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She would ignore that. She still didn’t know exactly how she felt about it. “So I guess you missed my amazing pep talk.”
“I’m sure it was wonderful, but all I could concentrate on were your lips.” Noah moved close to her, his hard body towering over hers.
She had to admit, she had liked kissing him last night, too. But doing it again would surely be a dumb idea.
He laced his fingers with hers, resting his forehead on hers, and silence hung between them. She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. As much as she knew they shouldn’t, she wanted his lips on hers, and she wanted to feel his hands on her body.
As Noah stepped between her legs her breath caught. She watched his lips as he lowered his head towards hers. And finally, his lips brushed over hers.
Fire ran through her as she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders… and then the oven buzzer went off.
Closing his eyes, he sighed. “Food is done.”
Pulling away, she took a deep breath. It was probably better that they take a step back anyway. She wasn’t sure that if they kept going she would want to stop.
Noah plated the food and brought it to the table. “Please, have a seat. We should probably eat while it’s fresh.”
Chef Tony’s Chicken Marsala, potatoes, and vegetables smelled delicious. She sat down and gazed at her plate. “This looks great.”
“Yes it does.” Noah filled two glasses with wine and took his seat. “I thought we could maybe talk, seeing how things seem to be heating up between us.”
“They are?” She feigned innocence.
“If that kiss got any hotter, I’d go up in flames.” He took a sip of his wine. “But here’s the thing. I’m sure you’re aware of my reputation.”
Jordan nodded with a smirk. “Oh, I’ve heard some things.”
“Is that why you used to not like me?”
She chuckled. “I never said I didn’t like you!”
“Oh, I could tell.” He laughed.
She waved him off, as she took another bite of food. Teasing, she added, “Good job reheating dinner.”
“I really like you, Jordan. I have since the first day I laid eyes on you. But you know my past.”
“It’s been said that you like the ladies, a lot.” She had no idea where he was going with this conversation, but it made her uncomfortable. She didn’t want to think about him with any other women, especially not after that kiss.
“That’s nicer than anything that’s ever been said about me.” He chuckled.
He took her hand, and his eyes were serious.
“I like you, Jordan, but if we are going to continue this—and I really would like to—we need to stay casual.”
Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, and she pulled her hand back. “Casual?”
“You know, casual dating. We are just having fun. No strings attached. No labels.”
“So, no commitment?” The suggestion stung. Was he suggesting a purely friends-with-benefits scenario? Things had changed since she’d given in to his kisses. At the very heart of it, she liked him, and she could no longer deny her attraction. But she had never dated casually. She didn’t even know if she was capable. And yet, hadn’t she told herself that it was foolish to allow herself to lose her heart?
“Exactly. Let me explain why. In professional sports, it’s rare to stay in one city for a long time. Obviously, it’s a business; trades happen all the time. And I’ve always been the guy that seems to get moved.” He sighed, as though it weighed on him. “If I keep things casual, then there’s no serious girlfriend that I need to leave behind. Moving to a new city and a new team is hard enough. But leaving someone behind that you love is worse.”
What he said made sense. “You’d rather keep it casual than ask that one person to go with you?”
“It’s not easy. For example, I was traded to Pittsburgh last season. I only have one year left on my contract therefore next summer I could be signing with another team, which means another new city. Asking someone to take on that nomad lifestyle is asking a lot.”
She wasn’t sure she agreed with that. But then again, she had readily moved to Pittsburgh for a new job, brand new city where she didn’t know anyone. “I’ve been known to pick up and move before. But I get how some girls might not be willing.”
