Tally slung her bag over her shoulder as Cash swept a towel over his face and around the back of his neck. He picked up his tennis rackets and slotted them inside his holdall. Although Tally had followed tennis for years as a fan, she’d never been behind the scenes, and it hadn’t occurred to her how hard the players practiced for their matches on court. She glanced at her watch. Just after two. That meant he’d practiced for over three hours, apart from the short interlude with her of course.

He threw the heavy bag over his shoulder and began walking towards her. “Just going to get a shower, babe. Ten minutes, and then we’ll grab a late lunch. Okay?”

“Sure. Take your time, ace.”

He smiled at the endearment and brushed his knuckles down her cheek. Tally didn’t need to look at Kinga to know she was bristling.

“Cash, I need a word, please,” Kinga said.

He turned to look at her, a deep frown furrowing his brow. “Okay. Walk me to the locker room.”

A twinge of jealousy prodded Tally as she watched the two of them walk away. The feeling turned into a hot knife twisting in her gut when Kinga threaded her arm through Cash’s and he didn’t pull away. The mixed messages were messing with her head and allowing plenty of room for familiar doubts to grow.

“I wouldn’t worry about her.” Brad dropped a bag beside Tally’s chair, and it made a heavy thudding sound similar to the way her heart was beating in her chest. Her teeth gnawed at her cheek and, once more, she tasted blood. At this rate, she’d need a skin graft to fill the hole she was creating.

She squinted up at him. “Who said I was worried?”

“You gave it away with the clenched jaw, the pinched lips, and the fact that you are cannibalising your own face,” he said with a grin.

She stopped her chewing and shrugged. “Never was very good at hiding my feelings.”

Brad sat on the chair Kinga had vacated and nudged her shoulder with his. “You think he’s interested in her?”

She shrugged again. “Maybe.”

Brad let out a sardonic laugh and shook his head. “Honey, there have been plenty of opportunities over the years for Cash to dip his wick in that particular brand of wax. Believe me, she’s put it on a plate plenty of times. But he’s not interested. Not then. Not now. Not ever.”

Tally’s heart decided to migrate south, ending up somewhere around her knees. She’d known her instincts about Kinga had been spot on. She heard what Brad was saying. Really, she did. But Kinga was very attractive even if she was an utter bitch. What if, one of these days, Cash decided to take her up on her offer?

“Come on,” Brad said, sticking out his elbow. “I’ll buy you a coffee while you wait for his highness to finish preening.”

Despite her inner turmoil, she smiled and linked her arm through Brad’s. She liked him. He had a straight-talking approach that Tally appreciated, and he clearly cared about Cash.

Brad put a steaming latte in front of her along with a chocolate chip muffin. She accepted the drink but shook her head at the cake. He pushed it towards her anyway.

“Thanks, but I need to watch my weight.”

“Rubbish. There’s nothing wrong with you. Now, eat.”

She broke off a small piece, promising herself that she’d eat a little so as not to hurt his feelings. “Brad, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Brad said, taking a huge bite out of his own muffin. He brushed at the crumbs that fell on his shirt.

“What did you mean before when you said for me to keep doing what I’m doing?”

Brad put his muffin down, wiped his hands on a napkin, and lifted his eyes to hers. “Tally, you don’t know Cash that well yet. He’s extremely… complex. But today, he seemed calmer, more centred than usual. It’s good to see him have a life and be focused on something other than tennis and chasing skirt.”

Tally blanched at Brad’s raw assessment. She broke eye contact and picked at a stray piece of cuticle on her thumb. Despite Cash’s multiple reassurances, thinking the worst was easier. She could still be “skirt,” just a different variety. Cotton instead of polyester.

“You’re doing it again.”

Her head snapped up. “Doing what?”

“Worrying.” Brad sighed. “Look, I’m no mind reader. I can’t tell you how long Cash’s interest in you will last any more than the next man. But what I can tell you is I’ve never seen him like this.”

“Like what?” she asked, fishing for any snippet that would go some way towards settling her concerns.

“Giddy.”

She laughed. “Giddy is not a word I’d ever use to describe Cash.”

“Me either.” He shrugged. “Maybe happy is a better word, and if anyone deserves to be happy, it’s Cash. Don’t worry about Kinga. She’s bloody good at her job, and she and Cash are close, but he has zero interest in her sexually. Trust me on that.”

She nodded and sipped her coffee as another thought nagged at her. “Brad, do you know someone called Gracie?”

“Not to my knowledge. But in my defence, I was probably drunk.”

She laughed. “I meant do you know someone called Gracie that Cash knows?”

Brad’s nose wrinkled. “No, never heard him mention her. Why?”

“No reason.”

“Tally, don’t overthink things.”

“You sound like Cash.”

“That’s because we’re both smart.”

Brad waved his arm, and she glanced over her shoulder in time to see Cash heading their way. His hair was still damp from the shower and it flopped over his forehead even though he kept swiping it away. Her stomach fluttered.

“There you are,” he said, leaning down to kiss her. “Whatever he’s said, ignore him.”

“That’s a shame,” Brad said. “I was just talking you up.”

“Of course you were. Ready to go, sweetness?”

Cash’s tone was clipped, and Tally flashed him a questioning look, but he was giving nothing away. “Yes,” she said, scurrying to her feet.

He draped an arm around her shoulder, the casual action belying his body language. “Same time tomorrow, Brad. Tell Jamie to call me. We need to get a gym session in later.”

Cash barely spoke a word on the way to lunch. Desperate to ask about Kinga, but needing to choose her moment, Tally stared out of the window. When he got in one of his moods, she didn’t know how to handle him, but something was definitely off.

The restaurant he chose was small and cosy. The waiter showed them to a table by a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked a small park. Tally watched a couple of kids playing on the swings. They were giggling together, their cheeks rosy from the cool wind, as they swung as high as they could.

“I’ll give you a moment, sir,” the waiter said, placing two menus on the table.

“No need,” Cash said. “We’re in a hurry.”

Tally frowned. “Why are we in a hurry?”

Cash gave her a look, the one that made her knees tremble and butterflies swarm her stomach.

“Okay.” She gave him a knowing smile. “But I’m telling you now, if anything like octopus or sheep’s head lands in front of me, you’ll be wearing it.”

Cash grinned, his bad mood momentarily lifting. He buried his head in the menu. “Two portions of the wild pigeon,” he said without looking up at the waiter. “And a bottle of still mineral water.” He lifted his eyes to hers. “Do you want a glass of wine?”

She shook her head. “No, water is fine, thanks.”

Cash handed over the menus and reached for her hand, his thumb skating over her knuckles. “I’m sorry today’s been so boring. Unfortunately, until the tournament is over, there are going to be a few more days like this.”

“I haven’t been bored. I loved watching you practice.”

“That’s good, because I’m not letting you out of my sight this week. I like the idea of looking across the court and being able to watch you watching me.”

His gaze was unwavering and intense with undertones of sensuality. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the tips of each one of her fingers. Pleasure rushed through her from both his touch and his words. He really did seem to want her around, and she had to start believing that before her constant questioning of his intentions began to get on his nerves and he decided she wasn’t worth the hassle.

The waiter poured them each a glass of water, and she took a sip and then a deep breath. “Cash?”

“Yeah?”

“What did Kinga want?”

The warmth in his face evaporated, and his eyes flashed with anger. She’d seen him angry a few times, and when he showed that side of himself, he was fearsome. Dread crept through her, turning her blood cold. Whatever had happened, it wasn’t good. What she didn’t know was whether it was bad for her, or bad for Kinga.

“Tell me.” She pressed him, unable to stop what she’d started.

His jaw was clenched tight, and a pulse beat in his cheek. “Drop it.” He picked up his glass of water and downed the whole thing in one go then poured another. Before he could lift the glass to his lips, she clamped her hand over his. His gaze fell to where their hands were joined.

“No, I won’t drop it. Tell me, or I’m leaving.”

His head snapped up, surprise showing through his anger. “Don’t.”

“Then stop hiding things from me. I’m sick of having the same argument.”

His smile built slowly, but there was a cruelty to the shape of his lips. “Are you sure you want to know?”

Her heart beat a little faster. Did she? Whatever had happened, she now knew she wasn’t going to like it.

“Yes.”

“Kinga kissed me.”