First and Ten (8 page)

“Sports Center is hard, at least if I want to
keep my sponsors.”

“Okay, the gossip part.”

“Back to my point, I know very little about
you.”

“Grew up mostly in a suburb of Chicago,
graduated, went to the University of Chicago for my undergrad.
Spent a few years bumming around trying to figure out what to do
after that. Decided to follow my father in business, so I went to
Northwestern. I should graduate in a month. That is if I ever pass
Dr. Kent’s class.”

“Tuesday’s lecture?”

“Yep. Nothing like a professor that doesn’t
know which side of the theory she wants to support to make it hard
to do a project.”

“Why does her belief system dictate yours?
Does she fail people she doesn’t agree with?”

“Not that I’ve heard, but I’m used to finding
what’s best for a person and giving it to them.”

“What about what’s best for you? When you
start consulting full time and hire people below you, will you bend
to their will?”

“I don’t want to be a stylist or a
consultant.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Would you believe, I don’t know?”

“No,” he said as he leaned in close to match
the whispered tone she’d taken. “But I have noticed you still
haven’t told me who you are.”

“Danika Albright.”

“That doesn’t tell me anything.”

“Then I guess I’m not as big of a person as
you’re trying to make me out to be.”

The soup course was brought out and Dani was
given a small reprieve as they were interrupted. Her spoon glided
over the cream chowder soup. Not getting any, instead she stirred
it slightly as her head cocked to the side.

“My father is William Albright.”

The name flashed through Rome’s mind as he
remembered seeing the man with three children as he waved making
his way into a charity function. Danika was one of those children?
Couldn’t be. She wasn’t some small child forced to be in a black
velvet dress with her hair pulled up as if she were an adult.
William Albright, the third or fourth richest man in America has a
daughter that looks like Danika? Then again, with billions of
dollars he probably had his pick of models to be Dani’s mother.

“Yeah…and there’s the look.”

“What look?” he asked as he shook himself and
took a spoonful of soup to avoid looking like an ass.

“It borders on fear and scheming.”

“Scheming?” he said, dropping his spoon.
“Trust me, I’m far from scheming.”

“Good, because my father is loaded, I’m
not.”

“Are you estranged? Is that why you pay for
school?”

“No, I live with him. Twenty-six and living
with Daddy.”

“Why are you paying for school?”

“My father is a self-made man. He said he’d
only cover me through high school. College was mine.”

“I guess there’s no chance you’ll be picking
up the bill for tonight then,” he teased.

“Um, no. This is your treat.”

“Good thing I have a Groupon then.” He
smiled. Dani probably never had anyone who saw her without seeing
her father. That Jerome could understand fully. “Back to the
important thing, what are you going to do after school?”

“Not take over my dad’s company if that’s
what you think.”

“I’d doubt he’d give it to you.”

“You’ve met him then?”

“No, but I’ve never heard of a successful man
not wanting his children to inherit or take over.”

“You want your kids to be professional
athletes?”

“Who knows what my son will be. I have no
influence over him.”

“Why not?”

“You know, I shouldn’t have pushed you about
your father.” Rome breathed in deep before, focusing on what was
left of his soup. Looking over his shoulder, he thought they had to
of hit the twenty-minute mark.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s just this is Tuesday night. A time
when we de-stress.”

“We.” She smiled and reached her hand to his.
Curling her fingers around his, she stroked her thumb over the top
of his hand. “When did my Tuesday Treat become a duo?”

“I have a confession,” he said as he locked
eyes with her. “Last week was the first time in I don’t know how
long when I could block out the world and be with someone.”

No longer able to control himself, he cradled
her face in his hand and leaned in close. Claiming her lips, he
hoped he was claiming more. This week had been excruciating, but he
needed it. Each day, he’d been assaulted with memories of Danika
Albright that brought him to the point he wanted to break his own
rules. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to feel her skin
against his. Most importantly, he wanted to taste her. His tongue
swept along her lip and she opened, satisfying him in a way he’d
never known possible. Danika was more than he could have ever
imagined a woman could be, lust may be the driving force, but he
could see love on the horizon.

With eyes closed, Danika fell into a kiss
that with each passing second moved up in the best of all time
list. Her lips pulsed as his warm hands cradled her face, as if she
were a fine piece of China. In contrast was the force behind his
lips. Jerome was strength and finesse in one delectable
package.

“My apologies,” Jack said when they broke
their embrace. Dani tucked her head away from the man she first met
at her tenth birthday party cruise. “Your dinner is ready. I
wouldn’t want it getting cold.”

Dani and Rome separated enough for them to
clear the bowls and put their dinner out. She was still covering
her mouth to stifle her embarrassed laugh. Before them, a
beautifully plated dish sat in the middle of the plate. Chicken
stuffed with crabmeat. Not a combination she would have ever
thought worked, but she knew the chef and there was no way it
wouldn’t. A side of pan seared asparagus with a cream sauce
drizzled artistically over it tempted her more until she saw the
redskin mashed potatoes. If nothing else, Rome wasn’t going to
treat her like some salad eating girl.

“What was your meeting about in the city?”
she asked after she swallowed a forkful of potatoes.

“My son,” he said as he cut into his chicken.
“DeMonte.”

“You have a picture?”

“No.” Dani noticed his face stayed down as he
took a bite.

“Alright, new rules, no kid or Dad talk on
Tuesday.”

“Fair enough.” Rome’s eyes perked up again.
“Any other rules?”

“Hmm… Let’s see, my phone is off, is
yours?”

“Yes, I remembered your rule. If I hadn’t, it
would have been going off a few times by now I’m sure.”

“Tell me about it,” Dani said, letting out a
bit of a sigh. It didn’t matter how many times she told her clients
she wasn’t available on Tuesday evening, when she turned on her
phone at the end of the night her voicemail was almost full. They
aren’t that needy any other day. Or at least not that she
noticed.

“Fashion emergencies are that important?” he
questioned.

“I have some very clingy clients. I’m
thinking of hanging out a shingle as a life coach.”

“What are your qualifications?” he asked
while spearing his asparagus. “Shouldn’t a life coach have achieved
something?”

“Why not slap me next time? At least the
bruise will heal.”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” he backpedaled.
“The motivational speakers we bring in are fortune five-hundreds
and stuff.”

Dani crossed her arms.

“Damn, I went from an earth shattering kiss
to digging myself out of a hole.”

“Earth shattering?” Dani questioned. It was
good, the best she’d ever had, but earth shattering?

“You’ve never kissed yourself.”

Rome scooted his chair closer and pulled her
onto his lap. Stroking back her hair, he cupped her head and
brought her lips to his. This time, the kiss would not be stopped
and he took full advantage. Dani couldn’t stop herself from melting
against him. His fingers pulled at her hair and when their embrace
broke, he trailed kisses down her neck. Chills shot down her
center, perking her nipples and warming her core. Gently, he
brought her back so they were nose to nose.

“Dani,” he said as their lips brushed again
and she couldn’t stop herself from going in for a deep kiss. She
needed to taste more of him. Her lips were swollen and burned
against his. “I know I’m not as good of a kisser as you are—”

Caressing his lips with a few soft kisses she
silenced him. “I’ve never been called earth shattering.”

“You haven’t been kissing the right men,” he
said as his hand rubbed up and down her side.

“Truer words...” she breathed.

“You know, we have quite a while before
dessert.” His thumb stroked her cheek.

“That is true.” Dani looked over at their
half eaten plates, then to the empty stateroom. “Gosh, whatever
could we do to fill the time?”

“No phones, two subjects off limits, seems
like sex is the only thing that makes sense.”

Dani smiled wide. “That’s an option.”

“Admit it, it would be the best Tuesday Treat
ever.”

“Maybe,” she teased as she slid off his lap
and stood up behind him, then whispered in his ear, “But ever means
it would only be a one-time thing.”

Danika licked, then bit Jerome’s neck as if
he needed encouragement. Why he saw a future with her he didn’t
know, but he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind all day.
Actually all week. Between working out, strategizing with his
attorney, and living in general. It wasn’t just during his downtime
she monopolized his thoughts. He had to focus to not think of her.
A kiss too close had him yearning for her lips, and now, after
tasting them, all he wanted was to explore every bit of her. Get
lost inside her body and discover a woman who wasn’t after him for
his money or his ability on a football field. Such a rare creature
would need to be cherished. Worse yet, she couldn’t be bent over a
table…at least not on a boat with a half dozen people aboard whose
only purpose was to serve them.

“How about we go out on the deck?” she
suggested.

“It’s pretty cold out there.”

Dani reached for his hand, it was massive
between her two. He rose and let her lead him to the sliding doors.
“Are you afraid you won’t be able to keep me warm?”

Right as she reached the doors, he stopped
and tugged her against his body. A seductive smile crossed her lips
as she pressed herself against his hardened cock. Even in his loose
pants he couldn’t hide it away. At least it wasn’t straining
against a constricting fabric, but it was getting a bit
uncomfortable at the moment.

“Um, you know, you haven’t told me what you
thought of my outfit,” he said and Dani chilled against him. “Or
should I have asked before you turned off your phone.”

She stepped away from him and gave him an
unsure look. He wished it was because she was actually examining
his outfit, instead she pushed her way out on the deck and walked
out with her arms tight to her chest. Abandoning him in the dining
area, Rome tried to figure out what had shifted so quickly.

“Dani,” he called, only to notice the wind
had picked up quite a bit. They were at least ten miles away from
the shoreline and he made out random lights from the buildings
glowing in such a way that the city skyline cut through the dark
vale on the horizon. “Danika,” he yelled, this time and she turned
her head to the side. Her dark hair whipped up behind her creating
curls and waves.

“I’m not a subtle woman, sorry, I can’t be.
If I was I wouldn’t be me.” She turned to face him. A few of the
lights that circled the ship illuminated her face, setting off her
blue eyes even in the dark. “I find strong men attractive…sexy…how
you can command a room and take over. Why can’t I be respected for
acting the same way?”

“Did you hit your head or something?” he
asked, because he couldn’t understand why she went from hot and
bothered, to pissed and insecure.

“Look, I know the game. All the proper ways
for a woman to behave, but contrary to popular believe, women like
sex as much as men.”

“You did hit your head. Should I get Jack to
turn the boat around?”

Dani stepped toward him with her hand between
her chest, “Why is it wrong for me to come on to you? Why can’t I
tell you I want you to bend me over that railing and go all Titanic
on me as you plow me so hard when you come, you go all Leo and yell
about being the King of Chicago or something.”

Rome wasn’t a hundred percent sure why Dani
was having a sexual stroke. He figured it had something to do with
some asshole complaining when she explained a fantasy. Either way,
he figured he could silence her and hopefully find out the real
fantasy she wanted to explore.

“I don’t have a condom with me,” he confessed
as he put his hands in his pant pockets. “You pull me out here or I
rub myself for one more second against your body and well…one of
two things would happen.”