Quarterback Draw
Page 22

“And Leah wanted me to spend the night,” Anya said. “Is that okay?”
Katrina looked at both of them. “You guys. No. We have company.”
“Really. It’s okay with me,” Grant said. “I had a great time with both of you today, but it’s not necessary for you to hang out with me the rest of the night. Providing it’s all right with Katrina.”
She looked at Grant. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Awesome,” Anya said. “I’m going to go pack a bag then call Leah. She said her mom will come meet us.”
“I’ll go grab my stuff.” Leo started to turn away, then stopped and pivoted to look at Grant. “Hey, thanks for today. It was fun. And for the football stuff.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Yeah, what Leo said,” Anya said. “Except for the football stuff, though it was interesting.”
And in seconds, they had both disappeared into their rooms, only to reappear about five minutes later, both of them hustling out the door.
“That was fast,” Grant said.
“It always is when they have things to do with their friends. Leo’s best friend lives in the building, which is convenient, and Leah only lives two buildings away, so Leah and her mom will walk down to meet Anya.”
“It’s great they have friends so close.”
“Yes. At least one thing I don’t have to worry about.”
He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You should worry a lot less. They’re great kids. Awesome, really. You’ve done a fantastic job raising them, Katrina.”
She stood, stretched. “Well, thanks.”
He could tell she was uncertain, maybe a little uncomfortable now that they were alone.
“Kat. I like that name. It suits you.”
Her lips curved. “They’ve called me that since they were little. It just kind of stuck.”
“Does everyone call you that?”
“No. In professional circles I’m Katrina. Only people close to me call me Kat. Just the kids, really. I should check on them, make sure they got where they were supposed to.”
“Sure. I’ll open another bottle of wine while you do that.”
He had no intention of drinking any. He had practice tomorrow. But she was wound up tight and needed to relax. He had no idea if he was the one making her tense, or if it was something else. He intended to get her to drink another glass and see if he could wind her down some, get her to talk to him.
He grabbed a glass of water for himself after pouring wine for her, returning to the living room just as she hung up the phone and laid it on the coffee table.
“Kids okay?”
“Yes.”
He handed her the glass. She took it, then looked at him. “What are you drinking?”
“Water.”
She sipped her wine. “So you’re trying to get me drunk?”
“Nope. Trying to relax you. You seem tense.”
She took a deep breath, then sat on the sofa. “You’re probably right. I am tense.”
He laid his water on the coaster on the table, then sat next to her. “Why?”
“I don’t know. You, probably.”
“Me?”
“Yes.” She took another swallow of wine.
“I make you tense? Why do you think that is?”
“Because you make me think about things I don’t have time to think about.”
Now it was getting interesting. “What kinds of things?”
She shrugged. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
Before she’d been direct, even doing her best to get rid of him with blatant honesty when they were in Barbados. So why was she avoiding him now? “Oh, no. You don’t get to throw that out there, then deflect.” He took her glass and laid it on the table, then grasped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. “What are you thinking about when you’re with me?”
She drew in a breath. “Kissing. You touching me. I liked your hands on me when we were in the gym earlier.”
There it was, and oh, man did he like hearing her say it. “I can do something about that, you know.”
She shook her head and stood, wrapping her arms around herself. “Not here. Leo’s just a few floors down. He could pop back in anytime.”
He went over to her and wrapped his arms around her, inhaling the sweetness of her scent. “So why don’t you find out if Leo can spend the night with his friend?”
She pivoted to face him. “They could still come back. I wouldn’t be comfortable or relaxed enough to … enjoy being with you.”
He got the idea there was more to it than that, but he’d have to respect her decision. “Okay. How about another night?”
“Don’t you have to leave town after your game?”
“Eventually. Make arrangements for the kids and come stay with me at the hotel the night after the game.”
“I couldn’t. The kids would know I was with you.”
He rubbed her arms. “And that’s a bad thing?”
“I … I don’t know.”
“You’re an adult, Katrina. You’re entitled to have a relationship. Leo and Anya seem like smart kids. I don’t think they’d mind if you spent some time with me.”
She walked away and went over to the door leading out to the terrace. “I know that. It’s just me, really. I’m a lot more concerned about things like this than I should be.”