of the other guys have, but it’s still fast.” He closed the door and jogged around the car. This was as nerve-wracking as a real first date. “Ready for some fun?”
She gave him a grin that said, “game on.”
He revved up the engine and tore out of the parking garage as fast as he dared.
A squeal broke free from Kiana’s lips, but the flush in her cheeks told him it was more from delight than fear. The interstate was still a mess of rush-hour traffic, so he was forced to stick to the side streets as he made his way down from Midtown to Phillips Arena. Not the best way to show off what his car could do, but maybe after the game…
He glanced at Kiana and wondered if she’d be open to a little late-night fun with him.
The blare of a car horn jerked his attention back to the road. Thankfully, he wasn’t the driver at fault, but the incident rattled him enough to stay focused on one thing at a time.
That didn’t keep him from making small talk with her. “Have you been to many games this season?”
She shook her head. “Been too busy. I used to go all the time with Dad, though.”
A pang of sadness lingered in her voice, and he silently cursed. The last thing he wanted to do was dredge up some unpleasant memories. “Are you sure you want to go? Because if—”
“Of course I want to go.” She looked at him with confusion. “I wouldn’t have accepted your invitation if I didn’t.”
“I know how some places have special meanings to people, and I didn’t want to take you anywhere that would make you miss him.” He rubbed the back of his neck and hoped she wouldn’t ask any more about it.
Of course, she was too smart not to pick up on what he said. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
He shrugged and waited for her to change the subject.
“What’s your story, Frank Kelly?”
He gripped the steering wheel and weighed the pros and cons of revealing the truth to her. He had a reputation as a tough guy, as an aggressive linebacker who knocked opponents to the turf on a regular basis. “Just that I get that certain places have sentimental value.”
“What’s your place?”
“Soldier Field.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “There’s a reason I won’t play for the Bears. Every time I set foot in that stadium, I remember all the games I went there with my dad. We played a game there once while I was at Notre Dame, and when I went out on the field, I just froze. I couldn’t get my head on straight until halfway through the second quarter.”
“You missed him that much?”
“I’m sure it had something to do with the fact it was only a few months after he’d died.” His throat choked up. “But yeah, I miss him. I gave him way too much grief when he was alive.”
“I think we all give our parents grief at one time or another.”
“No, I was by far the biggest troublemaker out of all my brothers. I blame the red hair,” he added, cracking a joke and pointing to the one feature that made him stand out among his siblings.
“Yeah, redheads do have a reputation for hot tempers.” She sounded like she was trying to be flippant, but he didn’t miss the way she squirmed in her seat.
Shit! After witnessing the way her ex so casually backhanded her at the club, he began to wonder if there was more to their history. If that asshole had hit her before…
He squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Then he caught himself. He could only imagine what he looked like to her right now. Probably something close to the Hulk in a smashing rage.
Frank forced himself to think of more pleasant things, and his anger faded. “So, is this a fake date or an official date?”
“Excuse me?” The sassy attitude returned with the same force as the moment he’d met her at the club.
“You know. You and me, being seen in public together, trying to raise awareness for the foundation. Is it going to be all business? Or will you allow yourself a few moments of
She gave him a grin that said, “game on.”
He revved up the engine and tore out of the parking garage as fast as he dared.
A squeal broke free from Kiana’s lips, but the flush in her cheeks told him it was more from delight than fear. The interstate was still a mess of rush-hour traffic, so he was forced to stick to the side streets as he made his way down from Midtown to Phillips Arena. Not the best way to show off what his car could do, but maybe after the game…
He glanced at Kiana and wondered if she’d be open to a little late-night fun with him.
The blare of a car horn jerked his attention back to the road. Thankfully, he wasn’t the driver at fault, but the incident rattled him enough to stay focused on one thing at a time.
That didn’t keep him from making small talk with her. “Have you been to many games this season?”
She shook her head. “Been too busy. I used to go all the time with Dad, though.”
A pang of sadness lingered in her voice, and he silently cursed. The last thing he wanted to do was dredge up some unpleasant memories. “Are you sure you want to go? Because if—”
“Of course I want to go.” She looked at him with confusion. “I wouldn’t have accepted your invitation if I didn’t.”
“I know how some places have special meanings to people, and I didn’t want to take you anywhere that would make you miss him.” He rubbed the back of his neck and hoped she wouldn’t ask any more about it.
Of course, she was too smart not to pick up on what he said. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
He shrugged and waited for her to change the subject.
“What’s your story, Frank Kelly?”
He gripped the steering wheel and weighed the pros and cons of revealing the truth to her. He had a reputation as a tough guy, as an aggressive linebacker who knocked opponents to the turf on a regular basis. “Just that I get that certain places have sentimental value.”
“What’s your place?”
“Soldier Field.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “There’s a reason I won’t play for the Bears. Every time I set foot in that stadium, I remember all the games I went there with my dad. We played a game there once while I was at Notre Dame, and when I went out on the field, I just froze. I couldn’t get my head on straight until halfway through the second quarter.”
“You missed him that much?”
“I’m sure it had something to do with the fact it was only a few months after he’d died.” His throat choked up. “But yeah, I miss him. I gave him way too much grief when he was alive.”
“I think we all give our parents grief at one time or another.”
“No, I was by far the biggest troublemaker out of all my brothers. I blame the red hair,” he added, cracking a joke and pointing to the one feature that made him stand out among his siblings.
“Yeah, redheads do have a reputation for hot tempers.” She sounded like she was trying to be flippant, but he didn’t miss the way she squirmed in her seat.
Shit! After witnessing the way her ex so casually backhanded her at the club, he began to wonder if there was more to their history. If that asshole had hit her before…
He squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Then he caught himself. He could only imagine what he looked like to her right now. Probably something close to the Hulk in a smashing rage.
Frank forced himself to think of more pleasant things, and his anger faded. “So, is this a fake date or an official date?”
“Excuse me?” The sassy attitude returned with the same force as the moment he’d met her at the club.
“You know. You and me, being seen in public together, trying to raise awareness for the foundation. Is it going to be all business? Or will you allow yourself a few moments of
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