Izzy had a fabulous time running around the huge paintball area, climbing onto towers and shooting people then ducking behind walls, only to peek out seconds later to try to take a pot shot. She’d never done this before, and it was a riot. In the first game, she and Xavier had been on separate teams, and her team had won. She had thought he would want a rematch, but for the second round, he made it so they were on the same team, which was truthfully so much more fun. They stayed close together, dodging, shooting, and laughing. She could almost put the memory of his lips on hers and his body surrounding her on the back burner. Almost.

They were running away from what seemed to be the entire opposing team when Izzy spotted a great spot for protection behind stacks of straw bales that formed a tall fort of sorts.

“X!” She yelled and pointed, sprinting that direction. The shots came sure and true. Xavier leapt in front of her to protect her from getting hit. He took several yellow paintballs in the back. Izzy dove, and he flew into the makeshift shelter after her, landing almost on top of her.

Izzy gasped for air from the run and his closeness.

“Guess I’m hit,” he muttered. “Did they get you?”

“No, sir. You protected me well.” She liked him being her protector, but she tilted her chin up at him and gave him a little sass instead of a kiss like she wanted to. “Guess I’m the winner again.”

Xavier laughed, but then he sobered and leaned into her, pinning her against the wall of straw bales. “I love that you just called me, X.”

“That isn’t reserved for the Triple Threat?” Her breath was coming in fast pants, and her stomach filled up with butterflies.

He grinned. “The whole team actually calls me that … and one beautiful princess.”

She pushed at his shoulder—his very nicely formed shoulder. Oh, Izzy, stop drooling. “You can’t call me princess. Look at me right now.” She gestured around at what they’d been doing for the past couple of hours and then to her dirty, paint-splattered and muddy clothes. He grabbed her hand.

“You’re right.” His head lowered closer to hers, and she knew he was going to kiss her. She wanted it so badly, but she couldn’t be moving this quick with him, becoming all comfortable and kissing nonstop. She was the no-nonsense nurse who didn’t let men into her heart.

“Why do they call you X?” she asked, their breath intermingling, he was so close.

He lifted some hair away from her neck, brushing the sensitive skin with his fingertips. “If I tell you, it has to stay in this straw fort.”

She smiled, so tempted to cross those inches and taste his incredible lips again. “I swear it.”

“I trust you.” He stared at her, and she felt like he really did trust her, but could she trust him? He’d sort of claimed he wasn’t a womanizer, but wasn’t that what every player said? She was sure when her father imported her mother from Columbia, he didn’t say, Hey, I’m going to be a cheating scumbag and have an affair with the beauty next door while you wither away from cancer. She blinked away those horrible thoughts and focused on Xavier.

“So … X?” It gave her a little thrill to call him that. Like they really were close friends.

“When I was in pee-wee league I was huge—off the growth charts in height and weight. It didn’t help that I was hungry all the time, and my mama fed me nonstop. Supposedly, that’s her ‘love language.’” He winked. “The coaches didn’t even give me a chance to play a skilled position and put an X on my helmet. I was stuck on the O-line until I hit high school.”

“Wow. Look how quickly you picked up a skilled position.”

Several warrior cries from above jerked them out of their comfortable conversation and cuddled position. Izzy looked up just as they were splattered with yellow paint. She took one to the cheek that stung, but she couldn’t help but laugh along with Xavier. Several members of the other team had climbed the outside of the straw bale stack while they’d been distracted with each other.

“We surrender!” Izzy yelled.

“Speak for yourself,” Xavier said, shooting several rounds at the young adults perched high above them. He shot one kid squarely in the chest with red paint and another took a hit to the arm.

“Hey, you can’t shoot us after you get tagged out,” a blonde girl protested.

“He’s Xavier Newton. He can do whatever he wants.”

The others laughed and agreed with that then started climbing down. Izzy realized she was impressed that up until that move Xavier had studiously followed the rules, and none of the other players had said anything about who he was.

“Did you have to pay the other players to be here?” she asked.

Xavier stood and offered her a hand up. “Yeah. It sucks to pay for friends, but these guys are professionals and agreed not to act like it was a big deal that I catch a football on Sundays. I didn’t want to deal with people off the street freaking out, or invite my teammates and have them razz you nonstop.” His voice lowered. “Or hit on you.”

Once again, Izzy was overheated by a simple look from Xavier.

A young man came around the corner. “I know you only planned on two rounds, but we have time for one more round before we open to the public, sir. If you’re interested.”

Xavier looked to her.

“I’d love that,” she said.

“Sounds great, Tyson. Thanks.” Xavier gave Izzy a mischievous look. “But I think we’d better go boys against girls. You and I have to prove how tough we are, right bud?”

Tyson grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, sir!”

“Don’t be salty when I beat you a third time.” Izzy walked toward the staging area to get a different color of paint in her gun.

“Salty?” Xavier asked, hurrying to her side.

“Crying big old salty tears. I know how sensitive you are and all.”

Xavier grinned. “I’ll cry to my mama if you don’t promise me at least one more kiss today.”

“Your mama better be ready to comfort her big, old football player with lots of food. I already told you I don’t kiss on the first date.”

Xavier threw back his head and laughed.

* * *

Xavier turned into a gated community with massive homes, each with decent-sized lots and professional landscaping. Izzy had grown up in a Spanish mansion, the only thing about her mother’s heritage that her father had retained, but this was still impressive. He drove into the circle drive of a Tudor-style mansion with large windows and ivy crawling all over the exterior. Izzy fell in love, but then the suspicions about Xavier’s reputation reared their ugly head.

“Your house?” she asked tartly.

“Yes, ma’am.” Xavier drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

“Why did you bring me here?”

He turned to her with his brow furrowed. “So you could change your clothes before lunch.”

Her jaw dropped, and she felt instant remorse.

“Why did you think I brought you here?”

“Well, you know, your reputation and all.”

He nodded shortly, jumped out, and jogged around to get her door. “Princess.”

The way he said it, so short and tight, made her fight to keep her composure. She stepped down from the Land Rover, clutching the bag with her change of clothes. Xavier gestured her toward the front steps, flanked with green shrubs and the deep purple flowers she knew as Texas stars. “Your home is beautiful. I’m sorry for assuming the worst.”

He studied her for a few seconds before pushing out a long breath. “It seems like I’ve got a long road to getting you to trust me.”

Izzy folded her arms across her chest and focused on the green Texas ash trees blocking the view of the neighbor’s home. “Honestly, it’s not all you, X.”

Her using his nickname brought a small smile to his face. “What do you mean?”

“My father may have ruined me from ever fully trusting a man.”

Xavier’s mouth went slack. “Was he a cheater?”

She nodded, not ready to have this conversation standing on the driveway. Okay, she might never be ready to have this conversation.

Xavier took the bag from her hand and then offered his other hand. Izzy glanced down at his dark brown fingers then back up into his beautiful eyes. Finally, she took his hand. He walked slowly across the cement and up the stairs, releasing her hand to punch in a code, swing the front door wide, and gesture her inside. Izzy loved him a little bit at that moment for not trying to force the details out of her.

She walked into the exquisite two-story foyer, lit by all the windows. There were fresh flowers on the entry table and perfectly placed landscape paintings and mirrors on the sea foam walls. She loved the contrast to the rich cherry wood trim and woodwork. Xavier took her hand again and led her to the stairs. An unfamiliar feeling washed over her, like she could fight through anything with her hand in his and this strong man by her side.

The wide staircase led to a double-sided balcony that looked down on the foyer and formal office and dining room on the front side and the great room and kitchen on the back. The two-story windows from the front and rear of the house brought in plenty of the bright Texas sun. Xavier still hadn’t said anything. They walked along the walkway to the right-hand side where several doors were lined up. She assumed it was the space above the garage. He released her hand and pushed open one of the doors, but stopped on the threshold.

“This is the room my mama stays in when she comes and visits, so there’s plenty of girlie shampoo and lotion if you want to use them.”

“Thank you.” Izzy dipped her head, thinking how horribly she’d misjudged him again. He hadn’t tried to come into the bedroom with her, and he wasn’t going to try to stain her virtue in the room his mama stayed in.

“Izzy,” he whispered her name, and she met his gaze again. “I’m sorry your father hurt you and your mama, but there are many men who stay true when they make a promise.”

Izzy held his gaze. He believed what he was telling her. Could she ever believe such a thing? Leave the past in the past and trust in a man? She’d fought her way through school and worked hard to succeed in her career. Now, she had the freedom to help children and the hospital, and she was respected by her peers and loved by the children. How would a man fit into her structured life?

He nodded to her then turned and walked away. Izzy watched him go before quietly shutting the door and carrying her bag into the attached bathroom. She smiled wryly as she caught a glimpse of herself in the gilded mirror—yellow, red, and blue paint stained her face and clothes, and hair. Xavier had treated her like a lady, no matter how many times she misjudged him and how horrible she looked. She opened the glass door of the shower, stepped into the granite interior, and pulled the knob to warm up the water before shedding her dirty clothes. Xavier had definitely given her plenty to think about.

* * *

Xavier showered in his master suite that was situated on the opposite side of the kitchen and garage next to the great room, having to scrub hard at some of the paint splatters. After drying off, he put on a clean pair of gray shorts and a faded blue short-sleeved button-down shirt. Izzy had him so stirred up and confused. He wished he could call his mama for advice. He walked out into the great room, grasping his phone, but not wanting to get caught spilling his guts to her if Izzy came out.

He glanced up at the open balcony, willing Izzy to appear. He wanted to talk through so many things with her, but the hurt in her eyes when she revealed what her father was like told him to take it slow. She’d placed trust in him revealing her family secret, and he didn’t want to mess it up by rushing her.

He turned his focus to the floor-to-ceiling two-story windows and his landscaped backyard. The trees, bushes, and fence gave him lots of privacy. He really enjoyed his home, but it often felt too perfect to him—professionally decorated, cleaned, and landscaped. What this place really needed was a couple of little boys to throw things off the balcony, ding the walls racing each other on their scooters, and shoot Nerf bullets all over the place. And maybe a little princess to keep the boys in line, even though she’d be every bit as tough as they were. He was kind of liking princesses right now.

His front door popped open. Dang it, giving Kade his security code was a mistake. He’d need to change it again.

“X?” Kade called out, stomping his way through the entry, around the staircase, and into the great room. “Oh, good, you’re home.”

“What were you going to do if I wasn’t home?”

“Steal some of the cookies Mama left for me in the freezer.”

Xavier shook his head. Mama always stocked his freezer with meals and treats before she left, and Ace and Kade knew the food was for them as much as for Xavier.

“Help yourself.”

“I always do.” Kade walked into the pantry, which was as big as most people’s kitchens. Xavier could hear him swing open the industrial-sized freezer and rummage around. Then the microwave turned on for a brief time. He came back out with a plate stacked with chocolate chip cookies. Xavier studied his friend. His normally cocksure expression was gone, and although Xavier knew Kade loved Mama’s cookies, he was pretty diligent about eating only a few and not consuming too much sugar and carbs. They were professional athletes after all.

“Everything okay?” Xavier asked.

“This woman has got me off my game, man.” He got himself a glass of milk from the fridge then sat down at the seven-foot granite bar and started dunking cookies.

Xavier sat down a few stools over. He wanted to help his friend, but Izzy was going to be coming out of that upstairs bedroom door any minute, and he didn’t want Kade teasing him or Izzy getting embarrassed by being caught coming out of one of his bedrooms.

“You think I’ve got advice about women?” Xavier asked.

“Of course you do. You date a different hot girl every other day.”

Xavier’s neck heated up. Even though he’d tried to explain to his closest friends what a fraud his dating life was, they didn’t really understand it. “What’s her name?” He felt compelled to ask.

“Felicity Song.” Kade shoved half a cookie in.

“Felicity Song?” Xavier repeated. “The redhead from the auction?”

“Yeah. You know she bought the date with me, but she doesn’t want—”

The door swung open upstairs, and then soft footsteps padded across the balcony and down the staircase.

Kade froze with a cookie halfway to his mouth. His eyes widened as he looked at Xavier then looked to the arched opening where Izzy appeared. She looked unreal beautiful in a simple white sundress that showcased her tanned and firm shoulders. Her dark hair was still wet, and her wide eyes darted between him and Kade.

“Oh, hey, I didn’t know …” He grinned at Xavier. “Going for the owner’s daughter. Mad respect for your game, my friend.”

Izzy blinked at him, and Xavier shook his head. How to clear this up? Kade obviously thought they had … and he didn’t want Izzy thinking that he was like that with women, but she probably would. Oh, sheesh.

Kade picked up his plate of cookies, set his glass of milk in the sink, and saluted Xavier with the cookies. “I’ll bring the plate back.” His eyes swung to Izzy again, and he muttered, “Mad respect.” He walked toward her and extended his hand. “Kade Kincaid. Nice to meet you, Miss Knight.”

She shook his hand. “You as well.”

“Keep this guy in line, will you?”

Izzy tossed her long, dark hair and folded her arms under her chest. “No, thank you. Not applying for that job.”

Kade regarded her for a second. “Your loss. There are plenty that are.”

Xavier loved that his friend felt like he needed to step up for him, but it was the worst thing he could say to Izzy with her insecurities.

“I’m fully aware of that, Kade Kincaid.”

Kade arched his eyebrows. “Well, that’s my cue to leave.” He glanced back at Xavier. “Forget about my woman trouble.” He inclined his chin and was gone. The implication was loud and clear—Xavier’s woman trouble was much worse than whatever Kade had wanted to chat about. Maybe, but at least Xavier wasn’t downing a dozen cookies.

Izzy hadn’t moved from the entryway into the great room.

“Ah,” Xavier said. “He didn’t really mean—”

“Where are we going to lunch?” Izzy asked, all crisp and formal.

Xavier wanted to hang his head. This was never going to work. Any time he broke through her barriers, which were stronger than concrete, something happened to build them back up, the next time with reinforced rebar. He wondered if it was even worth it to try to hammer them down again.

“You’re going to love it,” he said, forcing an unconcerned grin. “You know Ace Sanchez?”

“Heard of him.” She offered him a tentative smile. She probably wasn’t anxious to meet another teammate after the exchange with Kade.

“His family owns one of the best Mexican restaurants in the Metroplex.”

“That’s a big claim.” She arched an eyebrow and everything from her beautiful face to the challenge in her eyes was really appealing to him. Could he kiss her again? No, probably not good timing.

“If I’m wrong, you get to choose where we go to dinner.” At least, he could try to spend a little more time with her.

“You think I’m spending the entire day with you?” She tucked her long hair behind her ear.

Xavier flicked his thumb against his leg. He wanted to spend the entire day with her. Although he’d planned to knock her off her princess pedestal and take her to the demolition derby tonight and buy her a greasy hamburger or corndog, he’d put on a three-piece suit and take her to The Mansion Restaurant with their signature over a hundred dollar-a-plate meals if she wanted that. But he wouldn’t force her to stay with him, and he wasn’t getting the best vibe from her right now.

“I would like that.” His voice went all husky on him, and he cursed himself for being such a sap.

She blinked at him a couple of times, those long eyelashes fanning against her cheek. She wore feminine-tough better than any woman he’d met with her fit body, smart mind, and successful career, yet she was still so soft and exquisitely beautiful.

“We’ll see.” She said it flirtatiously and even flipped her hair.

Xavier smiled, knowing his dimples were showing and hoping she really did love them like she had said when she’d kissed him before paintball. Maybe this date could be salvaged after all, and getting to know Izzy better was still his most important objective.