Matchplay A New Adult Romance - By Dakota Madison Page 0,19

think there was any way he could win but what if he did? The thought of going out with him scared the hell out of me. “Okay,” I said finally. “And if I win, I want you to tell me about The Tournament.”

Now he was the one who gulped. A look of panic crossed his face and just as quickly he covered it up with his Mr. Calm and Collected façade. “What Tournament?’ he said.

I gave one sharp laugh. “Oh, please. Don’t play dumb. I know about the game you guys in The Clubhouse are playing.”

His face turned serious. He leaned in close to me and whispered through clenched teeth. “I’m not sure what you think you know but I’m sure you’re wrong.”

I rolled my eyes. “So you’re not trying to get into my pants so you can score points. I hear virgins are worth a lot these days.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I immediately regretted saying them.

Aaron looked into my eyes with such intensity, I thought I could burn up in the heat of his gaze. I

swallowed hard because I knew I was in trouble.

“I would never do something like that to you—ever.”

I looked into his eyes with what I hoped was equal intensity. “But you would do it to other girls?”

His nonresponse to my question seemed to be the answer.

I slammed my book shut. “I think we’ve done enough on the project for today.”

When I rose to leave, Aaron hopped right up with me. “I don’t.”

“You don’t what?” I challenged.

“I don’t think we’ve done enough for today.”

I sighed. “What do you want from me, Aaron?”

“Mary Cassatt,” he said.

My breath caught. “What?”

“The artist you selected is Mary Cassatt.”

He met my gaze with pure desire in his eyes. Shivers ran through my entire body. “How did you know that?” I barely managed to squeak out.

“Because I know you,” he said simply.

I shook my head. It didn’t make any sense. How could he have possibly known? How could he know me that well in just a few short weeks? The idea that there was some deeper connection between us chilled me to the core. I slumped back down into my chair. Aaron sat back down, too, but he didn’t take his eyes off of me.

“I knew as soon as I saw her paintings,” he said. “The girls she paints, especially the ones in the big hats. They look just like you.”

“They do not,” I protested.

“True story.” .

He continued to stare at me. “I think you look most like Ellen Mary Cassatt with a Large Bow in her Hair.”

I could no longer contain a grin. “You seem to have done quite a bit of research on Mary Cassatt’s work.”

“And you seem to have lost a bet,” he said and grinned.

I still wasn’t sure what to make of Aaron. I didn’t like the answers he gave me about The Tournament but he seemed to be so sincere about his feelings towards me. How could he be both a womanizing asshole, and a guy, who seemed to truly care about me at the same time?

***

Aaron suggested a small Chinese place a few blocks from campus. I had never really noticed it. Not that I didn’t like Chinese but the place was so tiny and nondescript, it didn’t register on my radar.

“They have dim sum,” Aaron said as we entered the restaurant.

“That sounds really good. I’m starving.”

Aaron laughed.

“What’s so funny,” I asked.

“You’re so tiny. It’s hard to image you ever starving.”

I grinned. “I think you’ll be surprised how much I can pack away.”

“Bring it on. I’m buying.”

The place only had about eight tables. Since it was Thursday and it was still fairly early, we had the whole place to ourselves. The hostess led us to a secluded corner table and we both sat down. She handed us menus and excused herself.

“I really like the shrimp dumplings and the ones with shiitake mushrooms,” Aaron suggested.

“You come here a lot?” I asked over my menu.

“I love Chinese food.”

“In that case, I’ll take your sage advice and go with the shrimp and the shiitake mushroom.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

After the waitress came to take our orders, Aaron looked at me with a serious expression. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Okay,” I said without really thinking about it. I immediately felt like I was headed down a road with him that I wasn’t 100 percent sure I wanted to travel.

“Why are you so sensitive about being touched?”

The question took