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After rolling her eyes at him, she started to jog in the opposite direction. He threw the ball using partial strength, and she caught it easily. Just like old times.
Although she hadn’t told him much about her childhood, he had come to the conclusion long ago she’d been a tom-boy. She probably climbed trees and wrestled with the boys instead of playing dolls with her girlfriends.
He liked that about her... and so much more.
It was too bad he couldn’t trust her.
Chloe caught the ball. Then she flipped it and placed her fingers where Nik taught her to put them back when they were dating. She said a quick prayer that she wasn’t about to embarrass herself in front of her ex. With an audible sigh, she self-corrected. He wasn’t her ex; Nik was her current husband. At least until he won whatever game he was playing. She just wished she knew the rules.
She threw the ball as hard as she could.
He caught it, spun around, and launched it back without hesitation.
They played for a while, back and forth. Then he threw the ball too hard and too high. It was going to sail right over her head.
She jumped into the air and caught the ball. Holding it close to her body, she turned and ran for the end zone. Knowing he would chase her made her legs pump faster. Giggles bubbled up her throat.
Without warning, his arms wrapped around her waist like octopus tentacles. He lifted her a few inches off the grass and swung her around. Their laughter mingled. They collapsed on the ground with her on her back looking up at the stadium roof and him on his stomach beside her.
Six years dissolved. In a heartbeat, they were two engaged people so in love they couldn’t think straight. She forgot the sting of rejection and the pain of betrayal. The only thing on her mind was losing herself in the moment.
He moved so that his upper body hovered over hers, and he brushed hair away from the side of her face. The way he looked at her—like she was the most precious thing in his life—set her heart racing.
Their surprised gazes met and locked. Her eyes drifted down his face until they settled on his irresistible mouth. Full lips slightly parted. She knew they would taste like coffee, black and bitter, yet warm and inviting.
She felt the strong urge to dive into his hair with all ten fingers and pull him down for a heated kiss. What stopped her was not knowing how he would react. Nik wanted her to suffer for hurting him in the past. If they were about to kiss, he needed to initiate it. That way, he couldn’t hold it against her later.
The tip of her tongue licked her bottom lip.
She waited.
Nik’s gaze dropped to her mouth.
In an instant, he was kissing her. It happened so fast she barely had time to take a breath. His mouth covered hers, devouring with unrestrained passion. His need called out to a long dormant need in her and woke it up with a bang. She stopped denying the desire burning deep within and kissed him back.
She clutched his muscular upper arms, clinging to them like a drowning woman clutching a floating device. Tired of being pliant, her mouth became the aggressor. She let go of her inhibitions and used every trick in her arsenal to sexually excite him.
To what end? She wasn’t sure. Maybe she wanted to have sex with him, but didn’t want to have to ask. Or maybe she just wanted him to admit he wanted her with the same intensity.
His tongue entered her mouth, and she took it hostage. She used suction to hold on for a moment. Nik used to love it when she did that. Hopefully, he still did.
A groan from him told her that her signature move still had the desired effect. Despite his protests to the contrary, he wanted her. They weren’t in love, no, but their bodies hadn’t forgotten each other. She tingled from head to toes, and her lower region stirred in remembrance.
Strange clicks hit her ears, and she realized they weren’t alone.
He slowly lifted his head. A spark of triumph lit up his eyes, and she knew she was in trouble. What had he done now?
He stood and pulled her up with him to face a crowd of photographers and reporters. The local media had known they would be there. That meant Nik set the whole thing up. Her first instinct was to run for the car, but he had a tight hold on her arm.
They were peppered with nosy questions from every direction.
“Is it true you got married last night, Mr. Andropolis?”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
“Do you have a pre-nup?”
“What about your mother? Does she know?”
