AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her irritation has me chuckling. “I was letting you cool off.”
“Cool off?”
The clicks of her sandals pause, and I check over my shoulder at the surprisingly feisty petite blonde. She’s so worked up, I expect flames to blast from her ears. Repressing my smile, I continue walking. “Oh, Ms. Spitfire, don’t pretend my little comments about your list-making didn’t piss you off.”
“Ugh, Mr. Arrogant” I’m jerked to a stop by the back of my shirt. “Before I meet your mother and tell her I’m sending you back to Michigan, we need to have this out.”
“Shoot.”
Her pink mouth flaps open and closed, and I wait her out, glancing around while re-tucking the shirt she messed up tugging on me.
Her ivory cheeks flush. “You’re not going to say anything?”
“I’m sorry, Nova. What is it you want me to say?” I pull my vibrating phone from my pants pocket, hitIgnore, then slip it back in. “You’re the one who’s all blotchy and angry.”
“This is a joke, right?” Her golden hair flies about her face as she circles in place like she’s searching for the punchline. I almost feel guilty. She’s ten times prettier in person than I expected with her natural white-blonde hair, expressive baby blues, and tan dancer’s body. And those damn dimples. Her beauty has me on edge, has me pushing buttons to see how far I can go. Nova Pratt can’t be in my head, and I can’t be in hers.
Stomping her fancy wooden-heeled sandal, Nova angles her back to me. “Dammit, this trip is cursed. First Julia, and now I’m stuck with this jackass.”
“Whoa. Watch the name calling.” I crowd her personal bubble, inhaling her citrusy scent while looming over her shoulder, and she stiffens. “I’m teasing, Nova. I expected you to take the hits better than this. Willa said you have three younger siblings and could handle me.”
Her chin lifts over her shoulder. “Sorry to disappoint. I guess Willa lies because she certainly didn’t warn me about you being a douche canoe.”
Damn, her temper is adorable.My lips twitch. “So, just to be clear. You’re saying you can’t handle me?”
Keeping her gaze locked on mine, Nova turns until her curves brush my chest. “No worries, Mr. Full of Himself. This girl knows how to handle boys with giant egos. I’ll be just fine with you.”
Beauty and lady balls. Willa was right. I’m gonna like this girl. Swallowing more than a few inappropriate comments, I return to the question that kicked off this encounter.
“For real, Touchdown Jesus? Why was seeing the mural on your list?”
She reads my face before she withdraws with a heavy sigh. “Find my choices interesting now, huh.” On cue, we resume walking side by side as she explains her dad’s obsession with the movieRudy. A football classic.
“You’re close then?”
“With my Dad? Yeah.”
They must be if her main reason for meeting me here is because she watched that movie with him as a kid. It must be nice. I doubt mine could pick me out of a lineup.
“Well, get your camera ready because I decided to throw in the stadium on this tour for free.” I jut my chin, and Nova looks up from the ground for the first time in a few minutes. I’d initially started away from the stadium as we left the library, weaving between department buildings, but I steered to the east as she spoke of football. “You can’t visit Notre Dame and not see where they play ball.”
Catching her bottom lip with her teeth, Nova pulls her cell from the bag across her chest and skips forward with the excitement of a child. “My dad will love this.” She snaps shots of the entrance from various angles and positions. “Will you take one of me with the statue?” Her dimples wink as she smiles, holding her phone out.
I accept, and as she poses by the bronze sculpture of former head coach Knute Rockne, I scold my gaze for settling on those deep hollows in her cheeks.Hell, not staring isn’t easy.
“Now you.” Nova waves me forward.
“Nah, I’m good. I have a picture of ten-year-old me standing right where you are.”
Her head cocks. “Not of you, of us. Let’s take a selfie right here as a starting point for our trip. Call it good luck. Because let’s be honest, I think we’re going to need it.” I hesitate. “C’mon, we’ll send it to Willa so she can show it to Clem every day.”
“Using my niece against me. That’s dirty.”
Her dark blonde brows waggle, a smirk curving her plump lips. “I told you I could handle you.”
Too bad I won’t get the chance to find out, I remind my libido as Willa’s warning that I ‘keep it in my pants’ haunts me. I’d love to find out if she tastes as sweet as the oranges she smells like.
Nova shoots off texts as we walk the last half-mile to the bookstore where Mom sits on a bench by the front door, a coffee cup in hand.
