Striker - Michelle Betham

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took a sip of wine, keeping her eyes on his on all the time. ‘I still find that incredibly hard to believe. Come on, Ryan, you can’t blame me. There’s hardly a week goes by when you’re not in some gossip magazine or showbiz section of some newspaper or other with something that falls into the category of Z-List celebrity hanging off your arm. There was a time when footballers only used to feature on the back pages of newspapers.’

      ‘You’re not in the least bit cynical, then?’ he asked, although it was purely a rhetorical question. Boy, it was going to be a long haul to get this one on side. She was going to be hard work, but something was telling Ryan she’d be worth it. He hadn’t realised how exciting a bit of a challenge would be until he’d met Amber Sullivan. And maybe she was just what he needed right now – someone to take his mind off everything else.

      ‘Cynical? Me?’ Amber smiled, taking another sip of wine. ‘As if.’

      Ryan smiled, too, holding out his hand. ‘Shall we sit down?’

      Amber nodded, slipping her hand into his, her stomach turning a tiny somersault as his fingers curled around hers. It had been a long time since she’d experienced those somersaults, those little stomach flips that told you something exciting might be about to happen. But, as Amber was the eternal pessimist, she never let herself get carried away with such feelings. And she had to remember who she was dealing with here.

      ‘So, the lure of the post-home-win-celebrations with some of the lads wasn’t grabbing you, huh?’ Amber asked, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at him across the candle-lit table.

      Ryan shrugged, giving her that famous smile of his again. ‘I fancied a change.’

      ‘Oh, so that’s what I am, then? A change. I see…’

      ‘I didn’t mean it like that…’

      ‘I know you didn’t,’ Amber smiled. ‘I just wanted to see how genuine you are.’

      ‘Are you gonna constantly test me like this?’

      Amber shrugged. ‘Probably. It takes a lot for me to trust somebody, Ryan. I’ve been around sportsmen too long, believe me. I know what a lot of you are like.’

      He leaned forward, keeping his eyes on hers, not willing to break the stare. ‘Do you, though? Do you really? You said yourself you’ve kept away from relationships with footballers in particular, so, if that’s the case, then you only know what you see on the surface – what you read about, what you hear them talking about, and believe me, Amber, there are a few of them out there who like to furnish the truth quite a bit. So, you see, you only think you know what we’re like. You don’t actually know anything.’

      ‘Don’t I?’

      He shook his head. ‘No. You don’t.’

      ‘How do you know that, huh? You don’t really know anything about me, so how do you know that?’

      ‘Because, bar your relationship with Ronnie White, you’ve never let yourself get close enough. At least, that’s what you’re leading me to assume. So, what you think you know only scratches the surface in reality, doesn’t it?’

      ‘You really are arrogance personified, aren’t you?’

      ‘Look, Amber, all I’m saying is that if you, maybe, stopped being so cynical, tore down those barriers you seem to have built around yourself and just let someone in, you might actually find something there that could change your mind. If you’re willing to give them a chance.’

      She wanted to give him a chance. She’d told Ronnie as much, and there was no doubt that she was attracted to him. But she’d spent so long backing away from relationships and concentrating on her career that she didn’t really know what to do next. Or how to handle it all. How the hell did you handle a relationship with somebody like Ryan Fisher? And is that what they were talking about here – a relationship? Is that what was happening? Is that what she wanted? What he wanted?

      ‘I can pull ’em down, if you like,’ Ryan said, giving her that grin of his.

      She couldn’t help smiling back. ‘Pull what down, exactly?’

      He sat back, adopting a more-than-casual stance. Cocky, even. But that was just the way he was. The way he chose to showcase himself. And she figured she was just going to have to learn to deal with it if she really wanted to get closer to him.

      ‘Those barriers of yours,’ he smirked, causing Amber to laugh out loud, against her better judgement. ‘There you go. You’re not such an ice-queen after all, are you?’

      ‘Jesus, is that how I really come across?’ Amber asked, smiling her thanks at the wine waiter as he topped up her half-empty glass.

      ‘Sometimes. But, hey, you just need warming up a bit.’

      ‘Reel it in, will you, Ryan. I get it, okay?’

      He looked at her through slightly narrowed eyes. It was all a front as far as he was concerned, this ice-queen image. She was using it as some kind of shield to hide behind, and he should know. ‘I just want to get to know you, Amber. Is that such a bad thing?’

      She shook her head, finally allowing herself to feel comfortable with him, although the drink could be helping on that score. But a little bit of help never hurt, did it?

      ‘No. It’s not a bad thing at all.’

      ‘Okay. Then, let’s start again, shall we? My name’s Ryan, and I’m pleased to meet you.’

      She couldn’t help smiling at him as she felt herself relax. ‘Pleased to meet you, too, Ryan. I’m Amber.’

      ‘Well hello, Amber.’ He leaned forward, clasping his hands together on the table in front of him. ‘I think you and I are gonna get along just fine, don’t you?’

      She leaned forward, too, copying his stance, looking into those deep, almost navy, blue eyes of his. And she had absolutely no reason to argue with that.

       Chapter Seven

      ‘You’re my secret weapon,’ Ryan whispered, his lips close to her ear as he pushed her over onto her back, parting her legs with his knee. ‘My very own lucky charm.’

      Amber laughed out loud, throwing her head back as she wrapped her legs around him, the prospect of a few more minutes in bed so much more appealing than another day at the Sports Desk over at News North East. But she was going to have to make a move some time soon, whether she liked it or not. ‘Hmm…’ she groaned, stretching languidly as his mouth covered one of her breasts, his tongue flicking across her naked skin, his rough beard tickling her slightly, which only heightened the shivers that were shooting right through her. ‘I think you might be right. I’m certainly feeling lucky right now.’

      He looked at her, those deep-blue eyes of his showing no signs of the little sleep they’d had the night before, whereas Amber was almost dreading looking in the mirror when she finally managed to summon up the enthusiasm to get out of bed.

      ‘Since I met you, Ms. Sullivan, I’ve scored in every single match I’ve played in, won “Man of the Match” three times, and am currently being lauded as a saint here on Tyneside. They are loving me, baby. Loving me. And you’ve done that.’ He quickly kissed her unsuspecting mouth, an action which Amber was growing to love more and more as each day around Ryan Fisher unfolded. He had the sexiest mouth, and one that could deliver everything from the lightest of touches to the deepest, most erotic kiss she’d ever experienced.

      She smiled up at him as he pulled away slightly, that familiar, almost boyish smirk on his handsome face. ‘Oh, come on, Ryan. I’m not sure I can take all the credit for your winning streak.’

      ‘Well,

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