“Nice to meet you. You and your horse are a sight to behold.”
A slow smile crossed Lilli’s face as she reached out to pat her horse’s neck. “Bats and I have been together for six years.”
“Do you show him?”
“Yes, I do. I’m hoping to make the Paralympic team.”
“I’m guessing you’ll make it.” Kate hesitated. “I’d love to buy you breakfast. We can talk horses.” She didn’t normally put herself out there to others for fear of being rejected. But she could use a friend around here and had issued the invitation before she’d had time to really think about it.
“I’d love to. I never turn down a chance to talk horses.” Lilli’s smile grew broader.
Three hours later, Kate and Lilli returned to the barn with full stomachs and still chattering. Kate sighed happily is as she climbed in her Mercedes and headed home to her rented condo.
She’d made a friend. It was nice not being all alone in an unfamiliar area. She felt lighter somehow, as if some of the burdens of her life had lifted having spent these past few hours with someone as upbeat and positive as Lilli.
Her thoughts strayed to the other person she’d met today—Hunter McCoy. She hadn’t a clue why he kept invading her thoughts. He wasn’t her type, and she most likely wasn’t his.
Indulging in a little fantasy about a man with long purple hair, deep brown eyes, and a body that would shame the gods never hurt anyone.
Chapter 3—At the Post
A few weeks later, on the third Wednesday in September, Hunter suited up in the locker room before practice. The Steelheads had won their first regular-season game and lost the next one by a missed field goal in the last seconds.
Tanner handed him a gold-embossed envelope.
Wordlessly, Hunter opened it and frowned at the invitation he held in his hand. Tanner’s younger brother, Zeke, and his fiancée, Paisley, were getting married in two weeks. “Late notice, isn’t it?”
Tanner shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry, I kept forgetting to bring them.”
“Thanks, but I don’t do weddings.”
“It’s just a reception. I spared you the wedding itself. That’s immediate family only.” Tanner threw back his head and laughed. “Wingman requirement. You have to attend. Not an option, and bring a date.”
Hunter opened his mouth to protest.
“Again, not an option. Emma insists. If you don’t bring your own date, she’ll find one for you.”
“Fine, I’ll bring my sister,” Hunter grouched, not thrilled he’d been forced into something he didn’t want to do. He’d only been invited because Zeke owned a share in Sid and he was close friends with the groom’s brother. To him, neither qualified for an invitation, but the happy couple didn’t agree. He sighed and sat down to lace up his shoes.
“Whatever works, buddy.” Tanner pulled on his pads and practice jersey and lowered his voice. “Of all my wingmen, I thought you’d be the first one to settle down. Now I bet you’ll be the last.”
“Waiting for the right woman,” Hunter mumbled. Of all the wingmen, he was the one who wanted to get married. He’d love coming home to the same woman every night like his father had for over thirty years and his grandfather had for much longer.
“Good luck with that. Sometimes the right woman isn’t obvious. You’re a fucking romantic, you poor dumbshit. Quit waiting for Cupid’s arrow. The right woman could hit you over the head with a club, and you still wouldn’t recognize her.” Tanner pointed at his chest. “Case in point. I know of what I speak.”
“You were a horndog before Emma.”
“I was doing test runs. You should try it instead of only dating women you think you can fall in love with. You might be bypassing the right woman and not even know it.”
Hunter shook his head. He would know when he met her. He would. Tanner had known; he just chose to ignore his heart. Hunter wouldn’t be that obtuse. He was open to hearing whatever his heart had to tell him.
Hunter’s phone buzzed, and he scowled. Tanner picked up on his irritation right away. “Who is it?”
“Some Californian who wants to buy my horse.”
“You mean our horse?” Tanner grinned.
“Yeah, Sid. I’ve told her no several times, but she’s a rich girl and not used to being told no. It’s starting to get under my skin.”
Tanner found that way too funny. “Maybe she wants more than your horse? Maybe she wants you.”
“She hates me.”
“Yeah, right. You’re dense when it comes to women.”
Hunter bristled. He wasn’t dense. He was very perceptive. Tanner happened to be the dense one. His buddy appeared to read his mind and laughed even louder.
“There’s your date for the reception. There’ll be dinner and dancing. Black tie.”
“Over my dead body.”
The locker room door slammed open, and the newly promoted assistant offensive coordinator poked his head in the room. “Gentlemen. Or should I call you ladies? Your presence is respectfully requested on the field.” Jackson “Jackass” Meyer’s grin turned feral. “Or in language you might better understand…get your fucking asses out there now and save your gossip for the beauty salon.”
Tanner glowered at Meyer. The two had a love-hate relationship. He snatched up his helmet and stalked past the coach. Hunter grabbed his helmet and followed Tanner out of the locker room to the practice field. He nodded at Meyer on his way by. Meyer only sneered at him. The man wasn’t known for his touchy-feely attitude.
Hunter shrugged and broke into a jog.
The team had games to win and an entire league to conquer. This was their year. Hunter could feel it. Of course, he’d felt it for the past few years, but this time really was their time.
* * * *
Lilli ran a finger over the invitation addressed to her. Paisley had taken the time to have her invitation done in braille, which warmed Lilli’s heart. What a thoughtful gesture. She barely knew Paisley, but she’d taken on her sister’s three small children and Zeke, who’d been broken and bitter, and made family out of all the mismatched pieces. Lilli admired a woman with that kind of strength.
Hunter stood nearby; she could feel his presence and hear his toe tapping. He hated stuff like this, especially black-tie affairs. She, on the other hand, loved any opportunity to dance. The invitation encouraged her to bring a guest. She knew just the person. Her new BFF, Kate. The poor woman needed an excuse to get away from horses and just be a girl.
They all did.
Except for Hunter.
Lilli giggled.
“What’s so funny?” Hunter grunted.
“Nothing. I’m bringing a girlfriend. Who are you taking?”
“No one. I thought you’d be my date.”
“Nope, not happening, little bro. Invite one of your teammates and make sure he can dance.”
Hunter sighed. “Okay.”
Lilli spread out her arms and moved in the direction of his voice. He engulfed her in his big, strong arms. He’d do anything for her.
“Thank you.”
“It’ll cost you that incredible spaghetti you make.”
Lilli nodded. She loved to cook, and Hunter loved to eat. “I can do that.”
She could almost feel Hunter’s smile. The way to that man’s heart had always been through his stomach. Feed him a good meal, and he’d do her bidding.
“Make sure the teammate you invite is a good dancer.” Hunter could be dense at times, so her request bore repeating.
Hunter grunted. “How about Cam? He can dance.”
“Cam’s fine.” Lilli had met Cam many times over the years since he was one of the wingmen. Hunter had known him since freshman year of college, and now they played on Seattle’s football team. Cam was a wide receiver with lightning speed. She’d never had the opportunity to get to know him. Her former boyfriend had been the jealous kind, so Lilli had avoided talking to other men. Steve had sucked the life out of her, and she’d been too smi
tten to see it. She of all people should’ve recognized what he’d been doing. But as Nana was fond of saying, she might have the gift, but don’t count on it working on herself. Usually it only worked for others.
Steve had driven that point home with brutal accuracy.
Chapter 4—Out of the Gate
Hunter hated tuxes more than he hated any other item of clothing, but seeing his sister so fucking thrilled to get dressed up and go out dancing made any discomfort he suffered inconsequential.
He hired a limo to take them to the reception at the water-view venue on Bainbridge Island, a ferry ride across Puget Sound from Seattle.
When Lilli mentioned inviting a female friend, Hunter drafted Cameron to go with them. He’d suffered through enough of his sister’s attempts to fix him up with the right woman over the past few years that he was gun-shy and had low expectations. For Hunter, it was all about chemistry, that indefinable something, that sense he’d known this person forever. You didn’t meet chemistry on a blind date.
His sister’s friend would not be an exception. First of all, she was into horses, and Hunter knew what that meant. Most horsewomen—except Lilli—were borderline batshit crazy, lived and breathed horses 24-7, and put a higher priority on their four-legged animals than their own family or children.
He didn’t have an interest in any woman involved in showing horses. Obviously, he loved animals, especially horses, but he didn’t have an unhealthy obsession for anything except possibly football, which was to be expected. He was a professional athlete. Playing at that level required a single-mindedness when it came to the game.
Hunter knocked on Lilli’s bedroom door and waited for her permission to enter.
“Need any help?” he asked as he found her sitting at the desk in her room, painstakingly putting on makeup. A rush of pride raced through him as he watched her. She did a better job than most sighted women. Lilli’s blindness never held her back.
“No, I’m good, but once I’m done, I’d appreciate you telling me if I have mascara on my cheeks or lipstick places other than my lips.”
“I doubt you will. You’re so good at this.” He couldn’t keep the admiration out of his voice. His sister never wallowed in self-pity or wished things could be different. She attacked life with a gusto most sighted people could never master. She was his hero.
Hunter tugged on his bow tie and sighed.
“Quit messing with your bow tie,” Lilli chastised him. A slow smile spread across his face. Lilli was good, really good, and her ears were incredible.
Charlie thumped his tail from his dog bed in the corner. “You get the night off, buddy.” Hunter crossed the room and scratched him behind the ears. Leonard, the tough-guy tomcat, leaped off the bed and rubbed around Hunter’s black trousers, leaving a trail of cat hair below Hunter’s knees.
He wasn’t much for appearances, but Lilli wanted to go tonight, so Hunter would go. He glanced at his watch as Lilli’s phone dinged. She held it up to her ear and listened to the message.
“My friend will be here in about five.”
“That’s fine. The limo isn’t due for another ten minutes.”
“Would you get me a glass of wine?”
Hunter’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead.
“I’m not driving,” she defended herself, reading his mind, as usual. “I’ll be done in a few. I have to finish getting ready.”
She looked ready to him, but he was a guy, what did he know?
A few minutes later the doorbell rang, and Hunter opened the door, coming face-to-face with his worst nightmare. He blinked several times, certain he was delusional. He took in the woman’s expensive trench coat open enough to show generous cleavage and was pretty certain Kate Vanderhof-Carrigan was wearing a cocktail dress—or even worse, nothing.
“I—uh—” He forced his gaze upward. What the fuck? Hunter shook his head and tried to make sense of something that would never make sense.
“You?” Kate stared back. Her red lips fell open in a silent gasp. She hadn’t expected this any more than he had.
“And you.” Hunter rubbed his eyes, but she was still there when he returned his gaze to the doorway.
“Are you going to invite me in?”
Hunter stood back to let her pass by him. She glanced around the great room with its vaulted ceilings and clerestory. Hunter’s gaze slipped down her backside and settled on her nicely rounded ass, visible despite her bulky coat. Shit, he was getting hard. He buttoned his jacket, hoping it would hide the suspect bulge in his pants.
As if she felt his eyes on her ass, she whipped around, and Hunter jerked his head upward. Judging by the scowl on her face, she’d caught him ogling her.
“I was invited here by Lilli. Is she your girlfriend? Wife?”
“My sister,” Hunter supplied before she could jump to the wrong conclusion.
“Oh.” Kate relaxed slightly, probably relieved to find out he wasn’t a serial killer who’d attacked Lilli and disposed of the body, then lain in wait for his next victim. “No purple hair tonight?”
“No, that was just for fun. Washed out the next day.”
“I see.” Her expression said she didn’t. He doubted she ever did anything just for fun. Sex with her was probably a competition to see who could come first. He suppressed an image of her naked and spread open before him.
“How do you know my sister?” He studied her, suspicious she’d ingratiated herself into Lilli’s world in order to get to him and Sid.
“Horses. We keep our horses at the barn next door. I have a dressage horse, too.”
“Of course,” he said, not able to come up with anything else. He had her pegged as another spoiled rich girl who spent her days at the barn and dabbled in whatever she dabbled in, but never did much of substance or meaning. So not his type. Now he needed to convince his body.
“Small world.”
“Yeah. Could I take your coat? Lilli takes forever to get ready. Would you like a glass of wine?” Hunter forced himself to be courteous, because there’d be hell to pay with big sis if he wasn’t. He wasn’t certain he wanted to see her in her dress. She was way too hot as she was.
She nodded and slipped out of the coat, handing it to him just as there was another knock on the door. Hunter saw a flash of a little black dress and lots of long, lean leg before he turned his back on her and strode to the door.
Holy crap, the woman was hot. It’d been a long time since a female had gotten to him like this, especially one he didn’t like. Hunter opened the door to Cameron.
Cameron stepped inside with a grin on his dark face. His gaze slipped to Kate, momentarily resting on her barely covered breasts, then traveling down her legs and back up to her face. A slow grin spread across his face. Good, Cam could keep her company while Hunter stayed a safe distance away and danced with the senior citizen ladies.
“Well, hello there,” Cam said, stepping forward. She held her perfectly manicured hand out to him and laughed softly when he brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Hunter’s groin twisted in a knot, and he ground his teeth together.
“I’m Cameron Swift, star wide receiver for the Seattle Steelheads and wannabe star of your fantasies.” He shot her a charming smile, reminding Hunter of a wolf eyeing a tasty morsel of lamb. Only Kate was hardly a lamb, more like a she-wolf in lamb’s clothing. The woman was more than able to defend herself and kick the ass of any jerk who came on to her uninvited.
Hunter braced himself, waiting for Kate to slap him or even better kick him in the nuts. She did neither. Instead she smiled a genuinely pleasant smile and laughed again. Hunter frowned, and his gut twisted again.
“I’m Kate Vanderhof-Carrigan. And you’re going to have to work a lot harder to be part of my fantasies.”
Cameron literally beamed at the challenge. “I’m a hard worker.”
Hunter cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. These two were making his stomach turn. “Seriously, this is getting to be too much.”
“Nope, not at all. Kate is a…friend…of Lilli’s.”
“Ah.” Cameron’s grin turned predatory as he focused his gaze on Kate. “Are you a good dancer? ’Cause I’m the best, and I could use a partner who can keep up with me.”
Kate opened her mouth to answer just as Lilli appeared from the hallway.
“Am I missing anything?” she asked.
“No, nothing. Cam’s hitting on Kate, nothing new.”
“Cam’s always hitting on someone.” Lilli laughed as she walked easily into the room wearing a long, sequined evening gown in dark blue with swooshes of green sequins.
Both Cam and Kate appeared to be rendered speechless as they stared at his sister. She did look incredibly beautiful, and pride surged through him.
“Wow, Lilli. You clean up good.” Cam grinned.
“Do I? I wouldn’t know. I can’t see,” she joked, running her hands down her cobalt-blue cocktail dress, which hugged her every curve. Her long black hair fell down her back like a sheet of glossy silk.
At first Cam and Kate didn’t seem to know whether to laugh or not, but when Hunter laughed, they joined in. A knock at the door signaled the arrival of the limo. Hunter retrieved Kate’s coat and helped her put it on. His arm touched hers, and a bolt of lust burned through him. He backed away quickly.
“Kate, I’d be honored to escort you.” Cam offered Kate his arm. The two turned toward the door, and Hunter let out a grateful sigh that his buddy was taking Kate off Hunter’s list of responsibilities for the evening, even as his jaw clenched and his gut protested.
“Ready?” he asked his sister. Hunter turned to Lilli and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.
“What do you think of Kate?” She spoke in a low tone as they picked their way down the front steps.
“I think she’d eat her young if she had any.”
Game Changer: Seattle Steelheads Football (Game On in Seattle Book 7) Page 3