Paige
I’ve been taking care of Dallas for a few days now. He has mostly been sleeping and taking it easy, but today, he is going back to the gym. “Before you head out, you have to take the medication which your doctor prescribed, or else your pain is never going to subside.”
Dallas groans in protest and tries to hide under his blanket. I would find it cute if I weren’t his caretaker. So what if he is a grown-ass man? His fear of medication is silly. He is so precious, and when he peeks at me, his brown hair is all messed up.
Adorable.
“Do I have to?”
I almost smile. It’s the same rodeo every morning. “Yes.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh, or else your agent is going to be very angry when he comes to get you later today.”
Dallas groans again. “What if we just pretend that I’ve taken my medication when Julian comes? He won’t know the difference.”
“He will definitely notice,” I glance down at Dallas’ phone, which is vibrating on my bedside table. “And he is probably the one calling you right now. Do you want your phone?”
“You can, but I’m sure Julian is just calling to remind me of my time with my personal trainer later today. Even though I’m injured, it’s important I keep in shape. I’m a star football player—something Julian won’t ever let me forget.”
“Do you want to forget about it?” I’m about to hand the phone over to Dallas. Julian’s name is flashing on the screen, but he suddenly hangs up. “Oh…he stopped calling,” I wrinkle my eyebrows when I notice Dallas has thirty missed calls and about ninety-nine text messages. “Dude, are all these missing calls from Julian?”
“No,” Dallas says and doesn’t even seem bothered by me looking at his phone. “Christina called me a billion times while I was trying to sleep.”
It stings hearing the name of his ex-girlfriend. I’m afraid they are going to get back together, but I push that fear aside and remind myself that Dallas is my friend. Nothing else. Our relationship is strictly platonic.
Dallas wouldn’t want to be with me anyway. I still have no clue why he asked for a second chance before his memory loss, but I suspect he must have been drunk.
“I see,” I say, hoping to sound friendly. “Aren’t you going to call her back?”
“I probably should…”
As Dallas reaches for his phone, I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Plain and simple, I’m still in love with him. He is an itch that doesn’t go away.
“Oh...” his face lights up. “Julian is already outside and about to pick me up.”
“Hey, don’t forget about your medication,” I remind him gently as I hand over the pills and a glass of water.
“Right,” he says, taking the pills from me and swallowing them with a grimace. “God, I hate these things.”
“I know, but they will help you feel better.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he mutters, handing me back the glass. “I just hope Julian doesn’t keep bothering me.”
“Bothering you?”
He nods. “He keeps talking about how important it is for me to get back on the field as quickly as possible.”
“And you don’t want that?”
“I do, but...no...forget it.”
“Forget it?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Tell me what it is.”
“Well...” he chews on his bottom lip, hesitating briefly before searching my eyes.
There is insecurity in his gaze, and I lean forward, placing my hand on his big arm. The intimacy shocks him—it shocks me too. I can’t believe I’m touching him out of nowhere, but it felt like he needed it.
“You can trust me,” I say in a soft voice. “There is no judgment here. If you haven’t noticed, I live in a dumpster, and most of my walls are covered with strange art. So if it’s any comfort, I’m probably way weirder than whatever you’re hesitating to tell me right now.”
That makes him chuckle. “You’re not weird.”
“Oh yeah?” I arch an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge? Because I can give you a hundred reasons why I’m weird.”
Another chuckle. “You’re funny,” his eyes soften, and he places his hand over mine. “Promise not to laugh.”
“I promise.”
He takes a deep breath. “Okay...so I’m loaded, right? Not only am I a football prodigy, but I inherited all of my parents’ money when they died.”
I blink. “Do you remember your parents?”
“Julian told me about them,” he says. “But that’s not the point. The point is that...what if...what if the only reason people like me is because they expect something from me? What if they don’t like me but my money?”
My heart aches as I listen to Dallas’s fears, and I squeeze his arm gently. “That’s not true, Dallas. People like you because of who you are, not because of your money. You’re kind, funny, and a great friend.”
“But sometimes, I feel like I’m just a tool for people to use,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “Like Julian, he is always talking about getting me back on the field, getting me back in the game, but does he actually care about me? Or is it just about the money I make for him?”
I shake my head. “I can’t speak for Julian, but I know that I care about you. And I’m pretty sure your other friends do too.”
“What friends?” he snaps. It’s a tone so unlike any tone I’ve ever heard him use that I’m speechless. And when Dallas notices my reaction, he grimaces. “Sorry... I’m just...I haven’t received a whole lot of phone calls since the accident, so I’m questioning everything.”
“It’s alright,” I say. “I can’t imagine how stressed out and confused you must be after your accident.”
“My head is spinning so fast it’s hurting.”
I giggle but then feel bad. “Sorry for laughing.”
“No, no, feel free to make fun of me.”
My lips twitch. “If it’s any comfort, at least I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Dallas looks up at me, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Thank you, Paige. That means a lot.”
I give his arm one more squeeze before standing up. “Now, let’s get you ready for your personal trainer. You don’t want to keep him waiting.”
Dallas nods, and I help him get dressed in his workout clothes. As he goes to leave, he turns back to me. “Hey, Paige?”
“Yeah?”
“Can we hang out later? Maybe order some food and watch a movie together or something?”
My heart skips a beat. “Of course, Dallas. I would love that.”
He grins like a Child on Christmas day, and I can’t help but smile back. Maybe...just maybe...there is a chance for us after all.
“Anyway, you should probably get ready.”
“Get ready?”
The edges of his lips curl. It’s not a smile. It looks more like he is celebrating a victory. “You’re my assistant, Paige. You go where I go. So chop-chop.”
“Oh, I’m coming with you?”
“Of course.”
“Ah, that’s okay. Just know that I’m already ready,” I gesture at my sweatpants and colorful pink t-shirt. “This is what I’m wearing, and I’m not going to change.”
Dallas pauses, wrinkling his nose. It’s clear he isn’t a fan of the flamingo on my t-shirt. “Seriously? People are going to think you’re a swinger.”
I gasp. “Not all swingers wear flamingos! And how about you, huh? You’ve been wearing the same underwear since yesterday!”
His gaze narrows.
Holy shit, what the heck am I doing? I can’t antagonize him! Dallas is technically my new boss. Julian is paying me for taking care of him, and my life won’t be a happy one if I piss off Dallas. I’m as good as dead if he finds me unsuitable for the job because, like it or not, I sort of need the money for my rent.Luckily, Dallas sounds too angry, just annoyed. “I changed boxers after waking up. They all just look the same,” he nods at the door. “Anyway, let’s get ready. Julian must be getting tired of waiting for us.”
I nod and help Dallas sit in his wheelchair. We make it to the elevator, and minutes later, we are sitting in the car. Julian talks about his cat, and once we park outside the gym, I can’t get out of the car fast enough.
Hugo, Dallas’ professional trainer, is waiting for us inside, but as I roll Dallas forward, a female voice calls his name.
“Dallas!”
Dallas tenses up, and I turn around his wheelchair, watching as a blonde woman runs up the street. It’s Christina—Dallas’s ex-girlfriend. She is gorgeous, and I grow bitter seeing her large, fake boobs bounce up and down.
I wish I had boobs that big...
Wait, what am I thinking? This is not the time to be envious of someone else’s body. I need to focus on Dallas and make sure he’s okay.
“Hey, Christina,” Dallas says, his voice cold.
“I’m so glad I caught you,” Christina says, gasping for breath and brushing sweat off on the back of her arm. She doesn’t even look at me; it’s like I don’t exist. “How are you feeling? You never responded to any of my messages.”
“I’m fine,” Dallas says shortly. “And I have a personal trainer waiting for me, so if you could excuse us...”
“Wait, Dallas,” Christina says, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. “Don’t go. I have so many things that I want to tell you. Can we talk? Please. I’ve missed you so much.”
Dallas hesitates. “It’s nice to see you again, Christina, but I have a very busy day ahead of me.”
“And yet you have time for her?” she nods at me. “What is she doing back in your life anyway?”
Suddenly it feels like someone has poured a liter of lead into my stomach. How the heck does Christina know about me? The only explanation I can think of is that Dallas must have talked about me in the past or something. Maybe he showed a picture of me on social media?
Either way, this isn’t good. Dallas doesn’t know I used to be his girlfriend in the past, and so far, Julian hasn’t told him about that either. He is probably convinced it’s better if Dallas doesn’t know about our past just yet.
Christina, however, could disturb the peace, and fear swirls in the pit of my belly when Dallas looks at Christina and asks, “You don’t like Paige?”
“Of course, I don’t like her!” Christina growls. “And you wouldn’t either if you listened to what I had to say.”
Dallas’s jaw ticks with fury, and my gaze locks with his. Rage-filled eyes hold mine for a moment before his attention travels to Julian, who is oblivious to the dramatic situation while sliding on his phone.
“Give me five minutes with Christina.”
Julian looks up from his screen, “Alright,” he turns around and gives me a tight smile. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for the next five minutes.”
I try to smile back, but my mind is racing. What is going to happen in those five minutes? I don’t trust Christina one bit, and I can’t shake off the feeling that she is up to no good.
What if she ruins everything?
PaigeI’m close to biting my nails—that’s how nervous I am. Dallas is still talking to Christina, which is frightening. What if she tells him that I’m his ex-girlfriend, and that sets him on a path of remembering me? I would hate for that to happen. Dallas has reverted back to the man he was before his fame and career, and I know I’m greedy now, but I want his Amnesia to stay for a little while longer. “You don’t have to worry about anything,” Julian comments from beside me. We are sitting in the lobby inside the gym. “Dallas has already figured out that Christina is crazy and most likely only interested in his fortune.”He must see the confusion on my face because he breathes a laugh. “You forgot that he is a billionaire, didn’t you?”I blush. “I know that Dallas is wealthy, but sometimes, I forget about the money he inherited after his parents passed away.”“Because you don’t care, right?”I shake my head. “No.”Julian smiles and looks down at his phone again. “This is the reason
PaigeMy makeup is gone after I leave the restroom. It couldn’t be saved. Five minutes ago, I looked like a panda and decided to remove it. I don’t know why, but sometimes when I’m sad, I shower or clean my face. It makes me feel less disgusting, as if the water can somehow wash away my shame, sadness, and depression.But that isn’t the case today.When Dallas looks up at me, his lips slowly part. He can definitely tell that I’ve been crying. My eyes are puffy, and my smile is wavering as I retake my seat. “Haven’t they served us our food yet?”“I told them to wait,” Dallas says without removing his eyes from mine. I’m already uncomfortable by how intently he is looking at me.“Oh…thank you.”We say nothing else, and soon the food arrives. My pasta is amazing, but Dallas’ steak looks even better. “Aren’t you going to eat that?” I ask. He looks up as if returning from a daydream. “What? Oh…yes…I was just...” There is hesitation written over his handsome face. “Look, I’m sorry if I b
PaigeI can’t breathe. Dallas is suffocating me with just a look. I’m dying, breaking apart, and I don’t know how to make it stop. He is asking too much of me. I can’t tell him that he is the man I could never forget. It would break me.“No,” I feel foolish for putting up a battle against him, childish for lifting my nose into the air, but I don’t care. I glare into his eyes, and his lips twitch.It surprises me.Dallas looks darkly amused, and the cold, throaty laugh leaving his lips is shocking. This isn’t the sweet lamb I’ve handled for six weeks. No, this Dallas reminds me of the other Dallas, the wolfish one that knew me so well he could destroy my walls with his mouth.“So there is nothing going on between us, right?”“Yes,” I say a little too fast, but I can’t help it. Anger is spreading over my skin like wildfire.“Then you won’t have a problem telling me to stop.”I freeze, bewildered by his words. “What?”Dallas releases my wrists, and I stare up at him, waiting for him to
PaigeAfter Julian leaves my apartment, Dallas announces he is tired, so I take a quick shower before deciding to watch something in the living room before going to bed.It doesn’t take long before I’ve washed away every sign of my makeup, and I rolled a towel around my head.I look ridiculous, but that doesn’t matter. Mr model should be sleeping right now, which makes it possible for me to walk into the living room while only wearing a bathrobe.“Wonder if there is any new series to watch...” I ask myself while humming the lyrics to a song.It doesn’t take me long to find a movie to watch, and I sit down in the armchair as it begins to play.My eyes are so caught on the screen that I jump in surprise when I hear a low chuckle coming from the couch. When I glance in its direction, I catch Dallas lying on his back with an amused smile on his lips. He is decent, but his feet are bare and casually resting on top of the armrest. “Jesus,” I say, pressing my hand to my chest. “You scared m
PaigeAnother week has passed with me babysitting Dallas. Not that I’m sure you could even call it that anymore. Dallas doesn’t need me that much anymore. Instead, I’m the one using him right now. We are at a grocery store, and Dallas is wearing a ballcap and an ugly sweater as a disguise while I’m rummaging through the bakery aisle.“And then I need blue coloring for the cupcake frosting…” I mumble and stand on my tiptoes in an attempt to reach it. When I can’t, Dallas moves behind me. His chest is right behind my head, and I freeze as he picks down the item with ease.“Here you go.”I smile. “Thank you.”Dallas smiles back, and I’m tempted to put my hand over his arm and stroke the tanned skin there. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and most days, I have this itch to touch him. Insanity is what it is, but I’m barely able to fight it, the temptation to just push up against him and try to kiss his lips.Would he mind?The lines between friendship and more have been rather blur
PaigeDallas momentarily freezes, and I’m almost afraid to meet his eyes, terrified he will laugh at my question. Love isn’t easy, and it's not something I believe in either. Because if a happily ever after existed in real life, I wouldn’t have lost him in the first place. Shit. What if I’m wrong? What if he doesn’t like me?I’m trembling right now, and Dallas grabs my wrists. “Paige…” Tears gather in my eyes. How dare he use his sexy voice on me?My heart cracks a little further when I look up at him. It's barely keeping itself together. I had to repair it, piece by piece, when Dallas broke it three years ago. But super glue isn’t enough to prevent it from shattering if he says the wrong thing. I’m waiting, barely even breathing, when he parts his lips for the second time.“Do you really think I’m not?” he asks. His question confuses me. I expected an answer, not another question. And Dallas smiles when he notices my bewilderment.“Paige…you’ve been caring for me for almost two m
PaigeIs this really happening right now? Dallas and I are riding the elevator up to my apartment, and I’m floating on clouds. My heart is in a happy place. I received head from Dallas and the way that he looks at me? It’s more than enough to make a girl go wild and drop her pants. I’m falling for him, which is dangerous. This version of Dallas doesn’t have his memories—if he did, he would surely remember that I’m nothing special.Because I’m not.Girls like me don’t date guys like Dallas Brooke, but tonight? Tonight I’m going to ignore my insecurities. Forget my past heartbreak and live in the moment. When we are standing in my hallway, I grab his hand, surprising the hell out of him. His eyebrows lift, and an amused look crosses his features. “Paige?”I mimic his tone. “Dallas?”His lips twitch. “Why did you suddenly grab my hand?”“Isn’t it obvious?”He stares at me.I laugh. “I’m leading you to the bedroom.”“Oh,” his tone is teasing. “I didn’t realize we were going to share th
PaigeDallas is staring at me from the kitchen table as I apply makeup in front of the mirror, groaning for the billionth time. “Why do you have to be so cruel?”I meet his eyes in the mirror. “Cruel?” “Mhm,” he leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees while looking tortured. There is a pout on his lips. “When you agreed to paraglide with me, I didn’t expect you to doll yourself up for the occasion.”“Oh,” disappointment fills my chest. “You don’t like it?” Am I doing too much?“That’s not what I meant,” he sighs and stares at me intently. “It’s just that you look really good with that red lipstick on. That pouty mouth? I’m tempted to stay at home and see it wrapped around my cock instead.”A tingle starts in my toes and travels through my entire body until I’m fluttering all over. But instead of smiling at the compliment, I frown.“Keep talking like that, and I’m leaving you at home.”Dallas grins like the Cheshire Cat. “Because you will be too horny to enjoy the date?” I gape