The Tough Love Groom: Texas Titan Romances

by Taylor Hart

  Watching her move through the park made his heart rate pick up. She pushed her face up toward the sky and closed her eyes. Taking in the picture she made, the center of his chest constricted.

  Fresh, pure, real. That’s how he felt about her. Which was strange because he couldn’t remember ever feeling like this about any woman before. For a few more moments, he just watched her walk across the park. She paused, bending to give the puppy a treat before letting it off the leash and throwing a tiny ball.

  The dog stared at the ball for a couple of moments, but didn’t chase it.

  The whole scene made him smile.

  He saw Felicity go after the ball, pick it up, throw it again, and wait for the dog to chase it.

  The dog ran a bit, stopped, and looked back at her.

  She pointed to the ball. “Go get it, Bonnet.”

  Part of him wanted to go to her, to pick up the ball and try his luck, but all he could do was watch.

  It only took a couple of moments before her eyes met his. She froze for a second. Then an angry look washed over her face, and she picked up the toy and threw it in the opposite direction.

  He went to her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  The dog had immediately come to him, and he squatted down. He intercepted the dog and gave it a few pets. “Hey there, Bonnet. How are you, girl?"

  She licked him, and he pushed the ball beneath her nose.

  “What are you doing?”

  Looking up at her, he gave her his best smile. “Fancy meeting you here, Felicity. How are you?” He ignored her accusing question.

  More irritation filled her face.

  He took the little ball and threw it.

  Bonnet took off after it.

  Watching the ball go, he smiled up at her again, finding himself reluctant to stand. “So, did you like the vase?” How long had it been since he’d stood in front of a woman and waited for a compliment? For an acknowledgement?

  His first thought was Sadie Henkins, who had been two years older than him when he’d asked her to a sophomore dance. She’d been beautiful, but she’d treated him terribly. Ironically, she’d shown up about two years ago, and the age difference hadn’t seemed to matter to her anymore.

  He stood and tried not to give Felicity an accusing look.

  “Kade, what are you doing?” Her voice was resigned.

  He didn’t like it. It felt like her previous fire was gone.

  He moved to the ball and picked it up, bending to pet the yapping dog. “There, there, girl.” He pushed the ball to her nose, helping her get a good smell of the ball. He pulled a piece of bacon out of his pocket and slyly rubbed the ball with bacon. Her mother had told her to do this for Bonnet. “I’m just here, wanting to see how Bonnet is doing.”

  She didn’t move or change stances.

  He threw the ball, and now, Bonnet took off after it, easily retrieving it by putting it in her mouth and running back to him.

  “What?”

  Looking up at her, he smiled at the stunned look on her face. He took the ball and threw it again.

  Bonnet went right for it.

  “I’ll be darned,” she said quietly.

  Taking a chance, he moved closer to Felicity’s side.

  Bonnet ran back to him. He took the ball and handed it to Felicity.

  At first, he thought she might order him away, but she grimaced and took the ball, throwing it.

  Bonnet took off after it and brought it right back to her.

  She laughed and bent to pick it up.

  Loving the sound of the laugh, his heart rate quickened. Maybe this morning hadn’t been a bust after all.

  A smile washed over her face, and she threw the ball again.

  Bonnet dutifully got the ball and brought it back to her.

  Standing, she gave him an impressed look. “Kade Kincaid, dog trainer.”

  Taking a chance, he flashed a bit of a cocky grin and flexed his bicep. “A man of more talents than you figure me for, ma’am.” He said it in his best Southern gentlemanly respectful tone.

  Another laugh came out of her, and she shook her head, throwing the ball again for Bonnet.

  They both just stood by each other for a few moments.

  “Thank you for the vase,” she said quietly, not looking at him.

  “You’re welcome,” he said quietly back, feeling elated.

  The next time Bonnet came back, he picked up the ball and took off with it. The dog chased him and happily yapped at his heels.

  “Come on, girl. Let’s give you some footwork drills.” He went into some complicated back and forth patterns with his feet, the ones he practiced in football.

  The dog yapped louder, demanding the ball. He held it halfway down but would pull it out of reach right before she got it. Finally, he threw it back toward Felicity.

  The dog took off into a sprint.

  Once again, Felicity laughed, and when Bonnet got to her with the ball, she threw it.

  Kade jogged back to her, and her eyes finally met his.

  He could swear he saw something in them. Respect. Approval. “What are you doing, Kade?” she asked again, but not in the previous pissed off way.

  Taking a deep breath, he was glad he already had his speech worked out, actually a couple of speeches depending on her reactions. “I know you said you don’t want me to fall in love with you.”

  She glared at him.

  Putting up his hands, he shook his head. "But what about being friends?” Yes, he’d decided the night before, that’s how he would approach it. Friendship.

  Her eyes met his, and she shook her head “You don’t need a friend.”

  He didn’t want to point out that she might.

  He held his ground. “Ya know, I haven’t spoken to anyone about the crap between me and my father like ever. And yeah, some of the guys know I don’t care for my brother, but it’s a lot to keep it all in here.” He hit the center of his chest. “I could use a friend that knows all of the things I hate the most.” He flashed a grin.

  Her eyes looked raw and vulnerable, but a smile played at her lips. “I’m not happy my mother told you about my heart condition.”

  There it was, the opening in the defense in the fourth quarter of a close game. A game filled with obstacles, rain, mud, and injured players, but when the defense opens, you have to pounce. His heart raced. “I don’t see your heart condition as a weakness.” That was partly a bold-faced lie because he wanted to know more so he could help her, but he knew about tactics, what plays he should run and which ones he should keep in his pocket. This play was in progress.

  “Really?” she said skeptically.

  Acting casual, he focused on Bonnet and picked up the ball and threw it. “I care about you.” He let out a soft laugh. “We all have stuff in our lives that have made us stronger. Things we don’t reveal to the ‘public.’” He air quoted, flashing her a smile. “But I’m not the public anymore.”

  “Hmm,” she said, her voice still uncertain.

  “Shoot, I play a game where I could get slammed and get a concussion and be a vegetable the rest of my life, right?” It was a fact he hated to think about, yet with all the current interest in concussions, it really felt like an uncomfortable uncertainty at this point. “But I live with it. I play the game. I guess that’s what you’re doing—living with it, playing the game.”

  “True.” She looked like she hadn’t thought about it in this way.

  “So I’ll make you a deal. You be my friend, and we’ll just deal with the risks the other one chooses to take.”

  Felicity held Bonnet in her arms and was scratching her neck.

  The sun was getting brighter, and it made her hair look like honey and gold and autumn all rolled into one. It was beautiful.

  He wondered if his play would work

  Her eyes flicked up and she stood, holding Bonnet. “So what does a friend do with Kade Kincaid?”

  He knew a dopey grin was washing ove
r his face, but he didn’t care. Yes! He wanted to celebrate. To chest bump X or Ace. It took effort to tamp down the excitement and keep his poker face. He shrugged. “I don’t know, hang out. Come over to my house, have dinner, play the piano for me.”

  She looked skeptical. “Is this some PR thing for KadeSong?”

  He was baffled. “No. Absolutely not.”

  Throwing up her hands, she walked away. “No, I can’t deal with this,” she said flatly.

  He caught up to her, hating to go at it from this angle, but he didn’t lose. That wasn’t who he was. That wasn’t the winning quarterback for the Texas Titans. No way. “Be my friend, and I won’t mention your condition to Mr. DaVinci.”

  “What?” She spun on him, fire in her eyes.

  Adrenaline shot through him. “I didn’t want to do it this way, but you aren’t exactly making it easy.”

  “You think you can blackmail me so you’ll get what you want?”

  He wondered if she would slap him again. He had to admit he did want to kiss her again, even with her so mad at him. He would take a slap for that. “It’s not about my ego. It’s about wanting to be your friend.”

  “You’re a spoiled, bratty, entitled billionaire.” She spat the words with venom.

  Unable to stop himself, he laughed and shook his head. “You’re right.”

  “What?” She looked confused.

  He pointed at her. “You’re right, that’s why I need a friend like you.”

  Scowling at him, she shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

  “Please.” He sounded like an imbecile, but he didn’t care. “I need a friend.” He wouldn’t have told her boss, but he couldn’t get this woman out of his head. What was he supposed to do?

  Cringing, she closed her eyes for a second before shaking her head. “You …you …” She clutched her hand into a fist and let out a breath. “You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”

  “No.”

  She shook her head.

  “Just give me a chance. Be my friend for a while. If you don’t like me, you can tell me to leave you alone and I will. I won’t tell Mr. DaVinci anything, but give me a fair shake first.” Of course, he wouldn’t do it anyway, but he also wouldn’t accept a no.

  For a few moments, she didn’t say anything. Her hand stayed clenched tightly into a fist. Then she sucked in a loud breath and let it go.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  Her eyes flashed open, and she glared at him. “Don’t ever ask me that again.” Her eyes were filled with fire. “I’m fine.”

  The desire to help her, to figure out how to help her washed through him. “Fine.”

  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, Kincaid. Bad move.

  Looking beyond annoyed, she let out a breath. “I don’t know why you want me as a ‘blackmail friend.’”

  He shrugged. “Sometimes, you can’t understand bratty billionaires.” He didn’t smile at first.

  Until she smiled a little bit. “True. Don’t forget selfish.”

  “I’m not.” He put his hands up.

  She exhaled. “We aren’t to be seen together in public, and you have to date other women. Publicly, so the press doesn’t think this”—she wagged her finger back and forth between them—“is anything. You have to tell the press we’re not dating. There is no KadeSong.”

  Thinking she was ridiculous, but feeling like he was on the verge of a touchdown, he nodded. “Fine. Who should I date?”

  “Just act like yourself and find another cheerleader.” A smile washed over her face.

  He would have taken offense if it didn’t feel like he was gaining yards. “Fine. Can I pick you up at seven tonight and bring you back to my house for a casual dinner?”

  Rolling her eyes, she walked away. “I guess.”

  Chapter 17

  It was absurd, stupid, and insane. Felicity stood in front of her bedroom mirror, staring at her reflection. She’d put her hair up in a messy bun. She had on a yellow summer dress, one she’d worn to work, so it wasn’t special she insisted to herself.

  Her mother was downstairs, and the Carpenters were streaming on an old record player. The smell of soup filled the house. It was undeniable how much happier her mother had seemed these past couple of days. Relieved. Yes, that’s what it was. All the pressure of paying the mortgage was off of her. She’d actually been in bed less and had been cleaning out each room. It made Felicity happy.

  Of course, her thoughts flitted to the fact that it was Kade Kincaid who had actually taken the pressure off of her mother. Part of her resented that all this relief was from him. The other part of her was trying to convince herself there must be something else he wanted. All day, she’d run through different PR reasons he would want to extend his relationship with her. Maybe there was some PR thing he needed KadeSong for. She couldn’t think of what though.

  He’d actually told the press in an earlier clip that day that the date was fun, but they weren’t seeing each other anymore. Which made her happy.

  Then she’d seen a text from him. ‘Did you see the interview about us being broken up?’

  She had texted back. ‘We couldn’t break up because we were never together.’

  He hadn’t replied.

  Turning her attention back to the mirror, she heard the doorbell ring and her mother greet Kade.

  She hurried down the stairs, unwilling to have her mother spill more secrets. When she reached the bottom, she saw how easily he spoke with her, the relaxed way they laughed together. The way Bonnet snuggled right up to him.

  It felt weird.

  Turning to her, a smile spread over his face. “Hey.”

  Felicity knew she was blushing, and she commanded herself not to react to this guy. He just needed a friend. A friend he had to blackmail.

  Ugh.

  Why had she agreed to this? She didn’t think he would really tell Mr. DaVinci.

  Her mother shooed them toward the door. “You two have fun tonight.” She winked at her and then pointed to Kade. “She doesn’t have a curfew, so keep her out as long as you want." A satisfied smile filled her face. “But don’t let her do crazy things.”

  “Mother.” Felicity let out a flummoxed breath.

  Kade grinned and opened the door for her. “I got this, Mrs. Song.”

  The way Kade looked at her and let out a low whistle as they walked out was unsettling.

  “Stop.” She hit his arm.

  He laughed and took her hand as he led her to his car.

  She yanked hers back. “Friends.”

  “Right.” He snapped to attention like he’d forgotten.

  When she caught his smile, and felt the chemistry thicken between them, she knew the truth. They weren’t friends at all.

  Two hours later, she and Kade finished dinner. A dinner that had seemed rather formal to her. They had even eaten in the formal dining room.

  “Are you finished?” he asked, wiping his face with a cloth napkin. A very expensive looking cloth napkin.

  She almost laughed because she’d hardly eaten anything, mostly just watched him inhale. “Yep.”

  "Great.” He stood. “Will you play for me?”

  Feeling a bit foolish, she leaned back in her chair. “Is this really what you want?” She felt stupid. “You blackmail me into being your friend, and tell me you want me to play for you.”

  “I like your music."

  “You’re a billionaire. You could hire anyone you want to play music."

  They both walked into his music room.

  “Don’t forget bratty and selfish.”

  “What?” Was he making fun of her?

  He winked at her. “Nothing, you just make bratty, selfish, entitled billionaire sound like such a good thing.”

  Felicity didn’t know why Kade was acting like he wanted to be friends with her. “I never said entitled, did I?”

  Mimicking her expression, he grinned. “Listen, I am asking my friend, Felicity, to play for me.”

  S
he didn’t like how her mother seemed fine with a football player blackmailing her. In fact, she seemed to genuinely like the guy. Everything was changing so fast between them. She felt upside down, but as she sat at his grand piano, none of it mattered. All that mattered was the music.

  The music washed over her, and she felt the release, the exhilaration. Thoughts of the man who stood next to her filled her. Although he usually had the ability to pull her out of a happy state, she found she was getting used to him.

  Since he’d brought her the vase, it had felt different. He felt different. Even today, after he’d shown up and blackmailed her into friendship, she’d still had this anticipation all day to see him this evening. Reluctantly, she admitted it felt fun.

  He sat next to her, and she was well aware of the way his shoulder lightly brushed hers. Of the way his smell permeated all her senses, but she kept her eyes closed and her fingers moving across the keys. After she stopped playing, she kept her hands lightly on the keys and her eyes closed.

  She heard his measured breathing.

  It felt so intimate, being with him here like this.

  Abruptly, she opened her eyes and turned to him.

  Of course, that piercing, laser-like focus was on her. But his normal intensity looked different. The deep blue eyes appeared stormier.

  “What?”

  “What?” He seemed to come out of his own trance, looking off balance.

  “What are you doing?” She let out an exasperated sigh. “Why am I here?”

  “I told you. I like your playing.”

  Both of them just stared at each other, and she felt the intensity building.

  Staring at her lips, he looked back to her eyes.

  “I can’t get rid of this dream I keep having.” Dang, why had she said that?

  “What?” A huge grin washed over his face.

  She shoved him hard. “Not that kind of dream.”

  A ridiculous smile stayed on his face, and he actually blushed.

  “Never mind.”

  He put a hand over hers. “Too late, Song. Spill it.”

  Nervous angst wove through her, and she didn’t want to admit it, but she had to tell someone. “I’m sitting at the piano, and you’re walking toward me in that cheesy cowboy hat.”