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My smile slipped at the mention of her uncle…my boss. Nothing and no one would keep me from Finley, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t bothered by the fact I was going behind his back and doing what he’d specifically ordered me not to do. I didn’t want Finley to be a dirty little secret, and I wouldn’t lie to Lennox, either. So I was naturally a little apprehensive of the fallout from claiming his niece. Lennox wasn’t a vengeful guy…unless he felt his wife or kids were being threatened. But this was his niece, and I couldn't help wondering if my position with the Nighthawks would be in jeopardy when he found out.
It didn’t matter. Now that I’d found Finley, she would always come first.
But I’d ease her into that realization. I was afraid that if I just jumped in and she realized the level of my obsession with her, she’d run for the hills. So I swallowed my impulse to move fast with this thing between us and get to know each other first.
During dinner, our conversation flowed easily, and she made me laugh more than I’d probably done in the last year. I was known for being a scary motherfucker and a perpetual grump. I would never hear the end of it when the guys saw how different I was with her. They’d be as shocked as Nina to know that my lips had the ability to curve up.
“Rhodes!” An older gentleman with a bald head, thick black mustache, and twinkling blue eyes strolled up to our table.
“Pop-Pop,” I greeted Vince as I stood to shake his hand. “How are you?”
He took my outstretched hand but pulled me in for a hug instead, slapping me on the back in a hearty greeting.
“Old, but still kicking,” he replied with a chuckle. “What’s this I hear about you smiling? I thought maybe your face was broken in your last game, and I missed it somehow.”
I groaned and sat back down next to Finley. “Are you guys trying to scare away my date?”
Finley giggled. “I have to wonder now, am I seeing the real you? Because you’ve smiled an awful lot since we met.”
I glanced at her, a little worried, until I saw the sparkle in her pretty blue eyes.
“I’m different with you,” I admitted quietly.
She beamed and scooted a little closer. “I kind of like that I get a side of you no one else does. It will make me feel better when I see all the jersey chasers that will inevitably be throwing themselves at you for the rest of our lives.”
My body froze for half a second while I digested her words. Did she realize she’d just referred to the future as ours? It made me wonder if she would be ready for us to go full speed ahead sooner than I’d thought. It wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have at the restaurant, though. Especially with Vince hovering at the table, watching us like we were his favorite soap opera.
Vince cleared his throat and tipped his head toward Finley, reminding me that I hadn’t made introductions.
“Baby, this is Vince, the owner of the place, but you can call him Pop-Pop like the rest of us. Vince, this is my Finley.”
Vince raised an eyebrow but focused on my date, giving her a wide, welcoming smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, my dear. I’m happy to see a woman who saw past the intimidating football player to the teddy bear inside.”
“Good grief,” I grumbled as Finley burst into laughter. “Why do I come here, again?”
“Because the food is magnificent, and despite our teasing, you are family,” Vince quipped with a haughty sniff.
“Touché,” I muttered with an amused shake of my head. “Well, it was great, as usual, but we should be going.” I hated for the evening to end, but it was getting late, and I was meeting the team early tomorrow to watch some game tapes before we flewout to the wild card game. Besides, the longer I was with Finley, the harder it would be to drop her off at home rather than take her to mine.
Vince smiled and stepped back so I could get up and help Finley out of the booth.
“I hope to see you again, Finley,” he said warmly.
“I’ll definitely be back. It was delicious!”
We said our goodbyes, and I texted the driver to come pick us up as we made our way to the front of the restaurant.
On the ride home, I held her hand as we sat in comfortable silence. When we were almost there, I sighed, irritated that our time was almost up. Especially since I knew I wouldn’t be able to see her for at least a few days.
The car rolled to a stop, and I exited, then assisted Finley out before walking her up to her door. When she unlocked it and stepped inside, I followed because it was cold as shit outside. But when she walked toward the elevator, I gently took her arm and pulled her into my arms. “I can’t stay,” I murmured regretfully.
Her expression fell, and she mumbled, “Oh.”
Using one finger under her chin, I lifted her face so she was looking at me. “I want to.Believe me. It’s killing me to leave. But I have to meet the team early tomorrow, and then we have an afternoon flight.” She started to respond, but I put a finger over her lips and continued, “Even more important than that, you need to know that this isn’t a one-night thing or a fling, baby. So we’re gonna do this right.”
Her answering smile was soft, and her cheeks turned pink. “You’re really sweet.”
I growled playfully. “I amnotsweet, baby.”
