CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Attitude is everything.
Jack listened to Ana whine about having to dress up for the Shark’s charity event at the hospital and wasn’t quite sure why it made her cranky enough to sound like a twelve-year-old girl. “Ana, there’s no reason to argue over this. You’re a resident at the hospital and a recipient of one of their fellowships, and our foundation is funding your research. If you don’t want to speak, then I will. But we’re going and having fun.”
“I don’t enjoy these things, and no one will miss me. This is your team’s event, not the hospital’s. People just care about seeing you and rubbing elbows. It’s going to be like the restaurant all over again. Why can’t I just stay home and avoid the pain?”
He stepped toward her and took her hand. “What do you mean, ‘just like the restaurant’?” He didn’t let her look away, and wasn’t going to let it go. “Did someone say something to you?”
Waving her hand in front of her face, she stared into her coffee cup. “It’s no big deal, but it’s not something that I care to repeat.”
Putting his hand on her chin, he lifted her face. “Spill.”
“I’m immune to your moss green eyes and the truth will not be pulled from me.”
“Want to make a bet?”
Groaning, she stepped back. “Some women in the bathroom said some unpleasant things about me. Then your crowd of fans trampled me, and I ended up in the ER.”
“Who the fuck said anything about you?”
“It’s not important, Jack. They were probably just jealous and chose to bury those feelings by bashing me instead.” She ran her hand over her dress and shrugged. “I am plain and not who most people expect someone like you to be with.”
“You are not plain. You are fucking perfect and the real-life version of the picture in my head. I never thought I’d find someone as beautiful as you and there’s no better fit.”
“This is a celebration of your team’s fundraising efforts.” She pushed her foot back and forth as she studied the pattern of the floor. “No one is going to be interested in me, and I’m going to just end up standing in some corner or at a table in the back. I want to stay home.”
Jack felt like the biggest ass in the world. How had he let that happen on their big night out? No wonder she wasn’t that excited about going with him. He hadn’t shown her how important she was and that was on him.
All he wanted was her happiness.
She loved him, but did she like him and want to hang around him? That was the part that he had to figure out because if she didn’t, then there was no way she was going to marry him.
Taking the coffee cup out of her hand, he wrapped her up in his arms. “I’m sorry about those women and the fan that trampled you. I promise nothing like that is ever going to happen again. I will make sure of it.”
“Why don’t I go with my friends and see you there? That way, I’ll have fun.”
He held his hand up and shook his head. “Is it that bad going out with me?”
“I like it when it’s just the two of us, and we hang out at home. I don’t really like it when we’re out because I feel like people are judging me and talking about me. It’s the same feeling I had in high school, and I would like to avoid it, if possible.”
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me because you’re afraid people will know you fell in love with a big dumb jock who struggles to read? Be honest, Ana. The big smart doctor can’t be seen with a dumb football player, right?”
This was the biggest blow of all. She loved him, but she didn’t want to be seen with him.
He felt like yelling at the top of his lungs and hitting something really hard.
He stared down at his feet and waited to hear the death sentence that she was about to give him, and she pulled on his hand.
Until he finally looked and noticed she had tears in her eyes.
This was going to be bad, and he had a feeling she was going to break up with him.
“You are dumb if you think that’s what I’m worried about. I don’t want to go out and have people wonder why the big, handsome professional athlete is dating the plain, smart geeky girl. I’ve worked really hard to grow out of my insecurities, and what happened in the bathroom at the restaurant brought everything back. I hate to admit how much it’s bothered me. Add to that the guy who ran into me because he didn’t even notice I was there. I don’t care about the attention you get. I just don’t want to be collateral damage.” She wiped the tears that had started to roll down her face and sniffed loudly. “It feels like high school all over again, and I’m the geek trying to fit into the jock’s life.”
Not able to stand her tears, he lifted her up and walked down the hall toward the bedroom and kicked the door shut once they were inside. Lowering her to the floor, he kept his hands on her. “We’re going to solve this argument naked.” He slid the zipper down on the back of her dress and let it fall to the ground. He was rewarded with a view of the woman he loved in some damn sexy underwear.
“Jack, I’m supposed to be at work, not getting naked with you at home.”
He slid the strap of her bra down and let his mouth move over her shoulder and up her neck. “You can tell them you had to make sure the head of the foundation was happy and satisfied with the direction of the research.” He released her bra and watched it skate off her body. Gliding his mouth down her neck toward her breasts, he heard her say something but didn’t pay attention.
When he had the opportunity to get his mouth on her, nothing else mattered.
“I thought I was the head of the foundation,” she said before a moan escaped.
Raising his head, he gazed into her eyes and smiled. “We’re both the head of the foundation. Now be quiet and enjoy what I’m about to do because I need to show the geeky scientist just how much the dumb jock loves her.” He picked her up and dropped her on the bed and heard her laughter fill the room as he got rid of his clothes and laid down on top of her.
Her hand floated to his face as she stared into his eyes and smiled. “Ana, I love you, and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“You have a big life, Jack, and that scares the hell out of me sometimes.”
He dropped his mouth to hers and poured every feeling he had into the kiss, so he could somehow convince her that he was worth the trouble. “How we feel right now, at this moment, is all that matters. This is the truth of us, and that’s what I want us to concentrate on.”
“When we’re like this or sitting at the kitchen table, I don’t have a single doubt about us and what we are together. It’s just the other stuff that worries me.”
“Let’s just take it one step at a time. We had fun at Home Depot together last week, and we did okay at the grocery store. Maybe we should try Target next. I bet we’d have a good time. Let’s just do the normal stuff that couples do and build from there.” He moved his hand down her leg and slipped her panties off, noticing her smile was radiant.
“Are we fighting naked?”
“Yep, we’re working out our differences in bed and should always do it this way.”
“I like the way you argue, Jack.”
“Just relax, Ana, because I’m about to make some convincing arguments.”
“Go ahead, and I’ll let you know when you’ve won.”
Grinning, he dipped his head and knew it wouldn’t take long.