As she groomed and played with the dogs, Dom crept back into her thoughts. Maybe she’d stop by the pub for dinner. Maybe he’d be there. Nervous flutters filled her stomach. This was ridiculous. She was a grown woman. She had his number. She could call him and invite him to dinner. But nagging doubt over his interest squelched the thought. As much as she hated sitting idle, she hated the possibility of being hurt even more.
CHAPTER FIVE
The first loss of the season stung. The error he’d committed during the game stung worse. Dom rode the elevator down to the pub, his ears still ringing from his dad’s blistering critique of his performance, his blood simmering, his muscles tensed and ready for a brawl. Baseball had ceased to be an enjoyment. The game he’d loved as a kid held less and less joy for him the longer he played. Every celebration tinged with his old man’s commentary of what he’d done wrong. Every mistake dissected and examined and brought into glaring focus. He worked his ass off, always trying to improve, to be his best, but nothing he did was ever good enough for the man whose opinion mattered most.
He needed a drink and a distraction. Specifically, a hazel-eyed, dark-haired distraction, with a voice that stirred his blood.
He checked the crowded bar, then searched the tables. Irisa wasn’t there.
Disappointment flared, followed by annoyance at himself. Settling for the drink didn’t hold much appeal. Neither did sitting at the bar, surrounded by people who weren’t her. Neither did going back to his apartment.
The hostess spotted him and smiled. “Hi, table for one?”
What the hell, he’d take the drink. “Sure.”
She led him to a table tucked in the corner of the room. Dimmed lighting created an almost romantic atmosphere, wasted on him, sitting alone.
He ordered a shot of whiskey, and studied the patrons as the liquid fire curled in his gut and cooled his emotions. No one recognized him. Or if they did, they didn’t try to approach him. Leaning back in his chair, he enjoyed his anonymity.
The air prickled and drew his attention to the door. Irisa stood against a backdrop of dark wood and bright lights. Her dress, as vibrant as a fire engine, floated around her body, teasing him with her curves. It fell to just above her knee and pulled his focus lower, to toned calves. She walked into the room and paused, scanning the bar and then the rest of the room.
He swallowed, mouth gone dry. Stood. Waved. And bobbled his glass. Thank God it was empty.
Energy poured into him when their gazes connected. She raised her hand in a tentative wave and then looked over her shoulder at the space behind her. His muscles tightened. Was she waiting here for someone else? He didn’t like that idea at all. She turned back, gaze seeking his. He gestured toward his table. And his heart thudded as she began a hip-swaying journey to him.
“Hi.” Her lips curved. She wore that subtle spring flower scent again. He wanted to reach out and pull her close.
“Join me?”
Arched brows rose and she rested a hand on the edge of the table. Stacked bracelets clinked together with the movement. “You’re alone?”
He shrugged, then smiled and pulled out a chair. “Not anymore.”
She looked both surprised and flattered. His body thrummed from alcohol and desire as she sat. His fingertips brushed against the satin-soft skin of her shoulder and he resisted the urge to run his hand down the length of her arm.
When the server returned, Irisa didn’t even look at the menu. “Bailey’s on the rocks and the double chocolate brownie, please.”
The server jotted it down and looked at Dom’s empty glass. “Want another?”
“Thanks.”
“Dessert for you, too?”
He shook his head.
When they were alone, Irisa leaned over the table. “I skipped dinner. But even if I didn’t, I can’t resist chocolate.”
Really? He filed away that information for later use. “Why did you miss dinner?”
She sent him a smile. “I stayed too late playing with the puppies.”
“Actual animals, or are The Puppies a new band?”
Her laughter was addictive. He’d heard the sound in his dreams, but hearing her now, the laugh tumbling out and wrapping around him, both soothed and aroused. “Actual animals. I volunteer at Parkside Animal Shelter.”
“I got my dog there two years ago.”
Her smile bloomed, dazzling him. “I love dogs. What kind do you have?”
“A Great Dane. Champ’s five years old.”
“I bet he’s beautiful.”
“You’ll have to meet him some time.” Tonight, if she wanted. Champ hadn’t liked his last girlfriend. Turned out Champ was a pretty good judge of people. If Dom had paid more attention to his dog’s reaction at the start, he’d have saved himself a lot of trouble.
“I wish I were home enough to have a dog of my own. The band has been traveling too much over the past few years, so I get my snuggles and playtime in when I visit the shelter.”
“I assume you’re talking about snuggling with the dogs?” He shot her a quick wink. “I like that too, but you might want to branch out to other species.”
Her eyes widened and a blush colored her cheeks. “I never said I’m not willing to expand my horizons.”
“Good.” He moved his hand closer to hers. His fingers itched to link together with the delicate tapered tips painted red to match her dress. “So how did you get involved with the shelter?”
“I was pretty shy as a kid. Making friends with the animals was easier than talking to people.”
“I remember hearing an interview with the band where Zander said you guys came to the States when you were kids.”
“I was five and he was four. We didn’t speak any English. Another reason why it was easier to connect with animals.” Her smile was almost wistful. He could picture her as a lonely little girl whispering secrets to puppies and kittens, and wanted to hug her.
“Where it is you’re from again?”
“Ukraine.”
“Can you still speak the language?”
She leaned across the table and then her lips formed a string of foreign words in a sultry tone that shot straight to his groin.
“What did that mean?”
She flashed a smile. “Move over, big guy. Here comes my brownie.”
The server delivered their drinks and the largest brownie Dom had ever seen. “Whoa.”
“This dessert’s so good.” Irisa pushed the plate to the center of the table. “I never eat it all. You have to share it with me.”
He watched the way she broke off a chunk with her fork then raised it to her lips. When her lips closed over the chocolate, he couldn’t hold back a low groan at the satisfied expression on her face, or the desire to make sure he saw it there again. “Did you put out that fire from the other night? I heard about what happened to Luke.”
She nodded. “I should’ve known better than to expect everything to run smoothly, but it’s all fine for now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to spend the next few days doing the simple things I missed during life on the road.”
“Like what?” He picked up a fork. Rich chocolate tasted good, but he had a feeling Irisa would taste even better.
“Cooking in my own kitchen and sleeping in my own bed.”
He could picture doing both with her. “I can’t say I miss the cooking part, but there’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed.”
“I’d forgotten, you travel a lot, too.”
Sharing dessert, sitting close, hands nearly touching, was almost like a date. What if she were dating one of those guys, or someone else? The thought cut in like a dark cloud blocking out the sun. For all the jewelry she wore, her ring finger remained bare. “Yeah. But road trips are in smaller doses, so it’s not as bad as what you’d deal with for an entire tour. That’s a lot of together time.”
“I’ve been around my guys forever. We’re used to each other’s quirks. They’re like my brothers, so I can yell at them if I need to.
”
The dark cloud lightened but didn’t dissipate completely. “I haven’t been on the same team as my brothers since we were kids. I don’t know what that would be like now.” Spending a few seasons with his dad as his coach was hard. He couldn’t imagine working with family would ever be easy.
Instant smile. “I can’t see myself doing anything else. As much as they can drive me crazy, they’re so talented. I want them to be successful.”
“I’d say platinum albums and selling out concerts all over the world is pretty successful.”
“But now we have to keep doing it.” Her voice weary, she sighed and then sipped her drink. “We’re back at it in less than two weeks. The label has a spring concert series featuring all its artists. But several of the shows are local, and I’m glad we’ll be able to be at home for parts of it.”
Sexy, sweet, and a dog lover. This woman just kept getting better and better. He was proud of his charity and its donations to the area’s animal shelters, but didn’t want to talk himself up too much. But the idea forming in his mind was too good not to share. “I read somewhere that Zander is a big supporter of animal rights.”
“He is. We are. Every member of the band feels that way.”
“Would they want to take part in my charity event next month? It’s on the seventeenth. I’d love to get those guys to perform.”
She broke off another chunk of brownie. “They don’t have a show that night. I’m sure it’ll be fine, but I’ll double-check and see if they’re available.”
“Great. I’ll just talk to Zander about it after next week’s game. It would be cool to do something with those guys.” Something so close to his heart, and with his favorite band—what an awesome experience that would be.
Her smile seemed a little too forced. It didn’t reach her eyes. She stirred the ice in her drink. “I’m sure you’ll hit it off when you meet him.”
“Can’t wait.” What the hell had he said to make her withdraw?
“I should get going.” She set down her napkin and signaled for the check.
Dom intercepted the server and handed over his credit card. “It’s on me.”
“You don’t have to pay for me.”
“I invited you to join me, didn’t I? And I had some of the chocolate, too. You were right. It was hard to resist.” He let his fingertips brush hers. The tingle of touch, the thrill of the slight scrape of her nails against his skin, and the catch in her breath when their eyes met reinforced one thought—he needed to see her again.
“Thank you.” After another long, heady moment of connection, her hand slipped away from his. She pushed back her chair.
He stood with her, pocketing his card and wallet. “Heading up? I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“We’re going the same way.” He held the door for her, and they crossed the quiet lobby.
“Not the same elevator.” She pointed to his private one.
He shrugged. So he’d take his trip in two stages—not a big deal, especially when she would be there for part of the ride. “How did you know which apartment was mine?”
“I saw you on moving day, remember? Then I heard someone—actually, lots of someones—that day, moving into the apartment above mine.” She smiled as they stepped into the elevator. “You had a very enthusiastic crew.”
“My teammates,” he muttered. “Wait, you could hear us?” He’d have to be more careful.
She pressed the button for the sixteenth floor. “Just when you were dragging furniture and yelling to each other. And I occasionally hear Champ barking.”
“I’m sorry about that. He’s usually pretty quiet.”
“It only happened a couple of times. I love animals, so it’s really not a problem. He’s only doing what he’s supposed to do.”
Too soon, they reached her floor. She didn’t object when he stepped off with her and walked with her down the hall. The plush carpet muffled their footsteps. She slowed to a stop in front of a door labeled 16-B and withdrew her keys from her purse. “This is me.”
His hand met the cool wall beside the door frame. “I had a good time tonight.”
“Me too.” Hazel eyes watched him, and for a brief moment her teeth sank into her full lower lip. “Maybe I’ll see you down there later this week?”
He hated to dash that idea, and risk cutting off the electric currents of awareness. The thought of not seeing her irked like an itch he couldn’t scratch. “We’re on a road trip from Thursday through Sunday. Tomorrow?”
Brown hair tossed when she shook her head. “The band has a few press appearances and a party with fans tomorrow night. I need to be there.”
“Well, then. Maybe next week.”
“Sure.”
Her lips were too tempting. He leaned in.
She smiled and rested her hand on his chest. Her touch was firm enough that he didn’t try moving in any closer, but it didn’t seem like a brush-off. Her fingers still lingered on his chest, but now curled into the fabric, either holding him in place or anchoring herself. He wasn’t sure which and didn’t care. All that mattered was her hands were on him. And she stood close, only inches away. He gave in to the urge to tuck her hair behind her ear. The silky strands slithered through his fingers. Her eyes closed and her head tilted into his touch. Needing more, he brushed the pad of his thumb across her full lips. Her sigh shot bullets of lust into his groin. He fisted his other hand to hold himself back from diving in and devouring.
He’d spent a long time thinking about kissing Irisa. If she wasn’t ready quite yet, he’d wait. Anticipation would only make the reward sweeter. He liked that she didn’t seem fazed by what he did for a living. He liked that after an hour in her presence, he’d mellowed more than he had in months. He liked her, period.
“Just so I’m clear, are you involved with anyone?”
Her eyes blinked open, revealing mossy green flecked with brown, and misted with desire. “No.”
Relief swelled in his chest. He trailed his thumb over her lips again.
Her gaze clouded then focused. “Are you?”
“No.”
Her fingers trailed up his chest and her hand cupped his cheek. They stood together, holding each other—for a moment, for an hour, time didn’t matter. The elevator’s ping broke the spell.
Her gaze pinned him, as if she were searching for something and not able to find it. “I should go in. I have an early call.”
He let a fingertip trace her face from her brow to her chin. “Good night.”
“You too.” She stepped back and inserted her key into the lock.
He waited until the door closed behind her before making his way to his apartment. When he climbed into bed a few hours later, he wondered if her bedroom lay under his. The idea, both sweet and sexy, held an odd combination of comfort and turning him on. What did she sleep in? Probably something silky, as satiny smooth as her skin. Would she sleep curled up or stretched out?
He was determined to find out.
CHAPTER SIX
Friday night at the ballpark, Irisa stood in the executive box with Jayne as the band chatted with members of their road crew on the field. Tension had coated the air during practice the day before, with Luke’s surly demeanor squaring off against Zander’s temper. Her plan of bringing Jayne to practice in hopes of encouraging the guys to get along hadn’t worked. But today, for all outward appearances, they seemed to be okay from her bird’s-eye view.
Even though her focus should have been on the band, her gaze kept drifting to the Riptide’s dugout. The band’s appearances on local news shows and a few snags with the tour had kept her away from the pub. She hadn’t seen Dom for over a week, but she thought of him every time she approached her front door. Holding back and denying herself his kiss had been hard. She’d regretted it as soon as she’d closed the door that night.
The Jumbotron camera panned the dugout, giving her a better, closer view. Dom looked way too good in his Riptide u
niform. The blue and green accented his golden skin. She’d felt the hard muscles in his chest, and the way he filled out his uniform confirmed the rest of his body was just as muscular.
Jayne turned to her. “Do you think they’ll do okay?”
“The Riptide? I have no idea. I hope they win.” A win would ensure high spirits, and she wanted everything to go perfectly.
“No. I was talking about the band.” Her friend’s gaze returned to the field. “They weren’t getting along at all the day I met them or at practice yesterday. They seemed okay on the ride over here, but still…”
Making too much of the fighting now would only worry Jayne, and maybe make her reconsider keeping the job. Irisa couldn’t let that happen. “They’re fine. They know how to pull it together for the fans.”
The opening strains of the song rang out from the speakers. Pride for her brother, Luke, Landry, and Brendan swelled. “Zander’s so happy. Look at his face. I didn’t realize how much performing here means to him.” He’d sold out stadiums across the world, yet he’d been ecstatic because his hometown team wanted him to perform the National Anthem at one of their games.
The team stood in a line outside the dugout. She watched Dom. Hat over heart, he watched the band.
The patriotic song never failed to move her. Luke’s voice had never been so strong. When the last chords faded, and Luke thanked the fans, she rolled her shoulders and released the breath she’d been holding. The band strode by the Riptide players, receiving handshakes and high fives. Then the players took the field.
Jayne turned away from the window. “I’ll be right back.”
Irisa nodded, her attention on Dom. He tossed a ball to the left fielder with fluid movements. That warm smile, that muscled body—his presence commanded attention. And her seat in the plush suite was too far removed from the energy of the field, and too far away to get a better view of him. Helpless to look away, she watched him until the door to the suite banged open.
Zander strode in, grinning, fist raised in the air. “Man, we did it.”
She hugged him. “You played great. I’m so proud of you.”
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