Jack grinned. She was excited. That mischievous look only meant one thing. She sat back watching him take another drink, then not so conspicuously eyeballing the headband that was now on the table. One eyebrow raised. Another. Then he lifted his gaze on her, hot and ready. “Want to go down memory lane?”
Did she? Like he had to ask. Although with date nights rarer than seeing a leopard without spots, she knew she had to play it cool or risk Jack bellying up her surprise. Giving into her wants had always been her husband’s kryptonite.
She took a measured drink of beer, then tried to act unamused. “Okay. I’ll bite.”
Without a word, he reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He laid it on the table right between the empty appetizer plates, just a two-finger reach from her hand. She was itching to rip it open. She went for it. Jack stopped her.
She glared.
He glared too, but no, his narrowed glance wasn’t just a stare down but some damn sexy bedroom eyes. Aw, crap. The promise of a hot night written all over his face sent a slow, burning heat coiling deep within her.
Locking gazes with him, she huffed. “Is the envelope for me or not?”
Jack shot her his lethally charming smile, the one that sealed the deal between them back in college. “I just wanted to draw out the suspense a little. Yeah, sure, you can open it.”
“You’re the worst.” She playfully slapped her husband’s hand, then grabbed the envelope. She carefully tore it open and pulled out two sets of keys. One appeared to be a hotel keycard, the other she wasn’t too sure, just that it was old. “Not sure I get the surprise,” she said, holding up the contents for Jack to see.
“Has it been that long since I’ve taken you out that you’ve forgotten what a hotel key looks like?”
“Jack.”
“Okay, okay, I couldn’t help myself.” He leaned forward in his chair, gazing at her with those amazing smokey brown eyes. His eyes studied her shamelessly, a potent combination of sexual energy and playfulness. She shuffled in the seat, disoriented and barely able to think. “You remember how I played football back in college and how you’d come visit me outside the locker room between your classes?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh. We all remember your football days. The kids even wear the school colors and cheer when our alma mater plays even though they probably only care about the chips and dip.”
His mouth twitched. “How about that night after we won the playoffs?”
“You didn’t.” Heat raced across her cheeks. “How—I mean who do you know that has a key?”
“A lawyer I know owed me a favor. He knows the new head coach, and when I told the guy I had a hot date tonight who’s a Cougar’s fan and if he could hook me up with a stadium tour it would seal the deal…well, he hooked me up,” he said, his voice notably deeper as he gazed at her hungrily. “Still want to do this memory lane thing or just a normal suburban date night dinner? You choose.”
She knew the stadium well. Spent most nights hanging out at the stadium when she should’ve had her nose pressed in her fifteen century English literature books. Good thing her memory was sharp or else she wouldn’t have passed once the handsome football player caught her eyes. Nor would she be able to give that degree the bird to write fiction novels, doing quite well for herself.
And the football field? Their catnip.
She gulped. Blinked up at him, her whole body on fire, needy and tight, ready to cede her fancy dress for any offer her husband placed on the table. Her pulse thrummed in her ears. She was itching to have Jack alone. No responsibilities, but them. Yet she played it cool knowing the buildup was as important as the finale. So instead she offered up what her belly wanted. “Dinner first. Then we can do the memory lane thing.”
She watched him swallow, long and hard, his defense mechanism when he didn’t want the other party in court knowing what he was thinking. Yet she did. He was good. Thrilled. Whatever Jack had up his sleeve must be impressive. He lounged back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head, staring directly at her. “Should we put dinner on your card or mine?”
“Yours,” she said. “I swiped our bank account for groceries this morning so tonight’s on you”
His hot gaze licked over, and an achy, heat spread through her. “Okay. But at the hotel I’m going to tell them I’m your gigolo and your paying at check-out.”
Her entire body went numb with desire. “You do look young, if not for the beard you’d get carded more, but I’m sorry I don’t think I wore the right panties to meet my young stallion.”
Jack picked up his beer and took a drink, not taking a beat to look away from her. She liked being his center of attention. When he wasn’t working, she had his world. Jack touched her hand. “No worries. Your panties aren’t invited to the hotel anyways.”
Heat curled up from her toes to her gut. I hope not,” Holly said.
Chapter Four
The stadium streetlamps lit the pavement, and Jack and Holly stood side-by-side taking in the beauty of their alma mater. It’d been a while since either had attended a game, but as Jack stood outside the massive dome football field, he could almost hear the crowd cheering him and his team to victory. Pride swelled in his chest. He was in his element.
He looked at Holly. “Ready to take the tour?”
She kicked off her heels. “You’re really asking a repeat offender that question?”
“Hey!” He threw his hands up in the air and laughed. “It’s not my fault the security guard didn’t find me as amusing as you.”
“I was streaking across the field because you told me it would bring you good luck at the game on Saturday. How could Mr. Campus Cop not have noticed me?”
“You were an interesting nineteen-year-old. God, I miss her,” he said sarcastically.
Holly socked him in the arm gently. “Jack!”
“What?” He shrugged.
His wife’s eyes narrowed. “You know what?”
“Okay, okay.” Their elbows bumped. “I only miss her a little.”
“If you get picked up by the security guard tonight, I’m not vouching for your ass,” she said, with a teasing tone as she bent over to scoop her heels off the pavement.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he said.
“We doing this?” Holly asked.
The exact same question she’d asked him on their wedding day when they decided to ditch the family idea of a big event and go for a Justice of Peace ceremony. It’d been amazing. Best day ever. Sure, he’d ‘do this’, he’d do anything with Holly…for her.
She was his partner in crime.
“Hell yeah. We’re doing this.” He pulled the key from his jacket pocket. “I have our entry ticket.”
She glanced down at the key in Jack’s hand. “Mr. Entry Ticket, last one to the gate has to buy the other one ice cream.”
“We share a bank account.”
“So?” She shrugged unimpressed by his comeback. “Like that changes the bet.”
“I think you’re going to drive me crazy someday.”
That earned him a grin. “Probably already have.”