Felicity wasn’t sure if it was the euphoria of the jump or the fact that he’d kissed her first, but she actually did something she never would have thought to do. She pressed herself closer to him, slipping her hands behind his neck and reciprocating. Her mind went a hundred miles an hour. She felt drawn to him by a magnet pull she didn’t know how to explain. Finally, she got her wits about her and pushed him back, reflexively slapping him across the face.

Looking momentarily daft, he let out a laugh and pulled her into a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. “That was amazing!”

Felicity spun in the air and wondered if she could really finish this date and keep up appearances. The kiss had startled her. She hadn’t kissed anyone in years.

Putting her down, he didn’t even acknowledge the slap. “What now, boss?” He pointed to the camera guy.

Her heart raced, and her adrenaline was out of control. She let out a loud laugh and pointed at him. “You are crazy!”

He laughed too and pointed back. “Hey—you just jumped out of an airplane!”

They looked at each other and burst out laughing again.

She walked with him back to the training point where their instructors, the camera people, and the other instructors had assembled. As they approached, everyone whooped and hollered at them.

She was feeling so good. Amazingly, she realized she wasn’t faking anything.

They took off their gear and ruminated more about the jump.

“I have never been afraid of heights, but when the plane door opened, even I was terrified."

He laughed and blew out a long breath. “It was a rush. I’ll give ya that.” He leaned close and said, too quietly for the cameras to pick up, “If you hadn’t been there, I would’ve chickened out.”

His words were sincere. She could tell. For a few moments, she almost forgot she should be on guard against him.

The camera flashed a couple of more pictures.

After they said goodbye to Tim and Todd, he turned to her, lifting an eyebrow. "So what other torture do you have planned for today?"

It partially annoyed her that he’d figured it out, but it also made her respect him that he’d gone through with the jumping out of a plane bit. She’d seen how terrified he’d been. “You really are a larger than life man,” she said quietly, unsure of how she was feeling about him at the moment.

The side of his lip cocked up. "Didn’t feel that way a few moments ago.” He held up a hand and rubbed his jaw. “Well, except maybe when you slapped me for that kiss. That made me feel larger than life.”

Once again, she laughed and hated that she was laughing. “You better have the camera guy cut that part.”

He grinned wider. “Ya know, I’ve never been slapped before.”

“You deserved it.”

Kade cocked an eyebrow and pulled her closer, making sure no one could hear. “You kissed me back, Ms. Song.”

She let out little laughs that sounded disjointed and pulled back. She would never admit that. “No, no way I kissed you back.”

All of a sudden, his hand was on her waist, and he pulled her close to him again.

The quickness of his movement astounded her. And it really astounded her to be face to face with those lips again.

His breath rained down on her. “Next time we kiss, I’ll make sure I ask first.”

Feeling this insane attraction to him, she glared at him. “And I’ll say no.”

He laughed and abruptly, he let her go.

Stumbling back, her emotions raged between extreme desire and extreme hatred that she felt this way. “I’ll slap you again if you kiss me.”

Putting his sunglasses back in place, he took a step to her and took her hand. “I guess I must be a glutton for punishment.”

* * *

Next, she made Kade go to a McDonalds and eat breakfast. He’d been quoted in a college article as saying he hated fast food, especially McDonalds, which he’d taken a lot of heat for in the press.

Unexpectedly, he did it with a smile on his face. Even offered to sign and hand out a couple of balls to the kids in the play land.

The kids loved it. Felicity thought every mother in the play area kinda loved him too because he chatted with them and seemed to be interested in their lives. After two hours, they went back to Kade’s house where both of them changed.

“I was going to make you go rock climbing, but honestly, I need a break before dinner.” Felicity said to him.

Kade only laughed and told her to make herself comfortable in the guest room.

It was a respite for Felicity as she took extra time to shower and do her hair and makeup. It was only three when she got up from a little nap, and they weren’t leaving until five-thirty, so she decided to explore. Kade had told her to feel free to walk around, so she may as well. As she rounded a hallway into a huge ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the backyard, she had to admire his style. It gave her the feeling of an English estate. There was even a fountain and an English garden maze. Again, she found herself wondering how she’d ended up at the home of Kade Kincaid. The past couple of days had been a whirlwind, especially as she tried ferociously to find things that would bug him. To design a date he would hate.

Inhaling a deep breath, she walked closer to the back windows, walking in a slow sway, enjoying the sunshine on her face. A moment without the master of the house. When he was around, she didn’t feel relaxed. The tension in the air between them always left her a bit on edge.

The memory of how his lips had felt pressed to hers rushed through her. Making her stop walking for a second. It’d been amazing. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself she had enjoyed it.

Anger stirred through her. How dare he? She hadn’t wanted to kiss him. Hadn’t ever thought that would even be a thing.

The memory of his strong hands as he took her face and pressed his lips to hers consumed her. The confusion and how she’d been unable to keep her “date face” on stayed with her as she recalled pushing him back and slapping him.

Closing her eyes, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Curse that man. It’d been almost as exhilarating to kiss him as it had been to jump from that plane. She thought of what he’d said about how he’d kiss her again. She exhaled and clutched a fist. No way!

The baby grand piano in the center of the room called out to her, distracting her from the events of the morning. Slowly, she sat at the majestic piano and felt calm descend through her.

Through all the years, all the surgeries, all the down time, playing the piano had been the one thing she could rely on. The thing she never had to worry about being too ill for. Lightly, she pressed her fingers across the keys, combing them softly. Saying hello to the piano, getting lost in the perfect sound. Her own piano hadn’t been tuned for years. Not that she was complaining. She was just grateful she could play it after a long, hard day. She lightly went into a classic, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

Taking her time, she fell into the music just like one might fall into a book or a football game she mused, thinking of the determination on Kade’s face as he went into a game. When the cameras panned to him, she could tell he was in a world of his own. It was majestic watching him play. Not that she was a huge football fan, but it was Texas after all.

Taking her time, she mashed into more songs, some from old movie classics like Gone with the Wind, Maria, Hairspray. She loved classic movies. While she played, she forgot about all time and space. Forgot about being on this date. The only thing that existed was the music.