AllFreeNovel
Share Us
They weren’t even to the op or pretending to date yet and his mind was a complete mess.
“But if we aren’t both convincing in our romance act,” she continued, “Beau will know it’s just an act, the playboy might get handsy with me, and then I’d have to remove his fingers. Not a great thing for a quarterback.”
“Not the best,” he agreed, appreciating that she could tease. She was impressive, and he liked her. He could admit that much, even if he refused to get ‘romantic.’
If Beau got handsy with Myra, Ike would do a lot worse than remove his fingers.
He was a disaster. This wasn’t like him, stacking up threats in his mind. Ike executed and never got invested emotionally. It only reaffirmed his dad’s training to not let his heart get involved. Be an automaton, be the bionic man, be the machine who protected, served, but never felt emotion.
“It’ll be an easy sell that I’m completely gone over …” She flung a hand at him. “Everything about you, obviously.”
“Obviously,” he repeated drily. He knew women thought he was tough and handsome, but they bugged out quick when he gave no reaction to their nonstop flirtations.
He took the exit for Highway 1.
Was she interested in him? He’d let himself question over the past year if she might be. He’d noticed her looking his way sometimes. Luckily, he’d avoided any inadvertent touching and giving her the wrong idea. Until the incident at the airport of their fingers brushing as he took her suitcase and her touching his arm while he drove. Two innocent contacts that had each thrown him for a loop. Had the touches affected her at all? How experienced was she with dating and men? She’d said she dated often.
“Are you only wanting to practice so Beau will believe we’re together?” He threw out the challenge, wondering how she’d respond, then wondering why he’d said anything. What if she admitted his touch threw her for a loop too? What if she brought up the crazy connection that arced between them? How would he keep his distance if she did?
“Yep,” she said, giving him nothing. “We can start slow and work our way into… touching that shouts romance.”
His neck was hot. He rubbed at it. His chest was tight. He rubbed at it.
“Are you okay? Despite how attractive you are, you act like you’ve had zero experience with the opposite sex.”
Ike shook his head. Maybe that was a shot, but she’d said he was alluring and attractive. He knew he was attractive to females, but he really didn’t care about experience with the opposite sex. Not since losing Sadie.
“Was it that obvious?” He should’ve clamped a hand over his own mouth. He didn’t ‘tease.’ Except with her. She quite often said something funny or teasing and he took the bait. Was he obligated to tell her the truth about his experiences? Sharing past hurt wasn’t something he did with anyone. Not even Aiden.
Myra laughed, and the tension in the vehicle lessened. Her laughter was the most delightful sound. Happiness he’d never experienced in his disciplined life radiated from that simple laugh. Their father had been loving and had made their training interesting and fun at times, but Ike and Aiden hadn’t really experienced a childhood. No sports. No free time. No hanging out with friends. The only thing they did that other boys did was go to school and fight.
“I know the women go insane over you. I’ve seen that.” Her voice had a trace of annoyance that he liked. “But since you never reciprocate, I’m assuming you’ve made a vow of celibacy.”
“Something like that.”
“I’m sorry for women the world over,” she said, that teasing back in her voice. “But throughout this job, you need to pretend that you’re a committed and loving boyfriend.” She seemed much more comfortable than she had a few minutes earlier. Was she warming up to the idea of practicing or warming up to him?
Thinking about pretend dating, being a ‘committed and loving boyfriend’ made his heart thud faster than when he was sprinting.
“Drive with your left hand and hold my hand with your right,” she instructed as if she was telling him, ‘Throw a right hook under the chin and his head should fling back so you can place your next jab to finish the fight while he’s off balance.’
“Pardon me?” He tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry.
She extended her left hand and gave him a patient look. “Come on. I don’t bite.”
“Are you certain? You throw a mean punch.”
“True.” Her hand hadn’t moved. He tried to concentrate on traffic, but they were on the quieter Pacific Coast Highway, and at ten a.m. the traffic wasn’t typical of Southern Cal.
“Or you could just leave me hanging,” she said. There was the usual tease in her voice, but something else too. Vulnerability.
Myra? Vulnerable? No way. She was tough as nails. She’d said she dated often. That he wasn’t her type. He believed her on both accounts. She was only practicing to help him not react like a preteen on his first date and have Beau discount their relationship. Beau wouldn’t need much reason to discount a relationship. He had a reputation for dating women regardless of their relationship status. Women went nuts over the superstar. Myra would be even more appealing because she was off limits.
Thankfully, Myra wouldn’t fall to Beau’s charm. She chewed men up and spit them out for breakfast.
No. Myra was tough, but she wasn’t hardened. She wasn’t like him.
“Ike?”
