Playing for Hearts (28 page)

He opened the car door. A piercing whistle stopped him from climbing out of the vehicle. Diana removed her fingers from her mouth, motioned for him to shut the door, and marched back across the street toward him.

He closed the door, and watched Diana in fascination. His smile grew broader.

Long, confident steps showed off the length of her legs. He rubbed a hand over his mouth. Her words were lost in the noise of the cluster surrounding the car, but the passion in her expression and the firmness of her chin hinted at the conversation. His body hardened and he sat straighter. Two weeks with Diana would solve all his problems. Every. Single. One.

He hadn't had sex in weeks. Hell, months. Now, suddenly, he wanted Diana Spenner more than he wanted to escape the madness of his life.

The passenger door opened and Diana slipped inside. He stared. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes, and one wayward curl caught in the corner of her mouth left him speechless.

She glanced at him, frowning. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“Then drive.” She jerked the seatbelt around her and buckled. “Shauna's going to pack a couple of suitcases for me and have them delivered. I need to text her and let her know where we're going.”

“Uh.” He pulled out onto Main Street. “I rent a condominium during the season.”

“Think bigger, Dominic. I need a city … an address.”

He'd need blood in his head to think and right now, every ounce of common sense headed south of the border. “Tell her to get the address from Grayson. He's been to my place.”

“You don't even know where you live?” Diana snorted. “This is going to be a long two weeks. I hope you don't lose me wherever we go. You seem rather one directional at times, Dominic. I don't understand how you can play hockey. Are you the goalie?”

He growled. “No. I'm not the goalie.”

“Well, there's hope.” She sighed. “I'm probably going to be bored to death and know way more about hockey than I need to know by the time this job is done. Which none of my gained knowledge will help me on my resume.”

He glanced between her and the road. “You're not looking forward to spending time with me … alone?”

“With the amount of money you're paying me, I'll deal with whatever comes my way. I've had worse jobs.” She gazed behind her out the back window. “What kind of car are the security guys driving?”

“Black Hummer.”

“They're behind us.”

“Yes.” He pressed his foot down on the accelerator as he left the city limits, trying to keep ahead of the fans and still follow along on the conversation with Diana. “They go everywhere with me.”

“Maybe you should quit using them. They only draw more attention to you,” she said. “Having the men in black is like holding a neon sign above your head that flashes, ‘I'm important, come bother me.'”

“Then who will keep the women away from me?” The thought of being out in public by himself horrified him. The women would rip his clothes off.

“Me. That's what you're paying me for.” She pulled out her phone, texted, and then slipped her cell back in her purse.

“Who are you sending a message to?” he asked.

“Not that it's any of your business, but Shauna.”

He ran his tongue across his upper teeth. “I'm glad you're staying with me.”

“Don't get your hopes up that it's anything more than a job. I need the money.” She leaned forward, studied the distance, and then suddenly squealed and stomped her feet on the floor of the car.

“What's wrong?”

She pointed over to the left and ahead of them at a large, old house. “See that beautiful home with the large oak tree in the front yard and the picket fence?”

“Yeah.”

“When I'm done working for you, I'm going to buy it.” She inhaled and her gaze softened.

He slowed down, studying the large two-story colonial style house. Half the shutters hung crooked. The white paint peeled on the west side, showing its age. Overgrown weeds surrounded a For Sale sign staked in the yard. He couldn't see whatever she saw in the rundown place.

About the only thing it had going for it was location. On the edge of town, it was close enough to take advantage of the quaint community he'd enjoyed while staying here and yet without other houses around, it would provide a quiet atmosphere. He shook his head. A better choice would be to knock the whole thing down and build a nice new home.

“It's not livable. Even the fence is falling down and the upper window is broken.” He returned his gaze to the road.

The thought of her staying in a home that could crumble down around her made him uneasy. What was wrong with her staying at the hotel where there were people around and everything was within walking distance?

“It'll be a showpiece when I'm done fixing the house up to its original glory.” She rolled her head along the seat rest and smiled. “Did you know it's the oldest house in Cottage Grove? It's practically famous already. It's been vacant for two years and the town wants to sell the lot it sits on. They figure someone will tear the old place down and build a new home or expand the city limits and a huge land developer will build a mini mall or something. Not me. I'd never destroy something as cool as the Ferriday House with all the stories that come with it from age. I'm going to keep the history and make new memories for all the people who will visit the area.”

“Why?”

“I want to open a bed and breakfast.” She clapped her hands and laughed. “God, that felt good to finally tell someone, even if it's just you. It makes it real. I am going to own a bed and breakfast. There. My secret is out for the next two weeks. Hey, maybe I'll even name the honeymoon suite — ” she raised her hands and made air quotes “ — Dominic's playroom.”

He jerked his gaze off the road to Diana. “What?”

Her brows shot higher and her jaw dropped. “That didn't come out right. Forget I made that suggestion. It just hit me that this is really happening. I can do this, and no one can stop me.”

He stared at the road. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Was that some hidden message? Did she fantasize about him? Maybe she thought he was a playboy.

“Maybe you should think longer about your plans for the future. It's a huge business decision for a woman.” He entered the highway and set the cruise control.

“A woman?” She leaned forward and narrowed her gaze. “I've dreamed about that house since I was in high school. When I came back to Cottage Grove after college and started working at the hotel, I knew what I really wanted to do is run my own business. I'm good at my job. My success or failures in life has nothing to do with being a female.”

“Whoa.” He shook his head. “I didn't say that.”

“Sure sounded like it.”

“I, um, apologize.” He grimaced, hoping the advice he received from the guys on the team about always letting women think they were right would work with Diana. The words sat bitter on his tongue. No woman had forced him to take responsibility for his actions as if he was a six-year-old who'd been caught swiping the cookies.

“Good. Because I'm buying the house and property, and no one is changing my mind.” She leaned back.

He relaxed, feeling successful at dodging another argument and continued driving, thinking there was more to Diana than he originally thought. Bossy and independent, she was also determined and goal oriented. He liked that.

“San Jose,” he said. Proud of himself for finally remembering the city he called home nine months of the year.

“Huh?”

“That's where I live.”

“Oh.” She glanced over at him. “I've been there a few times when a group of us drove over on spring break when I went to Berkeley.”

“I'll show you around.” He glanced at her and winked. “We'll go on a date.”

“Nice try, but no.” She turned to gaze out the side window.

A genuine smile came over him. Because right before she'd turned away, he'd seen the corners of her mouth twitch. Oh, she'd fight her attraction to him. She'd give him one hell of a challenge. But she wanted him.

No sooner had Dominic shown her around the gated community where his upscale condominium was located and got her settled in the spare bedroom with the navy colored curtains with matching bedspread and bare walls lacking any homey feel, than he announced it was time for him to go to practice. Diana grabbed her purse off the bed, surprised to find she looked forward to watching a bunch of men beat each other up on the ice.

Men that were not Dominic. What wasn't there to like?

Dominic blocked the doorway of her bedroom. “You can't go wearing that.”

She looked down at her clothes. The black slacks, heels, and white blouse the hotel required suited any occasion. “Not much I can do about my clothes until Shauna sends my bags to me. Trust me, I can't embarrass you wearing business attire, and I won't dress like a skank just so you can have bragging rights with the guys on the team.”

“Come on.” He turned, marched down the hallway, and entered his room.

She stood a step inside the bedroom. The musky aroma she associated with Dominic hung in the air. She swallowed. Goosebumps broke out over her bare arms.

It was true — his scent should be bottled. Every freaking woman in the world would buy the cologne by the truckload. Not that she'd tell him that.

A huge king size bed sat in the middle of the room. Four wooden posts from each corner held white mesh netting and offset the black plush comforter. She studied the area with interest, since it was the first sign that he cared about where he lived and put his own touch to the style of his room. Two framed pictures of winter scenes hung on the wall at the head of his bed. A long, lonely road covered in blown snow and a frozen pond. A black and red rug covered most of the wood floor.

Impressed with his decorating skills, she wondered if one of the women who hung around him all the time helped him pick out the colors. She stepped toward the door Dominic disappeared through.

He walked out of what she guessed to be his closet, holding a sweatshirt, hat, and scarf. He handed the pile to her.

“What's this for?” she asked.

“You'll need it at the rink.” He picked up a large duffle bag, almost the length of the bed, with the Sharks logo on the side. “Damn.”

“What now?”

He frowned, and the lines between his brows wrinkled. “I forgot to feed you.”

“It's okay.” She relaxed, deciding that it was rather nice that he was thinking about her comfort.

“No, it's not.” He shifted the bag to one hand, reached into his back pocket, and handed her his wallet. “There's money in there. You can buy a coffee to help you stay warm while you watch practice. You can also get some junk food out of the vending machines. Afterward, I'll take you out to dinner and you can have some real food.”

Growing up with banker parents who thought it was splurging to grab a dollar burger at McDonald's had taught her the value of money. She warmed, knowing Dominic trusted her with his wallet. His action softened her resolve not to like him.

“I can't use any more of your money.” She stuck her hand out, trying to give his wallet back.

“Keep it.”

“It won't kill me to wait a few hours. I had a big breakfast.” If coffee and a piece of dry toast counted as a hearty meal. She shrugged when he refused to take his wallet back and slipped it on top of her pile of clothes. “Let's hit the court.”

“The rink.”

“Whatever. I don't even like hockey. I'm more a football fan.”

He narrowed his eyes and grumbled about hockey being the only sport worth watching. She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Right then, she decided she rather liked the human side of him, the side that showed emotion and got irritated over her teasing.

Dominic was always so serious. He had to laugh more. And, since she'd be spending all her time with him for the next two weeks, it was a problem she could solve while she fought the women away. By the end of the job, she'd break Dominic's tight hold on his self-control and let him experience spontaneity and fun. She'd have him cracking jokes and giving in to late night desires in no time.

She gulped. Maybe not desires. She'd better stick to the jokes.

A fifteen minute drive later, the security team pulled up to the practice arena called the Shark Tank. Tanner, the biggest out of the two men Dominic hired, nodded to his boss before exiting the car. Evan, the other guy who was shorter and more serious, slipped out the door without a word, obviously knowing the routine.

Dominic turned to Diana in the back seat. She hadn't said a word the whole trip, because Tanner eyed her in the rearview mirror the whole way as if speaking would get her handcuffed and thrown out of the car without stopping.

Dominic took the sweatshirt off her lap. “Arms up.”

She clasped her hands together. A muscle along his cheek twitched and she tilted her head at the same moment he pulled the sweatshirt over her head. She automatically stuck her arms in the sleeves, peeved that her stubbornness was no match for a guy with fast hands.

As Dominic rolled up the sleeves of the too long sweatshirt, she studied his face. “Do you have a dimple?”

He glanced at her and after a few beats smiled. She gasped. The difference in him stunned her. Oh, he kept the hard edge, but an adorable transformation came over his face making him downright gorgeous and — she gulped again — irresistible.

“Uh, you might not want to smile in public.” She inhaled deeply, blew out her cheeks, and let go of the side effects of his smile in one big whoosh.

“I know. It's a lesson I have learned the hard way.” He picked the stocking cap up and put it on her head, chuckling.

She rearranged the hat, so it wasn't covering half her face. “What's so funny?”