“Excuse me,” he teased. He deleted his name and put in hers first.
“So, what are your plans?”
“To be considered one of the best players in the league.”
Danielle turned in her seat to face him. “That’s a wish, not a plan.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want to be considered a leader in my field, but just because I want that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. Not without a plan with real goals to get there.”
“Okay, Professor Stewart, what are your goals?”
“First is showing genuine enthusiasm for what I do. I want to make a difference. Not just here but on a larger scale. I pick projects that will have a measurable impact when they’re done, like shutting down Clear Water.”
“Clear Water?” Jacobe leaned down to pull off his shoes and slip on his bowling shoes.
Danielle’s brows rose to her hairline, and her eyes were wide. “Do you live under a rock?”
He shrugged. “Apparently so. Tell me what it is.”
“They’re a sewer provider who can’t properly treat the sewage coming to their plant. They dumped tons of bacteria-laden water into the creeks for years. I fought to get their permit enforced. Major fines were levied and they have to put together a corrective plan to either tie into a better system or shut down.”
“Wow. You did that?” He was impressed.
She leaned back and straightened her glasses. She looked embarrassed by his praise. “Well, not just me.”
“They’re shutting down?”
“They’re trying to expand. They want to dump into Springfield Creek!”
She looked at him like he should be outraged. He shook his head. “You need to school me again, Professor.”
She did. For the next few rounds of bowling, she updated him on her efforts to prevent Clear Water from expanding and dumping into the creek. Jacobe was amazed that all of this was happening right here, and that more people weren’t talking about it.
She obviously was an advocate for her work. Her passion to make things right in the world hadn’t changed. What, or who, else was she passionate about? He’d experienced the heat of her fire during their one night together. He didn’t for a moment think she was seeing someone else. Danielle wasn’t the type to hang out with him if she had a man, but there had to be something else that excited her. If not, he’d be more than willing to bring fun into her life.
“You know,” Jacobe said, after he’d bowled a spare and was coming back to where Danielle was picking up her ball to bowl. “Back in college I knew you were into this stuff, but I thought—I don’t know—that you were just being a Goody Two-shoes.”
Her laugh was incredulous. “What?”
“I mean, I didn’t realize that you really cared about this. Not just because it seemed like the right thing to do or that everyone else was doing it. You’re kind of impressive.”
She fiddled with her glasses again and glanced away. “I’m not impressive. I’m just a hard worker. You’re the one people think of as being impressive. Famous basketball star and all that. People listen when you talk just because you’re a celebrity.” She met his gaze. “I know you don’t want to tell me your ultimate plan and that you’re only volunteering to help your image, but thank you anyway. You’ll get us the attention we need. That’ll go a long way to help me.”
She walked to the head of the aisle to bowl. Jacobe sat in the plastic chair behind the controls to watch her. Danielle was far more impressive than he. He wanted the recognition for being the best; she wanted to make sure people had clean water. He cared about boys who didn’t know what direction to take. After his spiral when his dad died, and later discovering he wasn’t the father of Christy’s son, he recognized the need for more male mentors out there. He funded programs for that, but he wasn’t as driven to that cause as Danielle was to hers. He’d had nothing but basketball and anger. If he lost basketball, did he really just want to be left with anger?
Danielle rolled a strike and jumped up and down. Jacobe clapped and smiled at her. That was the first strike she’d bowled all night. The bounce of her luscious breasts while she jumped distracted him. His clapping slowed.
A quick vision of her on top of the dresser in a long-ago college room, her dress pulled down and her soft breasts in his hands while his mouth kissed and sucked on nipples as sweet as candy flashed through his mind. That night had been too fast, too rushed and hurried. Next time he’d be sure to take his time and kiss every inch of her body.
Jacobe looked away and forced the memory out of his head. His brain cleared, but his body didn’t follow suit. His blood heated and his dick swelled just enough to let him know that if he didn’t control his thoughts he’d have a full on erection in no time. He didn’t want her tonight.
Yes, you do.
Okay, he wouldn’t turn her down tonight, but that wasn’t the point of this date. He’d tasted Danielle, then walked away without a backward glance after Christy tricked him. He wouldn’t let her think that he cared only about sex when it came to her.
What the hell, Jacobe? You want a relationship, now? No, that answer was clear. Women like Danielle wanted commitments. He no longer did commitments.
“Hey, you okay?” Danielle said.
Jacobe had lowered his head, his eyes closed as first the memory, then the scary thought of a relationship entered his mind. He opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head. He tried to give her a smile but feared it looked as force as he felt.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
Her answering smile was open and excited, so he assumed his didn’t look as bad as he thought. “Did you see my strike?”
“I did. Still not enough to catch up with me.” He pointed to the score.
Danielle rolled her eyes and hit him on the shoulder. “We’re only halfway through the game. And this ain’t the basketball court. I’m only a few points behind. Game time, baby.”
True. If she hit a few more, they’d be neck and neck.
Jacobe had stood and picked up his ball when a thought struck him. He turned back to Danielle. “Do you hate me?”
“What?”
“Do you hate me for not calling you?”
Her smile slowly melted away. Her shoulders straightened and she sat up in the seat. When she met his gaze her eyes were serious. “I don’t know what I expected after that night. Everything happened so quickly. I came to show you I wasn’t afraid of the spark between us. Next thing I know we’re...you know. It was great, but I didn’t think anything too serious would happen afterward. Certainly no expectations for a relationship.”
She sounded so calm. So over it. How could it not have bothered her when it had bothered him occasionally over the years?
He took a step toward her. “If I would have called and asked you to date me, would you have considered it?”
She shrugged and looked at the control board. “I don’t know.”
He had a feeling she was lying. “I’m sorry I never called.”
“Don’t be. I moved on. I wasn’t sitting around campus pining for you.”
“I didn’t think you were.”
She nodded. “Good.”
“Did you start seeing someone else?” Why in the world was he torturing himself with that question?
Her gaze met his. “I did.”
He tried to remember if there’d been a particular guy sniffing around her that year, but came up a blank. “Who?”
She raised a brow. “Does it really matter?”
No, it didn’t, not really. He didn’t want to know her past any more than he wanted her digging into his. “You’re right.”
“Besides, I saw you with Christy afterward and assumed you two were together.”
His shoulders stiffened and he gripped the ball in his hands.
“We weren’t that night. I wouldn’t have had sex with you if I’d still been with her.”
The rigid set to Danielle’s posture relaxed and she nodded. “I know.”
That surprised him. “I wouldn’t have believed you thought so highly of me.”
“I did. I was around you enough to know how many women tried to sleep with you, and how you turned each of them down. It was an admirable trait.”
“Just one admirable trait. Are you sure there weren’t others?”
“You had a few, but that’s the one that really struck me as odd. As popular as you were, and as conceited as you were.” He opened his mouth to argue and she held up a finger. “Don’t interrupt, you were.”
Jacobe closed his mouth and motioned with his hand for her to continue. Who was he kidding? He had enough confidence in his game to be considered conceited.
“I expected you to take up every willing female that came your way. Especially since it seemed like every other day you and Christy were arguing.”
That was true. People used to ask him why he stayed with Christy. He’d never felt the need to say anything other than she had his back. He never talked about how his dad’s death was proof cheating wasn’t worth it, or that Christy had been the girl he’d fallen in love with in the middle of his grief. Right before he really became good at ball and women who’d once ignored him were suddenly offering him sex left and right. Danielle deserved more than that simple explanation.
“Christy looked out for me back in high school before I’d really blown up. I was a good player, but after my dad died, I started skipping school, being a smart-ass in class and playing pranks just to frustrate the teachers. One day one of my pranks went too far.”
“What did you do?”
“Stupid, really. My English teacher gave an assignment. Write a paper on the great contributors of American literature. I didn’t like anything we read that year, so my paper was on why English literature was better.”
“That wasn’t the topic.”
“I know. Anyway, he threatened to fail me. I got mad because if I failed I couldn’t play ball. I put some fireworks in his desk and set them off right before class. There was smoke and the fire department was called.”
Danielle’s hand was over her mouth as she laughed. “No.”
He nodded. “Yeah. It was bad. I would have been suspended, maybe expelled.” His laughter died. “Christy said she did it. Took the suspension and everything. When I asked why, she said because she knew I needed another chance before I screwed up my future. I did. After my dad died, I hid the hurt behind smiles, jokes and basketball. Everyone viewed me as this star player or this screw up in class. Christy was the first person to call me on my crap. If she hadn’t said that, I would have ruined my chances. That was the year I really got on the radar of college recruiters. If I’d been expelled, that wouldn’t have happened.”
Dozens of questions swam in her chocolate eyes. He’d revealed too much about himself in that story. Stuff that he didn’t want others to know. He hadn’t even told Christy why he’d stayed with her for so long.
“Why did you come to the party that night?” he asked, before she could start a line of questions he didn’t want to answer.
She shrugged and looked away, but tugged on the front of her sweater. “You made it seem like I didn’t know how to party. That annoyed me. I came to show you I could have fun.”
“You came in a dress that made me want nothing more than to see you out of it. It was a pleasant surprise.”
The memory of that night flooded his mind. Danielle in a sleeveless black dress that hugged every one of her curves. “You wore that dress for me?”
“I wore this dress for myself.”
“Will you take it off for me later?”
Damn that line had been cocky, and corny. She’d rolled her eyes before grinning and walking away. He’d followed her like a dope for the rest of the night.
His eyes met hers. The tip of her tongue ran across her full bottom lip. Her breasts rose as she took a deep breath. He licked his own lips and remembered the sweet taste of her.
“Are you sure you didn’t wear that dress for me?”
Danielle stood abruptly. “Want some nachos?”
He wanted to say no and continue their conversation, but he didn’t want to push. “Sure. Get a pizza, too. Or whatever you want to eat. Tell them you’re with me. It’ll be on the house.”
She nodded then turned toward the concession. Jacobe turned to bowl.
“Jacobe,” she called. He turned to face her. Her full lips were raised in a teasing grin. “I guess you learned I could handle you after all.” She spun away and hurried to the concession.
Jacobe grinned and turned back to bowl. Danielle Stewart was full of surprises.
* * *
He didn’t like talking about himself. Danielle realized that about halfway through their date. Most people would respect that he didn’t share much and move on. Most people hadn’t known him in college and remembered that he’d been cocky and fun loving, but also open and straightforward. Now he was closed off. Still charming, but guarded. The need to get to the bottom of a situation was one of her strongest traits and biggest flaws. Trying to unravel the secrets of a guy like Jacobe could result in her becoming too involved with a man who’d proved he could easily walk away from her.
“I had fun tonight,” Danielle said as they walked to his car. She hadn’t known what to expect before going out with him. She had known she would need to limit the opportunities for him to suck her into his web of temptation as he’d done earlier that day in her office. Bowling had been perfect. Minimal chances to touch or get lost staring into his eyes.
“Then I’ll have to take you bowling again.”
She turned to walk backward and face him. “I offered one date. No expectations and no strings attached.”
Jacobe took her hand in his and pulled her closer. She was so startled by the movement that she didn’t pull back. “What do I have to do to get you to go out with me again?”
He was so tempting. She’d get wrapped up in Jacobe and lose her heart. It had been easier in college when he’d left because they hadn’t been together long enough for her to fall in love with him. That didn’t mean she didn’t know how much it hurt to have someone she loved leave her behind. She wasn’t going through that again.
“I don’t view first dates as an interview for marriage, but it is a chance for me to decide if I want another date and possibly a serious relationship. I’m looking for a commitment one day. What are you looking for?”
She would not normally be so candid on a first date, but she had to with Jacobe. He might be more guarded, but his flirtatious side hadn’t gone anywhere. She could only imagine the number of women he went out with. He needed to realize she wasn’t interested in being his short-term bedroom playmate.
Jacobe stopped and let go of her hand. “I’m not looking for anything serious right now.”
She wasn’t surprised, but that didn’t stop the small tickle of disappointment in her chest. “That’s cool. I just need you to understand what I’m looking for. If you’re not interested in the same, fine. I’m happy to work with you at the River Watchers, but that has to be it. If my position means you’d rather work for another organization I understand.”
His brows drew together. “I told you helping the River Watchers is about my image, not a sneaky way to get you in bed. Volunteering will show critics I’m not spending my five-game suspension sitting around sulking or starting fights like everyone expects me to.”
The need to know more perked up. “Why do you start fights? In college you were always the life of the party, not a fighter.”
“When you’re really pissed off, it’s easy to take your anger out on other people.”
“About your son?”
>
His body tensed. “He’s not my son.” Jacobe spit out the words in a hard and tight tone.
Danielle flinched and crossed her arms over her chest. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She never should have brought that up.
Jacobe stepped closer and used his finger to lift her chin. “I’m sorry. I don’t like talking about that situation.”
“I won’t bring it up again.”
He nodded and dropped his hand. “Right now my goal is to convince people in the league that I’m not the hothead I used to be. I went through some stuff and it overshadowed my game. I can’t let that happen anymore. I’ve got plans. This suspension could hurt those plans.”
“Plans with the Gators?”
“I’m happy to play for the Gators. What we’ve done is phenomenal, but if I get the chance to play for an even better team I won’t turn it down. I’ll do whatever I can to take my career to the next level. If the Gators don’t believe in me anymore, I don’t need other teams to be afraid to sign me. You can understand that much.”
She could. As a Gators fan, she didn’t want him to leave. He was an asset to the team—no one could deny that. As someone who yearned to find someplace where she felt like she belonged, she could understand his ambition to leave. She’d loved her work with the River Watchers until Liberty got on the board and began threatening her job. Not having the full backing of your organization left you feeling lost.
She turned and walked toward his car. Jacobe fell into step beside her, following her to the passenger side. Instead of opening the door, he leaned a hand against the roof and turned to her.
“As for what you said earlier, about wanting a relationship. I hear you.” He reached out to fiddle with the chiffon petals of the flower on her cardigan. “I brought you bowling because I want to get to know Danielle, the woman, instead of just going off the memories of the Danielle who tutored me in biology.”
“You can get to know me as a friend and colleague.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. He stared at his fingers on the flower at her chest. “I’m always open to a friends-with-benefits arrangement.”
Full Court Seduction Page 6