trusting himself to keep the admissions at minimum. The sun hit them when they moved through the crowd, and Kai was struck a little stupid by the way Gia reacted to the heat and the mild breeze. She started talking about Ponchatoula, how Cat had brought her to a strawberry festival there back in April. Kai only half listened.
Gia moved through the crowd like a queen, people watching her as she walked, her face animated at she told some story about drinking too many strawberry daiquiris and Cat getting stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel with some kid called Davey Michaels. Then they stopped at an intersection, waiting for the crosswalk light to flash green and Gia used the brief pause to wrangle her long, thick hair into both hands, twisting it together to bunch it in a knot that stayed in a messy bun at the top of her head. Small wisps of wavy hair dusted around her face and along the back of her neck and Kai fought the urge to lean down and kiss her there.
“So the crowded house. That why you left New York?” Kai dug a berry from his bag, eyes closing when the sweet juice hit his tongue.
“Partly. But I’ve always wanted to run an NFL team.” She glanced at him, her mouth relaxed. “My uncle ran the CPU Blue Devils and promised to get me discounted tuition and an introduction into one of the team jobs.”
“That was generous.”
“It was hard work.” She adjusted the canvas bag, staring out into the crowd. “I never got anything without giving something up.”
Kai had heard rumors, mostly bullshit, about what a hardass Gia was. How she never backed down. How she could stand up to any man, and had, during a negotiation. But he’d also heard about her being in New Orleans. Something about a first love she never quite shook.
“You…didn’t finish at CPU?” he asked, not looking at her, meaning to sound casual, but he felt her watching him. Kai nodded to the ring on her right hand, a pressed gold coin signet she wore on her pinky. “Bruins. That’s UCLA, right?”
Gia grinned, nodding before she crossed her arms. “You’re perceptive.”
“No doubt.” Kai didn’t like the frown she wore, or how quiet she got when he mentioned her leaving New Orleans, but he was curious about why she’d abandoned the opportunity her uncle opened for her. He’d tread lightly; as lightly as his mammoth feet would allow. “Let’s see…I’m gonna take a guess.”
“About?”
“How UCLA ended up with the illustrious Miss Jilani.” Her smiled lowered but didn’t vanish. “You…pledged a sorority that required skinny dipping in the chancellor’s pool, and they caught you. Instead of bringing shame to your poor uncle and your family honor…you transferred.”
“Never pledged a sorority, junior.” She brushed a flyaway wisp of hair from her eye, glancing at him. “Try again.”
“Hmm,” Kai began, standing next to Gia when they came to an intersection, his eyes closing when he caught the delicious scent of beignets from Café Du Monde behind them. “Well, granny,” he dodged her elbow before continuing, “oh, I know! You had an illicit affair with the Chancellor, that’s why you were naked in his pool! And his wife found out. Cue all that noise about shaming the family honor, etc., and you were off to become a Bruin.”
“I’m sensing a pattern here,” Gia said, head shaking. “You seem to think I was naked a lot in college.”
“Be a shame if you weren’t.” Again, Gia laughed, but the sound wasn’t loud, and her smile wasn’t as wide. “Maybe,” Kai went on, “there was just freshman Gia who got mixed up with some asshat and needed to a new start.” She opened her mouth, that smile completely gone now and he regretted saying anything to begin with. Kai would have done anything in that moment to get that lost expression off her face, but he knew he just wasn’t that good. Gia sighed, seemingly like there was answer ready for, but she closed her mouth when Kai shook his head. “Whoever he was, I’m sure he’s kicking himself now, nani. My gut tells me you’re not the kind of woman anyone gets over easily.”
She held his stare until the crowd moved around them, then nodded him forward, breaking the small spell that had Kai mesmerized until he caught up with her.
“What about you?” she asked, pulling out another berry.