“I was hurt,” she admitted. “And I was angry. But I’m fine now. We can work together without an issue.”
“I’ll take your word for it, then.”
“Here’s your guacamole and chips,” the waitress said, returning to place their appetizers on the table.
“Thank you,” they both said at the same time.
“I’m starving.” Having rushed through a yogurt for lunch and barely having time for half a protein bar later in the afternoon, she needed food.
She reached out and picked up a chip, dipped it in the creamy avocado mix, and took a bite, the salty flavor exploding on her tongue. “Mmm. So good,” she moaned at the taste.
His gaze locked on hers. “Do not make that sound around me unless you’re prepared for what happens next.”
She widened her eyes, shocked at both his gruff tone and the words he’d spoken. Until now he’d been careful around her. Tiptoeing and trying to respect her feelings if not giving her her space. Before she could even process the boundary he’d crossed, he asked, “So what’s the story with you and Cole Walsh? Is it serious?” And he crossed another one.
“That’s none of your business,” she said, refusing to discuss her relationships with him.
“I’ll take that as a no, then.” Sounding pleased, he picked up a chip, dipped it, and took a bite, leaving her to grind her teeth in frustration because he’d boxed her into a corner.
If she agreed, he’d up his game and come on stronger. Not that she had any idea what it was he wanted from her, but he was obviously still interested. If she disagreed with him, she’d send out all the wrong signals that might get back to Cole, and she didn’t want him to get the incorrect idea about their relationship. She enjoyed her time with Cole, but it wasn’t serious.
“You’re frustrating,” she muttered, scooping up guac with another chip, then following it with her first sip of her drink.
He winked and lifted his beer.
Ignoring the flutter in her stomach, she concentrated on the food in front of her instead of the man beside her.
The waitress served their meals, and Braden behaved for the rest of dinner. They talked about various topics, and to her relief, they both veered away from anything too personal.
Instead he caught her up on his family’s weddings and engagements.
Jaxon, his baseball-playing brother had ended up in a marriage of convenience with his sister’s best friend, Macy. They’d both had strong reasons to marry and ended up falling in love. Damon married the private investigator who had cleared him of the steroid use accusation and discovered Doc’s complicity, something she’d heard about at work. And Austin had found a baby on his doorstep and called his assistant, Quinn, in to help. The baby had been his, the mother signed over her rights, not without a lot of drama, and he and Quinn were due to marry on Valentine’s Day.
“So all your brothers are married or getting married,” she mused aloud.
He nodded. “Just Bri and I are left.” He shook his head. “Maybe it’s a twin thing and it’ll happen around the same time.”
She did her best not to react to his offhanded comment. The fact that she’d once, almost, let herself dream about a lifetime with him only for him to drop the Doctors Without Borders bomb on her without warning was, as she’d said, in the past. If his future held a wedding with someone else, so be it, she thought, ignoring the cramping in her stomach at the notion.
* * *
Braden considered this dinner the equivalent of a touchdown. It wasn’t a Super Bowl win, but it was another step toward his ultimate goal. He might not be the sports guy in the family, but he could use analogies with the best of them. Just knowing Willow wasn’t serious with another man gave him breathing room.
The server put the check on the table, and at Willow’s hand movement, he shot her a narrow-eyed warning. Though she frowned, she allowed him to grab the check and pay.
He walked her out to her car and paused before she opened the door. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked of their time together.
“No. It was actually … nice.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it, and he stifled a groan, wishing he could taste her mouth.
But he’d already resigned himself to a slow and steady pursuit and drew a deep breath to calm himself down. He’d fucked things up, and now he had to go at her pace. It was a road worth traveling. One she didn’t even realize they were on.
So as much as he wanted to pull her into a long, deep kiss, he’d play it slow. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
She nodded. “Bright and early.”
Unable to let her leave without a meaningful moment between them, he reached out, winding a lock of hair around his finger, tugging on the strand before releasing it.
Her eyes flew to his and glazed over in a look he remembered well. One that told him the desire he was feeling wasn’t one-sided.
Taking advantage, he slid his hand around the back of her neck, pulled her close, and kissed her cheek. “Night, Willow,” he whispered into her ear, then stepped back.
Her body trembled and she glanced down, immediately fumbling inside her bag for her keys. Satisfied with her reaction, he waited for her to unlock her car and slide into the driver’s seat.
“Thanks for dinner, Braden. Good night,” she said, her voice huskier than he’d heard it since his return.
He closed the door, hearing the click of the lock, and he waited until she pulled out before walking to his vehicle.
She might try and go back to professional Willow tomorrow, but he had the satisfaction of knowing he’d broken through her reserve.
Chapter Three
Willow had a bag she kept packed for away games. One stuffed with toiletries, extra black leggings, and anything else she always needed. It paid to have double and never forget anything. Now she added more items for the weekend into her carry-on. She’d learned at a young age to stay packed in case a social worker arrived to announce she was leaving and going to another family, and since she’d had very few possessions, traveling light came naturally to her. You couldn’t fit much in a black trash bag.
Pushing her childhood to the back of her mind, she focused on the weekend ahead, running through her players, injuries, and who’d need pregame preparation. During all of this, she did her best not to think about her dinner with Braden earlier in the week.
Here it was Saturday and she couldn’t shake him. He invaded her thoughts constantly. The heat of his body beside hers at the table. The husky tone of his voice. The way he’d twirled her hair like old times, then leaned into her, his cologne a complete turn-on. Her breath had caught as she’d prepared herself for a kiss, only to end up with his lips on her cheek and his gruff voice in her ear.
She shivered at the memory, her nipples tightening as they had that night. Ignoring the sensations wasn’t easy, but she did her best, zipping her suitcase and getting ready for work.
She headed to the stadium, where she would join the team on the bus to the airport. A private jet would carry everyone to Denver, and then the rush would begin.
As she walked inside, dragging her bag behind her, Cole caught up with her, jogging from the parking lot. “Hey!” he said, coming up beside her. “Ready to go, I see.”