First Down (Texas Titans #3)

by Cheryl Douglas

  Her lips twitched. “I kind of guessed that.” She crossed and uncrossed her legs. “So why did you want to see me alone?”

  He could think of a dozen reasons, none of which wouldn’t scare her off. “I wanted to give you the name of the hotel where I’ll be staying.” He knew it was a weak excuse. If she wanted to reach him, she could call his cell, but he didn’t want to leave for five days with just a chaste good-bye in Bob’s office. He wanted her to know he’d be thinking about her, and if she wanted to reach out to him, he’d be waiting for her call. God, that sounded pathetic. He couldn’t say that.

  “That’s nice of you, but you really don’t have to do that,” she said, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sure if I have any questions that Bob can’t answer, I can speak to Jaxon.”

  Jaxon. Should he suggest she speak to Zach instead? Would that be too obvious? He wasn’t used to choreographing his next move with a woman. “Yeah, about that—”

  “Knock, knock,” Jaxon said, poking his head in the door. He grinned at Alana. “There she is. I went to Bob’s office to check in with you, and he said you were up here with Grayson, filling out some form H.R. forgot.” He smirked at his friend. “Which form would that be, Gray?”

  Grayson didn’t respond. He didn’t have to. They both knew he was full of it. “Alana and I were just finishing up. I have to be out of here in a few.”

  Jaxon glanced at his watch. “I expected you to be gone by now. Don’t let us keep you.”

  “The sooner you leave, the sooner Alana and I can finish up, and I can be on my way.”

  “You guys can just pretend I’m not here,” he said, eyeing Grayson’s beverage cart. “Fresh-squeezed orange juice. That’s what I missed out on this morning.”

  Grayson had had an early morning meeting, so he’d had pastries and beverages brought in. He certainly hadn’t meant for Jaxon to view that as a reason to hang around his office, intruding on his last few minutes with Alana.

  “Would you like some, Alana?” he asked, holding up the pitcher and a glass. “Or maybe one of these chocolate chip muffins? They look pretty decadent.” His eyes traveled over her body, lingering on her tan legs. “And since you definitely don’t have to worry about your weight…”

  “No, thank you,” she said politely. “I had breakfast before I left the house this morning.” Turning her attention to Grayson, she said, “Well, I hope you have a good trip. I guess I should be getting back to Bob’s office.”

  He watched her stand, and he scrambled for something to say to keep her there while getting rid of his clueless partner. “If you need to reach me…” A sidelong glance at Jaxon told Grayson he was hanging on his every word. “You know, if you have any questions, feel free to call my cell.”

  Jaxon chuckled. “What the hell do you know about accounting? If she has any questions, I’m sure Bob will answer them better than you could.”

  Grayson glared at him. “Was I talking to you?”

  “What’s got you all bent out of shape?” Jaxon took a sip of his juice. “You’re usually in a good mood before you go to Vegas. What’s wrong? Won’t you be hooking up with Patti this time?”

  Grayson was going to kill Jaxon.

  Alana’s eyes darted to Grayson before she looked away. “Have a good trip, Grayson. I’ll see you when you get back.”

  He had to say something to smooth the waters, but what? He couldn’t very well tell her he had no intention of seeing Patti without raising questions he wasn’t prepared to answer. “Are you coming to the barbeque this weekend?”

  “The barbeque?” she asked, frowning.

  “Yeah, the company barbeque. Remember I mentioned it to you? You should definitely come.” Grayson knew he’d be dying to see her there.

  “Grayson’s right,” Jaxon cut in. “You should come.”

  “Um, maybe.” She looked uneasy. “I don’t have a car, but I’ll see if Kari can give me a ride.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I can pick you up.” Jaxon grinned. “We’ll have a blast. Zach and Rennie really know how to throw a party. Oh, and don’t forget your bikini. It’s a pool party.”

  Grayson clenched his fists, counting backward from ten as he waited for Alana to respond to Jaxon’s invitation.

  “You really don’t have to do that,” she said. “I’m sure my friend can give me a lift. If not—”

  “Why inconvenience her?” Jaxon asked. “I’d love to take you.”

  Grayson wanted to lunge across the desk and throttle his so-called friend, but that would only incense Alana.

  “If you’re sure,” Alana said, stealing a glance at Grayson.

  His eyes implored her to rethink her decision, but he suspected Jaxon’s reference to Patti had sealed the deal in her mind.

  “I’d love to. You’ll have to let me know what time,” Alana said. “I’m going to be pretty busy moving into my new apartment this weekend.”

  “You decided on a place?” Grayson hoped it wasn’t one of the ones they’d looked at together. All of those places had looked a little sketchy.

  “I did. I move in on Saturday.”

  “You need a hand moving?” Jaxon asked, positioning his body between Grayson and Alana.

  “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I don’t have a lot of stuff. I’m having some boxes shipped to my friend’s house this week, but I didn’t really have any furniture worth moving. It’s just going to be a futon on the floor until I get the place painted. If I fix it up a little bit at a time, it’ll feel like home in no time, right?”

  “Sure, it will,” Jaxon said. “These things take time.”

  Great. Jaxon was giving her the support and reassurance she’d needed from Grayson when they looked at places. Instead, he’d acted like a snob, making it seem as if the apartments she could afford weren’t suitable for a dog. No wonder Jaxon was winning her over.

  “The barbecue’s on Sunday,” Jaxon said. “Why don’t I come over on Saturday with a pizza and a six-pack and help you paint? Four hands are better than two, right?”

  She laughed. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, but you’re so sweet to offer.”

  “You hate painting!” Grayson exploded.

  “Who asked you?” Jaxon said, not even sparing his partner a glance.

  Alana touched his arm. “I don’t blame you, Jaxon. It’s not the most exciting job in the world.”

  “Depends on the company.” Jaxon shrugged. “Come on, I’ll bring the tunes, food, and beer. How can you refuse an offer like that?”

  “I guess I can’t. Thanks.” She looked around him to smile at Grayson. “I’ll see you on Sunday, Grayson. Have fun with Patti.”

  Grayson watched her leave, curling his hands around the armrests so he wouldn’t jump out of his chair and chase her down the hall. “What the hell was that all about?”

  “What?” Jaxon asked. He’d watched Alana leave, refusing to turn around until she was out of sight.

  “I can’t believe you asked her out. What were you thinking?”

  Jaxon chuckled. “I’m thinking she’s a gorgeous single woman, and I’m a single guy.”

  “She’s also one of our employees.” Grayson knew he couldn’t tell Jaxon about his interest in Alana, especially since she was adamant they keep their distance. But seeing her with Jaxon would kill him.

  “You and your tight-ass rules,” Jaxon said, sinking into the chair across from Grayson. “I’ve never cared much for that one, but we’ve never had an employee worth breaking it for… until now.”

  Jesus, Grayson was going to pass out. His blood pressure must have been off the charts. “Alana is off limits.”

  “I think we should look at revising that rule,” Jaxon said, crossing his arms. “Let’s call a meeting with all the partners next Monday, see what they think. You know democracy rules around here, buddy.”

  Shit. Could he make his partners believe changing the rule would put them at risk of a lawsuit? Maybe if he called in a member of their legal team…


  “What do you say?” Jaxon asked.

  “It’s a bad idea.” Folding his hands as he leaned across the desk, Grayson looked his friend in the eye. “Our lawyers will tell you the same thing. Besides, Alana had just gotten out of a bad marriage. She’s not interested in dating anyone right now.” That was the only thing helping him to retain his grip on sanity.

  “And you know this how?” Jaxon looked amused as he crossed one leg over the other.

  “She told me.”

  “Sounds like a pretty personal conversation for a girl you didn’t think could be trusted. Am I to assume she checked out?”

  Jaxon was clearly having fun taunting Grayson. He was trying to make Grayson admit he’d misjudged Alana and was ready to break his own rule to be with her. “She checked out. As for getting to know her personally, we’re friends.”

  “Nothing more?”

  Grayson would have loved to claim they were more, but he couldn’t. “No.”

  “Good,” Jaxon said, rubbing his hands together before standing. “That means there’s nothing standing in my way.”

  “Except for our policy about dating employees.” Grayson’s palm itched with the urge to land one solid punch that would knock Jaxon on his ass.

  “I’m not worried about that,” Jaxon said. “Once the boys get a look at Alana, they’ll be on my side. Have fun with Patti.” Jaxon wiggled his eyebrows. “If you’re lucky, maybe her girlfriend will be in town again.”

  Grayson groaned. He and Patti had been hooking up on and off for a few years when he was in Vegas, and she seemed to get kinkier every time their paths crossed—not that he was complaining. What man in his right mind would reject two gorgeous women? “I’m not interested in seeing her this trip.”

  “Really? Why’s that?”

  Because Alana will be the only woman on my mind. “I’m there to work, not play.” He curled his lip back, baring his teeth like an animal ready to attack. “Any more questions?”

  Jaxon didn’t seem put off by his rage. “We all know you love mixing business with pleasure on these trips. What’s different this time?”

  “Everything. Now get out before I throw you out.”

  Chapter Nine

  It had been five long days since Alana had seen or spoken to Grayson. He’d probably been too busy with Patti to waste any time thinking about her. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but the thought of him hooking up with another woman was making her crazy.

  She brushed another coat of white paint over the trim, sighing when it seeped over the painter’s tape onto the freshly painted wall. She’d been hard at work for six hours with no sign of Jaxon—not that she was surprised. She hadn’t really expected him to show even though he’d texted to ask for the address that morning. It might be nice to have a little company… and food, she thought as her tummy grumbled. She’d bought some fruit, veggies, and whole wheat crackers that morning, but Jaxon’s promise of pizza had her salivating.

  Just when she was feeling a little sorry for herself, a knock on the door made her jump. Frowning at the white streak she’d made on the wall, she set the brush down on the lid of the can. At the door, she peeked through the peep-hole and smiled when she saw Jaxon carrying a pizza box and a six-pack of beer.

  “Hey there,” she said, pulling the door open. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.” Damn, that sounded presumptuous. “I mean, it was nice of you to stop by. I just thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”

  He grinned as he waved the pizza box under her nose. “Was it me you were waiting for or this?”

  Her stomach answered before she could. Blushing, she closed the door. “You didn’t have to bring anything.” She smiled when he chuckled. “But I’m glad you did.”

  “Where do you want me to put this?” he asked, looking around the sparse apartment. He didn’t seem to find it lacking as Grayson had.

  “Um, the kitchen counter is fine. I picked up some paper plates and napkins at the grocery store earlier. I haven’t had a chance to buy any dishes yet.”

  “No problem.” He followed her into the galley kitchen and set the pizza box down on the counter. “I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand warm beer. Why don’t I throw these in the fridge for a few?”

  “Sounds good,” she said, tearing the plastic off the plates and napkins.

  They loaded their plates with two pieces of pizza each before she realized how tiny her kitchen was. Jaxon was a big man, at least as big as Grayson, and being in a confined space with him made her feel uncomfortable. He’d been nothing but sweet to her, but… he wasn’t Grayson.

  “Why don’t we go into the living room?” she asked, reaching for a stack of napkins. “I don’t have anywhere to sit just yet, I’m afraid. I thought it would be easier to paint without furniture in the way.” She didn’t see any reason to tell him she had to buy her furniture slowly, adding a piece with each pay check.

  “I don’t blame you,” he said, leading the way into the adjoining room. “Painting is bad enough, but painting around furniture is even worse.”

  “Sounds like you speak from experience?” She took a bite of her pizza.

  “I did just about every odd job you can think of growing up. Cutting grass, raking leaves, painting, building fences. You name it, and I probably did it.”

  Alana was surprised to find that Jaxon was so down to earth. Given his wealth, she’d expected him to be more like Grayson, accustomed to the finer things in life. She didn’t know if Grayson had ever done manual labor, but she couldn’t recall feeling any calluses on his hands.

  She forced her mind back to Jaxon. He had been so kind to bring her dinner. The least she could do was be a polite hostess. “I know what you mean. As a teenager, I had a job at just about every place within walking distance of our house: movie theater, ice cream parlor, drug store, fast food joints…” She grinned. “I could go on.”

  “No need.” He shook his head with an amused expression. “I get the picture. It seems like you and I are cut from the same cloth. Hard working, independent, not afraid to take risks.”

  That may be true of Jaxon, but she hadn’t felt fearless or independent in a long time. That was why that job and apartment were so important to her. They were symbols that she was finally making it on her own.

  “What is it?” he asked, frowning. “Did I say something wrong?”

  She took a bite of pizza, needing to collect herself before she responded. It was a sensitive topic for her, and she didn’t trust herself to keep her emotions in check. “I know this apartment isn’t much, but I think I can turn it into a nice little place to call home.”

  Jaxon glanced down the narrow hallway that led to the single bathroom and bedroom. “I don’t see why not. A coat of paint can work wonders.”

  “I’m pretty handy with a sewing machine too,” she said, looking at the single large window. “I thought I could make some pretty curtains.” Turning around, she pointed at the make-shift breakfast bar. “Maybe get some old stools and finish them in the same fabric, make a few throw cushions for the couch…” She took another bite of pizza when she realized she was rambling. Jaxon couldn’t be interested in her plans for decorating her little apartment.

  “Alana, you don’t have to explain to me. I get it.”

  His gentle tone prompted her to look up, and she was surprised by the understanding in his dark eyes. “You do?”

  “Sure, I do. My dad… uh, died when I was pretty young. My mom had to hold down two jobs to put food on the table. We lived in some pretty run-down places, but she always made them feel like home.”

  Alana’s heart clenched. He really did understand. “Thank you for saying that. Grayson made me question my decision to move here. He thought it was kind of a dump. Most of the tenants here are seniors on a fixed income and single parents. The landlord doesn’t keep up with building maintenance unless he’s forced to, but the rent is reasonable, and the building seems safe. Besides, it’s within walking distance of t
he office, which was really the biggest consideration for me.”

  “Grayson’s been here?” Jaxon asked, looking surprised. “When?”

  Alana hadn’t planned on announcing that she’d had contact with Grayson outside of the office. “He knew I didn’t have a car, so he offered to take me out to look at places. That’s when I found this one.”

  “Interesting. I wonder why he didn’t mention that to me.”

  “It was no big deal, really,” she said, hoping it wouldn’t cause any problems between them. She didn’t want Jaxon to think Grayson had crossed any lines with her. “He was just doing a good deed.”

  Jaxon’s lips curling at the corners. “I’ll bet he was. Grayson’s like that, a real do-gooder.”

  Alana knew he was being sarcastic, but she also knew he would never disparage his friend. She hadn’t known these guys long, but she could tell they were closer than most brothers.

  “Don’t worry what he thinks about this place,” Jaxon said. “He went from living at his parents’ sprawling ranch house to a high-rise luxury condo when he made his first mil. He doesn’t know what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck.”

  She’d grown up in a middle-class home, and she would have been perfectly content to stay in that socio-economic class, but Ronan had had other plans. “I’m still kind of figuring things out. This way of life is kind of new to me. I mean, I always worked part time to pay for the things I wanted. My parents thought it was important for me to learn the value of hard work.”

  “I agree with them,” Jaxon said. “If I ever had kids, not that I intend to, but if I did, I’d make them work as soon as they were old enough. It builds character.”

  “I think so too.” She wanted to ask Jaxon why he didn’t want to have a family, but it was none of her business. He was her boss, not her date.

  “So why the long face?” he asked. “You’re not still worried about what my dumb-ass partner thinks of your new digs, are you?”

  “No, of course not.” It wasn’t as if she expected Grayson to spend any time at her humble home. After their talk, the line had been clearly drawn. She knew he wouldn’t step over it... unless she invited him to.