Felicity sat in her car in front of Kade’s semi mansion a week later, her heart racing. The man had laughed at her. Actually laughed when she’d suggested he could fall in love with her. She burned with humiliation and shame. All week, as she’d researched him, she’d grown more and more embarrassed she’d actually put that in a contract for Kade Kincaid. What had she been thinking? She was an idiot.

Maybe it was part shame and part pride, but she’d used all of her research on the man to strategically make this a horrible date for him.

At least she had that for today…he would be on camera, putting on a show for the media and having to fake it. Today, Zeus would get a dose of mortality.

She couldn’t wait. There was a camera guy and a photographer in the car behind her.

Getting out of her car, she strode toward the mansion. She didn’t even get to the door before he opened it. She had texted him yesterday and told him to wear workout gear in the morning. Living up to his Greek name, he looked godlike in a red Under Armour t-shirt, white gym shorts, and black tennis shoes. Silver sunglasses were perched on his nose, and a wide grin spread across his face. “Hey.”

Frank, the photographer, was following her. She’d told him to capture the day for the public and to make it good. Jim, the camera guy, was behind her, recording everything.

So she played the part. It wasn’t hard. She’d loved theater in high school and had even been the lead in Our Town. By the time she got to college, she was determined to focus on her studies, so she’d let it go. She was ready for this part though, had practiced all week in her mind.

“Hey." Putting on her warmest smile, she embraced him and kissed the side of his cheek.

He held her, seeming stunned.

“Are you ready?” She grinned up at him.

He tipped his sunglasses down and stared into her eyes deeply for a moment then shook his head and wiped on a smile. “Baby, I was born ready.”

Taking his hand, she laughed as she pulled him to his Jeep in the driveway. “You’re gonna love it!”

It’d taken a lot to discover what he might actually hate in a date. A lot, but not too much for her to figure out. The guy was an adrenaline junky, but he’d never done one thing.

He held the passenger door for her, and she let the guys in first so they could sit in the back. She hopped into the Jeep and giggled for the camera. "Head to the airport.”

Kade only hesitated briefly before getting into the Jeep and taking off. “I thought you might choose a helicopter ride.” He let out a laugh. "Honestly, I’m glad you did. I love flying."

The wind blew her hair, and she put her hand on his.

Looking down at her hand then back to the road, she could tell he was confused because she was putting on a great act.

“I just wanted to make this the most memorable day.” Turning over her shoulder, she winked into the camera.

Kade noticed what she was doing, put on his own fake smile and waved back to the camera too.

“Going to be the best day ever!” She held up her hands and acted all excited.

Part of researching a guy was knowing his likes and dislikes. According to the last five years of dating history, he liked blondes or redheads. He didn’t deviate too much from that. He especially liked the cheerleaders, which made her want to gag. The interesting part was he had never been engaged or popped the question to anyone.

He laughed and kept driving.

She turned on the radio and blasted country western music.

“Hey, my favorite music.” He grinned.

“Really? That’s crazy, mine too.” She was just doing what he wanted. Being whatever he needed her to be. She jammed out and acted all fun, the exact kind of person he would like. She offered him a piece of bubble gum, and he laughed and took some. She blew bubbles and popped them. They listened to Texas Waters and Montana Crew songs. By the time they got to the airport, he seemed relaxed and happy.

"Should I just go to the helicopter port?"

She nodded. He drove through security, and they let him right in since she’d notified them ahead of time.

When they got close to the helicopters, she redirected him. “No, go that way.”

Hesitating only briefly, he did as he was directed.

She turned for the camera. “America—this is something you are going to get to see for the first time."

He kept going, and she could tell when he realized what they were going to do.

"No.” He stopped the car.

She acted like a hyper, crazy cheerleader and turned for the camera. “Skydiving! Yay!"

A look of pure terror crossed his face, and he swung to her then back to the tandem jumpers getting ready in front of the little plane.

It had taken a bit of digging to realize that he was terrified of heights. She saw the pale look cover his face.

Getting out, she ran around to his side and pulled open the door. “C'mon!” She jumped and took his hand, rushing to the tandem guy and turning to the camera. “It was hard to find something that my guy has never done before, but I did it!”

If she had been able to, she would have laughed outright at the discomfort that flitted across the championship quarterback's face.

“Great,” he said before telling the camera guy to turn it off for a moment and tugged her aside. “I can’t do this. We need to restart the date.”

All business now, she shook her head. “We have a contract. This isn’t a pre-recorded thing. This is happening. Plus, I thought you lived on Olympus, how could this possibly scare you?”

Sucking in air, he bent over for a second then put his hands on his knees. “I can’t do this.”

Thinking of the way he’d made her feel so idiotic for telling him not to fall in love with her, she turned back to the camera guy, she flicked a hand at him. "Frank, keep filming."

Walking over to the guys in charge of the jump, she waved the camera guys over. “Meet Tim and Todd. They are both expert tandem jumpers and will be helping me and Kade today.”

Frank recorded Kade, who still had his hands on his knees, bent over.

Being silly, she pushed her head in front of the camera. “Are you ready, Zeus?”

Kade turned away from her. “I think I’m really going to be sick.”

For a second, she was tempted to give in and not do this. She walked over to him and lowered her voice. “It’s fourth and long, can you throw the pass?” She used his analogy.

Sucking in another long breath, he stood and met her eyes. “Fine.”

Not expecting him to so rapidly confront his fear, she stood by and observed as he introduced himself to the tandem guys.

A few minutes later, they started their presentation. “You have to arch. The most important thing when jumping out of a plane is the right arch.” Tim demonstrated by sticking his chest out with his arms halfway up, putting them in a T position while pushing his pelvis out. “Your pelvis has to be out to put your whole form into alignment. Do we understand?”

Both she and Kade went through the training. Part of her had always wanted to jump out of a plane. Actually, this was a dream come true for her.

Knowing her doctor would never have allowed her to do it, she had opted not to ask.

As she and Kade suited up for the flight, Frank filmed the details of the plane and interviewed the pilot.

A couple of minutes later, when she and Kade were alone and putting on the rest of the gear, he nudged her. “You discovered I hated heights, and you tailored this to me, didn’t you?”

At first, she didn’t meet his eyes.

“Didn’t you?"

Finally, she looked up, but she didn’t see what the anger she’d been expecting.

Instead there was amusement. “You might have gained some yards, but you’re a long way from a touch down, Song.”

Which made her laugh. Like they were sharing a private joke.

Looking a bit off center, he shook his head. “Pretty clever, I pressure you for a date, you give me a date I don’t want.”

Leaning into him, she smelled his cologne. Something spicy and manly. “It’s just the beginning, Kincaid.”

He held her eyes and let out a breath. “I clearly underestimated your offense.”

When they got up into the plane, she looked over at him. He’d gone quiet. He looked a bit petrified.

His angst actually made her feel bad. He wasn't even pretending for the camera, simply responding to anything she said with a little laugh and "Sure."

She hadn’t planned on letting him off the hook, but leaning over, she whispered in his ear. “Do you want to re-cut this? We can go do something else.”

A mischievous grin flitted over his sickly face. “You bailing on me, Song?”

That’s when she saw it. The grit Kade Kincaid carried with him all the time. On and off the field. He would jump out of an airplane, even though he was terrified.

At that moment, she looked out the airplane window as it rushed down the airstrip. Adrenaline surged within her. She yelled. “Whoo!”

Kade took her hand and copied her yell. “Whoo!”

Their eyes met, and her stomach fluttered, and both of them laughed.

Dang, this was getting real.

It was her last thought before the plane left the ground.