Despite her frustration with the Titans for letting Ace go, Ariana was suddenly glad she’d agreed to teach the agility portion of the first-annual Tiny Titans Football Camp as she looked at the eager expressions of the fresh-faced boys surrounding her. They were on a section of the practice field in the state-of-the art Titan complex that included the game stadium, a workout center, and executive offices on the upper floors. Cedar Bell the intern over the camp had planned everything to a T, which was nice because it allowed Ariana to focus on the boys.

“Are you ready to have some fun?” she yelled.

“Yeah!” they responded.

“My name is Ariana. I want you to tell me your names.” She pursed her lips together. “Let’s see … how can we make this more interesting?” She held up finger. “I know, also tell me your favorite player.”

The boys jabbered excitedly amongst themselves. She’d known this would capture their interest. Thanks to Antonio and Axel, Ariana knew how to relate to boys. Now, if she’d been asked to teach a class to a group of girls, it would’ve been a different story. Boys were easy. Just give them plenty of physical activity, sprinkle in a little competition, and feed them lots of snacks and they’d be happy.

They went down the line, telling their names and favorite players. It was gratifying to hear a couple of them name Ace. Of course, next year, they’d be chanting Rennen Bradley’s name instead. Irritation squelched over Ariana as the protective sister in her came out full force. She kept replaying the stunned look on Ace’s face when he realized the guy Ariana was talking about was his replacement on the Titan team.

Regret pressed heavily on her chest as she thought of Rennen Bradley. She’d been flying so high after meeting him that the crash back to earth was rough. After she learned who he was, she’d Googled him. There were so many crazy stories about Rennen’s past it was hard to know what was fact and what was fiction. One online magazine claimed he was raised by a group of ranchers. Another, notorious for stretching the truth, said Rennen was a test-tube baby. From what Ariana could piece together, Rennen had been abandoned as a baby, then passed around various foster homes. According to one article from a more reputable source, Rennen had been removed from one home as a baby due to cigarette burns and unexplained bruises on his little body. Realizing this about him made her heart hurt. She felt guilty for the harsh texts she’d sent. Then again, her loyalty was to Ace. Despite Rennen’s upbringing, he was taking Ace’s spot. And that meant there could never be anything between them. She pulled her thoughts back to the task at hand.

She lifted the whistle hanging by a string around her neck. “I need you to form two lines. Make sure you’re an arm’s width apart. Every athlete needs to be in top-notch condition to perform well on the field.”

“Where’s the football?” a freckle-faced boy with glasses asked.

“There’s much more to football than merely the ball,” Ariana countered. “Before you even think about passing that ball, you’ve got to get a good grasp of what your feet are doing.”

“You can practice most of these drills at home. I suggest doing them three or four days a week. When I blow the whistle, you’re going to jog in place, get your knees as high as you can. Use your hands to propel your legs up. Like so.” She demonstrated it. “We’ll start slower and then build up speed. Follow my lead. Ready, go.”

She blew the whistle and jogged in place. The boys copied her movements. The idea was to take them through a few simple drills and add in games to make it interesting. She’d put together an obstacle course where two groups could compete relay style. The Kincaid brothers would pop-in the last ten to fifteen minutes of the segment and work with the boys on a few fundamentals. And much to the boys’ delight, they’d show them how to throw a football.

They jogged for about three minutes until Ariana blew the whistle for them to stop. The boy with freckles and another boy were sucking air and clutching their stomachs like they’d just run a marathon.

“You trying to kill us, lady?” the freckle-faced boy grumbled.

Ariana bit back a smile. He was so darn cute, but she could tell from the deviant look in his eyes that he was a handful. There was normally at least one heckler in every group. Heck, she couldn’t say much because she’d been that heckler when she was the kid’s age. “Nope,” she said pleasantly. “Just trying to teach you a few things to help you get in good shape.”

Most of the boys had come here with stars in their eyes, wanting to meet famous football players. All one hundred spots were filled almost as fast as the slots opened. Ariana was sure being put through tough drills by a girl was a letdown. She’d need to take it slow so she wouldn’t tire them out too soon. And she’d have to make sure they drank plenty of water on breaks. She looked at the boy. “What did you say your name was?”

“Chris,” he said hesitantly.

“All right, Chris …” her eyes moved over the group “… and all the rest of you. Let me show you a few more drills.” Ariana made sure to add stretching and breathing exercises in between. After they were sufficiently warmed up, she pointed to two rope ladders spread across the AstroTurf, parallel to each other. “I want you to take turns running through the ladders, making sure the balls of your feet touch every space in between the rungs. Keep your knees high like we did before and use your hands to propel forward. Keep your steps light. Like so.” She ran through the ladder. “Okay, your turn.”

Chris let out an exaggerated sigh. The heavyset kid standing next to him did the same. “Do we have to do it?”

Ariana kept her tone neutral. “You can run laps around the field instead, if you want.”

They went bug-eyed. “No,” Chris said. “We’re good.”

She grinned. “Thought so.”

After they got the hang of it, she motioned for them to gather around her. “Now, for the fun part.” She flashed an exuberant smile and was pleased when most of them smiled back, anticipation brimming in their eyes. “I want you to call off one and two as I point to you.” She ran through the group. “The ones gather on my right, the twos on my left.”

She pointed at the obstacle course. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. You’ll go through the ladder first, then the cones, and zigzag through the markers, making sure to touch each one. After you finish the course, run back and tag the hand of your teammate who’ll then go through the course. The first group through wins an extra snack.” She pumped her eyebrows. “And I’ve got something really tasty.”

“What is it?” a tow-haired boy asked, eagerness lighting his eyes.

“You’ll have to wait and find out.” She rubbed her hands together. “Huddle up. Everyone put an arm in and on the count of three, we’ll yell ‘Titans’. Ready?” They piled their hands over hers. “One, two, three. Titans!” they boomed.

Ariana motioned. “All right. Line up, boys. A little competition’s good for the soul.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Her breath caught as she turned toward the voice and found herself staring into a familiar set of green eyes flecked with gold. A lock of his hair fell over one eye, giving him a sexy-windswept look. He was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and athletic shorts, offering a bird’s-eye view of his defined biceps and muscular legs. Her heart picked up a notch. “Rennen, what’re you doing here?”

“I was told to come over and help with the agility exercises. Make sure you’re teaching them correct form.”

The comment set her off like a spark to dry grass, igniting a raging fire. Ariana straightened to her full height, her hands going to her hips. “Who told you to come over here?” She was volunteering her time to do this, and was perfectly capable of teaching a group of kids agility drills. She craned her neck looking for Cedar and found her near the water station holding a baby on her hip while pressing the button to fill a camper’s cup.

Amusement sparkled in his eyes. “That’s not important.”

Ariana scrunched her brows. “Well, it’s important to me.” It took her half a second to realize he was baiting her. As she drove to camp this morning, she’d briefly wondered if Rennen might be here. She’d mentally prepared herself to act aloof so he’d get the message loud and clear that she wasn’t interested. But when she didn’t see him, she assumed she was in the clear. Obviously not.

He motioned. “An obstacle course, huh?”

“We’re doing relay races,” one of the boys explained.

“And the winning team gets an extra snack,” another added.

Rennen folded his arms over his chest, his tone musing. “Interesting.” He looked at the boys. “What do you say, we raise the stakes?”

“Yeah,” they chimed.

Ariana tensed. She didn’t know what Rennen was up to, but it couldn’t be good. “We’ve already got our plan.” She jutted out her chin. If Rennen thought he could come out here and switch up everything on a whim, he’d be sorely disappointed.

“I’ll join one of the groups. You join the other.”

“No,” she balked. “This isn’t about us. This is about the boys.” She stepped closer to him, lowering her voice. “I’m sorry about what happened between us, Rennen. But let’s not drag these boys into it.”

His eyes hardened as he chuckled. “Really? You’re sorry? You could’ve fooled me. You lambasted me with those texts. And then wouldn’t answer my calls.”

Ariana glanced at the boys who were hanging on every word. “Let’s not do this here.”

Rennen cocked an eyebrow. “If we hadn’t run into each other today, you never would’ve spoken to me again.”

That was true. She just looked at him. “So?”

“So, you’re being totally unfair.”

A harsh laugh rose in her throat as she pointed to her chest. “Me?” She shot him a condemning look. “You should’ve told me who you were when we first met.”

“I was working my way towards it when you had to leave to pick up your niece.”

She shook her head. “I don’t buy that. You could’ve told me earlier.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “When? In the middle of your rant about how much you hate football players?”

“You hate football players?” one of the boys asked, a perplexed look on his face.

Heat rushed up her neck. “Thanks a lot,” she muttered, jerking her chin towards the kids.

He held up his hands. “I’m just stating what happened. If I had told you who I was at the beginning, would you have been more understanding?”

She rocked back. “Well, no.”

A vindicated look swept over him. “I understand you being upset, but it’s not my fault Ace got injured. That’s the nature of the game. If I weren’t taking his place, someone else would. You don’t have to crucify me for it.”

The skin on the back of her neck prickled like it was crawling with ants. She squared her jaw. “That may be true, but I sure as heck don’t have to date you.” The words came out hoarse as they stood, eyeing each other.

“Okay, let’s make a wager. Like I said earlier, I’ll join one team. You join the other. If your team wins, I’ll honor your wish and leave you alone.”

She shook her head. “This is ridiculous. I can’t believe you’re doing this now, in the middle of camp.”

He continued. “If I win, you’ll go out on a date with me.” He held up a finger. “One date is all I ask.”

She let out a strangled laugh. “What? You’re insane! There’s no way I’m going on a date with you.”

A cocky smile tugged at his lips. “Are you so sure you’re gonna lose?”

She rubbed her chin. If he weren’t so dang good looking, it might be easier to resist him. No, she couldn’t think such thoughts. She had to be strong. “Hmm … let me think about this. The Ghost challenges me to an obstacle race and I’m just supposed to accept? That’s a little like a fish challenging a squirrel to a swim, isn’t it?” She twirled her hand. “Let’s see … no thanks.” Her jaw tightened as she shot him a look that could stop an army in its tracks. “Despite what you think, I’m not stupid.”

His eyes held hers. For a moment, she forgot about the group of boys surrounding them. “I never thought you were,” he said softly.

“You’re the Ghost?” Chris asked, wide-eyed. He looked at the other boys. “Holy smokes. It’s the Ghost everyone’s been talking about.”

“Yep, he’s the superstar,” Ariana piped in, not trying to hide her resentment.

“Can I get your autograph?” a boy asked.

“Or a selfie,” another said.

Ariana glared at them. “No, you may not. Not until after our class is over.”

“Okay, you make a good point about the race,” Rennen said. “We’ll pick something else.”

A laugh escaped her lips. “You don’t give up, do you?”

“Never.”

The word was spoken so fiercely that it sent a jolt through her. Geez. This guy was messing with her head. Her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own as they went to his lips. Desire swelled through her, making her feel hot all over.

“You pick the activity. Just me and you.”

Her heart hammered in her chest as her mouth went dry. “Here? No way.”

A quirky expression came over his handsome face, as his voice took on a taunting edge. “Is Ace so fragile that he has to get his big sister to fight his battles? What a cry-baby,” he smirked.

Ariana gritted her teeth. “Ace’s younger sister, actually.”

His mouth twitched. “Oops, sorry.”

She wanted to knock the smirk off his lips. He was standing there all smug like he was king of the world. “All right, Goldie Locks, it’s on. Hand-to-hand combat.” She felt a burst of triumph when she saw the flicker of surprise in his eyes. He was in over his head now. She was gonna eat his lunch.

A broad smile spread over his lips. “Let’s do it.”

“Fight, fight,” the boys chanted with pumped fists.

“It’s not a fight,” Ariana corrected, “but a sparring match. Back up,” she ordered, not wanting any of them to get hurt when Rennen went flying.

Rennen’s eyes danced as he crouched down, hands out, ready to take her down. “What’re the rules?”

“First one whose back touches the ground loses,” she said savagely, planting her feet in a battle stance. Rennen was playing in her world now. “Too bad I have to embarrass you in front of your adoring fans.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Too bad I have to put such a beautiful woman down.”

Heat blotched her cheeks. He was probably complimenting her to throw her off. Well, it wouldn’t work. She knew all the tricks in the book.

“Nice earrings, by the way.” He pointed to her diamond studs. “Looks kind of groovy with your yoga pants and t-shirt. A tough, glamour-girl sort of thing.”

Chris wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Are you gonna flirt with her all day or fight?”

Rennen lunged first and tried to grab her arm, but Ariana blocked his attempt with an upward sweep of her arm and darted out of his reach. Sheesh. He was fast. It was a good thing she hadn’t taken him up on the obstacle course challenge or she’d be toast.

They circled around, each trying to get the upper hand.

She went for him next to sweep his leg with her foot, but he sidestepped her effort. She stumbled, trying to catch her balance. This time, he caught hold of her arm and spun her around, pinning her arm behind her back. He leaned in, his breath tickling her ear. “Do you yield?”

Tingles circled down her spine as a slow-burning desire simmered in her stomach. It was ridiculous how attracted she was to Rennen.

“This is kind of fun,” he murmured, his lips grazing her earlobe.

He sounded like he knew exactly how much she was affected by him, which irritated the heck out of her. “Yep, sure is,” she growled, digging her heel into bone on top of his foot.

He released his hold, grunting in pain as she whirled around, bringing her knee to his crotch. His eyes widened as he doubled over, his hands moving instinctively to protect himself. While he was incapacitated, she swept his leg, sending him spiraling to the ground with a swift thud.

The boys went crazy, jumping up and down, cheering.

Ariana leaned over, peering down at him. “It looks like I just ghosted the Ghost.”

He winced. “A knee to the crotch. Really? You don’t play fair. There goes any hope for children.”

She clucked her tongue. “Now who’s the cry-baby?”

He looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes. “Best two out of three?”

She had to hand it to him. He was persistent. In that aspect, he reminded her of Ace. Despite her best effort to hold it back, a smile tugged at her lips. “I don’t think so.” As their eyes locked, she realized with a bitter disappointment that she wanted him in her life badly. Almost enough to make her kneel and throw her arms around him to rehash their kiss from the other night. Fate was a cruel demon, laughing down at her right now. Why did Rennen have to be the one to take Ace’s place? It was so unfair that she had to choose between him and Ace. Of course she’d choose Ace, a hundred times over. And yet, it was so dang hard.

Rennen assessed her with such a compelling look that she could swear he knew what she was thinking. “You know all bets are off, right?”

She jerked. “What’re you talking about?”

He sat up, shaking his head. “Like I said, a knee to the crotch isn’t fair.” He looked at the boys surrounding them. “Am I right?”

“Yeah,” a few said hesitantly, not meeting Ariana’s eyes.

She didn’t know if she should be impressed or annoyed that Rennen was so stinking stubborn. A tendril of hope sprang in her chest at the knowledge that he wasn’t giving up. She lifted her chin and adopted an I couldn’t care less attitude as she pushed her hair behind her ear. “I don’t have time to argue about this with you. I’ve got a class to teach.”

She clapped her hands. “Okay, boys. Show’s over. Vamanos. You’ve got an obstacle course to run.”

Rennen looked up at her and winked, all the confidence in the world shining in his eyes. “See ya around, slugger.”