you didn’t like her,” she said, struggling to keep step with him. “You said she was a bitch and that you didn’t want…”
“I know what I said.” He stopped, turning to Greer, not hiding the surge of temper that caught him by surprise. “I don’t have time for this shit, and I don’t have to explain myself.”
“But you said…”
“Greer!” he shouted, teeth clamping together as he fought against screaming outright. “This is my livelihood. This is my career.” He took a breath, squeezing his eyes shut before he nodded to the field, next to a section of seats reserved for the WAGs. “Go sit and let me do my job.”
She’d never been this way before. Greer wasn’t the jealous type. She wasn’t a shit starter, and she’d never before wanted so much of Ryder’s attention. It was like some strange, petty woman had taken over his girlfriend’s body and had no plans of leaving.
Ryder didn’t look behind him to see where Greer had gone. He didn’t make sure she’d joined the other women or yell over his shoulder for her to leave him alone. His temper was stoked, and he just wanted the day over with. That meant dealing with Reese, whom Gia had partnered him with for this camp. He’d rather spend the day with anyone else in the world, but this was punishment, plain and simple. This was payment for the shit storm they’d caused Reese’s first night on the team.
But the kiss between them, and how it had confused Ryder, flooded his thoughts the closer she came to him. It was a lot to contend with—realizing she’d never gotten over Rhiannon’s death, understanding that she still hurt from it, and finally having her respond and give back what Ryder had stolen from her in the gym.
He should feel guilt. Somehow, that made more sense to him. Hating Reese had been