Page 9 of Quarterback Sneak

“They actually make chili-pepper printed chef’s pants?”

“Yes they do and in an array of colors—the pants, not the peppers. Probably not the most fashionable item in my wardrobe, but they’re comfortable. Not to mention that its fun to say chili-pepper printed chef’s pants.”

Sam spread his napkin over his lap and picked up his fork. He made no move to eat, however. Nervous energy sent his toes tapping and he had to force his feet to remain still. “Remind me to thank Beth. While I’m sure you’d look good in the proverbial potato sack, I much prefer the white. It compliments the color of your eyes. It’s the first thing I noticed about you.”

“The first thing?” Her tone was skeptical as she fiddled with the jade necklace dangling inches above her cleavage.

He watched one pink polished nail linger, and his body responded to the view of the swell of her breasts. While small, they were well-rounded and begging to be touched. At least that’s what his dick was telling him, maybe not the best head to think with at the moment. “Well, maybe not the first thing.”

She pushed a piece of sushi around her plate, her tension matched his own. If their kiss was any indication, sex with Ivy was going to be wild, and he couldn’t wait. But he didn’t want to push things too fast either. He wasn’t looking for a one-night stand.

The boat jerked as it left the slip and the ice clanged against the water pitcher. He gripped the handle to steady it. Hell, he might need to pour it on his lap if the night continued along its current path.

Ivy brought the topic back to safer ground. “You never told me who Howler is.”

“He’s my good friend and agent. His real name is Xavier, but nobody calls him that. He might be a pain, but he puts up with my shit and I put up with his. To give you fair warning, he’s a bit of an ass, so when you meet him, try not to take offense.”

“Does this mean you’re asking me out for a third date?” Ivy put down her fork without taking a single bite.

“That depends on you. I come with a lot of baggage.” Sam followed her lead and pushed his plate back. He couldn’t eat; his stomach was in knots. How would she react to the reality of his life? Would she be able to handle the pressure of the spotlight, or would she collapse like Raina had? “I came back from Africa a week earlier than my publicist told the press so I could have some time off from the constant barrage of the media. Last season was bad because of the Super Bowl, but this year my contract is up, and it’s big news in the sports world.”

She reached across the table and slipped her fingers through his. “And the minute they find out you’re home, they’re going to bombard you with questions.”

“Along with long-range camera lenses, not to mention cell-phone cameras, phone calls, and any means of contact they can find. Including the people in my life. Including you.” He waited, breath held while he studied her expression.

A frown appeared between her arched brows and her thumb stilled on his skin. “That bad, huh?”

He hesitated, unsure how much to disclose. While he longed to trust her, he’d learned to err on the side of caution when it came to his career. “Until I sign on the dotted line either with the Pioneers or another team, every part of my life will be under public scrutiny whether it has anything to do with football or not. I really like you, and because I do, I need you to be prepared. If it’s too much, tell me now before…” I fall in love with you. He halted the declaration, unsure where the strong emotion came from. This was their second date, and he was acting like some lovesick idiot. Maybe Howler was right. He needed to slow things down and keep it casual. However, with Ivy, he sensed commitment would be all or nothing. “Before things get crazy.”

“I won’t lie and say this doesn’t freak me out a bit, because it does. I like my privacy. After I won 3Square, it was intense for a while. I expect I’ll get more attention after the Seasoned Chef cover comes out. Being a celebrity in the cooking world isn’t on the same level as football. Didn’t some country singer get death threats because her boyfriend couldn’t complete a pass after they started dating?” She dropped his hand, narrowed her eyes and gave him a sharp look. “That wasn’t you, was it?”

He shook his head and fought to keep his eyes leveled on her. “No, it wasn’t me. But the media loves to speculate, and often I find out in the tabloids I’m supposedly dating some woman I might have said a handful of words to. You’ll have to trust me on blind faith sometimes, which is tough for most people, but I wouldn’t ask this of you if I wasn’t sure you could handle it.” To say it out loud made the situation even more real.

Her jaw constricted, and the knot in his stomach grew larger. But he had to be sure she fully understood. “I don’t want to scare you, but that’s my reality, and as much as I’d like to shield you from the inevitable, I can’t. I’m leaving town tomorrow, and I’ll be gone for a couple of days. Unfortunately, my week vacation from the press will be cut short the minute they hear about my meetings with the owners of various teams, and the reporters will be out in full force. At this point, they aren’t clued in about you. If you want it to stay that way, please tell me before I return.”

“Should I leave now, or can I finish my dinner?” She cocked her head to the side, a smirk on her lips and a determined gleam in her eyes. No anger or confusion clouded her expression, just a subtle certainty that gave him hope. “I have to say this is the oddest conversation I’ve ever had on a second date. Usually I get the classic, ‘It’s not you, it’s me,’ or, ‘I’ll call you,’ but never ‘You’ll be hounded by paparazzi, so don’t be caught out in public in your underwear.’”

Ivy stood and moved to the perch on the bow overlooking the deep blue waters of the Puget Sound. “I can guess that I won’t even begin to understand the magnitude of what you’re warning me about until it happens.”

Thank God. She hadn’t jumped ship yet. He joined her at the railing, sliding his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “If I could guard you from it, I would. The good news is that it won’t go on forever. It will seem like forever, but after a while, they’ll find someone else to stalk. Trust me, my life isn’t very interesting.”

At least it hadn’t been, until Ivy came along. Could she be the one he’d been waiting for?

Ivy nestled into the bend of Sam’s arm and stretched her legs on the long cushioned bench of the boat. A luxurious cashmere wool blanket protected them from the cool damp air. Rays of the sun peeked over the horizon and the mountains in the distance were a dark, dense blue against the brightening horizon.

“I love this time of the morning.” She licked her dry lips, her voice hoarse from talking most of the night. “I try to run at six a.m. The air is cooler and the empty streets are a nice change from the usual bustle of the city.”

Sam filled a glass of water from the carafe on the wooden side table and handed it to her. “I hit the gym around five. Most of the world is still asleep and the phone is blessedly quiet.”

“Normally, I’d be one of those people. I don’t usually stay up the entire night.” She took a sip in an attempt to stifle the yawn she wanted to let out.

“You drifted off for about fifteen minutes.” He retrieved his phone from the table and tapped the screen. “I can prove it. I took a picture.”

He showed her a selfie of them.

Her head was on his shoulder, lids closed, lips parted. She examined the picture more closely. Thankfully, she wasn’t drooling. “You took a picture of me when I was sleeping. That’s kind of creepy.”

“It is, isn’t it?” he agreed. “Let’s take another one. Say cheese.”

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