4
Nadia smiled brightly at the mother and daughter approaching her booth. It was Wednesday evening, and she was attending a college fair on the downtown campus of the University of Colorado.
“Hi,” she greeted her visitors. “Thanks for stopping by. I’m Nadia. What’s your name?” she asked the short, freckled girl.
“Madison,” came the shy response. “And this is my mom.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Nadia said warmly, reaching across the table to shake their hands before handing them each a brochure. “I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about Mountain View Community College.”
“Thanks.” The mother, a graying brunette with severe crow’s feet, glanced through the brochure. “We’re just exploring our options. Madison wants to attend a four-year university, but tuition is so expensive these days. It’s ridiculous.”
“I know,” Nadia commiserated. “And the costs keep rising, unfortunately. But the good news is that Madison can save you thousands of dollars by enrolling in a community college for the first two years before transferring to a university. At Mountain View, we offer a broad range of associate degree—”
“Do you have a veterinary science program?” the woman interrupted her spiel.
Nadia grimaced. “We don’t. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Thanks anyway.” Mother and daughter put down the brochures and walked away.
Nadia stared after them, then heaved a resigned sigh.
It had been a slow night for Mountain View. Nadia and her coworker Emily had only collected a small stack of information cards from interested students. Meanwhile, across the aisle, the recruiter from Metropolitan State University had so many cards, the pile was tipping over. Throughout the evening, he’d had a steady stream of students and parents coming to his booth to take brochures, ask questions and fill out information cards.
As Nadia watched him speak to the crowd gathered around his table, she couldn’t help feeling envious. She loved her job, but some days it sucked to work at a small community college.
“Okay, I’m back,” Emily announced, returning from the restroom. She stowed her leather purse under the table, then resumed her spot next to Nadia. “What’d I miss?”
Nadia sighed. “Not much. Only one parent and student came by.”
Emily gave her a knowing look. “What program did they ask about this time? Nursing? Culinary arts? Forensics?”
“Veterinary science.”
“Ah. That was my next guess.”
Nadia and Emily traded wry grins.
The two women had been colleagues for the past three years, so they’d attended more than their share of college fairs together. Emily, a curvy blonde with baby-blue eyes and long legs, had been known to use her looks and feminine wiles to lure male students—and their fathers—over to the college’s booth. Once she had them in her clutches, she’d launch into her sales pitch, rattling off the many benefits of attending a community college versus an expensive university. Even if the prospective students weren’t sold on enrolling at Mountain View, they rarely walked away without completing an information card—which recruiters needed to build their all-important mailing lists.
Tonight, unfortunately, not even Emily had been able to lure more students over. Of course, she’d spent more time in the restroom than at their booth.
“Are you okay?” Nadia asked. “I’m not complaining, but you’ve been taking a lot of bathroom breaks tonight.”
“I know.” Emily pulled a face. “I think I have a UTI. Either that or I’m preggers.”
Nadia gasped. “Seriously?”
Emily laughed. “Relax. Just kidding. Shit, Karl knows better than to knock my ass up,” she asserted, referring to her boyfriend.
Nadia’s mind flashed on an image of the pierced, tattooed and mohawked Karl. A college dropout, he bounced around jobs between making dubstep music in his mother’s garage. Nothing about him suggested he was mature or responsible enough to avoid getting his girlfriend pregnant. But Nadia kept the judgmental thought to herself.
Emily sighed, twirling a strand of blond hair around her manicured finger. “You know, I was talking to Brendan earlier—”
“Brendan?”
“The recruiter from Mesa State.” Emily fluttered her fingers, waving to a lanky redhead three tables away. When he blushed and dropped a box of pens, she gave a throaty chuckle, reveling in her feminine power.
Nadia just shook her head.
“Anyway,” Emily went on, “Brendan was telling me that their recruiters make way more than we do. He’s only been there a few years, and he makes almost sixty Gs.”
“Sixty thousand? No way. He was just trying to impress you.”
“Maybe,” Emily conceded. “But I’m sure he’s earning a shitload more than we are. He told me they’re looking to hire another recruiter. Said he’d put in a good word for me if I’m interested.”
Nadia raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”
“Well, duh.” Emily laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. Mountain View’s a cool place to work, but it’s hard to recruit students when the college is hampered by a tight budget and limited programs—”
“We’re not that limited,” Nadia argued. “We offer a good variety of certificate and degree programs.”
“Not enough to compete with other schools,” Emily countered. “I mean, look around, Nadia. We’re not only losing out to big universities; we’re also getting our asses kicked by other community colleges that have way more to offer.” She shook her head. “Sorry, chica, but I’m tired of being the unpopular kid on the playground. I wanna hang with the cool kids.”
Nadia gave her a wry grin. “I doubt you’ve ever been unpopular a day in your life, Em.”
“I haven’t,” she agreed without blinking. “That’s another reason I have to bail on this job. It’s totally hurting my rep.”
Nadia laughed, then heaved a mournful sigh. “I hear what you’re saying. I love visiting high schools and meeting with students one-on-one, but coming to college fairs can be pretty depressing.”
“Yup. And I—” Emily broke off suddenly, staring at something over Nadia’s shoulder. Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. Is that who I think it is?”
Puzzled, Nadia turned her head, following the direction of Emily’s astonished gaze.
She froze in shock at the sight of Reid Holden sauntering through the crowded exhibit hall.
“It is him!” Emily whispered excitedly. “It’s Reid Holden! I know you don’t watch hockey, but he plays for the Rebels, and he’s totally amazing.” She practically dove under the table for her purse so she could check her lipstick.
Nadia remained frozen in place. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Reid was headed straight for her table, and she had nowhere to hide.
Peering into a compact mirror, Emily hurriedly reapplied a fresh coat of red lipstick. “I wonder what he’s doing here.”
That’s a damn good question.
Nadia watched as Reid made his way down the line of booths leading toward Mountain View’s. He looked fine as hell in a white pullover that hugged his muscular chest, low-slung jeans and tan Timbs. He walked with a casual, lazy confidence that was unbelievably hot and sexy. No wonder nearly every woman—young and old, mothers and daughters—stopped what they were doing to stare at him as he passed by.
When his eyes suddenly locked onto Nadia’s, her heartbeat quickened and her mouth went dry. The noisy din in the exhibit hall seemed to fade away as they stared at each other.
After a few moments, she forced her gaze away, busying herself with straightening brochures on the table. Emily finished primping and popped up from the floor just as Reid reached their booth.
Before he could say a word to Nadia, Emily cooed flirtatiously, “Well, hello there. What can we do for…oh my God! Aren’t you Reid Holden?”
His smile was lazy. “Guilty as charged.”
Emily squealed. “My dad and brother are your biggest fans,” she gushed. “They’d kill me if I let you walk out of here without getting your autograph.” She grabbed a pen and a brochure, flipped to a blank page at the back and then thrust both items at Reid. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” As he took the pen and brochure from Emily, his gaze drifted to Nadia. She shivered as he slowly looked her over. Her hair was pulled back into its usual ponytail, and she was wearing a plain navy shirtdress belted at the waist.
“Hey,” he murmured.
Just the sound of his voice made her nipples harden. “Hi,” she croaked, then inwardly cringed.
Emily leaned across the table, batting her long eyelashes at Reid. “Can you address it to Steve? That’s my dad.”
“Sure.”
As Reid signed the brochure, Nadia couldn’t help staring at him. He was really tall, at least six foot four, without so much as an inch of fat on that hard body. He had one of those perfectly tapered torsos with broad shoulders that narrowed down to lean hips. He was even hotter than she remembered. Panty-dropping gorgeous.
Emily was practically drooling as she handed him another brochure. “This one’s for my brother, Corey.”
Reid graciously signed the second brochure and gave it back to her with the pen.
“Thank you so much,” she gushed in a breathy voice. “I can’t wait to give these to Dad and Corey. They’re not gonna believe I met you.”
Reid smiled, but his gaze had already shifted to Nadia. “Hi again.”
“Hello.” She congratulated herself on sounding halfway normal this time.
“It’s good to see you.”
Her stomach fluttered. “How did you know I was here?”
“Your brother told me.”
“My brother?”
“Yeah. I called him and asked where you work. He told me where to find you.”
“And you came,” she said stupidly.
“Yeah.” Those blue eyes glinted. “I came.”
Nadia swallowed hard and shot a glance at Emily. The blonde’s eyes had widened into saucers as she looked from Reid to Nadia. “You two know each other?”
“Not exactly,” Nadia said quickly. “We met at practice yesterday.”
“Really?” Emily frowned in confusion. “What were you doing at the Rebels’ practice?”
Before she could answer, two high school boys walked over to the table. Both were staring up at Reid with awestruck expressions.
“Excuse me,” the shorter one said. “Are you The Rocket?”
Reid smiled. “You got me.”
“Holy shit!” the boy exclaimed, breaking into a huge grin. “I can’t believe it’s you! You’re my favorite hockey player!”
“Mine too,” the other one piped up, beaming at Reid. “Can we have your autograph?”
“Sure,” Reid agreed.
The excited friends tore off pages from the notepads they’d received from one of the other colleges. As they shoved the pieces of paper at Reid, Nadia handed him a pen.
He winked at her. “Thanks.”
She blushed like a schoolgirl. “You’re welcome.”
It wasn’t long before several other teenagers and their parents wandered over to meet Reid and get his autograph. As news of his appearance buzzed through the hall, more hockey fans showed up at Mountain View’s booth. It was the biggest crowd they’d had all night. It gave Nadia a twinge of smug satisfaction to see other recruiters looking envious this time. For the moment, at least, she and Emily were the coolest kids on the playground.
Swarmed by excited fans, Reid patiently signed autographs, posed for selfies and offered words of encouragement to the young hockey players in the crowd, boys who idolized him and aspired to be like him.
As Nadia watched, she couldn’t help admiring the natural ease with which Reid interacted with his fans. It was clear that he genuinely appreciated them, and they in turn adored him.
Emily sidled closer to Nadia and whispered in her ear, “He is so fucking hot. I can’t believe he came here to see you.”
Nadia made a face. “Gee, thanks.”
Emily laughed. “You know what I meant. I’ve heard that he’s, like, a total manwhore. He sleeps around a lot. But…well, you’re not his usual type.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Nadia muttered.
When the crowd showed no sign of dispersing, the university’s event coordinator came to Reid’s rescue. Accompanied by a campus security guard, she good-naturedly reminded everyone that they were there to learn more about the colleges and universities represented at the fair.
After wishing Reid good luck on the new season and promising to watch every game, the fans moved on with their autographs, grinning ecstatically.
Reid chatted with the event coordinator and security guard for a few minutes. When they left, he returned his attention to Nadia with unerring focus.
“Have dinner with me.”
She stared at him. Say what? “Dinner?”
“Yeah. Dinner.”
“I can’t,” she blurted. “I mean, I can’t leave. I’m working.”
“What time does the fair end?”
“Not until nine. Then I have to stay and help break down the booth.”
Reid glanced down at the TAG Heuer watch encircling his thick wrist. “I’ll wait.”
Nadia shook her head. “I don’t think—”
“You can go,” Emily interjected.
“What?” Nadia swiveled her head around to stare at her. “No, I can’t.”
“Why not? It’s been a slow ass night. No one will notice if you take off early.”
“That’s not the point. I shouldn’t just up and leave you.”
Emily waved off her concern. “It’s no big deal. Karl’s meeting me here so we can go out for drinks. He’ll help me break down the booth.”
Reid grinned at Nadia. “See? Problem solved.”
Frowning, she motioned for him to follow her behind the booth.
Instantly she realized her mistake. The booth backed to a long wall, and the space between both was very narrow and tight. Too tight.
Her heart thumped against her ribs as Reid stood over her, practically cornering her against the wall. He was so big, so brawny and masculine. Her senses were flooded with his intoxicating scent, heat and pure man.
She stared up at him, breathless. “Why are you here?”
“I came to see you.” His deep voice brushed over her like heated silk, touching her everywhere, slipping into every part of her.
She had to swallow before she could speak again. “What do you want?”
“I want to have dinner with you.”
“Why?”
He smiled. “Because I think you’re beautiful, and I’d like to get to know you.”
Her heart rate skyrocketed. She nervously licked her lips and then lifted her chin. “I’m not one of your puck bunnies.”
“I know.” He looked her up and down, the pleasure in his eyes unmistakable. “I wouldn’t be here if you were.”
Her pulse quickened, her lips parting to accommodate faster breaths. As the air between them sizzled with pure sexual awareness, it was all she could do to keep from lifting her hips toward him, into him. She’d never been so massively turned on in her life.
“Reid—”
“Dinner, Nadia. That’s all I ask.”
Her eyes traced the dark stubble on his jaw and then lowered to his wide chest while she wrestled with herself, hormones warring with common sense.
Finally she lifted her gaze to his and nodded, surrendering against her better judgment. “I’ll have coffee with you.”
His eyes glinted. “Not dinner?”
“No.” Her voice was firm. “Just coffee.”
He searched her face a moment longer, lips twitching. “Coffee it is, then.”
She nodded, trying to be brisk and businesslike. “I know a place nearby. We can walk there.”
A slow, sexy smile curved his mouth. “Let’s go.”
She took him to a café around the corner from the university. She’d gone there several times for the excellent chai latte and free Wi-Fi. The pumpkin chocolate chip bread wasn’t bad either.
Reid held the door open for her, then followed her inside. Her face heated as heads turned in their direction and eyes widened in recognition. Several people pointed to Reid and whispered excitedly to their companions.
Reid seemed oblivious to the minor commotion caused by his arrival. He leaned close to Nadia, his hand brushing the small of her back. The light touch made her shiver as he said, “Why don’t you grab a table while I get our coffee?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“What would you like?”
She hadn’t eaten since noon, and she was hungry. But she wasn’t about to order food. Having a meal with Reid would qualify as a date. And this wasn’t a date. Not in any way, shape or form.
“I’ll just have a chai latte,” she told him.
He nodded. “Want anything else?”
“No, thanks.” She’d eat leftover pizza when she got home, assuming her brother left her any.
As she started away to find a table, Reid caught her lightly by the waist. The unexpected contact sent a small shock through her, causing her to gasp.
His eyes glinted down at her. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” He pointed across the café. “That booth by the window looks good.”
She swallowed and gave a jerky nod, then headed in the direction he’d indicated. Curious gazes followed her all the way to the empty booth. As she slid into the seat, the plush leather upholstery felt cool against the back of her thighs. She set her purse down beside her and tugged her dress back into place, then crossed her legs and forced herself to glance around as casually as if she went out with hockey superstars all the time.
The café boasted an inviting atmosphere with cozy booths, couches, small tables and a wood-burning fireplace. The works of local artists were showcased on the exposed-brick walls. The rich scent of coffee filled the air, and Otis Redding could be heard through the speakers.
Nadia’s gaze drifted toward the counter where Reid was placing their order. She stared at him, admiring the way his jeans hugged his firm, round ass. He had the nicest ass she’d ever seen on any guy, white or black.
The girl behind the counter was flirting shamelessly with him, batting her eyelashes and smiling so hard her gums showed. Reid seemed unfazed by the attention. Women probably came on to him all the time, so he was used to it.
While he was waiting for his order, a young couple approached him for an autograph, which emboldened three other fans to come forward. Nadia wondered if that ever got old.
When their order was ready, the barista handed the drinks to Reid and said something that made him laugh. His teeth were strong and white, leading Nadia to speculate if they were all his. She knew that hockey players routinely got their teeth knocked out during fights on the ice. Since she’d spent a few summers helping out at her father’s dental office, she should be able to tell if Reid’s killer smile was fake. If it was, then maybe, just maybe, she’d find him a whole lot less sexy.
She could only hope.
As he turned from the counter, she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to stare out the window at pedestrians bustling down the street.
Reid brought two cups of coffee to the table, then slid into the booth across from her. His legs were so long that his knees brushed against hers. She sucked in a breath as a tingling sensation ran through her.
Their eyes met across the table.
After a long charged moment, Nadia dropped her gaze to the steaming cup he’d placed in front of her. “Thanks for the latte.”
“Thanks for your company,” he murmured.
She nodded, wrapping her hands around her cup. Her body felt so hot and flushed, she probably should have requested an iced coffee instead.
Get a grip, Nadia.
As she took a sip of her drink, she could feel the openly curious stares of other customers. It made her feel even more nervous and self-conscious than she already did.
She set her cup down on the table. “Okay. This is weird.”
Reid met her gaze. “What?”
“This. Being here with you.” She lowered her voice. “People are staring at us. Everyone obviously recognizes you.”
Reid leaned toward her, dropping his tone to match hers. “You think so?”
“Well, ye—” She broke off, narrowing her eyes. “Are you making fun of me?”
“I wouldn’t dare.” But his eyes were twinkling.
He was so close she could count his eyelashes, could see every strand of rough stubble that darkened his jaw. And unless she was mistaken, those beautiful pearly whites were all his.
Damn.
She leaned back in the booth, her skin tingling from his proximity. From his sheer hotness.
The corners of his mouth twitched. “If the staring is making you uncomfortable, maybe we should go somewhere more private.”
The thought of being alone with him struck terror in her heart. “No,” she said quickly. “This is fine.”
He laughed, a low, sexy laugh that caused a feathery quiver to flutter through her body.
She tried to steer the conversation back into safe territory. “Do you ever get used to it?”
“What?”
“Being mobbed by adoring fans everywhere you go. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by it all?”
“Nah. Not really.”
“Seriously? Never? C’mon, be honest.”
“I am,” he insisted with a chuckle. “I mean, are there times I don’t feel like signing autographs or answering a ton of questions? Sure. I’m human. But I appreciate Rebels fans. They really show up for us. When we’re out there on the ice listening to the roar of the crowd, we feed off their energy and excitement. There’s nothing like it.”
“I’ll bet.” Nadia smiled. “I’ve never been to an NHL game. I’ve heard it’s quite an experience.”
“It is. Definitely.” Reid winked. “You’ll see for yourself tomorrow night.”
Nadia hesitated, debating whether to tell him that she wouldn’t be at the game. Just because she’d agreed to have coffee with him didn’t mean she was open to more than that.
“About tomorrow—” She was interrupted by the sound of a phone buzzing. It was Reid’s.
“Excuse me.” He took the phone out of his back pocket, glanced at the screen and frowned a little.
As he typed out a message, Nadia stared at his broad shoulders and bent head. His hair was so thick and dark. Her fingers itched to slide through the unruly locks to see if they felt as luxurious as they looked.
Reid sent off the text, then put the phone away and returned his attention to her. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem.” She took a sip of her latte. “So…”
“So…?”
“I heard you don’t like reporters.”
“Not particularly.”
“Do you make a habit of picking up their female companions?”
“No.” Reid’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “I’ve never had to.”
Nadia raised an eyebrow. “Cocky much?”
He chuckled. “Just being honest.”
“Of course,” she said dryly. “A stud like you doesn’t have to pick up women, not when they’re constantly throwing themselves at you. Which I’m sure you don’t mind.”
He eyed her humorously. “You don’t approve.”
She shrugged. “Makes no difference to me. You’re not my boyfriend.”
His eyes roamed her face, lingering on each feature. “Do you have one?”
“What?”
“A boyfriend.”
Lowering her lashes, she took another sip of her coffee and murmured, “Not at the moment.”
“Good.”
She met his gaze. “Good?”
He nodded, lifting his cup to his mouth. “I don’t want the competition.”
Her pulse stuttered at his words.
Before she could respond, the barista suddenly appeared and deposited two steaming bowls of soup on the table. Nadia shot a confused look at Reid.
“I think you have the wrong table,” she told the girl. “We didn’t order—”
“He did.” The barista smiled and winked at Reid before sashaying away.
Nadia gave him an accusing look. “I thought we were only having coffee.”
“We were,” he drawled, putting his cup down. “But she talked me into ordering the chicken tortilla soup. Said it was the best in Denver.”
“I bet she did,” Nadia muttered.
Grinning, Reid picked up his spoon, sampled the steaming broth and grunted in appreciation. “She wasn’t exaggerating. It’s delicious.”
Nadia frowned. The fragrant aroma of the soup was making her mouth water, and she feared that her stomach would growl at any moment.
“You shouldn’t have ordered it,” she grumbled. “All I wanted was coffee.”
Reid gave her a look of amused indulgence. “Just try the soup.”
She hesitated another moment, then set her coffee down and spooned up some broth.
It was delicious. Damn it.
Reid watched her expectantly. “Well?”
“It’s good,” she grudgingly admitted. “I wouldn’t say it’s the best in town. But…it’s good.”
He gave her a knowing grin, then nodded at her bowl. “Have some more.”
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes gleamed with amused satisfaction as he watched her take another spoonful of soup. The chicken was tender and the broth was savory. Scrumptious.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, staring at each other across the table.
Reid was the first to speak. “So tell me about yourself, Nadia. Are you from Denver?”
She nodded. “Born and raised.”
“Yeah? So you’ve never lived anywhere else?”
“Only when I went away to college.”
“And where was that?”
“Northwestern,” she replied, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “They have one of the top journalism schools, which appealed to Nelson and me.”
“You wanted to be a journalist too?”
“I thought I did,” she said with a smile. “I love to read, had always done well in English and wrote for the school newspaper. Journalism seemed like a natural fit.”
“But it wasn’t,” Reid surmised.
“No. It wasn’t.”
Reid nodded, leaning back in the booth. He looked relaxed and totally interested in hearing all about her life. It was new for her, having a hot guy hanging on her every word. Even the sensitive intellectual types she dated had a tendency to be self-absorbed, which meant she spent more time asking questions than answering them.
“So what happened?” Reid prompted. “What made you get out of journalism?”
“During my sophomore year,” she explained, “I worked part time in the admissions office and gave campus tours to prospective students. I really enjoyed meeting them and counseling them about college. So that’s when I decided to make a career out of it and become a recruiter.”
Reid smiled softly, watching her face. “Sounds like you heeded your calling.”
She smiled. “I’d like to think so. It’s been fulfilling, for the most part.”
“That’s good,” Reid said warmly. As he draped one arm over the back of the booth, thick muscles shifted beneath his pullover. His skin was nicely tanned, and his blue eyes looked even more striking in contrast with his white shirt. He was so ridiculously handsome. It was distracting.
She gave him a whimsical smile. “So what about you, Mr. Holden? Did you always want to be a hockey player?”
“Yup. Always.” He grinned crookedly. “My mother likes to tell people that I learned to skate before I could walk.”
Nadia chuckled. “How is that even possible?”
“When I was a baby, my parents used to take me down to the local ice rink. They’d hold my hands between them and show me how to move my feet on the ice. I caught on pretty quick and started playing hockey when I was four.”
“Four? Wow. Are you Canadian?”
He laughed. “Nah, baby. Born and bred in the USA. Straight outta Detroit, Michigan.”
“Detroit, huh?” Nadia smiled. “I’ve never met anyone from Detroit.”
He winked. “That’s because you were waiting for me.”
“Oh, is that why?” she teased.
“It is. I was meant to be your first.” His eyes glinted. “Detroiter, that is.”
“Uh-huh.” She shook her head, lips twitching even as her cheeks warmed at his wicked innuendo. “By the way, when you asked Nelson about me after practice, how did you know I wasn’t his girlfriend?”
Reid gave her a lazy smile. “I could tell you were related.”
“How? We look nothing alike.”
He chuckled. “Of course you do. You’re twins.”
“Fraternal.”
“Doesn’t matter. There’s definitely a resemblance.”
Nadia smiled. “Most people don’t think so.”
“No? Well, I’m not most people.”
You can say that again.
“I figured you had to be cousins, at least,” he continued. “But I knew you weren’t his girlfriend. I could tell by your body language.”
“My body language?” Her eyes narrowed. “Were you watching me during practice?”
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Maybe.”
She felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of him watching her when he was supposed to be practicing.
“The regular season starts tomorrow,” he said. “I need to be focused on the game. I can’t afford any distractions.”
She stared at him, her pulse racing. “Am I a distraction?”
“You are.” His eyes fell to her mouth, and he shook his head slowly. “You have no idea how distracting you are.”
Nadia felt a tug of heated pleasure between her thighs. She caught her lower lip between her teeth and then shook her head, dismissing his words. “I’m not even your type.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I didn’t realize I had a type.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she scoffed. “Of course you do.”
“Yeah?” Her breath hitched as he leaned forward, trapping her in the heat of his direct gaze. “What’s my type?”
“Blondes and brunettes. Women with big breasts, tiny waists and mile-long legs. You know, Barbie dolls.”
“Barbie dolls, huh?” He chuckled grimly. “Damn. You make me sound so shallow and boring.”
Nadia lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to deny that all the women you date tend to look the same? And before you answer, keep in mind that I’ve seen pictures.”
“Well, in that case, there’s nothing more to discuss, is there? If it was published in a newspaper or splashed across some gossip blog, that’s the only story you need to know.” There was a mocking edge to his voice that made her frown.
Was that why he hated reporters? Because he felt that they misrepresented him?
He scrubbed a hand over his bristly jaw and blew out a breath. “Here’s the thing. Hockey pretty much consumes my life. With my grueling travel schedule, I don’t have time for serious relationships. I enjoy having a good time. The women I go out with are the ones who approach me, the ones who make themselves available.”
Nadia gave him a sardonic look. “Well, I didn’t approach you. And, to be honest, I’m not available.”
Disappointment flashed in his eyes. “I’m really sorry to hear that.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to see you again.”
She snorted. “You just finished telling me that you don’t have time for relationships. I don’t even know why you went out of your way to ask me out. If all you want is a good time—”
“It’s not.”
She faltered, blinking. “What?”
He leaned forward, the sudden intensity of his gaze searing. “I asked you out because I can’t get you off my mind. Because ever since yesterday I’ve been thinking more about getting to know you than preparing for tomorrow’s game. I asked you out, Nadia, because you’re the first woman I’ve ever met who makes me want much more than just a good time.”
Her heartbeat doubled, the impact of his words robbing her of breath.
Holding her stunned gaze, he reached across the table and took her hand in his. The heat of his large palm sent sparks of sensation from her fingers to her stomach. As he gently stroked her hand with his thumb, her skin tingled and her toes curled inside her pumps.
They stared at each other without speaking.
The moment was interrupted when the barista suddenly materialized.
Blushing self-consciously, Nadia pulled her hand from Reid’s and averted her gaze to the window. As the girl cleared away their empty bowls, she flirted some more with Reid, asking him if he’d enjoyed the soup as much as she’d promised he would. She didn’t pretend to care about Nadia’s opinion—which might have annoyed her if she weren’t still reeling from the things Reid had said.
After the barista left, Nadia drew a shaky breath, then picked up her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. “It’s getting late. We should be going.”
Disappointment flickered in Reid’s eyes, but he nodded and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. After dropping a large bill on the table, he rose from the booth. Just that quickly, Nadia had forgotten how tall he was.
“We’ll go to a nice restaurant next time,” he told her. “I have a few in mind.”
She frowned up at him. “There won’t be a next time.”
He stood over her, contemplating her with narrowed eyes. “Tell me I’m the only one who feels this insane chemistry between us.”
A shiver moved through her. She swallowed convulsively. “Just because I’m attracted to you—”
Something like triumph flashed in his eyes. “We’ll discuss it on the way back to your car.”
Before she could argue, he helped her from the booth and then steered her out of the café.