Page 45 of His Innocent Seduction

‘Different, huh?’ She falls into step beside me and I don’t realise we’re holding hands until we’re almost there. I don’t think I’ve ever held hands with a woman before. I cough and lift my hand, releasing hers and then dropping mine to my side.

If she notices my incredibly awkward gesture, she doesn’t show it. She’s still scanning the street, looking for some hint of our destination. I’m surprised the sound of the crowds doesn’t give it away.

‘I’m not dressed for anything except being a tourist,’ she says, drawing my attention to her casual jeans and singlet top. God, and the tiny hint of midriff exposed when she gestures to things, and the single pink bra strap I can see just a hint of. And the curve of her breasts and the snug fit of her jeans on her rounded ass. Great. I’m straining against my own jeans, and we have a whole afternoon to get through.

‘Actually—’ my voice is hoarse ‘—you’re dressed perfectly for what we’re doing.’

‘Which is?’ She arches her brows, eyeing me expectantly.

‘You’ll see,’ I say softly and her eyes seem to light up with the force of a thousand light bulbs. Her exuberance is contagious.

Fuck it. I reach for her hand, lacing my fingers through hers—it feels less awkward this time. The street gets busier as we approach Madison Square Garden.

‘Whoa, I wonder what’s going on in there,’ she says, scanning the stadium. ‘Oh! The Knicks!’ She points to the huge sign on the corner.

‘American basketball,’ I say, watching her face.

She grins, and then lifts up to press a kiss against my mouth. It’s chaste and quick and catches me totally by surprise. ‘Isn’t all basketball American?’ she quips, her eyes crinkling as she drops back down to her normal height.

I stare at her, bemused for a second, then nod. ‘Right, of course.’

‘Look at how many people are lined up. That queue goes around the block.’

‘Knicks home game—it’s a big deal.’

‘I’ll bet. Can you smell that? Popcorn?’

‘Yeah.’ And then I smile, and nod to the Garden. ‘Whaddaya say? Want to check out a real American institution?’

‘Oh, my God. You got us tickets?’

‘Sure.’ I reach into my pocket and pull them out.

She makes a squealing noise of excitement and drops my hand so she can clap hers together. Then she throws her arms around my neck and lifts up, her happiness as palpable as it is contagious.

‘You like basketball?’

‘Um, no.’ She grins as she pulls away from me, turning to look at the stadium. ‘But it’s like you said—a new experience. Just what I’m in the business of collecting.’ She wiggles her brows and I laugh softly.

‘I gathered.’

‘This is so thoughtful of you, Michael.’

I shake my head. ‘It’s no big deal.’

‘Sure...’ she says with a touch of sarcasm. ‘Somehow you managed to secure tickets to a game like this at the last minute.’

‘I thought you’d enjoy it.’

Her eyes linger on mine before she drags them away to look at the stadium. ‘So? What are we waiting for?’

‘Nothing whatsoever.’

She begins to move towards the queue, but once we’re over the other side I pull on her hand, guiding her down thirty-third. ‘Our gate’s around the corner.’

‘Do you come here often?’

‘The Garden?’

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