Passion: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Tempting Alphas Book 3)

by Romi Hart

  Hurrying to her bedroom, she slipped on a pair of flats and grabbed her purse, then met Dex back in the living room, where he stood, relaxed with his hands in his pockets. “You ready?”

  She nodded. “So, what’s the plan?”

  He shrugged. “I thought we might walk around, find a nice little hole in the wall place to eat, and then maybe head to a club with some live music or something. Not so loud that we can’t talk, but loud enough to be invigorating.”

  Krys liked that idea. “I’m game.” She followed him out and locked the door, and they took the elevator down. “Did you take a cab?” she asked.

  He pointed to a reasonable – if expensive – BMW parked a couple of parking spaces away. “I drove. But it’s a nice evening, so I thought we could walk.”

  “That’s fine with me.” She’d grown accustomed to the New York lifestyle and didn’t see why so many people felt the need to own a car. It took longer to drive almost anywhere than walk or take the trains, considering the horrific traffic. At the same time, she liked that Dex had the option. “What sort of cuisine are you in the mood for?”

  "I like it all. I'm from Texas. I have a pretty well-rounded palette. Maybe some Puerto Rican or Italian food, something with a little spice to it."

  “I know the perfect place. It’s about eight blocks from here. It’s a privately owned Puerto Rican restaurant with some of the best food I’ve had since I moved here.”

  Dex smiled and reached for her hand as they left the building. Something about the gesture felt very intimate as his fingers laced with hers. “I like it. Lead the way.”

  They took a right and rounded the block, walking south, before she said anything. “Tell me what it’s like in Texas. Is it very different from here?”

  Dex laughed, a loud guttural sound. “It’s almost polar opposite. You’d think southerners would have courtesy and kindness. It’s the old stereotype. But there’s a lot more acceptance, a lot less judgment, and even a lot more friendliness here than there. It’s hot there all the time, except for the freezes that happen a couple times a year that shut everything down because no one can drive on ice. Everything’s slower, but not for any real purpose. And if you don’t have a car, you can’t get anywhere. The public transportation is awful. But the food is good, and when you find the right friends, you make your own fun. You have barbeques every weekend and drink beer and watch sports. Or in some cases, play them.”

  It was the most she’d heard him talk about himself – or anything, really – since she’d known him. It prompted her to be more open. “Everything in Australia is the same. I mean, if you want to live in the Outback, it’s different. But a city is a city. They’re all on the coast, and they’re all built and run the same. I love it, really, but it’s not as culturally diverse as here.” She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the city. “Like this. You can’t walk down the street and smell the different foods or walk into one of six tiny shops that sell all sorts of random things.”

  “You can’t do that in Dallas, either,” he nodded. “So, you’re a fan of New York.”

  “I’m a fan of things to explore and a fan of convenience. New York offers both. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of discovering new places and new things to do here. And I can’t wait to start going to the theatre. I think Amy’s going to love stage plays and musicals and opera, just like I do.”

  “Maybe we can make a date,” he said, as if it was an offhanded comment. “We’ll go see something family-friendly, like Aladdin or Wicked or something, and see if she likes it.” Krys blinked at him, realizing it was the first time he’d shown interest in being involved with Amy in any way. Did he mean it? She couldn’t tell. He was staring forward, glancing around and not really focusing on anything.

  Don’t look too hard at it, she thought. He could just be musing aloud, looking for ways to draw her in, and he wasn’t really alright with a child being involved. It shouldn’t matter, though, not at this point. She had to stick to her guns. For now, this was just a date and nothing more. Trying to sound as casual as he did, she said, “That could be fun.”

  “Good. I’ll keep it in mind.” Then, he turned to her, his eyes alight. “You know, I have some connections around here. We could even do something like have a private event at the zoo, have her invite some of her friends to join her for a day there without all the clusters of people. And they would do special feedings and things like that for entertainment.”

  Something about the offer made her stomach churn, as if Dex was trying too hard. “Dex, I…” she started, but he held up a hand to stop her.

  “I’m just thinking out loud, okay? These are things I can do to make sure your daughter feels included, if you want to keep this going. I’m not great with kids, but I don’t have a problem with them. And your girl has quite a big personality. It makes it easier, I think.”

  That made Krys relax a little, and she laughed. “She does have her little quirks. And she’s smarter than I care to think about sometimes. She makes me feel like I never reached my full potential most of the time and sometimes like I’m just plain stupid.” She hesitated and then told him, “She asked if you spending the night meant she was going to have a little brother or sister because when adults have sleepovers, they make babies.”

  Dex looked like he might choke as he guffawed and shook his head. “That’s hysterical. And far too intuitive.” He squeezed her hand. “She’s a winner, that’s for sure. What did you tell her, by the way?”

  Krys blushed, remembering the conversation. “I told her that we don’t always make babies, sometimes it’s just for fun. She thought that was pretty stupid.”

  Dex stopped walking and pulled her against him, making her heart race and her breath come in little gasps as he captured her gaze. “That was a very smart response. And for the record, whether it’s me or someone else, when you find the man of your dreams, I think you’d be selling yourself and the world short not to have another one.”

  Before she could respond, he leaned down and placed a sweet, drawn-out kiss on her lips, leaving her trembling with desire and excitement. She blew out a long breath and told him, "If you do that again, we might as well turn around and go home."

  “Is that what you want?” he asked, his voice a growl as he nuzzled her ear.

  “I wouldn’t mind, but I think it would be more appropriate to stick to the original plan.” She couldn’t let herself fall into that routine, the one that negated all activity that led to real understanding and closeness between two people and focused solely on sex. That would just be a recipe for disaster.

  “I think maybe you’ve got the right idea,” he agreed easily. “But just so you know, I’ll be thinking about your body and the way you wrap it around me all night long, and I don’t think I’ll be satisfied unless we end up tangled in the sheets again.”

  That made two of them, but Krys didn’t say it out loud. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and settle her nerves. When she felt like she could walk without gushing all down her legs, she pulled away from him and tugged on his hand. “Come on, if we take too long, we’ll have to wait forever to get a table. It’s a popular place, and it’s small.”

  This time, they walked in complete silence, and Krys wondered what was really on Dex’s mind. He seemed content enough, but his promises to be thinking about her swirled around and around in her head. She had a clear image of him in all his brilliance, too, and she couldn’t help but conjure it, wondering if she would be just as in awe of his physique a second time around. There was a high likelihood. He was built to perfection.

  Thankfully, there was an open table at the restaurant, and they were seated immediately. Dex perused the menu, and Krys pretended to look at hers, instead watched him through her lashes. She knew what she wanted to eat already, and she preferred to inspect the nuances of his expressions, the tiny changes to his face as he studied the options. It didn't take long to learn the slight change between surprise, confusion,
and delight. And she knew the moment he settled on something, the corners of his mouth tilting up almost imperceptibly and his eyes lighting up.

  When they both folded their menus and laid them on the table, the attentive waiter showed up at their sides with a large grin, taking their orders and racing back to the kitchen to put them in. “Did you ever have Puerto Rican food in Australia?” Dex asked, popping the paper off his straw and putting it in his glass of water.

  “Definitely not. I found out just how sheltered I was in terms of food when I came here. There are so many different things to try, and even a lot of what I had in my small town wasn’t authentic. I’m sure more options are available in the city, but I didn’t venture into Victoria very often. I stuck to my little corner of the world.” And that might have contributed to her poor history with men. There weren’t a lot to choose from without exploring more populated areas.

  He stared at her for a long moment, and she grew uncomfortable, shifting in her seat. She had a feeling there was a question in that gaze, one she didn’t necessarily want to answer. Finally, he leaned forward with his elbows on the table and asked, “Are you ever going to tell me what the deal is with you and Jordan, or are you really going to make me face his wrath to find out?”

  Krys winced internally. This subject would never go away, not until she admitted to Jordan that she was seeing Dex. And she wasn’t ready to do that. But she also didn’t want to have this barrier between them, keeping them from finding that closeness and intimacy that might be lurking beneath the surface. As much as she wanted to respect Jordan’s privacy, she needed to clear the air. And truthfully, now that she seemed to be closer to Dex than Jordan, she felt she had a right to explain things. After all, it was her story to tell, too.

  Taking a deep breath, she blew it out slowly and folded her hands in her lap. “Jordan is my stepbrother and one of my closest friends. Our parents married when we were seniors in high school, so we never really lived together or anything, but we were already like siblings anyway. After college, I was going through a bad time, and I couldn’t figure out what would help me, what would make me happy. I’d had a terrible breakup with someone I thought cared about me, after a string of bad attempts at relationships. I’d sort of given up on a happy romance.

  “But I wasn’t ready to give up on a family, and I realized that I desperately wanted a child. I didn’t want some random folder in a donor center for a father, and I thought long and hard before propositioning Jordan. The idea scared him, but he also got really excited and agreed to donate. A few months later, I was pregnant, and I had Amy.”

  She couldn’t read Dex’s expression, and that worried her. She bit her lip, wondering if she’d misjudged and shouldn’t have said so much. “So, you never slept with him?”

  Krys wrinkled her nose. “No, never.” She shook her head. “I know he’s a really attractive guy, but that’s like if Charlie Hunnam had a sister and someone asked her what she thought of his looks. I’m glad Amelia has some of his characteristics because he’s quite handsome, but I was never attracted to him in that way.”

  “Well, that makes me feel better,” Dex said, relaxing in his chair. “I mean, I couldn’t quite understand why he was so protective of you, especially if he’s moving on. It’s one thing to have a kid with someone, but he’s as bad as a jealous boyfriend.” With a chuckle, he reached across the table for her hand, and Krys let him take it. “I guess the big brother act makes just as much sense. More, really.”

  “Does it matter?” Krys asked, suddenly a bit up in arms at the way he’d reasoned that out. Had he been holding back because he thought there was something between her and Jordan? Or maybe because he thought of her as sloppy seconds?

  “Only because, if there was anything between the two of you, I wouldn’t want to interfere. I love Kylie, too, and I’d have to say something to her, if that was the case.”

  It relieved her to hear that. “I would expect nothing less of any man I intend to put my trust in.” especially if she wanted to share her body with him. “On that note, I’m just going to ask if you’re seeing anyone else.”

  “Nope,” he answered instantly. “I’m a one-woman man, whether it’s the beginning of something or forever. I feel like making one woman happy is a big enough challenge. Why the hell would I want to try to please several and end up confusing them all in my head?” He laughed, and Krys joined him, but he squeezed her fingers lightly. “Seriously, though, I don’t care what anyone says about me. I’m not a womanizer. I don’t mistreat them. And even if I do get a little crazy when I’m really attracted to you, I strive to be a gentleman.”

  She’d noticed. Dex opened doors, guided her around with a hand at the small of her back, and worked to make her comfortable when they were together. He’d even crept out of the party with her while Jordan was occupied without questioning her need to slip past. If she could just hold onto these precious moments and not let herself start seeing stars and hearing wedding bells, she might have found a keeper.

  The food came quickly, and they chatted a little while eating but mostly enjoyed the food. Krys hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she tasted the cuisine, and Dex seemed to be just as ravenous. They finished quickly and ordered a flan to share, something she’d never done before. It seemed like a really intimate gesture, and when Dex forked a bite and held it out to feed her, she blushed, taking it softly.

  He grinned boyishly. “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten to feed a woman before. It’s kind of nice.”

  Gazing down at her hands shyly, Krys nodded. “I agree. It is sort of .” Her stomach fluttered as he did it again, brushing his thumb over her cheek in a caress.

  “I grew up in a home where my father took care of my mother until they came to blows. I was pretty young then, but I remember him always feeding her the first bite of dinner and the first bite of dessert. I didn’t understand back then, but I think I’m starting to.” It was a very personal memory to share, and Krys liked his openness. It was something that had always been lacking in the past, when she’d tried to make something out of nothing.

  “I saw it after my mom married Jordan’s dad. They were sweet on each other like a couple of kids in grade school. For teenagers on the verge of adulthood, it was embarrassing and disgusting,” she laughed. “Looking back, though, it’s the sort of relationship I strove for and never found.”

  “Still time. And opportunity.” He held out another bite, and she locked gazes with him as she took it, his meaning clear. His eyes were intense, filled with determination and meaning, It went a long way in assuring her she wasn’t wasting her time. Even if things didn’t work out romantically, she knew she’d at least found someone she could trust, someone she would want as a friend for life.

  Needing to lighten the mood before her thoughts ran away from her, Krys cleared her throat and said, “I think I’m ready for a drink now. How about you?”

  “That sounds perfect.” He offered her the last bit of flan, but she waved it off, and he swallowed it. “There’s a place in the Village that has live music, usually swing or jazz or something fun. And the bartenders are top notch.”

  Krys quirked a brow at him. “I hope you don’t want to walk all the way there. That’s some sixty blocks. It’s a great night, but I don’t think these flats will make it that far.”

  Dex laughed heartily as he stood and reached for her hand, pulling her to her feet. “No, I don’t think walking is the answer. I’d like to dance, so I can’t wear your feet out before we get there. We’ll take a cab.”

  Chapter 7

  Time ran away. Krys didn't have a care in the world as they sipped delicious drinks, sat in cozy lounge chairs, and made their way over and over to the dance floor for a spin. She had a good buzz, and the music and easy conversation only made her more heady and relaxed. When she excused herself to the bathroom for the second time and finally checked her phone, she was shocked to find it was after midnight.

  To her relief, she hadn’t
missed any calls, and she didn’t have any emergency texts or anything. Putting the phone away, she sought Dex out where he stood at the end of the bar, a few feet from the restrooms. “How did it get to be so late?” she asked, incredulous.

  He shook his head with an easy grin, the shine of his eyes brightened by his own imbibing. “Do I have to repeat the cliché about time flying when you’re having fun?” She rolled her eyes, but before she could answer, he yanked her against him and kissed her hard and long. When he pulled back, his expression had changed into that predatory need. “I think it’s time to go home now, don’t you?”

  The sensation started at her core, causing moisture to gather between her thighs, and it spread up her spine until it tingled in her fingers and down in her toes. Her head spun slightly, and she had difficulty regulating her breathing. “I’m ready when you are,” she told him, her voice husky.

  He didn’t need any further encouragement, pulling her close against his side as he motioned for the bartender to bring the tab and paid the bill. They wound their way through the full house and stepped out into the cooler night breeze, where Krys was surprised it didn’t immediately sober her. Instead, it added to the euphoria and excitement of the evening, and she grew giddy, wanting to giggle as Dex whistled for a cab.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked as one of the green ones pulled up in front of them.

  She shook her head, not realizing she’d actually made a sound. “I thought whistling for a ride was just in movies. Besides, how can they hear you over all the city noise?”

  Dex beamed. "It's the gesture. And maybe I just do it because I've seen it in movies. Who knows?" He laughed softly as he opened the door for her, and Krys slid across the seat as Dex got in behind her. She didn't have to give her address; apparently, Dex already knew it by heart.