Kick (Completion Series) (7 page)

Van
’s jaw tightened and his voice held a touch of something I couldn’t define. “Joel carries a lot of anger. He takes it out on the field. Nothing I can do about it and nothing I want to do about it. Let’s talk about you. Where did you grow up?” He pulled into the parking lot of a large steakhouse. “Hold that thought. Let’s get seated first.”

Van
took my elbow and led me through the packed parking lot. I didn’t object because it seemed more helpful than proprietary. He released me when he opened the door. It was dark inside and it was a moment before my eyes adjusted. People milled around waiting for tables. Van took my arm again and guided me into the restaurant seating area.

What the hell was he doing?

A table near the back in a quiet corner had a reserved sign on it. Van pulled my chair out, walked behind me, and took the inside chair beside mine. The realization hit that he pre-planned this. “You think of everything don’t you?”

I could see his sexy smile
in the candlelight. “I try. What would you like to drink?”

After my disastrous glass at The Slam Tavern, I craved a nice glass of wine.
“Red wine would be wonderful.” A waitress approached before I finished speaking.

Van barely glanced her
way, keeping his eyes on me. “Cheryl, my lady here would like
Cabernet Sauvignon and I’ll have my usual.”

His lady. He did it again
, and I planned to say something as soon as we were alone again. I cast a slight frown at Van before taking a good look at Cheryl. A mistake. The woman was using her eyes to shoot deadly laser beams my way. She made sure I knew it too.

Finally
letting up on her glare, she smiled sweetly at Van. “Would you like an appetizer?”

“Sure thing
, honey. Bring us the sample platter,” he said, giving her his fuck-me grin.

I was
“babe” and Cheryl was “honey.” I needed to take notes so I would know his ladies’ nicknames. Van was a player. I pushed my glasses up my nose and studied the menu, glad to have something that made me look busy.

“I’d love to order for you,” Van said as soon as Cheryl walked away.

Why didn’t I have laser beam eyes? “No, thank you. I think I can handle this.”

His
sexy grin flashed right before he leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Were you always such a ball breaker or is this just for my benefit?”

I turned too quickly in his direction and his lips almost touch
ed mine. I moved back instantly, but my eyes stayed on his full sensual mouth. “You’re doing it again, Van.” I tore my gaze away, cast shyness away, and pulled up my big girl panties. “This isn’t a date, it’s business. As for being a ball breaker, if you’d behave I could relax and enjoy the evening.”

He
, with all his self-confidence, ignored my reprimand, but moved back a little giving me room. “I asked about you in the car and I’d like to learn what… excites you about journalism.” The husky tone was back in his voice.

I wanted to kick him under the table
, but I’m sure he’d turn that into some kind of sexual innuendo too. I chose to ignore his bad-boy vibes. “I’ll give you the condensed version because I need some lessons in rugby and I have questions from today’s practice.”

He nodded
and said, “You first.”

So I told him several of the boring details
of my life. He actually seemed interested, which I had trouble believing. My wine, a tall glass of beer for Van, and the appetizer arrived. Cheryl took our dinner orders and left us alone after another glare at me. I ignored her. “Charlie Waters told me rugby fans love their beer. It must carry on to the players too.” I nodded to his iced mug.

He tipped his glass at mine. “Alesmith Speedway Stout
. There’s nothing better in my opinion.” He took a heavy pull. “So what questions do you have?”

It took me a minute to dig through my bag and find my
phone, which had my notes typed into an app. When I looked up, Van was staring at my compressed cleavage. I sighed and he gave me his
little boy, I’m in trouble
face.

“You can’t blame me for looking. They’re quite nice.”

“Argh, you drive me crazy.”

He laughed full out. “Argh?”

“Yes, just think of me as a pirate with a sword and a hooked hand. I’ll hook you with one and tear your guts out with the other.”

“
Bloodthirsty wench and an interesting visual, but you don’t scare me.”

“Well you
scare the crap out of me,” I said honestly.

His smile disappeared and h
e smoothly took my hand. “Don’t say that.” He looked so earnest.

Okay, maybe I did have built in laser beams. He
carefully removed his hand. “We’ll talk about rugby, my second favorite sport.”

Dammit. I knew what his first favorite was. If he wasn’t so darn good looking this would be easy. I
clicked through my questions on my phone. When I glanced up, his eyes were on mine, but the naughty look on his face remained. If I didn’t take more notes I don’t think I would remember anything he said. I was doing a good job at keeping wild Cami hidden away, but facts were facts. I couldn’t think clearly when I was around Van.

We finished our dinner and enjoyed another drink. Cheryl checked to see if we needed anything more. Her eyes stayed on Van’s until I spoke
. “No thank you, but you can bring the bill to me please.”

She looked between us and I had to grit my teeth when she asked Van what I was talking about.

“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll explain it to her.”

Cheryl walked away and I looked at Van
, waiting...

“My brother and I co-own
the restaurant.”

“And
…” I bit back a four-letter-word-filled sentence, “You could have told me this before we ate.”

He stood
and helped me from my chair. “We can arm wrestle later, but I’d rather do it in private,” he whispered suggestively.

The ass
. I couldn’t believe I was stuck with him for three weeks or longer if the team continued winning. He led me to the Rover and opened my door. Before I could get my foot up, he spun me around and his lips came down on mine. It was a practiced move that I hadn’t expected. I also didn’t expect him to taste so good. Hell, I might need to start drinking beer. His fingers threaded into my hair at the back of my neck and all thoughts of a professional relationship went right out the window. Wild Cami came out to play.

His tongue circled mine, while his lips nibbled and sucked.
He finally pulled away slightly, but held onto my hair keeping my head still. He drew in a ragged breath. “Come home with me, Cami,” he kissed along my jaw. “Spend the night. I need to get you out of my system.”

Before his words registered and I could say yes, a
voice came from out of the dark. “Hey, bro, could I have a word with you?”

Crap. It was Joel.

“Not right now… bro,” Van shot back sarcastically.

“Yes, right now.”
Joel was no longer asking.

It was dark
, but I could see Van’s eyes flash with anger. “I’ll join you in a minute, babe.” He leaned forward and gave my lips a quick peck.

I hurriedly took my seat inside the Rover
and shut the door as Van followed his brother about ten feet away. I couldn’t hear anything, but I saw Van raise his hands much like he did with me when he messed up and promised to stay hands-off. Little good it did. I needed to change my approach with Van. I wasn’t getting through to him and he was playing havoc with my libido. Crap, I kissed him back and was a split second from going home with him. Fuck, I couldn’t allow this to happen again.

A minute later,
Van jumped in the driver’s seat and angrily slammed the door. He didn’t say a word as he pulled out of the parking lot, but I noticed his fingers gripping and releasing the steering wheel. I wisely kept my mouth shut. Whatever was going on between the brothers was not my business. I turned and looked out the window.

Van stopped at a light
and I turned forward. From the corner of my eye, I saw him studying me. I looked his way.

“Do you and my brother have something going?”

What the hell? “Umm, I don’t even know how to answer that. Do you have more than one brother?”

“I’m not sure how to answer that.”
Van’s tightly controlled anger spilled over with every word.

This was ridiculous.
“If you’re speaking about Joel, he hasn’t done anything but give me dirty looks and I have no idea why. Hopefully that answers your question. While I’m at it, I’ll answer another one you haven’t asked… me and you are not getting involved sexually. I’m here representing the
Cleveland News and Journal
. Somehow I’ve given you the wrong impression and for that I’m sorry.”

Van huffed out a breath
, but didn’t speak for a moment. When he turned my way, he had control of himself and his bad-boy smile was back. “Does this mean you’re not going home with me tonight?”

I groaned loudly. “Please watch the road so you
don’t crash this incredible car.” I waited until he looked straight ahead. “No, Van, I’m not going home with you tonight.”

“
May I kiss you goodnight at your hotel?” He was absolutely hopeless. Sexy, adorable, and hopeless.

“Does anyone ever turn you down?”

“No.”

That one word said it all. “No kissing.”

He remained silent after that. He walked me to my room even though I told him not to. “I’m seeing you to your room,” he said with a hard edge to his voice. At my door, he leaned in and I leaned back. “Challenge accepted, Cami. I’ll eventually get a yes out of you.” Van turned and walked away.

I leaned back against the
door once I was inside my room. My pounding heart and trembling legs were almost too shaky to walk. Why was he getting to me so much? And why was I acting like a sixteen year old with the star quarterback asking me on a date? Shit, desire was eating me up and it didn’t help that Van desired me too. What woman wouldn’t be flattered? Now I just had to figure out a way to ignore him and do my job. Me and a jock hadn’t worked before and would not work now. If I let my sexual urges lead me, Van would have me out of his system in one night and leave me without a backward glance. I was stronger than that.

What was the whole thing with Joel about
anyway? Why would Van think his brother and I could possibly have something going? I didn’t know Joel and from his steely glances it didn’t leave me with a good feeling.

When I finally settled down
for the night, Van’s eyes haunted my dreams again.

I woke up with a slight headache.
It was Friday and I needed to interview Joel, though a trip to the dentist was preferable. I decided to look over my outline and begin putting the first installment of my series into sentences. I grabbed a cup of coffee from the lobby and pulled out my slice of apple pie from the fridge. The coffee cured my headache and the apple pie improved my mood. It was actually too good.

An hour later,
I had a rough draft. I showered and left the hotel. I noticed Joel’s gray truck as soon as I pulled in. Van’s was the only contact number I had for the team, so I sent him a quick text while sitting outside the stadium.

Me:
I need to interview Joel. I’m at the stadium. What’s my best course of action?

Thirty
seconds later my phone pinged.

Van:
Don’t

What the heck?
Ping.
I looked at my phone again.

Van:
Teasing. He’s working out with some of the players. Go fifty feet past the locker room hallway and you’ll find the gym. Talk to him, but think of me.

Me:
You’re impossible!

Van: Impossible to resist

I grumbled under my breath as I walked through the same door I’d used the morning before. I found the gym with no problem. Six guys were working out. A shirtless Joel was on a bench pushing up a bar with heavy weights at each end. Another player I recognized from the day before stood behind him.

“You’ve got company
, Joel.”

Joel ignored him and continued lifting and lowering the weights. His muscles strained and my pulse accelerated. He wore similar shorts to what his brother had on the day before.
From his position, the shorts bagged slightly at his thighs. No! I would not look. I reminded myself I was only attracted to nice, smart men who knew dividends from mutual funds. Not that I doubted Joel and Van didn’t know something about money, but come on… they were born rich and played a hobby instead of making an honest living. Their bodies were not the settle-down-and-be-good-boyfriend-material type. Oh, and they were jocks. Three strikes and you’re not for me. So why was I staring?