Playing for Hearts

by Debra Kayn

  “Fine.” She swooped through the door and called over her shoulder, “Don’t let the dust choke you.”

  Cute. He let her jog ahead fifty feet, and then kicked up the pace to a fast walk. He’d wait her out. She’d tire and he’d take her back to the apartment. Maybe he’d slip into the workout room at the community center at the condominium later instead of worrying about getting his three miles in.

  Angie rounded the corner and for a second, Gary lost sight of her. He burst forward at a jog, gaining ground. He should catch up with her on the next corner.

  Three blocks later, Angie still remained ahead of him by a good twenty-five feet. He pumped his arms, finding his pace. Obviously she was in better shape than he’d realized. But he wasn’t worried. With his longer legs, he’d eventually catch her.

  He relaxed and enjoyed the jog. His gaze stayed on her, following her lead as he grew closer. Preferring to go out in the morning alone, he’d never noticed the benefits of a run with someone else.

  He pushed her. The pace helped his heart rate, and the scenery was spectacular.

  Angie’s ponytail swayed from side to side. She stayed focus on her path, her shoulders straight, her elbows bent. His gaze lowered. Her ass tight, round, and—

  His body pitched forward. He stumbled to keep his feet under him, and lost the battle. He dove for the grassy area to the left of the sidewalk to avoid the concrete and rolled. A grunt expelled from his lungs on impact, and he lay on his back, looking up at the sky.

  A single raindrop hit his chin. He peered up into the gray cloud rolling across the sky. Damn Seattle weather.

  Angie’s face blocked his view of the clouds. “Are you okay?”

  He hoisted himself to his feet, groaning. Angie brushed off a few strands of grass from the front of his shirt. This close to her, he could see the rise and fall of her breasts as she caught her breath. His already racing heart was doing overtime.

  “Yeah.” He stepped away, testing his knees. “I make tackles for a living. I’m used to crashing.”

  Excuses. He sounded like an asshole. What was he going to say? He’d tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. A fucking crack.

  “If you’re sure.” Angie frowned, studying him. “Are you feeling all right? You look kind of weird. Your face is flushed and you’re sweating.”

  The rain picked up. He motioned his chin. “Let’s head back. I don’t feel like jogging in the rain.”

  “Okay.” She stayed beside him, taking two strides for each one of his.

  He had to give her credit. “You run often?”

  She glanced over at him without slowing her pace. “Every other day. I’ve only worked up to four miles, but I enjoy being outside and clearing my head. Gives me time to think.”

  “Yeah, I get that.” He turned the corner. The Angie he knew back when she was a teenager would never have taken up any form of exercise. The fact that she was on a dedicated running program impressed him. Not that she needed the exercise, but that she enjoyed running alone. He always pictured her around a group of girls, or more content to hang out at a gym.

  “You might think about where you’re going to live when you get enough money for a deposit. It’ll have to be in a nice area, so you’re safe and can continue jogging. You’ll probably want to stay away from the downtown area, because of the steep street levels.” He pointed across the road. “About six blocks over there are new apartments. Half are done, and the rest are still being built. You’ll probably have a year of construction headaches, but once it’s over it’ll be a nice area.”

  “How much?” She slowed to a walk.

  He followed her lead, and joined her as they cooled down at the entrance to the gated area of the condominiums. “Not sure, but I could call a guy I know. He’s a realtor. Does property management for most of the area around here.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” She wiped her forearm across her forehead. “I’d like to stay around fifteen hundred a month, if I can.”

  He laughed. “You won’t find anything in that price range around this area. You’re used to having a roommate…you might want to ask around and see if you have a girlfriend who is looking to double up.”

  She pursed her lips. He studied the stubborn tilt of her chin and furrowed brow.

  “What? You don’t like the idea of sharing a place?”

  “I was thinking I’d live alone.” She shrugged, following him up the driveway to his place. “I loved living with Jules, but the constant go-go-go of being around friends, especially girls, gets old.”

  He laid his arm across her shoulder and squeezed. “Little Angie is growing up.”

  “Maybe.” She grinned up at him. “Nah.”

  He dropped his arm and opened the door. “You’ll probably have to go further out of town to find rent at the price you want. Maybe an older home or studio, instead of a gated apartment.”

  “I was thinking of a studio off the pier. I know the price is higher and I can crunch some numbers if I have to, but I like the atmosphere. It’s artsy, relaxing, and I’m by the water,” she said.

  “Hell no.” He shook his head. “It’s not safe. You’d never be able to go out alone, much less take a run when you wanted.”

  “Why not?” She laughed. “I grew up in Seattle. I know where everything is, and have never had any problems. I’ve gone downtown many times by myself.”

  “You’re not moving downtown.” He swept off his shirt. “I’ll show you why. Go change clothes, and I’ll drive you down to the pier. We’ll make a day of it, and I’ll show you what you’re missing when you’re not paying attention.”

  “I know the area, Gary.” She pulled the band from her ponytail and shook her head. “But fine, I’ll take you up on your offer. Maybe I’ll find a wonderful place and they’ll take a security deposit for the first and last month’s rent if I sign on to give them the rest in two weeks.”

  “If you find something you can’t live without, I can loan you the money,” he said.

  “Really?” She smiled.

  “But not in that area.” He turned and walked down the hall. “We’ll find you a nice place…one with a security alarm.”

  She laughed, and he shut the door. Standing in his bedroom, he knew taking her out on the town was a bad idea. She was a beautiful woman, and it wasn’t safe for her to live alone…anywhere. If he were Drew, he’d never allow her to live by herself.

  But if she had her heart set on a place, he’d help her out. As a friend or brother would do. He stripped off his clothes and walked into the bathroom. Maybe he could hire a security firm to beef up her new place, and that way he could sleep at night without worrying about her being all alone.

  Chapter Seven

  The third place Angie dragged Gary to on their apartment hunting foray along the Pike was a studio flat above a tattoo parlor across from the wharf. She climbed the steep stairs behind the building manager up to the advertised room, and glanced behind her at Gary. She winked, feeling good about the place.

  At first glance, the place was perfect. No pedestrians stood loitering outside on the sidewalk, and the stairwell was quiet enough she could hear every creak of the old boards under her shoes. If it weren’t for the row of cars parked outside along the street, she’d think the tattoo business up and closed shop, because the silence coming from underneath them was heaven.

  “Right through here.” Matt, the manager, stepped back and opened the door for them. “I think you’ll enjoy all the natural light coming through the windows. A rare commodity in Seattle.”

  She smiled and slipped inside, gasping at the sight.

  Floor to ceiling windows on the west side of the building overlooked the water. She hurried across the room and peered down into the street. The location was near perfect for what she was looking for.

  A ferry docked off the pier fit the local flavor scenery she came to expect from Seattle. People of all lifestyles milled up and down the sidewalk on the other side of the street, shopping or enjoying the overca
st day. Most of all, she sensed what she was looking for: here, she could observe life without life invading her space. With her busy work schedule, her days off would stimulate but relax her as she enjoyed her little slice of privacy.

  “Let’s get out of here, Ang,” Gary muttered.

  “What?” She whirled around and stared at him in confusion. “It’s perfect. The location, the price—did you see the six panel wood door? It’s absolutely charming and old world.”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s not. Let’s go.”

  “I want to put an offer down.” She grabbed Gary’s arm. “Please. It’s everything I was looking for. I’ll be close to everything. It’ll take no time to drive to my job or take a taxi if I don’t want to fight traffic. I can walk to go shopping. If I go jogging, I can run parallel to the water and won’t have to deal with the steep side streets. And the price is right. I’ll save the extra two hundred dollars, because parking comes free with the rent. I could even take on a few clients and give massages out of the—”

  “No.” He leaned in and said, “We’re leaving. Now. Don’t argue with me.”

  He grasped her hand and nodded at Matt as he pulled her out of the studio, down the stairs, and along the sidewalk. At the end of the block, she snapped out of letting him get his way, and planted her feet.

  “Why not?” She held up both her arms. “Give me one freaking reason why you jumped into my business and tore out of the building? You’re embarrassing me! I’m trying to make a good impression on the landlord, not that I’m rude or my friends are—”

  “Look.” He laid his hands on her shoulders, turned her around, and whispered in her ear. “See the sign for the tattoo parlor?”

  A white rectangle sign with the words Body Stainers written in black hung from the building and out over the sidewalk. She nodded. “So?”

  “Look in the right bottom corner. Do you see the four point crown?” he asked.

  “Yeah, but what does this have to do with me and wanting that studio?” She turned around. “It doesn’t excuse you being an overprotective bully. God, you act just like Drew.”

  “That’s a business owned by the Los Gatos. Have you heard of them before?”

  “Shit…” she mumbled. She’d heard of them, read of their exploits, and viewed their handy work around town when someone tried to encroach on their territory. They were a gang that other gangs stayed far away from. Real bad guys you didn’t want to mess with.

  “Yeah.” He inhaled deeply and blew out his cheeks. “What you don’t see right in front of you are the signs that they run this district…not all of the businesses in the area, but enough that their presence is felt and respected if you want to stay in business. It’s not a safe enough place for you to live, especially in a building that is run by people who don’t care that a woman alone could be walking into trouble, living right above trouble, thrives on getting in trouble because she’s too curious for her own good. I know you, honey. If you witnessed any questionable behavior, you’d stick your pretty nose in their business. You couldn’t help yourself. Your curiosity would demand it.”

  She stared at him. How would he know what happens near the Pike? Granted he lived six blocks east, but in a sophisticated development.

  The lines at the corner of his eyes deepened. She walked away from him. Embarrassed over her lack of knowledge in certain areas of her life, she wanted to get out of there. Changing her plan now put a serious dent in finding a place within two weeks. She had no idea where to go to next.

  “Wait, Ang,” Gary called behind her.

  She waved her hand over her shoulder, needing to think. Maybe she wasn’t prepared to live on her own without help. The thought sat uneasy on her shoulders. Had she been naive living with Jules all these years? The thought that her city was unsafe depressed her.

  She arrived at Gary’s car first and waited by the passenger door. He slipped between her and the lock and opened the door, letting her inside. If it were anyone else witnessing her bad decision, she would’ve shrugged off her mistake. But this was Gary.

  Anything that happened with her got back to Drew, and if she knew her brother—and she did after spending time in Deadhorse—he’d do something dumb like move back to Seattle to try and take care of her. That’s what he always did.

  Gary started the car. “Are you mad?”

  “No.” She leaned her head back on the seat and looked at him. “Can we keep his between you and me?”

  “Who would I tell?”

  “Drew,” she said.

  He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. “Nothing happened. I was here with you. There’s nothing to tell Drew. Okay?”

  She continued holding his hand and when he let her, she relaxed. Three blocks later, when his thumb caressed the back of her hand, her gaze dropped to their linked fingers. Her chest fluttered and warmth spread throughout her body. Afraid to look at him in case he was aware of what was happening to her, she held completely still.

  Maybe she imagined her reaction to him comforting and supporting her.

  He was a guy. Her emotions were on a roller coaster lately.

  She couldn’t possibly be sexually attracted to Gary. Her heart raced. She’d grown up with him. He was her buddy. Her brother’s best friend. They teased each other, and she’d tried to set him up on dates with her girlfriends before.

  Okay, he never agreed to date any of her friends, but she’d tried. It wasn’t like she went after him herself. Oh, God.

  She’d slept with him. Not that they had sex, but she’d woken up on top of him. Could she have done something in her sleep? Not sex, but touched him so he thought…

  She shook her head and gazed out the window. No, she’d definitely remember touching him, even if she did it in her sleep. A body like his would burn on her brain. She’d remember the hardness, the warmth, the power.

  The air inside the car thickened. She was definitely feeling something. To test herself, she moved her finger slightly, rearranging her hold on his hand. He loosened his grip, but continued to clasp her hand, even giving it another squeeze to reassure her that he wasn’t letting go.

  Pleasurable throbbing settled low in her belly and gravitated between her legs. She whipped her gaze to Gary to see if he was feeling it too. He stared out at the road, seemingly unaware of her conflicting thoughts and the way her body was out of control.

  She couldn’t talk to him about what was happening. He’d probably laugh at her. She needed to tell someone…someone who could view this as an outsider and tell her it was a stupid idea to even think of Gary as, as, as, someone she would like to be with.

  Before she could stop her train of thought, she blurted, “Let’s swing by Jules’s apartment. I want to change our plans.”

  Gary glanced at her. “I thought we were all going out clubbing tomorrow night.”

  “No. Friday is a better night to go out. The crowd isn’t as wild at the Metro, and Jules said the band that’s been playing there lately is really good.” She let go of his hand, swallowing hard for the first time since they got into the car.

  Gary turned left down the next street and five minutes later, they were at her old apartment. She jumped out of the car, aware of Gary following. If anyone could help her it would be Jules. She was smart about sensing someone’s feelings, and if Gary thought of her as a sister, she’d have to give up the thought of ever making a play for him.

  She came up sharp at the door and stilled. A play?

  What the hell was happening to her? She couldn’t go after Gary. He was off limits.

  She rapped on the door, waited a second, and knocked harder. Gary chuckled. She rolled her eyes. He had no idea she had an emergency on her hands. The more noise she made, the faster Jules would come to the door.

  Impatient, she raised her hand to knock again and the door opened. Jules stared at them both, then snapped out of her surprise.

  “Hey, you’re back!” Jules grabbed Angie and pulled her inside, hugging her. “I’ve misse
d you. It seems like you were gone forever.”

  She held on to Jules, because this was her best friend. The one who supported her, gave her great advice, and wouldn’t think she was completely whacked for thinking Gary was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, and she only realized it tonight when something weird happened on the sidewalk when he tried to boss her around. “Change of plans. We’re going out tonight.”

  “But, I—”

  “Have to go out with us tonight.” Angie looked at Gary. “Excuse us for a moment, we’ll be right back. Make yourself at home, drink some water, or watch some television…”

  “Honey, you don’t live here anymore.” Gary’s jaw twitched and he held her gaze. “Maybe Jules doesn’t want us invading her place.”

  “It’s okay. She loves me.” She waved her hand. “Give us ten minutes.”

  Once inside Jules’s bedroom and out of sight of Gary, Angie panicked. She gripped Jules’s arms and shook her. “What am I going to do?”

  “About what?” Jules grabbed her wrists and brought Angie’s arms down. “Take a deep breath, sweetie. You’re freaking, and you’re starting to freak me out. What happened since you’ve been gone?”

  “Nothing. Everything. Shit, this is wrong on so many levels.” She closed her eyes for a beat, and looked at Jules straight on. “I’ve got a huge problem and yes, I’m freaking the freak out.”

  Jules led her to the bed, pushed her down, and sat beside her holding her hands. “Talk to me.”

  Angie stared at the floor. Once she confessed, there would be no taking it back. Her feelings would become real and with the way she was, she’d fall head over heels for Gary without thinking about the repercussions. But if she kept her secret, maybe tomorrow she’d wake up and her stomach would no longer being doing back hand springs every time Gary was around or he touched her.