Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
“So, how are you enjoying Ibiza? Is it your first time?”
“I love it.” She turned ten shades of red.
I grabbed my supposed best friend’s arm and pushed it off my date, shooting him a look.
“What?” he mouthed, pretending to be innocent.
“I will cut you.” I shot him a look.
He laughed loudly, shaking his head. “This is great.”
We talked, danced, drank, danced some more, drank some more.
“Where are the kids?” I asked Warren. “Back home?”
“Yeah. We left them with our mothers, which is a nightmare in itself.” He shook his head.
“My mom called me a little while ago and said the baby may or may not have a diaper rash, and that she was going to make him a tea to put on the affected area,” Camila said, sighing. “I can’t even.”
“Tea on the baby’s bottom?” Pilar frowned. “Why?”
“Because she wouldn’t put Vicks there, and since that’s the number one cure for everything in a Dominican household and she can’t do it, tea with all these weird herbs is a close second.”
“Oh my God.” Pilar laughed. “That’s great. It’s nice that she worries.”
“Too much.” Camila shook her head. “My sister is going through a nasty divorce, and she has a three-year-old, so I don’t want to bother her. But I’m dying for her to take the kids to her house.”
“That sucks. I didn’t know Vanessa was getting a divorce,” I said. I’d met her and her husband a handful of times, and they were always nice.
“Yeah. That’s life, I guess.” Camila shrugged.
“Not our life.” Warren grabbed her hand and leaned in to kiss her. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Trust me, I would have left you by now.” She laughed at his expression.
Alex and I watched wistfully. Warren had been our hero for so long on the pitch, but off the field, he scored serious goals, with a beautiful woman on his arm and two adorable children. He ran a successful foundation and did business in New York as well as in Spain. He was what all of us were trying to be, even though it felt unattainable. I glanced at Pilar, who was now drinking water, and wondered how she’d feel if I told her that was my goal. Would she run for the hills? She was young and innocent, maybe she wouldn’t want any of that right now. Not to mention, she was a princess. That complicated things. I wasn’t even sure why I was wondering about this or cared how she’d feel. It wasn’t like she could be a long-term goal, regardless of how she made me feel.
CHAPTER 14
Ben
“I had so much fun.” She sighed beside me as I drove to my place.
“Good.” I set my hand over hers.
“I think I’m drunk.”
“I think you are too.” I chuckled.
“Are we going back to your place?”
“Yep.”
“Are you going to take advantage of me?” She brought my hand up to her lips and sucked my pointer into her mouth.
“No.” I groaned.
“I want you to.” She sucked it again.
“Pilar.” I let out a shaky breath as I parked the car in the garage and closed the big door behind us. “As tempting as you are, I’d rather wait to take advantage of you when you’re not drunk.”
“But I want you to,” she repeated.
“And I will…when you’re sober.” I took back my hand and cupped her face with it, leaning in to kiss her deeply.
She tasted of vodka and orange. Like the sweetest sin I’d ever been tempted with. When I pulled away, she mumbled an argument, but I led her out of the car and into my villa nonetheless. I’d have her again, but tonight wasn’t the time for that. I wouldn’t discount the morning though.
Inside, I gave her something for the headache she’d likely have tomorrow. I helped her in the bathroom as she undressed for a shower. I’d never shown more restraint in my life, of that I was sure. Once we were both clean and dressed in one of his t-shirts, we lay in bed. I pulled her to me and enjoyed the sound of her soft breath. I was sure I’d never felt this level of peace before.
“Tell me something no one else knows about you,” she whispered.
“Are we having a heart-to-heart?” I whispered back.
She glanced up at me. “Is that okay?”
I’d never been the most forthcoming man, mostly because I’d seen what happened to people who let their guards down. Vulnerability was a virus. The moment you let your control slip, you became exposed to attack in ways you never imagined.
“Something no one else knows,” I said, letting myself savor the idea of opening up fully to this woman who had bared herself to me. “I had a brother.” I swallowed. “He died when I first came into the league. The year we won the championship. Everyone was elated, celebrating, while I was mourning. Maybe that’s why winning always tastes bitter to me.”