Striker (65 page)

‘I’m going to Tynebridge,’ Ryan said, pulling himself up off the ground.

‘What? Why? Ryan…’

‘There’s a press conference this morning, isn’t there? For that new player we’ve just signed from Denby United. Amber’ll be there.’

‘You don’t know that…’

‘She’ll be there,’ Ryan said, striding purposefully towards the car park.

‘Ryan!’
Gary
tried to keep up with him, almost running to catch him up. ‘You can’t just walk out of a training session.’

Ryan turned around briefly, smirking at
Gary
as he retrieved his car keys from the pocket of his tracksuit bottoms. ‘Oh yeah? Watch me.’

*

Professionalism personified. That’s what Amber could be when she set her mind to it, and that’s exactly what she was as she ran the gauntlet of yet more press and paparazzi that were gathered at Red Star’s Tynebridge stadium. Because they weren’t just there to welcome the club’s newest signing.

She held her head high but said nothing as she pushed past them into the main entrance, ignoring the questions being shouted at her from all angles.

She kept herself composed, despite the odd comment from one or two of her male counterparts, as they all waited in the Press Lounge for the press conference to begin. On the whole, her colleagues had been nothing but supportive, but there were always going to be a couple who thought their inappropriate remarks were hilarious. They weren’t. But, despite the fact she was focused and her mind was solely on the job in hand, the second Jim Allen followed his newest signing into the room she felt her heart flip over and her breath catch fast in her throat. As he settled himself behind the long desk there in the Press Lounge, ready to take charge of this press conference, Amber had to look down at her notepad, fearing people would notice her staring. But that’s what happened when Jim Allen walked into a room – people stared. They couldn’t help it.
She
couldn’t help it. He was this enigmatic, charismatic, handsome, charming man that could hold the attention of a room full of people just by being there. He didn’t have to say a word to make people notice him. And Amber knew that better than anyone.

She was aware of more than a few of her fellow journalists and reporters taking a quick glance over at her as Jim smiled at everyone in the room. Of course people were curious to see her reaction, to see
Jim’s
reaction. But they didn’t know the full story. None of them did. And if she met his eyes for too long then she couldn’t be entirely sure of what would happen.

Taking a deep breath she finally looked up, crossing her legs and sitting up straight, shaking out her dark red hair slightly so it fell over her shoulders in loose waves. This was bread and butter to her – she’d done this hundreds of times over the years. It was her job. It was where she felt at her most comfortable.

As the press conference got underway, Amber focused on what it was she’d come here to do. And, as her eyes at last met Jim’s, a brief smile passing between them, she sat back and waited…

*

Ryan locked his car and threw his keys back into his tracksuit bottoms as he scanned the car park, looking for Amber’s car. And it didn’t take him long to find it. Her pale blue Fiat 500 was parked just a few cars down from his.

Almost running towards the main entrance he managed to dodge the waiting photographers and press still hanging around outside by pulling his hood up, covering his face enough to make sure that, by the time they’d done a double take, he was safely inside.

His phone beeped the arrival of a text message and he pulled it out of his pocket, pushing his hood back off his head. It was from
Gary
, informing him that Colin was on the warpath, but Ryan didn’t really care. All he cared about now was talking to Amber, trying to make her see sense. He needed her to know that he really did love her and that everything he’d done had been – well, it had been stupid. He couldn’t really call it anything else.

‘Hello, Ryan,’ Barry – one of the security guards who manned the desk in the main reception – smiled at him. ‘You here to see Mr. Allen?’

Ryan looked at Barry, frowning slightly. ‘Erm, no. No, I’m… Is the press conference still going on?’

‘Finished about five minutes ago. Everyone’s outside for the official photographs now.’

‘Right. Okay. Thanks, Barry.’ Without missing a beat he headed towards the doors that led outside, standing quietly at the back of the North Stand as everyone crowded round the new Red Star signing. He was standing down on the pitch below, holding an official club scarf, Jim Allen by his side. The sound of camera shutters echoed around the otherwise empty stadium as Ryan craned his neck to see if he could see Amber. He finally located her, standing near the front of the crowd of reporters. She was smiling as she talked to her cameraman, a smile which made Ryan’s heart ache. He’d never felt this way before, and they were still feelings that confused him and scared him but this time he had to gain some kind of control and instead of hiding behind a front he’d created just to keep up some kind of image, some ridiculous persona, he had to show her that he was serious. That he could love her like she deserved to be loved. Like he
wanted
to love her. Like he should have loved her before.

She looked stunning in a flesh-coloured, knee-length dress that seemed to cling to what he considered to be an incredible body, even though most of it was covered by the long, cream coat she was wearing to keep out the freezing cold January temperatures. Her long legs were accentuated by high-heeled, nude-coloured ankle boots, and her long, dark red hair hung down her back in a barrage of tousled waves. She seemed relaxed, happy, even. Did she miss him as much as he was missing her? Looking at her now it didn’t seem as though she did. But then, she was good at hiding her feelings, when she wanted to. Maybe, deep down, she was hurting just as much as he was.

He watched as she spoke to the new Red Star player, both of them laughing at something she said, and Ryan felt his stomach dip. This young man, this new addition to the team, seemed just as taken with her as Ryan had been when
he’d
first met her. He knew what an overwhelming day this could be for someone as young as this new player, but it seemed as though Amber knew just how to make him feel comfortable.
 

He watched as Jim Allen said something to her and she turned away immediately. Ryan craned his neck again to see where she was going, but she’d just taken a few steps back, allowing other reporters some time with the new signing. Had that been a knock-back from Amber to the man who couldn’t seem to leave her alone? It had been a moment in time that had lasted just seconds but it hadn’t escaped Ryan’s notice how many of the photographers in the crowd had turned their lenses in the direction of his ex-fiancée and his boss.

Looking down at the ground for a second Ryan took a deep breath. Would she want to speak to him? Or would she just blank him like she’d blanked him so many times before over the past few days? They way she’d looked at him, as though he was just another footballer she had to deal with, it had been something Ryan had found hard to cope with. After being so close to someone, having them suddenly treat you like you didn’t exist caused a pain the like of which he’d never experienced before. Life could really deal you some shit when it wanted to, but none of it came with a manual; nobody told you the rules or gave you any idea how to handle the crap that was going to come your way.
 

But Ryan had just had the biggest, the final wake-up call. And Amber had to know that. She had to. Because one thing Ryan had finally worked out was that he was nothing without her. He loved her. And everything else could go to hell.

*

She pushed the door of his office open, peering inside. He was there, standing by the filing cabinet, his suit jacket now slung over a nearby chair. He was flicking through a pile of papers as he talked into his phone, laughing quietly at whatever was being said on the other end of the line. She leaned against the doorpost, watching him for a few seconds while he was still unaware she was there. She was conscious of the noise of a post-press conference stadium in the background; the hum of voices, the sound of people catching up with each other. They certainly weren’t alone, she knew that much.

Walking inside his office she shut the door quietly behind her, taking off her coat and throwing it down on the nearby sofa. He was still talking into his phone, but she heard him say goodbye, end the call and throw his phone down onto his desk. He continued to flick through the papers he was holding, pushing the filing cabinet draw shut with his elbow without looking up.

She walked slowly over to him, saying nothing. And he seemed so engrossed in whatever he was reading that he still didn’t appear to have any idea that she was there. Which was fine. She didn’t want him to acknowledge her just yet. There was plenty of time.

Biting down on her lip she reached out and gently touched his waist, standing on tiptoe to kiss the back of his neck, the smell of him overwhelming her.
 

The papers he was holding dropped to the floor as he turned around, smiling at her. ‘Well hello, beautiful.’

She smiled back, letting her fingers trail lightly over his cheek, touching his mouth, her heart beginning to speed up as he moved closer, his breath warm on her skin.

‘I thought I’d surprise you,’ she whispered.

‘I used to hate surprises.’

‘You won’t hate this one.’

‘You can guarantee that?’

‘I can guarantee it.’

He pushed a strand of hair from her eyes, his fingers lightly stroking her cheek as they did so. Amber felt a long, warm shiver run right through her as he touched her, causing her to gasp out loud. The anticipation was killing her. And even though she knew what he felt like, knew just what it was he could do to her, it still felt as though they were here for the very first time.

His green eyes bored deep into hers and she pushed all the doubt, all the fear, all the guilt; all the feelings she might still have for Ryan, they were all pushed aside as she closed her eyes, Jim’s mouth finally touching hers. His hand slowly pushed its way up under her dress, touching her skin, making her shiver even more. Backing up against the wall she gripped the back of the sofa as he slipped his fingers underneath the thin material of her panties, pulling at them gently, his mouth still resting on hers. She felt hot, as though her whole body was burning up, and for a second she forgot that the door had no lock on it, that people were still outside, still hanging about. But their voices began fading slowly into the background as he pushed her panties down until she felt them fall to the floor. She stepped out of them, kicking them aside, looking into his eyes as his hand pushed up her dress again, that familiar tingling between her thighs leaving her in no doubt that this was going exactly where she wanted it to go.

Her breathing was so heavy now, her chest rising and falling so fast it almost made her feel dizzy. For over twenty years this man had been inside her head, taking over her life, and no matter how hard she’d tried, no matter how much she wanted it to stop, it always came back to this. It always came back to him. Always. And she didn’t think it would ever change. Maybe she didn’t want it to. Maybe she never had. Maybe that’s why she was here now, letting this happen.

His lips were touching her neck now, lightly kissing that space just beneath her ear, a place that sent her crazy, sent a beautiful, warm shiver shooting through her again, which was intensified ten-fold by the touch of his fingers caressing her inner thigh, threatening to enter a warm wetness that
he’d
created. And she wanted to feel him touch her there, she really did, just, not yet. She was enjoying the anticipation way too much, enjoying just being with him, even though they were playing a dangerous game. Anyone could come in at any minute, but that was also one hell of a turn-on. And they weren’t exactly a secret any more, were they? So what would it matter anyway?

She smiled at him, gently pushing him away, pulling her dress back down as she walked over to the sofa. Jim’s eyes followed her. He knew the game as well as she did, knew where this was going to end up and as she looked at him, handsome and strong and still as sexy as the first time she’d seen him, she knew she couldn’t hold out much longer. Her thighs were tingling to the point of pain now, aching so much for him, telling her it was where he needed to be – inside her. She wanted to feel him so deep inside her; so, so deep that that feeling would never go away, even when he wasn’t there. She wanted to feel that, to feel
him
.
 

She sat down on the edge of the sofa, swinging her legs up and lying back, stretching out. Closing her eyes she slowly opened her legs, knowing he was watching, knowing he was aching to come inside her just as much as she wanted him in there. And it took just seconds for him to lie over her, still dressed in his white shirt and black suit pants, but that was another turn-on for Amber – he could rock a suit like nobody else. He wasn’t known as the sexiest manager in football for nothing, so it was fine, it was okay that he was taking nothing off. It was just fine.