End Zone: Texas Titans 2 (7 page)

“I can’t say I disagree with you.” Kristin
thought Matt’s mother seemed so easy-going and down to earth, in spite of her
privileged upbringing.

“At any rate, my family has always enjoyed
making the society pages. They’ve diversified their interests a lot in recent
years, and that means stepping out into the social scene and rubbing elbows
with the rich and snooty.” She giggled like a school girl. “It’s all rather
silly if you ask me, but as long as they help raise money for good causes, I
guess it’s worth it.”

Kristen had planned a lot of the events
Nancy was referring to, but she didn’t take offense. She often wondered how
anyone in their right mind could pay
that
much to attend one of her
soirées.

“I’m sure our party is nothing compared to
some of the events you’ve taken on, Kristen.” Matt disarmed her with a flash of
perfect white teeth. “But I’d consider it a personal favor.” He winked at her
when his mother’s back was turned. “I’d owe you big time.”

If that kiss last night was any indication
of how he intended to repay his debt, Kristen would gladly clear the decks to
plan his party. “You know I’d love to help you out—”

“As would I,” Nancy said, nudging Kristen.
“So can we put the poor boy out of misery and tell him we’ll do it already?”

Nancy looked so much like a mischievous
pixie that Kristen couldn’t help but laugh. She had no doubt working with
Matt’s mother would be entertaining to say the least.

“I’ll tell you what,” Matt said when
Kristen failed to respond to his mother’s gentle ribbing. “As an incentive,
pick any original in the store, on me.”

Kristen gaped at him. He couldn’t be
serious. From what she had seen, the smaller studies started at two thousand
dollars with the larger pieces ranging between ten and fifteen thousand. “I
couldn’t. I mean, my fee isn’t nearly—”

“Of course you could.” Nancy slipped her
arm through Kristen’s and led her toward a landscape she’d gushed over as soon
as she walked through the door.

The piece had a small white cottage in the
distance with wildflowers meandering around a drawbridge that led to a small
pond. Kristen had fallen in love with it... until she saw the price tag of
twelve thousand dollars.

“If there’s one thing I enjoy, it’s
spending my son’s hard-earned money,” Nancy said, winking at Matt. “You liked
this one, didn’t you?”

“I love it, but it’s too much. I couldn’t
possibly accept this as payment for my services.”

“Who said anything about payment for your
services?” Matt asked, propping one elbow on the tall desk. “I said this was an
incentive to take on the project. You’ll still be paid your normal fee to plan
the party.”

“But that’s ridiculous.” Kristen feared his
mother may get the impression she was trying to take advantage of Matt’s
generosity. “I couldn’t possibly…” She became so flustered, she ran out of
words.

While Kristen was trying to protest, Matt
inched her aside and took the piece off the wall. “Wrap it up and send me the
bill, Ma,” he said, carrying the painting to a small room behind the reception
desk.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Nancy
asked, crossing her arms and looking as though she was in no hurry.

Matt’s lips twitched as he stared his
mother down, trying not to smile. “You’re right. Please.”

“Better.” Nancy nodded her approval.

“Nancy, wait.” Kristen reached for her
wrist. “Please, I can’t let you do this. Matt’s not thinking clearly. Give me
some time to make him see that.”

“You’re wasting your time, hon.” Nancy
grinned. “If there’s one thing I can tell you about this one, it’s that he’s as
stubborn as a mule. Once he’s made up his mind about something, there’s no
sense trying to change it.”

“She’s right.” Matt appeared totally
unaffected by his mother’s less-than-favorable characterization.

“But you can’t force me to agree,” Kristen
said through clenched teeth.

“I’ll leave you two to work this out,”
Nancy said, looking from Kristen to her son. When neither of them responded,
Nancy laughed. “It looks like you’ve met your match, Matt.”

Matt waited for her to slip into the back
room before he asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t like that piece?”

“Are you out of your mind? It may be the
most beautiful piece of art I’ve ever seen.”

Kristen loved to visit galleries and
antique shops, but she’d never seen a piece that moved her quite the way
Nancy’s painting did. When she closed her eyes, she imagined wandering through
the brightly colored flowers, holding her lover’s hand and talking about the
life they hoped to build in their little cottage. She often looked at art that
way or tried to imagine what the artist had been thinking when they painted it,
what or who inspired them, and who they saw in the faces of the people they
painted.

“Then I don’t see the problem.” Matt seemed
frustrated, like her stubborn refusal was the only thing standing between him
and something he desperately wanted. Clearly Matt Hudson was used to getting
what he wanted.

“I do love the piece, and I’d love to own
it, more than anything, but I can’t let you buy it for me. It wouldn’t be
right.” Kristen earned a good living, but she invested a good portion back into
the business so she could grow her support staff without having to worry too
much about the lean months. “It may take me a year, but I’d like to pay you in
installments.”

“Kris, that’s really not necessary.” Matt
looked remorseful. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to back you into a corner or make
you uncomfortable.” He sighed and reached for her hands. “It’s just that I saw
how your eyes lit up when you walked in and saw that piece, and I want you to
have it.”

Kristen couldn’t remember when a man had
given her a gift just because he wanted to make her smile. She felt like an
ungrateful shrew, throwing Matt’s generosity back in his face. “I’m the one who
should be sorry. You tried to do something unbelievably nice for me, and I
respond by getting upset.”

“I usually date women who expect expensive
gifts from me.” Nuzzling her hair, he said, “I keep forgetting you’re not like
anyone else. That’s why I can’t seem to let you go.”

Kristen let his words sink in and warm her
all over. The more he said he wanted to be with her, the easier it was to
believe him. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He looked her in the eye, obviously trying
to decide if she was softening. “Does that mean you’ll agree to have dinner
with me tomorrow night? It doesn’t have to be at High Rollers. We can go
anywhere you want.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and
tipped her head back to look at him. “We should stick to High Rollers. If your
mother and I are going to plan this anniversary party, I’ll need to get a feel
for the place, won’t I?”

Matt picked her up and kissed her
thoroughly. “You won’t regret this, I promise.” He set her down when she nudged
his shin with her dangling feet.

“I know I won’t.” Kristen couldn’t remember
the last time she’d been so excited about an event. She was determined to plan
a party that would make Matt and his partners proud while giving every other
event planner in Texas something to aspire to. No doubt about it, people would
talk about High Rollers’ anniversary for a long, long time to come.

Matt sat at the bar the following
evening feeling antsier with every second. He’d wanted to pick Kristen up, but
she texted him to say she was running late and would just meet him at the bar.
That made it feel too much like a business meeting, and he didn’t want her to
have any doubt that he considered it a date. Sure, he wanted her to plan the
party for them, but only because he was anxious to spend more time with her.

“What’s got you lookin’ like your
underwear’s too tight?” Jaxon asked, wrapping his arm around Matt’s neck and squeezing
until Matt winced and shoved his arm away.

“I’m meeting Kristen. She’s running a
little late.”

Jaxon chuckled and claimed the bar stool
beside his friend. “If we’re talking about that hot little event planner,
chances are she got a better offer.”

Matt hid a grimace behind his glass. Jaxon
was just giving him a hard time. Still, Matt couldn’t ignore the fear in his
gut. What if she
had
stood him up?

“Hey, I’m just messin’ with ya, man.” Jaxon
nodded to the bartender, who set a shot of Jack Daniels on the bar. “She
probably got tied up at work. So is she gonna plan the party for us or what?”

“Hopefully we’ll firm up the details
tonight,” Matt muttered. Business was the last thing on his mind, but they
didn’t have any time to waste if they wanted it to be a party that made
headlines.

“How did she respond when you asked her?”
Jaxon asked, raising his glass.

“She said she was swamped, and her
assistant is out of town.”

“So why didn’t you just find someone else?”

“Because I want her.”
Any and every way
I can get her.

“I can see that, but I’m talking about the
party. Why didn’t you just ask someone else to plan it?” He grinned before
sipping his favorite drink.

“My mother offered to help. I think that
may have helped convince Kristen to take it on.”

“Your mother?” Jaxon’s lip twitched.
“You’ve introduced her to your parents already? I thought the last girl to meet
your mama was the ex-wife from hell.”

Matt’s friends and partners made no secret
of the fact they despised his ex-wife. He would have been as indignant had a
woman ever pulled the same stunt on any one of them, so he never stopped Jaxon
from taking shots at Robin.

“Kristen saw some of my mother’s art at my
place. She was intrigued, so I took her by the gallery. It was no big deal.”
Jaxon would consider it a big deal if he learned Matt had insisted on buying
her an original, even though Kristen refused to accept it as a gift.

“So you guys have been out before? I mean,
this isn’t your first date?”

Matt suspected every date would feel like
the first with her. No one had ever set him on edge the way Kristen did. “I
passed by her office to ask her about the party. We talked about our high
school reunion. We both went…” Matt’s thoughts drifted to the way that evening
had ended. He hadn’t pushed when she said she had to leave. She was running hot
and cold, and he needed confirmation that she was into him before he could let
his defenses down.

“And?”

“We left together. She came back to my
place. We went to Fredericksburg the next day then to my mama’s gallery.” Matt
rolled his eyes when a sly grin appeared on Jaxon’s face. “She didn’t spend the
night, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Why the hell not?” Jaxon shook his head.
“Man, that bitch really did a number on you, didn’t she? You have to let it go.
Not all women are like Robin.”

“I know that. Kris is nothing like Robin.
She’s been burned before too. Her ex-fiancé was a real asshole. I don’t think
she’s ready to start seeing someone else yet.”

“Does that mean she turned you down when
you asked?”

“You could say that.” Matt didn’t worry
about his pride with his buddies. They shared everything, including their
trials and tribulations with women. He never would have gotten through his
divorce and the bleak months before and after it if not for his partners.

“So, what’re you gonna do?”

Matt shrugged. “See how it all plays out, I
guess.” He smiled when he thought about how much fun they’d had yesterday. “I
had it bad for her back in high school, and nothing’s changed. She could still
have me wrapped around her finger.”

Jaxon narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think I
like the sound of that. Sounds like the way things were with Robin. I thought
you’d learned your lesson.”

“I have.”

“You’ve had the right attitude about all
the girls you’ve dated since the divorce. Love ‘em and leave ‘em.”

Jaxon was right, but Matt had
subconsciously been waiting for someone who made him feel the way Kristen did.
He liked being in love and enjoyed being in a committed relationship. In spite
of the fact that Robin had broken his heart, he was ready to try again.

“Is that right?”

Matt groaned inwardly when he heard
Kristen’s voice behind them. Talk about lousy timing. He slowly pivoted as he
tried to think of what to say to erase Jaxon’s words from her mind. “Hey,
Kris.” Reaching for her hand, he slid off the stool. He felt the tension
radiating from her, but at least she didn’t try to pull away when he brushed
his lips across hers. “Glad you could make it.”

“I hope I didn’t interrupt.” She shot a
glance at Jaxon.

“No, not at all,” Matt said, trying to
downplay his chat with his partner. “Kristen, this is one of my partners and
best friends, Jaxon Davis. Jaxon, Kristen Beck.”

Jaxon stood, offering his hand. “Matt’s
told me a lot about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Kristen couldn’t hide her skepticism as she
shook Jaxon’s hand. “I’ll just bet he has.” She looked at Matt before returning
her attention to Jaxon. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jaxon.”

“I’ll leave you two to your dinner.” Jaxon
reached for his drink. “I’m gonna head back to the office. Grayson’s supposed
to be meeting me in a bit. Are you guys having dinner in the private suite?”

“That’s the plan,” Matt said, wishing Jaxon
hadn’t made it sound like a sex den. It was a private room where they hosted
weekly poker games for a group of friends and V.I.P. customers.

“Cool, I’ll catch up with you later then.”
Jaxon grinned at Kristen. “I really hope this guy can talk you into planning
this party for us. We need all the help we can get.”

Kristen smiled, clearly softening. “He may
be able to convince me.”

“If he can’t, maybe I can.” He winked at
Kristen before smirking at Matt.

Matt was used to his buddies flirting with
the beautiful women he brought to the bar. It had never bothered him, but he
glared at Jaxon, letting him know to back off. “Don’t let us keep you.”

Jaxon chuckled. “I can take a hint. I hope
to see you again real soon, Kristen.”

“Apparently you
can’t
take a hint.”
Matt reached for Kristen’s hand. “Get lost.”

Kristen allowed Matt to lead her through
the crowd. He tried to avoid engaging in conversation with any of the regulars
who slapped his back or offered a hand as he walked past. He just wanted to get
her alone so he could try to explain Jaxon’s comment.

Once they were finally inside the dimly lit
wood-panelled room, he closed the door and faced her. “About what Jaxon said—”

“It’s okay,” she said, raising a hand. “You
don’t owe me an explanation. What you do and with whom you do it is your
business.”

“Damn it, don’t do that. Don’t shut me down
again just because you heard something you didn’t like.” He sighed when her
features tightened, sending him a clear message that he was only making matters
worse.

She crossed her arms, letting him know that
she’d already made up her mind about him. “Fine, if you want to talk, talk. I’m
listening.”

“Like you, I’ve been burned before.” He
dropped his head. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his marriage and
the reason it ended, but he knew she wouldn’t feel at ease around him until he
offered some explanation. “The way I’ve approached relationships has been
different since then, to say the least. I was only interested in having fun.”

“Good to know.” She stepped back.

Frustrated, he said, “But it’s not like
that with you. You need to know that. I don’t know where this is going, but I’d
sure as hell like to find out.”

“How many women are you dating right now?”

The question stunned him. “I… uh…” He
couldn’t avoid answering it without looking as though he has something to hide.

“It’s a simple question. How many women
have you been out with in the last month?”

Admitting he couldn’t remember for certain
would definitely be the wrong course of action. He lifted a shoulder. “A few.”

“A few as in three?”

The lingering look they shared confirmed
they both knew it was more than that.

“Five, eight, ten? What’s the number,
Matt?”

“I don’t know, okay?” He threw his hands
up, thinking he would throttle Jaxon the first chance he got. If he hadn’t
planted another seed of doubt in Kristen’s mind, they wouldn’t even be having
that conversation.

“Wow, that many.” She was going for
sarcasm, but the flash of pain in her bright blue eyes told him how
disappointed she was.

“I was just having a little fun.” That was
a weak excuse, but it was the truth. Matt had always been the steadfast one. He
was the guy others came to when they had a problem, the one who had treated
every woman like she belonged on a pedestal, the way his mama taught him. But
Robin changed all of that. She convinced him that not all women deserved his
respect and reverence.

He stroked her face, knowing that he was
probably crossing some line. He didn’t care. If that was his last chance with
her, he intended to make sure she couldn’t forget him, just as he hadn’t been
able to forget her. “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I’m trying to
be honest with you. I won’t tell you what you want to hear just ‘cause it’ll
help me make my case. You deserve better than that. You deserve the best of me,
and that’s what I’d like to give you.”

She looked uncertain, but at least she
wasn’t backing out of the room. “I’m not interested in dating a player. I know
it may seem a little old-fashioned, but when I’m dating a man, I want to be the
only one.”

“Okay.” He could live with her terms. He
wouldn’t want to date anyone else as long as he had Kristen.

“Okay? Just like that you’re ready to give
up all the others?”

“Just like that.” He stepped closer,
closing the distance between them. His lips hovered just above hers, but he
wasn’t about to mess up by proceeding before he got the green light. He’d
waited for her a long time. It wouldn’t kill him to wait a little longer,
especially since he finally had a chance with her.

“I want to believe you.”

She looked so earnest, and he realized that
was what had been missing in every other relationship he’d ever had: raw vulnerability
and complete honesty. He’d never lied to any of the women he’d been with, but
neither party had worn their hearts on their sleeves either. He wanted things
to be different with Kristen.

“You can believe me. I promise.” His lips
grazed hers, and her hands moved to his shoulders. At first he wasn’t sure
whether she would push him away or draw him closer, but within a few seconds,
he had his answer. He eased into the kiss, content to let her set the pace. He
explored her mouth, letting her know without words that he believed they had
all the time in the world to delve into their feelings.

She broke the kiss, looking a little
flushed and dazed. “I can’t deny I’m attracted to you.”

He smiled, admiring her sweetness and
innocence. Life may have dealt her a few bad hands, but he could tell she still
held out hope that she would eventually get her happily ever after. He hadn’t
given up on marriage or kids either, or the life he’d been dreaming of when he
slipped that ring on Robin’s finger. His ex-wife may have quashed his spirit
for a while, but she hadn’t stolen his dreams.

“Good to know,” he said.

A tap on the door, followed by the voice of
one of his servers, prompted Kristen to step out of his arms.

Matt opened the door and smiled at the
young waitress they’d hired a few weeks ago. “Hey, Kimberly.”

“Hi, Matt,” she said, smiling shyly. “I’m
sorry to disturb you.” She cast a nervous glance in Kristen’s direction. “The
chef told me to ask whether he should start your appetizers.”

“Please, and you can bring in the bottle of
wine I selected.”

“Of course, I’ll get it right away,” she
said, lowering her head in deference. She hadn’t been with them long enough to
know that he and his partners didn’t expect to be treated like royalty just
because they owned the place.

“Thanks, Kimberly.” Closing the door, he
turned to Kristen. “I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for us.”