Reidの小説

Ashton’s POV:Lizzy has always been fiercely stubborn, but never in my wildest dreams would I have ever expected her to be so bold as to step into the shower room. That poor rookie, Michaelson, was mortified. Lizzy, on the other hand, didn’t even flinch at the sight of his nakedness or mine. How many men has she been with to be indifferent to a man standing naked in front of her?Why did the thought of her being intimate with other men cause a tightness in my chest? I don’t care about her or who she’s hooked up with. I’m Ashton Tate, and I can have any woman I want, and I certainly don’t want her.I stepped out of the shower to find her sitting on the bench in front of my locker. I stared at her, sitting stiff as a board, completely ignoring my presence.“You’re just going to sit there and watch me get dressed? Are you really that shameless, Elizabeth?”She laughed at me, not a giggle or a slight chuckle, but a full-blown belly laugh. My nostrils flared, and my hands curled up into fi

Elizabeth’s POV:I settled into my seat, trying my best to focus on the onslaught of messages and emails on my phone. Unfortunately for me, the man next to me was not going to take the hint and drop the subject.He continued to pester me with subtle remarks, probing for details he could undoubtedly add to his article. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, Ms. Mason, but haven’t you spent the past few months in Atlanta working your PR magic on Hawking’s shattered reputation? What brings you all the way to Chicago?”That question made me snap. “Cut the crap, James, you know damn well what my presence here means. Just like I know that you already have a scathing article about Tate written up and ready to go to print. You’re just searching for additional juicy details.”The smug smirk returned to his face. “I wouldn’t call it scathing, Elizabeth, merely factual.”“So you were an eyewitness to the events that took place last night? If you weren’t, then your article is hearsay rather than factual. I kn

Ashton’s POV:I can hear the not-so-subtle whispers of some of my teammates when entering the locker room. My left hand instinctively coils into a fist while my right hand is wrapped up with an ice pack strapped to my knuckles. I already know I’m going to regret punching that wall, but damn, if she didn’t provoke me.She sat there with those ocean blue eyes turned icy, and those plump pink lips pressed into a scowl. Those eyes used to look at me with only adoration and love, but now they appear to be filled with resentment and scorn. Why the hell did they have to hire her of all the people?Malcolm Jones, my teammate and best friend since college, slides onto the locker room bench next to me. He nudges me with his broad shoulder to get my attention. I know I’m about to get my ass chewed out. He glances around the room to check for anyone listening before asking, “So, what the hell happened?”I keep my tone in check. I can’t afford to piss another person off today. “I made a drunken mi

Elizabeth’s POV:Why did I agree to take this job? When I read the headlines this morning, my phone immediately started ringing, and I shouldn’t have answered. Yet, here I am three hours later, fresh off the plane from Atlanta, cursing at myself mentally for saying yes.I stepped off the elevator and instantly caught a whiff of that all-too-familiar scent: sandalwood mixed with a smell that was distinctly his, Ashton F*cking Tate. I straighten my shoulders and push a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I whispered to myself, ‘You can do this, Lizzy. He’s just like any other athlete.”Now, as I head towards the office they’ve set up for me with him following behind, all I can think is ‘Sh*t. Sh*t Sh*t.’ The moment he turned, and I saw those eyes, the color of chocolate that looks almost black when he’s angry or horny, I instantly regretted my decision. I’ve seen plenty of images of him over the past five years, with his face constantly plastered on billboards, magazine covers, and cele

Ashton’s POV:As I walk down the familiar hallway leading to the coach’s office, I can’t help but notice how eerily quiet it is today. On any given day during the season, there would be any number of people on this floor. ‘Did Coach tell them to leave before calling me to his office? Sh*t. ‘This is going to be worse than I even expected.’I let out a long sigh and walked towards my impending doom. The only sound I hear is the air conditioning. ‘Dead Man Walking,’ I think to myself. I pause before the closed door and run a hand through my disheveled hair. ‘Time to face the music.’The sound of the door opening alerts Coach to my presence, and he immediately looks up to lock those dark, heavy eyes with mine. “Take a seat, Ash,” he commands. I immediately sit in the chair closest to his desk, and the front page of today’s newspaper lands in front of me.The headline reads: 'MVP Ashton Tate Arrested For Public Intoxication and Indecent Exposure.'“Care to explain what the hell happened?”