Tackling Love - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,10
leans back toward me again. “On the outskirts of town. I have five acres near the river.”
“That must be over nearby to the Jackson Estate?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“I would have killed to be able to buy a home over there, but it was a little out of my price range,” I reply, then laugh.
“I guess it’s expensive. I needed somewhere that was secluded and had a good security system. Fans and reporters can drive you mad.”
Suddenly, I’m reminded of the newspaper article and the embarrassment it caused me.
I should never have let him inside.
Colt needs to go.
I stand and look down at Colt, his face is masked in confusion.
“You need to go,” I whisper.
“Why?”
“That article in the paper made my life difficult. I like you, Colt, I do, but I have a job that I love.”
“What does your job have to do with me?” Colt asks as he stands.
“The principal at my school basically made me promise to keep away from you. We, as teachers, aren’t supposed to show the school in any kind of bad light.”
“I’m a bad light? Me? Colt Anders? Skye, if anything, the school should be grateful to me. They’ve received funding from a couple of my sponsors for new football gear and positive press because of it. If anything, they should be thanking me.” Colt moves in and cups my face in his hands. “You feel this, right? You feel this connection we have? I want to see where this goes. I want to try. Don’t push me out because of one bad article. Hell, it wasn’t even that bad, it was funny. Believe me, the guys gave me hell for it.”
“It’s not the way the school took it. I had to deny it was me to anyone who asked. It doesn’t look good if one of their kindergarten teachers is caught kissing a half-naked football hero on her front porch.”
Colt nods but doesn’t let me go. Instead, he leans in and kisses me. My hands betray me as they work their way up his chest and entwine in his hair. When he finally lets me go, I’m flushed, aroused, and wanting more.
“You sure you want me to go?” Colt smirks.
Cocky bastard!
But he’s right, I don’t want him to go. There is a connection between us. Actually, this feels good, perfect. Almost.
Playfully, I push him away. “No, I don’t want you to go, but can we slow this down?”
Colt takes a step back with an amused expression on his face. “What would you like to do?”
Floundering for something to say, I blurt out, “Dinner?”
“Dinner?”
“It’s only six. Have you eaten?”
“No, I haven’t. Will you be dessert?”
“What?”
“Will you make dessert?” Colt asks.
I giggle and push past him. “I might do both. Pasta or stir-fry?”
“Let me cook for you. I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs.” Colt grabs my hand and walks me toward the kitchen.
“You sure?” I ask.
“Let me surprise you.”
Colt opens my fridge and inspects the contents, pulling stuff out as he goes. Then he opens my pantry and does the same thing, the last thing he rummages through is my freezer.
“Why haven’t you responded to any of my presents?” Colt asks.
Frowning, I take a seat at my kitchen counter and try to think of a good explanation. “You’re this famous football player… I’m a kindergarten teacher at a private school. And to be honest, you can have anyone. So, why me?”
Colt stops what he’s doing and looks into my eyes. “Why you?”
I nod, I want to know what makes me so special. I want to know why he’d even look at me twice.
“You’re beautiful, even in your pajamas with no makeup and your hair up in a… um, what is that, a bird’s nest? Anyway, you don’t care who I am. You have no idea of who I am, and yet you let me into your home.” Colt moves toward me, caressing my face. “And you’re going to let me have my wicked way with you once you taste my meatballs.” Colt grins and then kisses me.
I push him away with a laugh. “This…” I point at my hair, “… is called a messy bun.”
“Definitely messy,” quips Colt. “Now, do you want to help, or you can sit there and watch me work?”
“Do you like wine?” I blurt out.
“Depends on what you’re serving. A nice red would be good with this.”
“Well, Mr. Anders, you’re in luck, I happen to have a very nice wine collection. And I’d like to sit here and watch you work.”