“That’s not it at all. I’d like to get to know someone I’m out with before things get physical. The guys I meet aren’t into it.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Let me guess.” He deepened his voice. “Hey, baby, let’s go back to my place and I’ll let you take my clothes off.”
“Pretty much.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You get back home, he doesn’t call, and it begins again.”
“It’s more like getting back home and feeling relieved.”
They stared out at the lake in the gathering darkness. If she’d been worried about sharing her thoughts with him before, she was about to have a panic attack. She should have gone to bed. She could tackle this with a girlfriend or a counselor. He wasn’t going to have any cutting-edge insights into the train wreck of her social life. Plus, he was one of those guys who probably wasn’t looking for anything deep or meaningful. The woman he formerly dated was probably allergic to polysyllabic words.
“The guys who are approaching you aren’t high on the intelligence scale.”
“Excuse me?”
He waved one hand in the air. “I know that sounds like an insult. It isn’t. You are beautiful. The guys you want to approach you might be a bit intimidated, especially if you’re with a bunch of your girlfriends. The guy that does approach has probably had a few drinks and will act like an ass to impress you.”
She heard him talking, but she was stuck on the “you are beautiful.” He continued, gesturing to make his points, and she looked on in fascination. It wasn’t the first time in her life someone had told her she was beautiful, but it was the first time that a guy who claimed he didn’t like her had said so.
***
TANNER COULD SEE the exact second he’d lost Jordan’s attention. He’d told her she was beautiful.
He always seemed to go for the women who needed compliments around the clock. He knew they were insecure (especially Star, his ex) and wanted the reassurance, but it got old after a while. He wasn’t sure how to fill that endless need for approval. He’d known other guys who used the insecurities of the women they were with to manipulate them to get what they wanted—sex, money, a trophy wife. He wasn’t into it. He hoped to meet a woman who was secure enough to know that his compliments were not a way of getting what he wanted, but letting her know the depth of his affection for her.
He finished his sentence and glanced over at Jordan. He’d noticed the slight flush on her cheeks seconds after he’d spoken and the smile that curved her lips. She’d stopped fidgeting.
“Thanks for the compliment,” she said.
“It’s the truth.”
“I thought you detested me.”
“Most of the time, I do.”
She let out a laugh. He wasn’t telling the truth about disliking her. The more time he spent with her, the more she grew on him. It obviously said something unflattering about him that he was surprised to learn that Jordan had depth, much more than he had imagined when they’d first met. He wasn’t sure why he’d made his initial judgement about her, but he was obviously wrong. He’d always hoped to attract a woman who challenged him. She was currently sitting three feet away from him. There were no other guys competing for her attention in the relatively exclusive confines of his deck. Time to make his move.
Tabitha was right. He’d asked out the wrong woman. He needed to fix that.
He kept his voice casual. “I was wondering if you have a night free later this week.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“My doctor said I’ve made enough progress that it’s time to start getting out of the house.” He’d been told that over a month ago, but he didn’t have a burning reason to leave the house at that time. The doctor had told him three days ago that he’d healed enough from his spill in the shower he could start getting out a little. “Maybe I should bring you along in case I have a rehab emergency.”
“That depends,” she said. “Where are we going?”
“Maybe we should try going out for dinner.”
“We’re not going to the rock climbing wall at REI?”
“Next week. I need to rest up.”
No matter how luxurious, several months of nothing but his own house and occasional visits to the doctor had left him a bit stir-crazy. He needed to see some people. He also wanted to spend a little time with her and find out if the attraction that had smacked him in the face a few hours ago was the real thing or just because he’d had zero conversation with an available female in several months.
“I accept,” she said. “On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not cooking dinner,” she joked.
“You’re on.”
Chapter Six
THAT FRIDAY NIGHT, Tanner grabbed dark gray dress pants, a pressed dress shirt, and a navy blue blazer out of his closet and tossed them on his bed. He’d told Jordan their reservation was at seven PM. A car was picking them up in half an hour. He’d had a shower, put on a little aftershave, and worn the boxer briefs that made his junk look good.
“This is not a date,” he muttered. “Don’t get crazy.” Of course it was a date, but if he started thinking about all the ways this could go wrong, he’d spend the evening hiding out in his room or something.
“What’s that?” His nurse was getting ready to go home for the day. Tanner had improved enough from his second surgery to not need a nurse at any other time than when he took a shower, and Kyan was mostly there to be a spotter. Plus, if the nurse was waiting on him hand and foot, he wasn’t going to be taking care of himself, which was the ultimate goal.
“Talking to myself.”
“Looks like you’re going on a date.”
“Pretty much.”
Kyan sat down in the oversize bedroom chair Tanner typically used while dressing himself. “Do I need to tell you not to kiss on the first date and always carry a condom?” he joked.
“Thanks for the sage words of advice. I’ll try not to get anyone pregnant.”
Kyan moved forward in the chair and rested his forearms on his thighs. “Jordan must be going out tonight too. She’s dressed up and pacing in the entryway.”
“The car is not going to be here for—”
His grin widened. “So you’re spending a little time with the Disney princess.”
Tanner pretended like buttoning his shirt took the concentration of brain surgery.
“When did this start?” Kyan said.
Kyan had made the transition from “employee” to “friend” fairly rapidly. Others would think that Kyan and Tanner had nothing in common. After hours of conversation, though, it was clear to Tanner that they were in the same place: working on what was next for them. Kyan wasn’t recovering from injury, but he wanted to expand his practice by banding together with other rehabilitation nurses to offer a more holistic standard of care. He was still in the planning stages.
Tanner had had months to think about his future. He’d have to work his way up the coaching hierarchy, but he’d like to coach an NFL team. Right now, he couldn’t imagine what it would cost him emotionally to stand on a field in any franchise in the league and know he’d never play again. Luckily, he’d had great financial advice during his career and he could choose his future for fulfillment rather than money, but it was almost a year later and he was still considering the steps forward. Most guys didn’t get a fraction of the time he’d had. His future career occupied his thoughts, but the problem he wrestled with daily was finding a woman who would stick with him while he was getting up to speed with his life. He gave himself a shake mentally and grabbed the rest of the clothes off his bed.
“She isn’t as bad as I thought she was,” Tanner said.
“Famous last words,” Kyan joked. “I said something similar when I met my husband.”
“I’m taking her out to dinner. We’re not heading for Vegas.”
The car was going to be in his driveway in less than fifteen minutes. He’d better move his ass.
“Have a great time. I’ll see you on Monday, okay?” Kyan said as he shoved himself out of the chair.
“Yeah. See you then.”
Tanner shrugged on his navy blue blazer and reached out for the cane he was using as of last week. It was mostly for balance. It had been months, but he still wasn’t used to walking into any public situation with the crutches or, now, a cane. He saw the looks people gave him—some curious, some judgmental. Maybe the judgmental people thought he was faking it to get a better parking place. He could be a real asshole at times, but he never remembered seeing others in public with a disability and staring at them, let alone saying something nasty under his breath to someone who didn’t ask for the limitation they sometimes struggled with.
He jammed his wallet and his house keys into his pocket, pulled his bedroom door open, and headed for the front door. He could dwell on depressing shit later. Right now, he wanted to enjoy the evening.
“Hey, DP,” he called out. “Where are you?” He rounded the corner into the entryway of his house—and stopped in his tracks. He’d seen Jordan every day for the past several weeks. He knew the curve of her face, the sparkle in her eyes, the innocent smile when she was teasing him. He didn’t know the woman who stood in front of him. She’d swept her long red hair into a messy updo and wore subtle makeup. She had on a sleeveless, form-fitting black dress that stopped just above her knees. The fabric clung to every curve. Her high-heeled sandals were black with thin straps around her ankles. He took a deep breath of the pear and flower scent she wore.
He was speechless.
The Disney princess was gone. She would turn heads everywhere she went, and every guy in the place was going to wonder how the hell he’d ended up with her.
“I told you we’re going to Dick’s Drive-In, didn’t I?”
“It seems you’re overdressed, then.” She gave him a snarky grin. “The car’s outside.”
He reached for the doorknob on his front door. “Let’s get out of here.”
He thought he’d had enough of a shock when he saw her standing there. The dress she wore dipped low in the back, accented by a sheer, beaded panel. The sheer back was sexier than the front of her dress. He was going to spend the entire evening tormented by the glimpses he’d already had of her smooth, tanned skin. Her heels clicked on the tile front porch as she walked to the car. The driver opened the door for her and held out his hand to help her into the car.
“Good evening, miss.” He gave her a nod. “I hope you won’t mind my saying that you look stunning tonight.”
“Thank you,” Tanner heard her say. The guy extended his hand to shake Tanner’s.
“Hello, Mr. Cole. How are you tonight?”
“Great,” Tanner said. He lowered himself into the car as the driver took his cane.
“I’ll stow this, and we’ll be on our way.”
A few minutes later, Jordan and Tanner were on 520 crossing Lake Washington. He hoped she’d like the restaurant. He’d spent an embarrassing amount of time choosing a place for them to eat. He never used to worry about that shit before, but he’d never been out with a woman who hated him three weeks ago and decided for whatever reason he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.
He’d kissed her too. He’d like to kiss her again. They’d avoided the subject of the kiss like it was radioactive. Maybe they could talk a bit about it over dinner.
“The weather’s incredible,” he said to her, nodding at the sun-drenched lake.
“It is,” she said. He saw her lips curve into a smile. “We’re going to talk about the weather?”
“What would you like to talk about?”
She took a deep breath and turned to face him. “I’ve never seen you dressed up before. You look really nice.” She glanced away from him, crossed her legs, and smoothed the skirt of her dress. He nodded at her.
“This is a lot different than the yoga pants and polo shirt you’re usually wearing.”
“We could go back to the house and I’ll put them on again.”
“Let’s not,” he said. “You look lovely.”
She let out a soft laugh. “How did those words feel coming out of your mouth?” she teased.
“Not bad,” he said.
They rode in silence for a few minutes. The driver had turned onto the street leading to AQUA, the restaurant he’d chosen. Tanner saw Jordan take a deep breath.
“Is the cane working well for you?”
“Surprisingly, it is. I use it during the day while you’re at the office to get practice. Hopefully I won’t need it for very long.”
“I hope not too.”
The driver pulled up to the curb in front of the restaurant. “Let me open the door and assist you,” he called out.
“Sure,” Tanner said. He was a bit concerned about getting out of a car that was lower than his SUV, but it couldn’t be that bad. A few minutes later, the driver had assisted him out, handed him his cane, and helped Jordan out of the car as well.
She was radiant. The early evening sun dusted her in golden light. Tanner shook hands with the driver, who said, “Text me when you’d like to leave. Take your time.”
“We’ll do that. Thanks for the ride.”
“My pleasure.” The driver stood at attention and waited for them to walk away.
Tanner extended his arm for Jordan to take. She smiled up at him.
***
JORDAN AND TANNER walked into the restaurant a few minutes later. She was riveted by the floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a priceless view of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. A few sailboats bobbed on the smooth water outside. The walls of the restaurant were painted a deep blue and seemed to blend in with the view. The lighting was dim, which brought a feeling of intimacy. She heard the hum of quiet conversation around them. He’d told her they were going somewhere “a little fancy,” but she wasn’t expecting this.
“Mr. Cole, your table is ready. Would you like to follow me?” a woman said.
“Of course,” Tanner said. He took Jordan’s elbow.
“This place is amazing,” she whispered to him.
They were shown to the empty table in front of one of the windows she’d spied when they first walked in. She reached out to pull the chair away from the table.
“Allow me,” Tanner said. She wanted to ask him if he was going to pull the chair away from her before she sat down, but she bit it back. She settled into the chair he still held.
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
He moved to his side of the table and sat down.
The hostess handed them both a menu. “Your server will be with you in a moment.”
“Have you been here before?” Jordan said.
“Several times. Order whatever you’d like. It’s all good.” He put his menu down next to his plate. “How was your day?”
“What?”
“Your day. What happened? Did your appointments go well?” His mouth curved into a grin. “I know you didn’t have to deal with a certain ex-football player, so it must have been heaven on earth.”
“You’re not that bad,” she said.
“Now. I’m sure you wanted to hit me with my walker or something the first few times I showed up there.”
“That’s not true,” but they both laughed.
She took a sip of ice water. “My day was fine. I had some cancellations, so the work portion was over by about three PM. It’s better to be busy, but I made it home a little earlier today.” She took a breath. “How was your day?”
“I made some business calls. I have been thinking about what I’d like to do for work. I contacted some of the guys I used to work with to ask them if they’d put in a good word for me if their team is hiring.”
“What do you think you’d like to do?” she asked.
“I might like to be a coach. I’d have to start out at the bottom—be an assistant to an assistant and work my way up—but it sounds challenging.” He’d taken
several calls already from interested coaches around the league, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell her until there was something concrete to say.
“Do you want to work for a college team or for the NFL?”
“Probably the NFL.”
She grinned across the table at him. “I never knew you wanted to coach.”
“I can make other people run wind sprints and laps. Works for me.”
“That’s always better than having to do them yourself,” she said. He smiled at her in response.
They were making the small talk other couples would on their first date, but Jordan couldn’t believe the butterflies in her stomach. She’d seen him at his worst—cranky, demanding, and unreasonable, and that was the day they met. She’d spent the first week or so after she moved into his house wondering if she should do humanity a favor and push him off his dock into the lake. The more time they spent together in his gym at home or talking at the end of the day when she got home from work, though, she realized he wasn’t as much of a jerk as she originally thought. She figured out she actually liked him. She was still trying to think of a way to broach the fact he’d kissed her and never said another word about it. If that wasn’t enough to shred her nerves, he didn’t try again.
He’d kissed her, he tried to date someone else (which didn’t work), he flirted with her, and he’d kept to himself for the past couple of days. She couldn’t figure out what he was doing, besides the fact he’d brought her here to impress her. It was working.
Tanner glanced up at the server who’d just taken their orders. “We’d also like a bottle of pinot gris.”
“You’re eating red meat,” Jordan said.
“Is there a law against drinking white wine with steak? I’m having lobster too, and bacon. Don’t forget the bacon.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out besides a laugh. “We’re going to get busted by the wine police.”
“There’s enough of them around here too. Damn. I went to Chateau Ste. Michelle for some dinner one of my former teammates held, several months before I got hurt. They are nice people, but they don’t play when you talk about wine.”
“What happened?”
Necessary Roughness Page 11
