by Barbara Gee
He tilted her face up to his, his eyes warm. “If you’re referring back to my younger years, all you need to know is that I’ve never enjoyed kissing a woman more than I do you. Ever.”
She grinned happily. “Good. You should see who called. It might be your mom.”
“It was probably my agent,” he said, digging the phone out and nodding when the screen confirmed his guess. “He’s been checking in pretty regularly. I’d better warn him that the story is out.”
“I’m glad Tuck gave us a heads up.”
He grunted and loosened his tie. “It’s gonna be ugly for a while. It’s just as good you’re leaving, although I wish you didn’t have to.” He stood and shrugged off his jacket, wincing.
“You a little banged up, Boonzy?”
He rolled his shoulders. “They were marking me pretty good. I’m fine, though.”
“I’m going to take a quick shower while you call your agent, then I’ll work out the kinks for you. By the time I’m finished, you’ll be soft as butter and headed for dreamland.”
He grinned. “I’ll never say no to those hands, especially after a game like tonight.”
“Come up when you’re ready.”
Boone watched her go, memorizing the sight of her in his jersey, enjoying the view as she gracefully climbed the stairs. “You’re the definition of hot, Jolene, you know that?”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure the number one definition under ‘hot’ in Webster’s Dictionary is Boone Kendall. If not, it should be.”
He chuckled, thinking again how much he was going to miss her. He had an away game coming up in three days, and then another home one on Sunday. Would it be too much to ask her to come back for that one? By then it would have been six days without seeing her. Way, way too long.
He pulled off his tie as he dialed his agent. “Hey, Wayne. Sorry I missed your call.” He tugged his shirt from his waistband and rubbed the back of his neck. “I just got word that I’m going to hit the headlines tomorrow. Do we need to talk strategy?”
They talked for twenty minutes, with Wayne making one of his famous to-do lists. He would contact the network of choice to schedule the one dreaded but necessary interview, and he would also hire a bodyguard to stick with Aaron for a while. Even though the situation was of Aaron’s own making, Boone didn’t want his dad to be hassled everywhere he went by paparazzi desperate for photos and comments. Wayne asked that Boone let him know of any untruths in what was put out by the media, so he could set the things straight. No need to let those covering the story get away with making it any worse or more sensational than it already was.
After the phone call, Boone felt wiped out. The late hour and the highly physical game were catching up to him. He trudged toward the stairs, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. The thought of Jolene’s strong hands working his muscles into submission was pure heaven.
* * *
Jolene left her room to see whether Boone had come up yet. When she heard footsteps on the stairs she turned, watching as he came into view. The first thing she noticed was how weary he looked. Then he reached the top of the steps and she got a full length view of the man in his charcoal suit pants, his white shirt hanging out and open all the way down, exposing the golden skin of his muscled chest and flat, ridged abdomen.
She swallowed hard and froze. “Um, I’ll give you a few minutes to get ready,” she said quickly, scurrying back into her room.
“Two minutes,” he called as he went into his room and shut the door.
She gave him five, just to be safe. Then she tapped on his door and carefully entered. He was lying in the middle of his bed, his favorite sports channel on TV. She approached the bed and he watched her, his eyes glittering in the dim light.
“I bought this yesterday,” she said, holding up a bottle of the same oil she always used at the ranch. “So you don’t have to go to sleep smelling like a girl.”
He held out a hand. “Come here, Jo,” he said softly.
She stopped and shook her head. “No more kissing. I can’t handle any more of the sexy Boone tonight. My physical therapist hat is firmly in place now, and this massage is for therapeutic purposes only. Shirt off and on your stomach. Lay sideways on the bed and scoot this way so I can stand at your head and get leverage for your shoulders.”
He sat up and grabbed the back of his shirt, tugging it over his head. “Yes ma’am.”
She moved to stand by his head and rubbed a squirt of oil between her palms. “Relax, Boone. I want this to put you to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep sideways on the bed.”
“When I’m done with your shoulders you can move back and I’ll crawl up beside you to finish.” She laid her hands on his back and moved her fingers along his spine and out over his shoulders. She knew his body so well by now. Knew where to find the knots, knew the long, powerful lines of his muscles, knew just how much pressure she needed to smooth them out.
He knew her touch, too. She could feel him relaxing as she kneaded and stroked. He trusted her to find the problem areas with no direction needed from him. When his shoulders and neck were done, she let him move back to the middle of the bed, although she tugged his pillow away so he was still lying flat. Kneeling beside him she worked his arms, lower back, and legs. By the time she got to his feet, he was barely awake. A few minutes later she was finished, and he was breathing deeply.
Smiling a satisfied smile, Jolene slid off the bed and pulled the blankets up over him. He didn’t stir, and she knew he was out for the night. The tension and travel yesterday, combined with a tough game tonight, had exhausted him. She was glad for the chance to send him into a good, healing sleep.
For a moment she watched him, wishing she was warm under the blankets with him. Would she be there, some day? She sighed and walked over to turn off the TV, wishing the future was a little less uncertain.
CHAPTER 39
Boone woke to a low hum of noise. He laid in his bed for a moment, trying to figure out what it was. It was definitely coming from outside, in front of the house. He climbed out of bed and stretched before making his way to the large window. His hand was on the blind pull before he suddenly realized what the noise was. Instead of yanking the blind open, he slid a finger between two slats and peered out the tiny crack.
He’d been right. At least two dozen people were lined up at the curb in front of the house, cameras in hand, and more were arriving. They were talking and laughing, completely ignoring the early hour. Boone muttered a few unkind things under his breath before heading to the shower. No use trying to go back to sleep, so he might as well stay up and fix breakfast for his girl.
He stepped under the hot spray and smiled, remembering how incredible her “purely therapeutic massage” had felt. She’d intended from the start to put him to sleep, and she certainly had. Even though he would’ve liked to have slept in a little longer, he felt way better than he should have after a punishing game. Jolene was an angel. His angel, and he hoped he never had to give her up.
Dropping his head, he let the hot water sluice through his hair and over his back. Faced with Jolene’s imminent departure, he found himself sorting through his feelings for the girl who, in such a short time, had become such a big part of his life. When they’d first met, her beauty and sweetness had stolen his breath. Now he knew she’d stolen his heart as well. Boone had never been in love, not even close. But what he felt for her was definitely the stuff country songs were made of. It was what he saw when Jax looked at Sarah, Tuck at Maddy, and Ryan at Libby. What those couples had represented exactly what he’d always wanted, and he wanted it with Jolene.
Done with his shower, he dressed in jeans and a gray, long sleeved Henley shirt. Soon he was cracking eggs for French toast batter, his mind still going a hundred miles a minute. They hadn’t known each other long, but he knew with total certainty that he wanted forever with Jolene. He wanted to wake up to her in the morning, kiss her goodbye before heading to the rink, come home to her in the evenin
g, and take her to bed at night. The whole package, that’s what he wanted, longed for, even. The problem was, he wasn’t sure whether Jolene was at that point yet. He wasn’t averse to wooing her for a while longer, until she was on the same page and as anxious to make it permanent as he was, but how would he know when the time was right?
He fried some bacon, then heated a large flat skillet. The first slices of toast went on, the aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon filling the kitchen. Boone waited for them to get just the right shade of golden before he flipped them, wanting her breakfast to be perfect.
He checked the clock as he plated the toast and bacon. Jolene had two hours before she needed to be at the airport. Plenty of time to eat and get ready without rushing. With the loaded plates placed under the warming lights above the stove, he went upstairs to wake her. Thankfully her room was in the back of the house, and the noise from the crowd out front was barely noticeable.
Her door was open a few inches and he peeked inside to make sure she was still in bed. Dark hair spread across the pillow and he smiled as he approached. She was facing away from him and he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed, one knee bent up on the mattress. He reached over to stroke his fingers down the curve of her cheek.
“Mornin’, baby. Time to rise and shine,” he said softly.
He saw her lashes sweep up, then she peeked at him over her shoulder. “Mm,” she said noncommittally, turning back to snuggle more deeply into her pillow.
It made him smile, and he swept the hair away from her neck before pressing his lips to the curve of her shoulder. “I have a huge plate of French toast waiting for you downstairs, if you need to be bribed.”
Pushing the blankets down, he trailed his hand along the smooth, warm skin of her slender arm. “If breakfast isn’t motivation enough, I can probably find another way to rouse you,” he warned.
That got her moving. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Don’t look at me, Boone. The early morning Jolene is not attractive.”
He chuckled. “I beg to differ, babe. I like you tousled. Just say the word and I’ll be glad to prove exactly how attracted I am right now.”
That got a reluctant smile but she turned away and slid out of bed, smoothing her hair self-consciously. “I’ll be down in a few minutes. Can’t have that French toast getting cold.”
“Definitely not. I’ll get you fed, then you’ll have plenty of time to get ready and pack up.”
Back in the kitchen, he put some music on so she wouldn’t hear the raucous reporters and photographers. He wanted her to be able to enjoy breakfast before learning what awaited. He was pouring coffee when she joined him, accepting her mug gratefully.
“You made this from scratch?” she asked, walking to the table and admiring the food.
“I either had to learn to cook, or live on take-out. And most take-out food is against Coach’s nutritional regimen.”
“I’m sure you could hire a personal chef.”
He grimaced. “I don’t want to have more people coming and going, invading my space. Better to do it myself.” He put a jug of syrup on the table, then grabbed her around the waist. “But you can invade my space anytime,” he said. “Just so you know.”
She rose to her toes, meeting his mouth halfway for a quick, sweet kiss. “Thank you for making me breakfast,” she said softly, pushing back the hair that had fallen over his forehead.
“Thanks for putting me to sleep last night,” he countered. “I feel great this morning. I might not have a personal chef, but I’ve got a personal physical therapist I wouldn’t give up for anything.”
He turned and pulled out a chair for her. Jolene settled in at the table and poured a generous amount of syrup on her French toast. Boone sat across from her, waiting for her reaction when she took the first bite.
“Good?” he asked.
She nodded. “Better than good.”
They chatted as they ate, and just as they finished up, Boone’s soundtrack came to an end. Jolene immediately frowned.
“What’s that noise? Do you have a TV on somewhere?”
“I wish.” He pushed his chair back. “Come with me for a sec.”
He took her through the living room to the big front window, its blinds tightly closed. “Push a slat up a tiny bit, slowly and just enough for you to see through.”
Jolene did as he said, then immediately dropped it and stepped back, her eyes wide. “Seriously? They’re just hanging out, hoping for a glimpse of you?”
“Appears that way.”
“How did they get past the gate?”
“They have their ways. Could’ve bribed the gate attendant, or had acquaintances get them in. Nothing stops these people when they smell blood in the water.”
“Can you call security?”
“I’ve done it before, but it’s not worth it now, since we’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
“How long have they been there?”
He shrugged. “Dunno. They were there when I woke up about an hour ago.”
“Have you looked up any of the articles yet, to see what they’re saying?”
“Nope. I’ll do it later.”
“Hmm. Okay, so I know you don’t have an escape tunnel. What about tear gas or a water canon?”
He chuckled. “No, but I have a couple of paint ball guns.”
Her face lit up. “Ah, would that be fun or what?”
“It would, but my agent wouldn’t be too happy with that kind of aggression. My strategy is to simply stay out of sight when possible, and ignore them when it isn’t.”
“The voice of experience, huh?”
“Unfortunately.” He looked down at her, his eyes troubled. “I’m sorry, Jo. I know you didn’t sign up for this.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Well, I kinda did. It comes with the territory.”
He closed his hands around her waist. “It’s only bad when there’s a big story about me, and since this is probably the biggest story they’ll ever have, if you can survive this onslaught, the rest will be smooth sailing.”
“I’ll survive,” she assured him. “Let’s go clean up the kitchen so I can get ready and pack.”
“You go on up. I’ll do the dishes.”
She raised her brows approvingly. “Wow. You cooked, and now you’re willing to clean up, too. Am I lucky or what?”
He looked at her skeptically. “We have thirty paparazzi outside waiting to pounce, and you feel lucky?”
She just smiled and ran lightly up the stairs. He watched her, admiring her strength and courage, and grateful for her undying support.
* * *
Jolene wanted to be brave about leaving, but she shed a few tears in the shower. The idea of a long distance relationship still terrified her. She was well past the point of calling it off because of her fears, but she was still far from certain there would be a happy ending. All she could do was give it her best effort, and hope God had brought them together for a reason. Preferably a reason that lasted the rest of their lives.
She was dressed and her suitcase was half full when he tapped on the door.
“Need any help?”
“Are you as good at folding clothes as you are at making breakfast?”
“Not even close.” He lowered himself onto his stomach on the bed, propped up on his elbows as he watched her. “When am I gonna see you again?”
“Soon, I hope.”
“What about next Friday, when we have another home game?”
She smiled. “Maybe, if I can get away. I’ll be climbing the walls by then.”
“You and me both. It’s only been a few days, but I’ve gotten real used to having you here.”
“I’m glad you insisted I come. By the way, how’s the security guard? Landon, right?”
“Yeah. He’s doing well. I’m going to swing by the hospital to visit him after I drop you at the airport.”
“That’s thoughtful of you. Not that I’m surprised.” She smiled at him, then leaned down to zip her suitcase cl
osed. “I guess I’m ready.”
He pushed up off the bed and lifted her suitcase. Jolene grabbed her carry-on and they went downstairs. Boone stopped beside the door to the garage and dropped the suitcase, putting his hands on her shoulders.
“You ready to face the vultures?”
“Sure. Let’s do it.”
“I won’t open the garage doors until we get in the car. The car windows are tinted real dark, so they won’t be able to see much of us. As soon the door is up far enough, I’m going to start backing out. I won’t go real fast, but I’m not going to stop, either. We’ll get a little bit of a head start, but they’ll catch up to us within a couple of stoplights and follow us all the way to the airport.”
Jolene nodded. “You can just drop me off at the curb. I’ve already checked in online, so all I have to do is get my bag tagged and get through the security line.”
“I’m going in with you. I have a pass to a VIP parking lot, where they can’t follow. They might catch back up to us inside the terminal, but as soon as you’re through security you’ll be fine.”
“But it would save you a lot of hassle if you dropped me off.”
He shrugged. “Maybe, but it doesn’t seem the gentlemanly thing to do.”
“You are a gentleman, Boone, through and through. I love that about you.”
His hands tightened on her shoulders. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she said softly.
He slid a hand into her hair and tugged her head back, raising her face to his. For a long moment their eyes held, then he lowered his head and kissed her. They tried to get their fill, enough to last for the days they would be apart, but no matter how long the kiss lasted it would never be enough. And Jolene had a plane to catch.
They reluctantly ended it, both of them flushed and breathing unevenly. He held her close for a moment longer, then stepped back. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
They got in the car and he watched as she found her seatbelt, his finger poised on the garage door button. “Here we go,” he said when she snapped it home.
