First Down (First and Ten #1)

by Lea Hart

  “It will be better when I have Jack standing next to me dressed in a doctor’s white lab coat. We switched identities for the evening.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s a bit better, but not by much. Why didn’t you let me get a costume for you?”

  “Because the last time I let you get one for me, it was uncomfortable. I hate dressing up.” She adjusted her jersey and stared down at her feet. “At least I’m comfortable this year, because I get to wear these shoes.” She put out her foot and showed Ronnie her latest pair. “These are the ones that Jack endorses. He even gave input on the design.”

  “I think this costume is just an excuse wear what you’re comfortable in and not dress up.”

  “What’s wrong with that? It’s not like I was going to wear a sexy witch costume or something. I’m sure there will be plenty of those anyway.”

  “You’re probably right. Go put your bag away, and then come meet me in the kitchen. I’m going to check on the food and drinks.”

  “Yes, madam. I shall follow your orders as well as you followed your mama’s.”

  Ronnie smiled at her best friend. “See that you do.” They laughed and moved off in different directions.

  ********

  Ana walked into the backyard and looked for Ronnie. She saw her in conference with a fellow who was setting up the outdoor movie screen. Part of the backyard was decorated like a movie theater. She had a concession stand set up with popcorn, snacks and drinks, and lots of cushions and blankets spread out across the lawn. She joined her friend and listened as she gave instructions about the movies that she wanted shown. “Are all the movies going to be scary?”

  Ronnie turned and shook her head. “No, I have a mix of classics and a few new ones. Don’t worry because you can snuggle up to Jack, and he can hold you while you scream your head off.”

  Ana smiled at the thought of holding on to Jack. “You’re right, I may have to hold on real tight when the scary parts come up. I’m just not sure about what parts I’m going to be holding onto.” Laughing, she watched Ronnie’s eyes pop out of her head. “I surprised you with that one, didn’t I?”

  Grabbing her hand, Ronnie led her into the house. “Dr. Ana James, I’ve never heard you say something like that about a man. We need a pre-party drink to discuss your intentions with Mr. Jack Ellis.”

  “All right. But I’m not sure you’re ready to hear about the naughty thoughts I’ve been having. I should probably keep them to myself. I will tell you that he’s crossed my mind a few hundred times since last Tuesday night, and I’m not sure what to do about it. Maybe when I see him tonight, it will have all worn off.”

  Standing at the bar, Ronnie studied her as she made two martinis. She handed one to Ana and then took a sip of her own. “Perfection. My mama taught me more than the importance of writing a thank-you note. She also taught me the value of making a decent martini. God bless her.” She walked around the bar, hoisted herself up on a stool and faced her friend. “So, Jack?”

  Ana took a healthy sip and regarded her friend for several seconds before she responded. “Yeah. I didn’t see it coming, and I’m not sure what to do. I may just give in and see what he has to offer. I say that casually like I actually have a choice about it, but the truth is….I probably don’t. Jack Ellis has gotten in my head and seems to be stuck there.”

  “I saw the way you looked after one kiss, so I’m not surprised. The man is either going to become the love of your life or he’s going to ruin you for all others. I don’t mean to give you such a dire prediction, but that’s what I feel in my bones.”

  Ana studied her hands. “Yeah…I have the same feeling. I thought maybe I could ignore it, but it doesn’t seem to be working out very well. I’ve spoken to him every day. We’ve had the longest conversations about random things. I’ve discovered that we both like crime shows, fried chicken, and Cajun music. He falls asleep early, just like I do, and he seems to really listen when I speak.”

  “I never thought you two would have so much in common. I knew he was smitten with you when he met you in San Diego, but I never thought he would pursue it as seriously as he has. Maybe it’s time I pay closer attention.”

  They sat quietly with one another as they worked on their drinks and gazed out over the backyard. The front door opened and brought them both out of their musings. They watched Ella walk toward them in a beautiful green dress.

  “Please, don’t say anything. I know this costume isn’t great, but it was a last-minute decision and it shows.”

  Ronnie studied her and got up to make more martinis. “Are you supposed to be Medusa before the curse?”

  “I knew you would get it, but I’m afraid that no one is going to understand what I’m going for.”

  Ana got up and studied her friend’s costume. “I think people will get it. Is Clark dressing up as Poseidon?”

  “I’m not sure. We had a fight the other day before he left, and I haven’t spoken to him since Friday. He wants to date me for real, and I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Ana and Ronnie asked, “Why?” in unison.

  “Because he’ll break my heart. If we date, I’ll get attached, and then he’ll get bored and leave. You can’t mix a football player and me and expect to have good results. He thinks that dating a person with a big brain is all fun and games. But what happens when he figures out that I’m just a big geek with unruly hair and an unnatural affinity for numbers?”

  “I can’t really argue with anything, you’ve said, though I want to,” Ana said. “I think all of those same things about Jack and…yet I can’t seem to make myself stop wanting to walk into the fire. It’s very unlike me.” She sat and finished her drink.

  They were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. “Let’s talk more about this tomorrow. I have lots of different people invited. No one says that you’re limited to dating a football player. Maybe a golfer?”

  Ella waved her off. “Go answer your door.”

  ********

  Jack and Clark walked into the party and looked around. The place was packed with the cream of professional sports in Florida. Ronnie had an impressive slate of clients, and it seemed like she was getting ready to add a few more. “Let’s find the girls,” Jack said.

  “I don’t know if Ella wants me to find her. We had a little disagreement before I left on Wednesday, and we haven’t spoken since Friday. I dressed up to match her costume in case she decided to give us a chance.”

  “So what was the disagreement over?”

  “She just wants to have at me, with no relationship, and I said no. She talked my ear off and gave me lots of examples of why it wouldn’t work. I have to tell you trying to date a genius is not for the faint of heart. I didn’t understand half the things she was telling me, but I held on to my argument in spite of it.”

  “Why do you want a relationship with this girl so badly when she doesn’t seem interested in one?”

  “Because if I don’t start now, then when? She is the first woman who isn’t impressed with me and my bank account. She only wants my body, and nothing else. I think if someone like her is interested in someone like me, then that’s a good sign. I just have to stay strong and not give in to her demands. And before you say it…I know that I’m the woman in this relationship.”

  “As long as you know what you want, then I say go for it. You are one of the meanest sons of bitches in the NFL, and you can act however you want.”

  Clark clapped him on the back. “Thanks, man. Let’s go find the ladies and see if they like our costumes. By the way, how did you convince Ana to wear your jersey to the party?”

  “It wasn’t hard. She doesn’t like to dress up, and comfort is her first consideration for clothes. When I told her she could wear leggings and my jersey and a hat, she was all in. I even got her a pair of the new shoes that I helped design. She never considered that everyone would assume that we’re together.”

  “Yeah, and that big possessive arm you like to drape aro
und her shoulders probably doesn’t hurt, either.” Clark laughed.

  Jack gazed around the room again and then at his friend. “I like this woman, and I like to have my arm on her, and she hasn’t complained. So shut up.”

  “Said the caveman to his friend.” Clark laughed at his own joke until he spotted Ella. She was dressed as Medusa before the curse, and her costume left very little to the imagination. He felt his heart beat against his chest as he admired her curves on display. He watched a stupid offensive tackle from the Jacksonville team standing a little too close, so he headed in her direction. Clearly, he would need to show the guy what Poseidon was actually capable of.

  Jack turned back, finding that Clark had left and was stalking Ella and a guy from the Jacksonville team. He walked into the backyard in search of his other half and spotted her in a group of people across the lawn. His strategy of no one hitting on her wasn’t working out very well, because a pro-golfer was handing her a drink with a smile that spelled trouble. Why would a golfer think that he has a chance with her? He supposed every person was allowed to dream, but the golfer’s dream was about to be crushed by his very large fist if the guy didn’t get his hands off of her. As he walked toward the group, he watched Ana turn and smile. The way her face lit up when she saw him made his heart beat a little faster.

  She took a step toward him and ignored the golfer’s attempt to recapture her attention.

  The guy looked up, they locked eyes, and Jack silently communicated with him. Nodding in acknowledgement, the golfer started talking to another lady. The guy was an idiot, because he hadn’t paid attention to her costume with his name and number across her back. It was there for a reason.

  Meeting each other halfway, they stared at one another for a couple of seconds before speaking. “Hi,” they said simultaneously. Standing in the middle of the party, they became aware of only one another as their eyes locked.

  Ana laughed and then watched Jack’s mouth descend on hers. A small sigh of pleasure escaped her lips right before their mouths fused in a kiss. The world stopped as Ana let herself fall into the sensation of having Jack’s mouth on hers. There was utterly perfect silence as her busy mind slowed, and her feelings took over. Her body became weak with desire as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her against his massive frame. His tongue ran along the seam of her lips, and she opened for him, allowing him into her mouth. The taste of him as he encased her in his arms made every muscle in her body relax. A loud sound startled her, and Jack released her mouth slowly. She looked around and noticed that the band was setting up. They were doing a sound check, and that’s what had caused the loud noise.

  He was about to lower his mouth again when he felt her hand on his chest. “No more kissing?”

  She stepped away and pulled her jersey down. “That was going to develop into more than kissing, and I don’t want to be the floor show at Ronnie’s party.” Leaning into him, she rested her head against his chest and smelled the laundry soap from his shirt. When had laundry soap become an aphrodisiac?

  “You may have a point. Hell…that was some kind of kiss, Ana. Let’s find a dark spot, and do it some more.” Leaning his head against hers, he closed his eyes for a moment and let the smell of her hair wash over him. He felt her hand against his chest, and noticed it covered his heart.

  “We’ll see. Maybe we can make out a little when we watch the movie.” She watched his big hand take hers, and smiled. “Yeah, we should definitely make out during the movie.”

  He tugged her under his arm and dropped another kiss on her head. “I sure like you, Ana Banana.”

  “I like you, too, Jack Attack.” She slipped her arm around his waist and admired his costume. “You’re very handsome. I like your shirt and tie; it’s very appropriate. A lot of doctors would wear that if they were on rounds or giving a presentation.” She ran her hand down his chest in an attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. Really, she just wanted to feel his chest and impressive muscles, and it was a silly attempt to do that without being caught. She heard him let out a breath as her hand moved across the fabric of the shirt, and for the first time since they’d met, she realized that he was affected by her touch.

  He slipped a hand under the back of her shirt, and the heat from his fingers made her skin feel tingly. She leaned in and closed her eyes against the kaleidoscope of colors that hit the back of her eyelids. Her senses were all over the place as her hormones beat their drums against her body as his fingers played across the skin of her back. They stood together, fully clothed in the middle of a party with over a hundred people present, and she had a feeling that if he told her to take her clothes off, she would. Mr. Jack Ellis was, in fact, going to turn her life into something extraordinary. She was about to lean back and give herself a moment to collect herself when she felt Jack’s mouth against her ear.

  “Can you feel it, Ana? Because I can! I feel like we’re going to combust out here on the lawn in front of all these people.” He gazed into her beautiful cognac eyes and saw her interest and desire. At least, he hoped it was desire. Because he wanted nothing more than to have his feelings returned by her.

  “Let’s go eat, Jack. It’s the only thing we can do at this point. Our other choice is to go up to my bedroom and tear each other’s clothes off then stay there until we get each other out of our systems. I have a feeling that it may take a while. So let’s go eat some of the delicious food instead.”

  “Can we eat the food and then go upstairs?”

  “No….yes. Oh, Jack, I don’t know. I feel like I should have a date with you before I give in to my desires. I’ve never been this tempted by a man in my life, and I want to resist a bit longer if I can. I don’t think I’m going to be successful, but I want to pretend to try.”

  “All right. You can give me updates during the evening, and if there is something that I’m doing that is making your resistance slip, then I would appreciate knowing.”

  “I’m not giving you my playbook, Jack. You are a full-grown man, and I expect you to make some effort in figuring it out.” She took his hand and led him toward the food. “I would like to believe that you are willing to work hard and not just wait for me to fall into your arms.”

  He stopped and made her face him as he gave her a serious look. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that you fall for me.” He stared into her eyes and waited until he felt satisfied that she understood how serious he was. This was the most important win of his life. She looked him up and down and then smiled, apparently satisfied with what she saw.

  “Let’s go eat and try and act like we’re normal adults and not hormonal teenagers.”

  “It’s worth a shot, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

  Laughing, she responded, “Neither can I.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  SUNDAY MORNING

  Ronnie walked out of her room and down the hall and wondered if she was the last one up. She gently knocked on Ana’s room and slowly opened the door. It took her a moment to process the view before her. Her best friend was dead asleep with Jack wrapped around her. The way they were holding onto one another, even in sleep, made her heart swell with happiness. Jack was apparently serious about her friend, because he still had his boxers on. If he was after a quick lay, then he wouldn’t still be dressed. It was an excellent sign of his respect and self-discipline that he was willing to just sleep with her. She gently closed the door, walked toward Ella’s door, and was surprised when it opened.

  Clark walked out and smiled at her.

  “Good morning, Clark. Did you have fun last night?”

  He gave her one of his million-dollar smiles with a devilish glint in his eyes. “This was your best party to date, Ronnie.” He followed her down the hall toward the stairs. “I liked your choice of movies. Ella got scared during the first horror flick and had to hold onto me during the whole thing. She never let go and decided that she would date me. I got what I wanted, and so did she.”

  “I don’t know
how I feel about this, Clark, but if Ella’s happy, then so am I.” They walked into the kitchen and were greeted by Ronnie’s butler. “Hello, Gerald.” Ronnie smiled and kissed his cheek as she accepted a cup of coffee. “God bless you.”

  Gerald regarded Clark and his bare chest and shook his head. “I’m going to give you this cup of coffee, and then I expect you to go upstairs and put a shirt on. This is a proper southern home, and we dress for breakfast.” He moved to the counter, and finished the fruit salad that he was preparing.

  Clark looked at Ronnie to see if he had to follow directions about putting a shirt on.

  She shrugged her shoulders and nodded. “Gerald runs the house and me, and I find it much easier to follow his directions. He’s been sent here by my mother, and his job is to make sure that all my morals and civility don’t fall away while I’m outside of Louisiana state lines.”

  Clark took a sip of his coffee and walked back toward the hall. “I’ll go to my truck see if I have a t-shirt in my practice bag. Poseidon doesn’t wear a shirt, so I don’t have one handy for breakfast.”

  Ronnie called after him, “It will be completely worth it once you taste Gerald’s pancakes. I promise.” She took a seat at the counter and watched Gerald finish the fruit salad. “Did the caterers clean up everything last night or did you end up with a lot of extra work?”

  Gerald glanced up and studied Ronnie before answering. “They cleaned up, but I had to supervise them carefully. I think we should consider another one for the next soiree, I don’t think their staff is up to par.”

  “All right. I’ll let you handle the details for the next one.” She watched him smile and nod. Gerald was only happy when he was running the house and her life with a controlled precision that would make a general jealous. “I believe that we have seven for breakfast.”

  Gerald studied one of his closest friends, and felt a stab of sadness for her. She was successful, smart, beautiful, and a disaster when it came to love. It had all started with Brian, and unfortunately, no one had come along yet to change it. “So no luck last night?”