Page 76 of Love Game

One of the other boys grinned and started to tap out a beat so slow, a metronome would have outpaced it.

“Christ, I’m not that old,” Danny growled, and he set off at a respectable trot. The drummers soon caught on, and after he circled the track once, their beat forced him to pick up the pace.

It took a full mile to fall into just the right cadence. His rhythm section was called back to duty on the next lap, and he loped along for another mile. It pained him to admit it, but the braces he wore on both knees actually did provide more stability. By the time he passed the five-mile mark, he was drenched in sweat and flying high. When he passed the bleachers again, a pretty, dark-haired lady dressed in a pale-blue pantsuit let loose with a wolf whistle that would have done a construction crew proud.

He slowed to a trot but didn’t double back until he reached the curve. By the time he made it to Kate, she was leaning against the rail on the bleachers. A hint of white lace showed just above the top button on her suit. He wanted to dive in and see exactly how much lace there was.

“Whistling at a guy like that can get you into trouble,” he huffed as soon as they were within talking distance.

She gave him that smug Mona Lisa smile that made him want to rip the buttons right off her neat little jacket. She leaned over and whispered, “Maybe I’m looking for trouble.”

“Well, then you came to the right place.” The last thing he wanted to do was tell her what went down in the chancellor’s office. Hoping to distract her, he lifted the hem of his shirt and blotted the sweat from his forehead. Sure enough, he caught her ogling when he let the shirt drop, so he pressed his advantage. “You free tonight?”

“For a hot date?”

“Yep.”

She gave a regal nod and straightened to her full height. “I just have to decide what to wear.”

“I vote for nothing.”

“One vote doesn’t make it a consensus.”

Bracing his forearms on the metal crossbar, he leaned in to give his calf muscles a good stretch. “Are we having this relationship by committee?”

“Seems that way sometimes. How much oxygen did you have to give Mike after I left?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Avery wants to know if there was mouth-to-mouth involved, but I don’t think you should answer that. I think she’s just being a pervert.”

“I think so too.”

“I have a surprise for you.”

“Does it involve what you will or will not be wearing to dinner?”

“Not in the least.”

“Okay, but just for the record, I don’t see myself ever changing my vote.”

“Ever?”

Planting the sole of his sneaker on a rusty metal bar, he lunged for the rail where her hands rested and grabbed hold. The muscles in his shoulders, back, and arms trembled as he hauled his bulk up until his chin cleared the rail. “Never,” he growled.

“Show-off.”

“A guy has to showboat when there’s a pretty girl watching.”

“Then you must be worn out.”

“I only do it for you.”

Her lips curled into that too-tempting smile, but she stepped back. “I have to get changed and get some work in with the girls. Ty’s been covering some time for me, but I’m usually pretty hands-on with my camps.”

He stole a glance at her. She didn’t know he’d met with the chancellor. Couldn’t know. If she did, she would have been all over him about it. But the meeting wouldn’t remain a secret for long. Millie most likely had the man’s phones tapped and office bugged. He couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Mike and I met with Chancellor Martin. They’re giving me until five o’clock today to decide.”

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