Silver opened her eyes and ran her foot over the cool sheet. For a second, she thought she was home in the comfort of her own bed. Then she remembered. The events from the night before seemed like a murky dream. Loading up her and Gracie’s things in the drizzling rain. Driving back to Dallas as the rain got heavy again. The steady wicking of the windshield wipers lulling her to sleep. Waking as Ace pulled up to his palatial home. Getting Gracie settled, then falling asleep the minute her head hit the pillow. Silver looked beside her at Gracie who was breathing the steady rhythm of a sound sleep, her platinum hair spilling over the pillow like spun gold. Carefully, Silver pulled back her side of the covers and slipped out of bed. She’d not thought to bring a robe, but at least had on pajamas. She went to the dresser and reached for her phone. It was seven a.m. Stifling a yawn, she glanced around the room at the iron headboard with its intricate ivy-like design. It looked expensive like the rest of the furniture. The walls were white with cranberry, orange, and earth-tone accents. Her eye caught on two pictures hanging side-by-side. She stepped up to them. Each depicted a woman in medieval dress. The woman on the left was dressed in fine clothes, whereas the woman on the right was wearing plain clothes. Both women were holding some sort of flowers in the palms of their hands. The picture of the finely dressed woman was ornate with a double mat. The second picture had a single burlap mat and plain frame. Interesting. These weren’t the type of paintings she expected a professional football player to have on his wall. Come to think of it, the room had an overall feminine feel as opposed to the main body of the house, which was streamlined and masculine.

After combing her tangled hair, brushing her teeth, and applying lip gloss and mascara, she left Gracie sleeping and went to find Ace. It was still too early to call Marla and let her know what was going on. She’d brought her laptop and workbag. Once she got onto Ace’s Wi-Fi, she could take care of the more pressings matters for work. Ironically one of the main tasks she needed to accomplish was planning Ace’s dinner date. She chuckled dryly at the thought. Talk about awkward. Her mind went to her living room ceiling. Ace promised to call his cousin to give her an estimate. It was probably wise to get a couple of other estimates too. That way, she could get a better picture of what she was dealing with. She padded down the hall, wondering how she would act when she saw Ace. She’d been so exhausted the night before that she’d gone to bed shortly after they got to his house. Dancing with Ace had unleashed a tumult of conflicting emotions, to the point where she dreamt of Ace. They’d been dancing on a rooftop, gazing at the stars. Then without warning, Ace decided to jump off the side of the building. He grabbed her hand, trying to take her with him. All the while he kept assuring her they would land safely at the bottom without getting a scratch. She woke up to the feeling of falling. It took her the better part of an hour to go back to sleep.

A feeling of awe overtook Silver as she stepped into the combination kitchen and den. The walls, cabinets, and countertops were varying shades of white. Wide, weathered-gray planks covered the floor. She looked up to the high ceiling with exposed beams creating the feeling of never-ending space. Her gaze went to the den with a modular, leather, cream-colored sectional. The shag rug underneath it was also cream. It went through her mind that only a bachelor would be dumb enough to buy white furniture. Then she thought about how hard it was going to be to keep Gracie from staining the rug. She’d have to make sure she didn’t take any food or drinks in the den. At least the sectional was leather that could be cleaned easily with a wet cloth. She looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows spanning nearly the entire width of the back of the house. A spectacular rectangle pool sparkled in the distance, reflecting the morning sun. It was hard to believe Ace was a famous, professional football player who made more money in one year than Silver could make in a lifetime. Being with Ace at his family’s restaurant felt so comfortable, like old times. The restaurant was humble, approachable. But this house was foreign and intimidating. And while it looked like a page out of Architectural Design, it felt cold and impersonal.

Her stomach rumbled. She glanced toward the pristine kitchen. Did Ace cook? The kitchen looked too perfect to cook in. She wondered if there was any food in the monstrous side-by-side, stainless steel refrigerator. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and looked toward the pool. Ace was swimming. For a second, she stood there, unsure what to do. Then decided she’d might as well face him head on. She straightened her shoulders, smoothing down her over-sized t-shirt. She glanced down at her striped pink and orange pajama bottoms, feeling like a vagabond amidst such splendor.

She slid open the glass door and stepped outside. Even though it was early morning, the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky. The air smelled clean and fresh from the rain the night before, and the patio furniture had patches of water droplets on it. She walked over to the edge of the pool. Her breath caught as she watched Ace glide through the water, his arms moving in smooth, practiced strokes. His back and arm muscles rolled like a finely-tuned machine under his golden skin as he sliced through the water with hardly a ripple. Then she saw the tattoo on his right arm, displaying the letters TTF. She gulped a laugh. Had he really tattooed the name of his football team on his arm? That seemed a little juvenile.

At first, she didn’t think he was aware of her presence. But when he came near, he stood, brushing the water from his face and hair. “Good afternoon,” he teased, giving her a dazzling smile that seemed to catch the sunlight.

Her hand went to her hip. “Hey, it’s still early in the morning. What time did you get up?”

“Five.”

“Why so early?”

“I get up to exercise.”

“So you’ve been swimming laps for two solid hours?”

“I do my cardio and weight workout first, then I finish it off with a swim at the end.”

“Oh, no wonder you’re in such great shape.” As soon as the words left her mouth her eyes went large. Geez. Had she really said that out loud?

“Thanks,” he said, his smile going wider.

“How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” she mumbled, heat creeping over her face. Blood whooshed through her temples, and all she could think about were his ripped abs and pecs. He wasn’t the least bit burly but lithe and cut. Was he real? The light caught the water droplets clinging to the thin layer of curly hair on his chest, making them look like bits of glittering stars. He cleared his throat, causing her to jump. Crap! What was she doing? Gawking at him like he was some Adonis. She wanted to dunk her head in the pool when she saw amusement sparkle in his eyes. He stepped out of the pool. She held her breath when he came right up to her. She thought he was going to do something crazy like kiss her, but he leaned over and reached for the towel on the chair behind her, brushing against her arm in the process. He was toying with her. Look away, her mind commanded, don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing you’re attracted to him. But she couldn’t seem to make her eyes comply. Okay, even his legs were gorgeous with his lean muscles and prominent calves. Good grief, she was coming across as a love-starved idiot. He leaned forward, vigorously rubbing his hand back and forth across his thick carpet of hair. Water droplets went flying, reminding her of a dog, shaking itself off.

“Stop,” she said, holding up her hands and averting her face. He just laughed. When they were a couple, Silver loved to run her hands through Ace’s hair, twist her finger around his curls. She used to tease him about having enough hair to start his own hair farm. A curl dropped over his eye, making him look charmingly boyish.

His eyes roved over her, settling on her oversized t-shirt and pajamas.

“What?” she said, rubbing a self-conscious hand over her hair to smooth it down.

A smile tugged at his lips as he gave her a nod. “Nice pajamas.”

She looked down, pulling out the bottom of her t-shirt for inspection. “What’s wrong with them?”

“Nothing. I said nice pajamas.”

She cocked her head. “Are you making fun of me?” How easy it was to go back into the easy banter of their childhood. Her brows scrunched as her hands went to her hips.

He bit back a grin. “Absolutely not.” He fastened the towel around his waist. “I would never make fun of those interesting bloomers that are big enough to fit two of you in.”

She stepped up to him. “Hey, that’s rude.”

He wriggled his eyebrows, his voice going low and husky. “Not as rude as openly checking me out.”

“I wasn’t checking you out,” she blustered, heat stinging her cheeks.

He winked. “It’s okay, I didn’t mind.”

Her eyes bulged. “Of all the cocky things to say.”

“You’re blushing.”

“Am not,” she said hotly.

He flexed his bicep. “Want me to model, so you can get a better view?”

A sudden anger flared, making Silver feel reckless as she pushed him hard with her palms, sending him toppling backward into the pool.

He came up sputtering and removed the towel. “Hey.”

She sniggered. “Now that’s funny.”

“Oh, you think so? I’ll show you funny.” In two swift strides, he was to the side and pulling himself up.

Silver’s eyes bugged as she realized his intent. She tried to run, but he was faster. He grabbed her waist and heaved her with him into the pool, a cannonball splash going up around them.

Silver stood, trying to get her bearings as she pushed the water out of her eyes. Then she slapped Ace’s arm. “I can’t believe you did that,” she said, but couldn’t help but laugh.

He grinned. “You started it.”

The water was cool and refreshing. She would’ve described the feeling as exhilarating were it not for her pajama bottoms, which were ballooning like flotation devices.

Ace pointed, his eyes sparking with laughter. “See, I told you those things were humongous.”

“Ha,” she said, pushing them back down to release the air. Ace relaxed into the water, floating on his back, looking up at the sky, his arms treading water. “You should try this.”

She wrinkled her nose. “A backstroke? Done it a million times,” she said nonchalantly.

“Not in my pool,” he countered.

“True.”

“Come on,” he drawled, “give it a try.”

“Why not?” She leaned back, looking up at the sky. As her body moved with the gentle ripple of the water, she had to admit there was something cathartic about it. Before she realized what was happening, Ace reached out and touched her fingertips with his, sending a jolt of awareness through her. The gesture felt more intimate than if he’d grasped her entire hand. It went through her mind that for someone who didn’t want anything to do with Ace Sanchez, she certainly wasn’t acting like it. Quickly, she drew back her hand and stood, brushing back her hair and clearing water from her eyes. She moved toward the steps to get out when she felt the splash. “What the heck?”

The instant she turned, she caught a glimpse of Ace’s deviant smile before he began splashing her like crazy.

She held up her hands as a shield, averting her face. “Stop!”

“Not a chance,” she heard him say, turning up the heat and splashing with a vengeance. She sputtered, trying to clear her mouth. Then irritation pricked through her as she gritted her teeth. “Okay, wise guy,” she muttered, splashing him back.

It was his turn to avert his face. “Hey,” he laughed. “You’re vicious.”

“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet,” she warned as she moved forward, splashing him even more. When she got right up to him, he whipped around and caught hold of her wrists, moving so close, she could feel his breath on her skin.

“Now whaddaya gonna do?” he taunted, a victorious grin on his handsome face.

Silver was unprepared for the desire that pulsed through her. He was so close. All she had to do was lean forward and press her lips to his to satisfy this craving building inside her.

“You’re mine now,” he murmured triumphantly, eyes caressing hers. As he came even closer, she instinctively moved back, but realized she was pinned against the side of the pool. He placed his arms on either side of her, resting the palms of his hands on the concrete. A playful glint lit his eyes. “Now what’re you gonna do?”

Even through the water, she could feel the heat from his body seeping into hers as it swirled through her, weakening her knees. Her heart was beating out a frenzied pace, and it was all she could do to regulate her breathing as she slid her arms around his shoulders, tightening her grip. “You don’t have me, I have you,” she said fiercely.

His eyes widened in surprise as he chuckled. “Works nicely.”

A warning bell sounded in her head, but she was too far gone to heed it as she closed her eyes and parted her lips expectantly. His lips met hers, sending an army of delicious shivers pulsing through her. He slid his arms around her back, pulling her to him and holding her with an iron grip as his lips explored hers. She was about to give herself completely to the insistence of his kiss when she heard a deep, throaty chuckle. She froze.

“Ace, my man, look at you, getting it on in the pool this early in the morning.”

A hot, insidious shame covered Silver, making her feel disgusted with herself. She looked up, her eyes focusing on the good-looking guy standing over them, his eyes shining with laughter. Silver recognized him instantly—Kade Kincaid.

At that same moment, Kade’s eyes rounded in surprise as he pointed. “I know you. You’re the event planner from the charity auction.” He chuckled, giving Ace an appraising look. “I guess there was more brewing that night than I realized.”

Silver wanted to skulk away, but Ace held her tight, his jaw going hard. She knew that look well, knew he wouldn’t let her escape so easily.

“Hey, Kade,” Ace said pleasantly. “This is Silver Bliss—Coulter,” he corrected. “We’ve known each other since high school.”

“Junior high, actually,” Silver corrected, then saw the slight smile on Ace’s lips.

“Yep, junior high. I stand corrected. She’s my favorite wedita,” he teased.

“I was gonna see if you wanted to grab a bite to eat, but I see you’re …” Kade cleared his throat, then chuckled “… preoccupied.”

“This isn’t what it looks like,” Silver said, then clamped her lips shut when she saw the amused exchange that passed between Ace and Kade. Immediately, she felt like a blooming idiot for the comment. She was in a pool, a little after seven in the morning … still in her goofy pajamas, sucking face with Ace. How else could it look?

An awkward moment passed.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Silver.” His hand went up in a farewell wave as he looked at Ace. “I’ll catch up with you later today, man.”

“Sounds good,” Ace said, matching Kade’s football player, cavalier tone.

When Kade was out of earshot, Silver groaned. “How humiliating. He probably thinks I’m the biggest sleaze on the planet.”

Concern touched his features. “No, he doesn’t. We weren’t doing anything wrong.”

“I shouldn’t be out here with you.” She shook her head, bitterness over the situation pelting over her. Ace was a good guy, and she wanted to be with him. But she felt trapped in her situation, forever in the clutches of Riley and his horrible mother. And both of them were willing to hurt Gracie if it meant wielding control over her.

She tried to move away, but Ace tightened his grip.

“Hey.”

“Don’t. There’s nothing you can say to excuse this. It was irresponsible of me to be out here.”

His eyes took on a fierce look. “I won’t apologize for our kiss. And I won’t apologize for feeling the way I do about you.”

She jerked slightly as his words soaked in. Suddenly, Silver was madder than a pent-up hen—mad at Ace for unearthing feelings she’d thought she buried long ago, and mad at herself for being so weak where he was concerned. “Just let me go,” she said, disgust heavy in her voice. “Please,” she barked, tears springing in her eyes. Great. Now he’d see her fall apart.

He nodded, dropping his hands. She pushed past him, trying to hold back the traitorous tears.

When she got out, she realized she was soaking wet without a towel. Ace’s towel had gone into the water with them. She looked down, water pooling at her feet. What now?

“I’ll get you a towel,” Ace said, as if reading her mind.

“Thanks,” she said stiffly, trying to squeegee herself off with her hands.

Nimbly, he hopped out of the pool and returned a minute later with two towels. He held one out to her.

She took it and wrapped it around herself, avoiding his gaze. She was walking away when he caught hold of her arm.

“Hey.” His voice was tender. “We’ll figure this out. Just don’t retreat, okay?” His eyes were pleading, and he looked as vulnerable as she felt. The word got lodged in his throat as he half-coughed it out. “Please?”

Silver’s phone conversation with Ace’s mom came rushing back, and she couldn’t stop hot tears from dribbling down her cheeks.

“It’ll be okay,” Ace said.

She gave him a sad smile, knowing as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t guarantee that everything would be okay. “Thanks for everything. I’ll go and get Gracie up, and we’ll be gone in a few hours.”

This time, she walked away.