Page 37 of Love Game

Thirty minutes later, Danny paused on the sidewalk, fidgeting with his car keys as he inspected the neighborhood. He’d parked around the corner from Kate’s neat, little bungalow—per her veiled instructions—but it irked him to do it. When he’d dropped off the shoes, it had been the dark of night, but he’d still pulled up to the curb in front of her house. Heaving a sigh, he opened the passenger door and retrieved the pizza box and six-pack of beer he’d picked up on his way over.

Kate obviously didn’t want him seen hanging out at her house. Probably wise, given that Millie was currently making them out to be Ali and Frazier, ready to go fifteen rounds at the sound of the bell. Plus, though he chose to ignore Mike’s pointed glares, he wasn’t oblivious to the risks in pursuing anything beyond a professional relationship with Kate. And yet another niggling voice in his head kept whispering that her reticence may have absolutely nothing to do with their current publicity campaign. Maybe she didn’t want to be seen with him. If that were the case, she was destined to be disappointed. He was done living his life under a cloud of shame. While he might have been willing to round a corner for the sake of its-nobody’s-damn-business, there was no way in hell he’d skulk down an alley like he was her backdoor man. They’d just have to figure out a happy medium.

As a concession to discretion, he snagged the green-and-gold Wolcott baseball cap off his dash and pulled it down low over his eyes. Hopefully any nosy neighbors who happened to be peeping through their blinds would think he was just a pizza delivery guy rather than the evil football coach come to debauch the Warrior princess.

Kate opened the door the second he reached the top step. To his relief, her smile was warm and welcoming. But judging from the speed with which she relieved him of his burden, she may only have been happy to see the pizza.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered it loaded,” he said as he relinquished the six-pack.

“Just the way I like it.”

He tried not to stare at her ass when she bent to deposit the food and drinks on the low coffee table, but he failed miserably. She straightened, flipping back that smooth fall of dark hair with a toss of her head, and his vision blurred momentarily. He wet his lips, hoping to find something semiwitty lurking in his addled brain, but thankfully, Kate read his play.

She smiled as he advanced. They stood eye to eye. Their noses bumped as they sought just the right angle. His hand spread across her back, and he smiled when he realized she may even have him topped by an inch or so. For some reason, the discovery fired him up like a blowtorch. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t flinch or draw away.

That small indulgence was all the opening he needed. “I hope you don’t mind cold pizza and warm beer.”

“My favorites,” she whispered.

Chapter 10

He bound her to him, lifting her onto the toes of those oh-so-demure black pumps and tipping his head back to kiss her. It was an odd angle for him, but the curve of her lips fit his to perfection. The skin was soft and supple but full to bursting, like a ripe red tomato left one day too long on the vine. He sank into her, relaxing his hold just enough to lower her and change the angle. She moaned sweet and gentle, parting for him when he ran the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips.

His ball cap tumbled to the floor as her fingers tangled in his hair. She caressed his nape, then dragged the flats of her palms down the length of his back and up again. She gave every bit as good as she got, the wet velvet of her tongue twining with his in a dance so slow and sensuous he almost forgot he was supposed to be leading.

Almost, but not quite.

He broke the kiss, settling his hands firmly on her hips and opening his eyes. Her lashes fluttered, and she blinked twice. He literally saw her snap back into focus, and man, that legendary concentration was a thing to behold.

“What?” she asked.

Blunt, direct, and sexy as sin. Lord, she was proving to be hotter than he’d ever imagined. And he’d spent a lot of time imagining her lately. The thing was, in every single one of those fantasies, she was naked. Holding her unswervingly forthright gaze. “I want you naked. In a bed.” Her brows shot up, and he grinned as he set a loophole in their agreement. “At least the first time.”

She stroked down his arm, then threaded her facile fingers through his. “Well, isn’t it lucky that I happen to have a bed handy?”

“Where?”

The urgency of his question must have hit the sweet spot. Her eyes lit up like a scoreboard. “Right this way.”

She turned and tucked their linked hands into the small of her back. Danny found himself mesmerized by the sway of her hips as she led him down a short, dark corridor. Just inside the bedroom, she released his hand and crossed to the bedside table. With the flick of a switch, a small lamp bathed the room in pale-gold light.

Her bed was smaller than the California king he hauled from state to state, but he wasn’t about to quibble. He noted two pillows in snowy-white cases propped against a scrolling wrought-iron headboard and a quilt done in pale blues and cream. Like her, the decor was subtle but pretty.

“Will this do?”

Her husky tease jolted him from his inspection. Turning his attention back to her, he caught a flash of uncertainty in her eyes as she lowered her lashes. A faint blush stained her cheeks, but she kicked off her shoes. He could feel heat wafting off her skin in waves.

“It’s perfect.” Brushing her hair back, he threaded his fingers through the thick, glossy locks and curled them around the back of her skull. “This has to be some kind of joke. You’re way too pretty to be a femjock,” he teased, hoping to ignite the fire in her again.

Bingo. Indignation flared, then simmered down to a sizzle as she narrowed her eyes. “You’re way too hot for a guy whose glory days are behind him.”

Grinning, he slipped his free hand under the hem of her sweater and lowered his head, telegraphing his pass. “I dunno. I felt pretty glorious this morning.”

“Did you?”

He felt her smile when he pressed a tender kiss to her temple. “I want to make you feel that good too.”

She tipped her head to the side, allowing him better access as he skimmed her cheekbone. “Jerking off in the locker room was the high point of your day, huh?”

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