“I wouldn’t call it running to ground,” she said pertly. “You were still standing when I left the boxing ring. Also, I didn’t say I got the tip personally. My cousin Serafina has been moonlighting as a waitress here. She overheard some of the Razors talking.”
“Like those at the other end of the bar?” Cole indicated with his chin. “The ones wondering what the status of our relationship is?”
Marisa tossed a glance over her shoulder. “Probably, but we don’t have a relationship with a status.”
He brought his finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t tell. I like having them wonder why a gorgeous woman passed them over and made a beeline in my direction instead.”
“You asked me to come here!”
He laughed at her with his eyes. “They don’t know that, sweet pea.” He reached out to smooth a strand of hair away from her face and remembered all over again how soft her skin was.
His body tightened another notch and she stilled, like a deer in headlights.
“I don’t think Serafina likes the Razors very much...”
He settled his gaze on her mouth. “They can be a randy bunch.”
“You included?”
“I’ll let you be the judge,” he responded lazily.
He wanted her. Right now. He’d dreamed about her again last night, and it had been his hottest fantasy ever.
“Jordan isn’t the only joker in the family.”
He handed her the beer that had just been set down on the bar and then watched as Marisa placed her lips on the bottle’s long neck and took a swill. The woman was killing him with her sexual tone deafness.
“So where’s Serafina?” he asked.
Marisa lowered the bottle. “She isn’t working tonight. Wednesday isn’t on her regular schedule, and she’s about to quit for a better position.”
“If this had been her shift, would you have met me here?”
“Maybe.”
He smiled. “Or maybe not.”
He took it as a good sign that Marisa wanted to keep their meetings on the down-low. It meant she cared what people thought about the two of them. Like maybe there was something going on. Which there was, whether Marisa would admit it or not. Still, she was skittish about the sexual attraction that still existed between them, and he needed to proceed carefully.
They were both adults, and he was itching to explore what had gotten cut short in high school. As long as he was indefinitely parked in Welsdale, there was no reason not to enjoy himself...
He let his gaze sweep over her. Besides the jeans and sweater, she wore black high-heeled Mary-Janes that showed off her shapely legs. She’d subverted the most schoolmarmish of shoes and made them sexy and hot...
Marisa raised her eyebrows as if she’d read his thoughts. “Why did you want to meet?”
Because he wasn’t ready to share his sexy thoughts, he leaned against the bar stool behind him and gestured to the empty one next to him. “Have a seat.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
Definitely skittish. Even leaning back, he still had a height advantage on her, but he had to admire her unwillingness to give an additional inch. Time to show some of his cards. “I noticed some of the kids on the field trip were interested in hockey. I’d like to give them a few pointers.”
His offer, of course, was a pretext for getting her to meet with him again.
Marisa took her time answering, her face reflecting flitting emotions until it settled into an expression of determination. “I don’t just want you to give them a few pointers. I want you to run a hockey clinic.”
Right back at you. He’d underestimated her. “That’s a tall order. Giving a few pointers is one thing, and setting up a sports clinic is another. Let me clarify in case you don’t understand—”
“Never having been a jock.”