The Ghost Groom
Page 3
He turned to her, his gaze taking in her exotic features and soulful eyes. You’re just the right amount of flashy for my taste, he wanted to say. Electricity thrummed through his veins as he leaned closer, his eyes tracing the outline of her delicate jaw, the stubborn set of her chin, her irresistible mouth, perfect for kissing. It wasn’t like him to charge this fast into the unknown with a woman, but there was something about Ariana that made him feel reckless. Maybe it was because she was so vivacious with her conquer-the-world attitude. “What exactly is your taste?” he murmured. Her breath caught, and for a moment he feared he’d misread the situation, coming on too strong. But a tiny smile touched her lips, her eyes lighting with anticipation.
“I like tall, rugged blondes,” she uttered in a throaty voice that sent his cells swirling. Her eyes caressed his. He could get lost in the depth of those mysterious eyes. “Great dancers that can hold their own on the karaoke stage.” A full smile broke over her lips. “You were awesome, by the way.”
He slipped his arm around her tiny waist. “All I had to do was follow your lead.” They fit together so well. She was so petite, yet muscular. Her sexy, stylish bangs framed her face perfectly. A car pulled into the parking lot, the headlights reflecting off her dangly earrings, drawing attention to her slender neck and collarbone. “How do you feel about kissing on the first date?”
She laughed softly, the flats of her palms resting on his chest. “I don’t think this qualifies as a first date.”
“Okay, how do you feel about kissing before the first date?”
She drew her mouth together in a mock frown. “Normally, I’d say no.” Mischief sparkled in her eyes. “But try me.”
That’s all the prompting he needed. When his lips touched hers, an explosion of pulses rocketed through him. She responded by threading her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He ran his hands up her back and through her silky hair. Adrenaline surged through him as he deepened the kiss, their mouths moving together in a fiery dance. She met him measure for measure until he thought he’d melt from the intensity. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
He grinned, his hands cupping her cheeks. “Wow, you’re incredible.”
A smile curved her lips. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
When he left his condo this evening, he couldn’t have imagined the night would end like this. His heart swelled two sizes. She scooted into the curve of his shoulder as he draped his arm around her. He reached for her hand, linking her fingers through his. “I want to know everything about you.”
She chuckled. “If I tell you everything in one swoop, we won’t have anything else to talk about when we go out again.”
He soared, loving the sound of this. “Again? I thought this didn’t qualify as a first date.”
“Oh, yeah. It doesn’t. When we go out, I want the works—you picking me up at the door and taking me out for a nice dinner. Maybe even flowers and chocolate.”
She was so adorable, ticking off her expectations. Normally, Rennen had a hard time connecting with people right off the bat. He was surprised how comfortable he felt with Ariana. And that kiss. Wow! She was really something! The parking lot was dark enough to allow them a splendid view of the glittering stars, which spanned endlessly in the velvety sky. Rennen felt light enough to fly to the stars. He could hardly believe this was happening. It was obvious Ariana had no idea who he was and that she liked him for himself, plain Rennen. This was good. Very good. Although she wouldn’t be happy when she found out about his profession. Maybe he’d keep that to himself until she got to know him better. He drew his lips together thoughtfully. “Hmm … flowers and chocolate. Maybe we should save those for dates two and three.”
“Yeah, maybe,” she laughed. “I’d hate to break the bank.” She gave him an impish grin, cutting her eyes at his car. “After all, I’m sure this bad boy comes with a hefty payment.”
“Hey, now,” he drawled, “quit bagging on Red.”
She gawked. “You named your car?”
“Of course.”
She shook her head. “Oh, boy. This is worse than I thought. Maybe I should leave the two of you alone.” She leaned forward like she was going to make a break for it, but he tightened his hold on her hand.
“Hey, now. You can’t leave me here by myself.”
She laughed. “I’m sure you’d survive.”
The irony of her phrase hit him full force. Survival had been the name of his game for as long as he could remember. That’s how he rolled. Pushing forward against all opposition, suppressing his inner-feelings. Never letting himself get too attached to anyone. But somehow, it felt different with Ariana. “What kind of car do you drive?”
“For your information, I don’t drive a car. I have a truck. Four-wheel drive.”
“Really? What’s a sweet, little girl like you doing with a truck?”
“Who says I’m sweet?” she retorted.
He laughed, loving her spunk. “You make a good point. You laid the football coach out in two-seconds flat.”
The corners of her lips turned down. “He deserved it.”
Rennen tsked his tongue. “Remind me not to get on your bad side. Speaking of the coach, there’s something I’ve been wondering.”
“What?”
“Why did you go through a dating service?” He saw her expression tense and rushed to explain himself. “I mean, you’re incredible.”
She smiled, her features relaxing. “Thanks.”
“I’m sure you have the guys lining up to date you.”
There was a long pause before she spoke, and he could tell she was collecting her thoughts. She let go of his hand and moved so that he was forced to remove his arm from her shoulders. “It’s hard to find good guys. There are so many creeps out there. My clients at the gym kept raving about Heart to Heart, so I thought I’d give it a try.” She chuckled dryly. “It wasn’t what it was cracked up to be … obviously.” She grew thoughtful. “The idea behind the app is good, if people are truthful when they fill out their profiles. The idea is to match people’s interests, focus more on the inner person rather than just outward appearance.”
“Do you think you’ll try again?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
She shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe. I signed a three-month contract. I guess I’ll just have to see how it goes.”
He nodded, trying to keep his expression neutral. It was surprising how much the idea of Ariana dating other guys bothered him. Not that he had any claim on her. They’d only just met. But that kiss had lit him on fire. It meant something to him. He could only hope Ariana felt the same way. Girls like her didn’t come along every day. He’d never met anyone like Ariana—so comfortable in her own skin, so full of life. He went back to something she said. “Do you work at a gym?” That would explain why she was in such excellent shape.
A quirky smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah, sort of …”
“Spit it out,” he prompted.
“I own a gym.”
Pride shone in her eyes, even though Rennen could tell she was trying to be low key about it. “Wow, that’s awesome. I’ll have to go there and work out sometime.”
Amusement touched her eyes. “You should. I’ll put you through a couple of classes. See how you measure up.”
“What do you offer?”
“Kickboxing, Zumba, spin, circuit, high-intensity cardio. It runs the gamut.”
“I’m assuming from the way you handled yourself earlier that you also teach self-defense classes?”
She lifted her chin. “Yep.”
He shook his head, a smile sliding over his lips. “The poor coach didn’t know what he was getting himself into.”
She arched an eyebrow, fire sparking in her eyes. “Well, he should have the moment he referred to my breasts as a rack.”
Rennen’s eyes widened as he burst out laughing. “Are you serious?”
Ariana also laughed. “Yes, can you believe that?”
“I doubt it,” she said dryly.
Rennen couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this fascinated by a woman. He wanted to know everything about Ariana. A million questions popped through his mind. He studied her. “What are your favorite foods? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? Tell me about your family.”
She laughed. “Whoa, hold your horses. I don’t just want to talk about me. I wanna know about you.”
His jaw tightened as he tried to figure out a way to navigate around his profession—the thing that consumed every waking hour of his life. If he told Ariana the truth, she’d be done with him.
“What’s your last name?”
Had she heard of him? Probably. Briefly, he thought about giving her a fake name, but that would only make things more difficult. “Bradley.” He braced for her reaction.
“Rennen Bradley.” She assessed him. “It suits you.”
He relaxed and then jerked back to attention at her next comment.
“Your name sounds so familiar,” she mused. “Where have I heard it?”
For the past few months, Rennen’s name had been plastered over every sports channel known to man. He forced a smile. “I dunno.”
She scrunched her brows. “It’ll come to me eventually.”
If she Googled his name, she’d know who he was in an instant. But maybe she wouldn’t think to do that. To her, he was just an average guy.
Quickly, he changed the subject. “What’s your last name?”
“Sanchez.”
His pulse picked up a notch. No, it couldn’t be! Fate wouldn’t be this cruel. Sanchez was a common name. There were probably hundreds, if not thousands of people with the last name Sanchez in the Metroplex alone.
She groaned. “I can tell by your expression that you’re putting it together.”
His throat went drier than a Texas field in July. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, I’m related to Ace Sanchez. He’s my brother.” She made a face. “I figured I might as well come out with it right now and save us some time.”
Hot needles pelted Rennen, then he went cold. This couldn’t be happening! Of all the people for him to meet, why did it have to be Ace’s sister?
“Are you okay?” She gave him a funny look. “Do you know Ace?”
He forced a laugh. “I’m sure all of Texas knows your brother.”
She nodded. “Now you know the real reason I like going through an app to get a date. At least that way, I’ll know the guy wants to go out with me for me, not because he wants to buddy up to my brother.”
“Makes sense.” If only Ariana knew how much they had in common. She’d hate him when she learned who he was. He tried to keep his expression benign, even though his head was swimming. “Does your distaste for football players have something to do with your brother?”
Her brows furrowed. “Sort of.” She waved a hand. “Ace is a great guy. I love him to pieces. Unfortunately, not all players are like him. Most of them are self-centered and cocky with very little upstairs.” She pointed to her temple. “Anyway, enough about that. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get off on a tangent.” She paused, looking at him thoughtfully. “Are you a fan of football?”
“I watch an occasional game now and then,” he said casually. Lightning was going to bolt through the sky and strike him dead.
A smile played on her lips. “Just do me one favor, okay?”
“Sure.” His pulse pounded in his temples.
“Don’t make a big deal about Ace when you meet him. Treat him like a regular guy.”
He nodded.
“And whatever you do, please don’t say anything about his injury or how he’s no longer playing for the Titans. Ace tries to act like it’s no big deal, but it’s tearing him up inside.”
“I certainly won’t mention anything about that.” Sweat beaded across the bridge of his nose. He hoped the semi-darkness would hide it.
“Enough about me. I want to hear all about you, Rennen Bradley. What do you do for a living?”
Rennen got the feeling he was standing on a ledge. A gun was pointed at him and his only two options were to get shot or jump. He let out a nervous laugh. “It’s funny you’d bring up football—”
Ariana’s phone rang. She retrieved it from her purse, then flashed Rennen an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I need to get this.”
“No worries.”
She slid her finger over the glass to answer. “Hello?” Her face fell as she paced back and forth. “What? Are you okay?” Her hand raked through her hair. “I knew that idiot was trouble,” she muttered, her features tightening. “Mami, calm down. I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Stay right there, and I’ll come and get you. Text me the address.” She ended the call, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
“What’s wrong?”
She let out a long sigh, shoving her phone in her purse and slipping the strap over her shoulder. “My sobrina Anna.”
“Sobrina?” he asked.
“My niece. She’s sixteen. Her boyfriend took her to a party with drinking, drugs, and everything else you can imagine. She told him to take her home, but the jerk won’t.” She threw up her hands, a hard astonishment overtaking her. “He’s getting soused and she’s standing outside by the curb and needs me to pick her up.”
Even as Rennen nodded in understanding, disappointment settled over him. He was nowhere near ready for this night to be over. “I’d like to see you again.”
She smiled, shooting a dart of warmth through him. “I’d like that.” A hint of teasing trickled into her eyes. “Maybe we can go on that first date.”
“Absolutely.”
He stepped up to her and ran a finger along the curve of her jaw, appreciating the smooth feel of her olive skin. It took all the fortitude he could muster to keep from pulling her into his arms and kissing her again. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m getting together with my family.”
His heart dropped.
“How about Saturday night instead?”
He brightened. For a second there, he feared she might be trying to put him off. “Perfect.” They exchanged numbers, and then Ariana lifted her face to his and gave him a peck on the lips. “See you Saturday,” she promised as she hurried to her truck.
Rennen watched her walk away, exhilaration and dread warring in his gut. He could still feel Ariana’s lips against his. The tangy scent of her fruity shampoo lingered on his senses. To have found someone like her was heaven. Knowing it would all end the moment she learned his identity was a cruel joke. His only chance was to keep the charade going long enough for Ariana to become invested in him before she discovered the truth.
3
Dinners with the family were something Ariana always looked forward to. It was especially fun now that Ace’s wife Silver and her daughter Gracie were part of the family.
They all gathered around a large table in a private area of her parent’s Mexican restaurant, Los Tios. The fact that Ariana’s mother Fabiana would break away from running the restaurant during the dinner shift and leave someone else in charge spoke to the importance of family gatherings.
Ariana glanced at the spread of food, which included steaming platters of beef and chicken fajitas, tamales, enchiladas, beans, rice, and fresh tortillas. She dipped a chip in a bowl of salsa and took a large bite, then turned her attention back to her phone in her lap. Her mother was always getting onto Ariana’s brothers for bringing their phones to the table. Fabiana wouldn’t be too pleased if she realized Ariana was texting. Ariana knew she should put the phone away, but she and Rennen had been texting back and forth all day long, and she didn’t want to break the cycle. Just thinking about their kiss the night before sent heat rushing up her neck. She’d never kissed a guy she’d just met
, but Rennen was different—spontaneous and wonderful. She’d discovered today that like her, he loved the outdoors and was game for adventure sports like rock climbing, rafting, and backpacking. Her fingers tapped away sending him another text.
What’s on the docket for tomorrow’s date?
She kept the phone in her lap while she reached for a tortilla and began filling her plate with fajita meat. Then she scooped out generous portions of rice and beans. She’d taught an extra cardio class today to help offset the massive amount of carbs she knew she’d ingest tonight. Her mom’s cooking was legendary. Ariana intended to eat her fill and take some leftovers home for the weekend. She took a large bite of her fajita, the tender steak practically melting in her mouth. Then she took a bite of beans, followed by rice. Heaven. As she waited for Rennen’s response, she picked up bits of the conversations taking place around her.
“When’s your next doctor’s appointment?” Fabiana asked Silver.
“This coming Tuesday.”
“Oh, hija. That is so wonderful,” Fabiana gushed, her expression radiating joy. “I can’t wait to find out what you’re having.”
“A sister,” Gracie cheered, holding up a forkful of food like it was a torch.
Ace gave Gracie a tender look. “You never know. It might be a boy. We’ll have to wait and see when your mom has the ultrasound.”
Gracie’s face crumpled into a frown. “No, a sister.” She plopped down her fork where it pinged against the plate. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and thrust out her lower lip.
Silver was sitting beside Gracie. She patted her arm. “Remember? We talked about this. You’ll love having a brother or a sister.”
Gracie let out a long sigh. “Fine.”
Ariana couldn’t help but smile. Gracie was so darn cute with her blonde pigtails flanked with red ribbons. Gracie was Silver’s daughter from a previous marriage, but Ace loved her like his own child. The baby Silver was carrying would be her and Ace’s first child together. Used to getting all the attention, Ariana was sure Gracie would be in for a rough adjustment when the baby was born, especially considering Gracie had Down syndrome and found transitions difficult. Still, she was such a sweet little girl and would make a wonderful big sister.