Once construction starts on the Football School, things get very, very busy. Elijah calls me every few days, begging me to take him back. He throws every explanation he can think of at me, and eventually I just stop answering. His calls then start coming further and further apart, and then he stops. I take on a few more clients. Victor seems happy with me. I spend the weekends with Rachael and her other friends, and I slip into a new life.

It’s surprisingly easy.

Moving away from New York feels like the best decision I ever made.

And except for the shiver of excitement that goes through me every time Jesse walks into the room, I don’t think about men. Rachael was right. I needed this time for myself.

I focus on work, and I start going to yoga and to the gym. In the mornings, I write in a journal for the first time in years.

I feel good. My body is shaping up as I work out more, and I feel more grateful and alive than I have in a long, long time.

Two months after I move to Boston, I’ve settled into my new apartment and I feel like a new person. One thing is still niggling at me, though.

I log onto my social media account and look up Max Westbrook, my ex. When I see his profile picture of him with another woman, I expect to feel my heart squeeze. Surprisingly, I don’t feel anything except happiness for him. As much as our relationship deteriorated at the end, he was still a good guy.

My fingers tremble over the keyboard, but I take a deep breath. This feels important, like I need to do this to forgive myself and to move on.

I sigh. This is harder than I thought it would be. I stretch my fingers and try again.

I take a deep breath and press send before I can chicken out. There. It’s done now, and I can’t take it back. If he never replies, at least I had the guts to apologize. I don’t expect he’ll want to see me or talk to me, but it feels good to own up to the mistakes I’ve made.

By the time the summertime comes around, Boston is an explosion of energy. I inhale the sweet summer air on my way to the Football School site and I feel lucky to be alive.

Jesse greets me at the gate with a huge smile. He wraps his arms around me and lifts me up, twirling me around. When he puts me back down, his eyes are shining.

“It looks really good,” he says, nodding towards the field behind him. “I can’t wait to show it to you.”

We wait a few minutes for the other investors, engineers, architects, and stakeholders that are needed for the final handover walk-through. Once our little troupe is assembled, we start walking across the field.

“Welcome to the Jesse Matthews Football School,” Jesse says, sweeping his arms across the freshly turfed field. “Thank you for coming.”

The sun is hitting his grey eyes, making them look almost blue. He’s wearing the biggest smile I’ve ever seen, and his skin is golden from the sun. He must have spent lots of time here in the past few weeks. His body looks bigger, too. It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve seen him, and I don’t remember him being this muscular. He’s wearing a white button-down shirt and dark pants that make his ass look nothing short of delicious.

I shake the thoughts away.

He is a client, and my ex-fiancé’s brother. He’s off limits.

We continue on the walk, and Jesse’s energy is magnetic. I can tell that he’s completely invested in this school, and that he believes in everything that he’s done. He answers every single question that the engineers and architects throw at him, and even has time to explain the programs that will be offered.

“We’ve had enough interest to have all-girls classes, too,” he looks at me. “Which will be a wonderful addition to the program.”

My heart hammers in my chest. He’s so incredibly happy, and it’s infectious. Other than a few minor details around the shower stall doors and the light switches in one of the offices, the walk-through is a complete success. The Football School will open on time, and will be ready for its first class of students by the beginning of September.

I hang back as everyone gets in their cars. Turning to Jesse, I put my hand on his bicep. Touching him still sends a thrill through my body, so I mostly avoid it. But today, I enjoy the feeling of his body under my hand. I smile.

“Congratulations, Jesse. You deserve it. I can tell that you’ve worked so hard for this.”

He smiles at me, and my heart throbs. Maybe it’s the sunlight, or the successful walk-through, or just seeing this beautiful man live out his passion. I don’t know what it is, but heat blooms in my chest. I feel happier than I have in months, and it’s all because of my new independence. Seeing Jesse work so hard for something so good makes me feel better than I can even describe.

He smiles at me, and my heart melts.

“I couldn’t have done it without you. You’ve been a constant source of support for this project,” he says. He bites his lip, and I squeeze my thighs together. My heart is hammering.

I thought these feelings would fade over time. I thought that I would learn to control my body around him, or that my infatuation would pass.

It’s only gotten stronger. My attraction to him has only grown as I’ve seen his passion and dedication grow over this project. Every time he looks at me, it sends a thrill running down my spine.

So, when he puts his hand on my lower back and stares deep in my eyes, I lick my lips. He glances at the movement and then clears his throat.

“You want to grab a bite to eat? It’s my treat, as a celebration for all this.”

I nod, and a smile floats over my lips. “Sure.” Mostly I just want his hand to stay on my lower back and I want him to keep talking to me with that sexy, growly voice of his. The project is over, but I’m not ready to let Jesse go.

We walk side by side until we get to a cafe. Jesse nods to it. “Been eating here most days,” he says. “Their muffins are unreal.”

I smile. “Perfect.” I don’t care about the muffins at all. I’d sit on the side of the street with him.

We sit across from each other as a waitress brings us some menus, and I hardly notice. I’m too busy getting lost in his dark, grey eyes. Jesse reaches across the table and puts his hand over mine.

“I wanted to say thank you,” he starts. “I know that you could have passed this project on to someone else after… you know. And I know that sometimes it was awkward. But you were dedicated and you worked long hours to make this happen. So, thank you.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t work nearly as hard as you did, Jesse. This is your victory, not mine. And it was never awkward.”

I turn my hand over and interlace my fingers in his. He swallows, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob up and down. A flash of heat blooms in my stomach as his eyes darken. Why is that so hot? He brushes his hair back off his forehead. I wish it was me running my fingers through his hair.

I want him.

With the project over, the veil of professionalism between us is starting to fall away. Now it’s just him, and me. And this—thing—between us.

Finally, Jesse flicks his eyes up to me. He stares at me for a long moment and then clears his throat.

“Go out with me, Farrah.”

“What?”

“Give me a chance. I’m not my brother. I don’t even want to talk about him. Just… I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve helped me build this school, and the thought of not seeing you is driving me crazy. One date. Just give me one date and then you can tell me you never want to see me again.”

“I’m never going to say that,” I say before I can stop myself.

His lips part and his eyes widen ever so slightly. I can feel the pulse in his hand, and my own heart is hammering.

Without the pretense of the school and professionalism to stop me, thoughts of Jesse and I flood through my brain. I see him as he was that night, naked, worshipping my body. I see him with his head between my legs, moaning as he tasted me for the first time. I see him buried deep inside me and the familiar ache grows between my legs.

No, I’ll never say I don’t want to see him. It breaks my heart that the project is over.

The waitress appears beside us to take our order. Jesse’s gaze never leaves mine. We’re quiet for a second, and then I turn to her.

“I think, actually, we’ve changed our mind. We’re not going to have lunch after all.”

“No problem.” She gathers the menus and walks away, and Jesse’s eyebrows draw together.

“You’re not hungry?”

I bite my lip. “Not for food.”

A smile stretches across his lips and he nods to the door. “Let’s get out of here.”