Bemused at that reaction from Danny Esera, Sexiest Man in Sport, as voted by the masses, she didn’t regale him with her friend group’s other cheeky comments. She also didn’t reply to the nosy parkers. Thirsting on an actor or sportsperson she’d never met was one thing, but she knew Danny. He wasn’t just a picture on a wall she’d never meet.

He was all too real… all too sexy, all too funny, all too smart.

And she was going to be in serious trouble if she didn’t find a way to squelch this soon.

“You cooked,” she said and got up after setting her phone aside. “I should clear up.”

Ignoring her, he kept on with it. Her lips pursed, her blood hot without warning. “I said I can do it.” She hated it when people tried to “help” her, all the while disregarding her autonomy and abilities as a full-grown adult.

“Catie,” Danny said, giving her a narrow-eyed glance that was pure steel. “Are you treating me like some ableist fuck? Because no, just no. That’s not how we do things.”

The blunt question and statement brought her up short. She’d reacted instinctively and, honestly, not that sensibly. This was the same man who played touch rugby with her like they were on a professional field and he needed to win the championship. Never in a way that would hurt her, but with serious intent. Not once in their relationship had he treated her as anything but his equal.

“Then why are you keeping on with the washing-up when I said I had it?” she argued back.

“Because my mother would whup my ass if I sat around while a woman cleaned and tidied around me.” No give in his tone. “You know she would.”

Okay, he had a point. No one sat on their butt in Alison’s kitchen unless they’d done another chore. “You cooked,” she pointed out again. “Your mum always says the cook is excused from the cleaning.”

A scowl followed by an exhale. “Yeah, okay. I just didn’t want to sit anymore. I feel—” Putting the dishes in the sink, he gripped the edge of the stainless steel and sharply square bowl. “A stranger put something in my drink and suddenly, I had no control. It’s…” He swallowed hard.

Putting down the dishes she’d grabbed, Catie placed one hand on his muscular back. The heat of him burned through the fine cotton of his tee, his muscles all bunched up under her touch. “I know,” she murmured. “Realizing that other people can change your life without any input on your part? It sucks.”

Danny glanced at her, his eyes shiny before he looked away and blinked. “I’m blowing this out of proportion, aren’t I? I mean, compared to what happened to you—”