Page 10 of King of Players

Abel was already chuckling when he was close enough for me to hear him. “Your date seems angry,” he remarked.

Ella shook her head in forged disapproval. “What did you do this time?”

Delaying my answer, I slid into the backseat while Ella took her spot next to Abel. When we settled and the doors were closed, I cleared my throat, leaned forward between them, and addressed Abel. “Do you know that we crossed a million with our little campaign?”

He gripped the wheel with both hands. “And she’s mad because you didn’t reward her.”

Ella shook her head. “I don’t condone this conversation.”

“Ella, you don’t understand. You came late—”

“Our friend here,” Abel interrupted me, “seems to be interested in Kaira Bradley.”

“Oh!” she chuckled, cocking back her head as if in surprise. “She’s so not your type. Better give it up now.”

“Why not? She’s not married, is she?”

“Is that it?” Rubbernecking, she looked at me. “Any woman who’s available?”

“You call that ‘any woman’? Really?”

“Kaira’s different. I mean, I don’t really know her that well. But in my experience, she’s a very serious woman who doesn’t take anything lightly.”

“I feel attacked.”

“And that’s not my intention, believe me! Chad… you’re better off with women who are on the same page as you. Kaira’s… complicated.”

“You don’t think I can handle complicated?”

“You can handle anything with the aim of getting what you want—and that’s the complicated part.”

Abel cleared his throat and decided to swiftly interject. “What Ella means is that Kaira is probably too much work for a short-term thing. And we know you’re not looking for anything serious right now.”

“Wow.” I forced a chuckle as I sat back, leaning back and slamming my weight against the backrest. “I’m too sober for this.”

“Chad, we don’t mean to offend you—” Ella argued.

“No, you just mean to say that I’m such an open book to both of you. Suddenly, you know what I want and what I’m looking for.”

“Well, are you looking for something serious?” Abel challenged me with his tone. “Because, unlike you, Kaira Bradley isn’t known for her indulgence. She is never seen with a man in that way unless they are officially a couple. And you can count her relationships on the fingers of one hand.”

“She’s a prude, that’s what she is.”

Ella clicked her tongue. “That’s mature.”

Having had enough of their judging me, I slammed my hand on the door handle. “You know what? Let me out here. I’ll call a car.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Abel defended. “We’re driving you home.”

For the rest of the ride, we remained quiet. With the exception of Ella and Abel exchanging a few remarks on things that happened at the party, we didn’t engage in conversation. I know how the world is viewed, even by my friends. I was the good-looking actor who used his life adventures as inspiration for the characters he played on-screen. Chad Niles; proud bachelor, fun-loving charmer, with relationships shallower than the two-hour encounters he acted out in movies.

What they didn’t know, however, was that Kaira presented a new challenge for me. She was the first woman I was attracted to, who didn’t reciprocate it—and not because she was married or dating someone else. Kaira was free to be with whomever she wanted, and my failure to entice her excited me. What was her in? How could I coax her out of that shell? Because something inside told me that within her, there was fire burning brighter than anyone’s wildest fantasies.

I only had to find the key to her mind; the doorway to her inner world.

Arriving home, I headed straight for the shower as I cast every item of clothing onto the floor without stopping. It felt as though I was freeing my body of the shackles that had kept it tamed, to liberate my mind in the steam of hot water.

As the air around me thickened, my thoughts grew clearer. Kaira cared for nothing more than continuing her grandmother’s mission—or so it seemed. And if that was her primary concern, perhaps I should know more about it. Abel had been right earlier. After all, my reputation needed some polishing. So, what harm would come from me getting seriously involved in something good?

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