“This isn’t something we can’t handle,” I said to Thompson. “It’s not nearly as serious as the DUI, for instance.”

I sat in the Dolphin’s Coach’s office at the training facility at Nova Southeastern University, trying to do damage control after Hanson had decided not to train at the facility but in a standard gym. It was like he was looking for trouble.

Coach Rudi Thompson rolled his eyes. He wasn’t in the mood to listen to me, and I didn’t blame him. I wasn’t exactly in the mood to stick up for Hanson, either, but it was my job. After all the publicity Hanson had been getting, and none of the good kind, Coach Thompson was considering kicking him off the team for good. Seeing as how he’d already been suspended for six games, that wouldn’t look very good for Hanson. It could potentially ruin his career.

“What am I supposed to do with him, then?” Thompson asked. “You can’t tell me you don’t know what he’s like. What’s stopping him from doing it again?”

I nodded. “I hear what you’re saying. And I can’t tell what the future holds for him. But he’s been trying to change his image. The donation was a big one, and he’s helping with the city’s homeless committee after he visits the hospital. Those all count.”

“Not for much, if videos like these keep getting released,” the coach said. “Have you seen how many views he’s gotten? You would swear football has become a new reality show.”

Coach Thompson leaned forward, and his windbreaker rustled. He was dressed in what I saw as standard coaching attire, sweats and a windbreaker, with a cap that was pulled low over his eyes when he was outside.

My phone rang.

“Let me take this,” I said. “Excuse me.”

I stepped out of the office and answered. “Tell me you have good news, Conrad.”

“I do,” he said over the phone. “I did some digging. The girl is a model. She’s on all the major runways.”

“So, this can be a publicity thing?” I asked. “She kicked up a fuss on purpose, to get her name in the spotlight?”

“I wouldn’t go around telling everyone that without a statement from her of some kind, but yes.”

“I don’t need more than speculation to make this go away for now. I’m not going public with it.”

“Great,” Conrad said.

“You’re a life saver,” I said.

“Remember that when you’re out with the rich and famous, doing rich and famous things,” Conrad said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

He loved that I’d needed to turn to him for help on this. I hung up. I would deal with my own damage control later. It would be a lot easier than what Hanson was throwing at me.

I opened the door to the office and stepped back inside.

“My sources just confirmed it,” I said. “The woman, Kelsey Dean, is a model. She’s been hitting it big on the runway, and she’s been seen around town with other athletes. Chances are, it was just a publicity stunt.”

Coach Thompson regarded me for a moment. “You think so?”

I had him. He was considering it, and that was all I needed.

I nodded. “What better way to get into the limelight than by being scorned by Hanson Bell? He already has a record. You, of all people, know how tough the guys can have it in this world.”

Thompson nodded. He was close enough to the players to get a taste of the spotlight without really being in it himself.

“So, you don’t think I should extend his suspension?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Let him carry on with his public services like we’d planned, and let him play in the meantime. If he’s on the field, his actions off the field will be noticed that much more.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Thompson said.

“I understand your concern. But he is trying. And this incident was out of his control. Yes, he said the wrong thing, but she got exactly what she wanted. And it sounded a lot like she was setting him up.”

I was going to force myself to believe that. The video had been posted less than four hours after I’d left his place. It was a slap in the face to think that he wanted any of this to happen, that he would have taken her home.

Coach Thompson rubbed his palms on his knees.

“Okay, Miss Townsend,” he said, finally. “I’ll let him play. But if any of this goes wrong, I’m not just going to blame him.”

“Of course not,” I said, getting up. “I’m his PR Manager. You hired me to do a job, and if I’m not doing it, I’m equally to blame for his actions.”

I didn’t like saying the words, but it was the truth. Thompson shook my hand, and I left the office. When I’d come to the coach, he had been so angry, it had taken me half the morning just to calm him down. At least, Hanson wasn’t off the field. Not yet. If he kept it up, I couldn’t promise that would be the case for much longer.

I walked to my car, feeling drained. It wasn’t even noon yet, and I was exhausted. That was partly because I had stayed up until the early hours of the morning, having sex. It was also partly because I’d had to fight the whole morning to restore the dignity of a man I didn’t feel exactly deserved it.

And to think, I’d slept with him. Not once, but twice. The first time had been because he’d been hot as hell after he’d donated so much money to the hospital. There was something about selflessness that just turned a woman on. I wasn’t sure what it was. The second time had been my fault.

I’d been so drunk, I’d only been able to think of two things, sex and Hanson. I had gone to him and put the two together. And it had been a bad idea. It had meant nothing to him. Of course, it didn’t mean anything to me, either. I didn’t care about Hanson and what he might feel for me. My own ego was a little bruised that he’d been able to get over our night together so quickly, but that was it.

I didn’t care what he did and with who, when he wasn’t with me. I didn’t care.

I stopped in my parking space and made my way to my office. I’d just sat down behind my desk when Conrad knocked on my door.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“It worked,” I said. “Your call was just in time.”

He nodded. “It’s a pleasure. You just let me know if you need my help again to do your job.” He winked at me.

I shook my head, but I couldn’t help smiling.

“God, what a morning,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

“He’s a handful,” Conrad said. He wasn’t even asking. It was a statement.

“You have no idea,” I said. “If any other guy does what he’s doing, it would just be written off as a guy-thing. Some men are like that, and women accept or reject them, and nothing comes of it. But he’s so damn famous, everything he does has repercussions.”

“It’s good for the good stuff, but when it goes bad, I get it.”

I nodded and glanced up at Conrad.

“You should be glad you don’t have clients like mine,” I said. “Yours always seem so timid.”

Conrad chuckled. “We can swap.”

I shook my head. That sounded like a good idea. I wasn’t in the mood for Hanson’s shit anymore, but I had to deal with it.

“I have to get back to work,” Conrad said. “My boring clients await.”

He left my office. I rubbed my hands down my face, not caring that I was wearing makeup. My back hurt from standing on my heels too long. My neck ached. It was where I kept all my tension. And I hadn’t eaten at all.

The phone rang, and I picked up.

“Townsend,” I said.

“Hello, Lacey.” At least he wasn’t calling me “beautiful.”

“You’re phoning me on the office line?” I asked.

“I was worried you might not answer if I called your cell,” he said.

Right. That would have been a possibility. I wasn’t in the mood to speak to him.

“You’re my client,” I said. “I’m not going to ignore your calls.”

“But you might not want to speak to me, either way.”

I didn’t respond to that. It was true. Just because I had to didn’t mean I wanted to. The problem with sleeping with clients was that I couldn’t just recover from them and forget what I’d done. I had to see them and speak to them all the time. It was one of the reasons why sleeping with Hanson had been such a big mistake.

That, and the fact that he was a first-class asshole.

“What do you need?” I asked. I’d wanted to be rude about it, but I kept myself in check.

“I wanted to thank you for talking to Coach. He was really pissed at me, and you smoothed it over.”

I sighed. “It wasn’t easy. You need to keep yourself in check. I don’t think you realize how easy it will be for him to get rid of you again.”

“I know, I know. I was thinking, let’s go out for a drink or two. I want to thank you properly for what you’ve done. What you’ve been doing. For me. Right now, I still have a career thanks to you.”

I didn’t hesitate before I answered him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Hanson.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to take that risk and be seen in a public place with you if it’s not for business.”

He sighed. “Are you sure? It’s just to say thank you.”

“I’m sure. Others might not interpret it that way.”

He didn’t fight with me. Instead, he politely ended the call and hung up. I was relieved. I wasn’t in the mood for a fight.

When I finally got home, my feet were aching, and my head felt like it was filled with cotton wool. It had been a long day. I walked to the bathroom and opened the taps, running myself a bath. I rarely took a bath. It took too much time. But I needed to relax.

I poured bath salts into the water, and the steam smelled like lavender and rose right away. I was just about to strip down when a knock sounded at my door.

I sighed and turned off the taps before walking to the door. When I opened it, Hanson stood on my doorstep with a bottle of wine.

“No limousine?” I asked sarcastically.

“Don’t be like that,” he said. His voice was gentle.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” My tone had been unnecessary. “What are you doing here?”

“You don’t want to be in public with me. I get that. So, I brought the drink and my thanks to you.”

He held up the bottle of wine. I glanced at it. It was an expensive bottle, a Chateau de la Tour.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Hanson. Not tonight, okay? I just want to be alone.”

Hanson swallowed. He looked dejected, but he didn’t argue with me. I closed the door on him and leaned against it. I half-expected him to knock again. He didn’t.

I walked to the bathroom and stripped of my clothes. When I sank into the hot water, my body finally relaxed, and the tension slipped out of my shoulders bit by bit.

It had been sweet of Hanson to come around to the house. He had taken what I’d said about not being seen together in public seriously. It was another act of selflessness. He had it in there, somewhere. And it was nice that someone cared.

No. I wouldn’t think like that. I didn’t care what he did, and he didn’t care about anything other than getting some ass. I was just stressed and my guard was down. I didn’t need a man. Yes, we had slept together, but it had just been about sex. That was what it would always be about with me.

I had made myself a promise, and I would stick to it.

No strings. No attachments. Only sex.