Page 27 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)

WILL

Dinner out would have been a safer choice.

Maybe even something simpler like dessert or coffee, so that if things went south, Ellie and I weren’t stuck through an entire meal together.

Me cooking dinner for her feels like more of an established relationship type date, but the truth is, I couldn’t stop thinking about not being interrupted or watched in case things went well .

I want to be able to sit and talk with her and see if there’s more than just a physical attraction that I need to get out of my system.

I head to the elevator to meet Ellie when my doorman messages to say she’s on her way up.

My apartment building is nice, and the security is top-notch.

I moved here after things blew up with the rumors about me and Coach Wilson’s wife and reporters were camping in the lobby of my old building.

Charlie had lived in the building for a while, which is how I knew about it, but I figured it wouldn’t be permanent, like a grown-up version of when we roomed together in college.

He’s been talking about getting a house for over a year now to get a yard for Coco, and when Law told him about the house that came up for sale in his neighborhood, Charlie jumped at it.

I do miss having him around, but I think I’d be less willing to push things with Ellie if he still lived here.

It’d be too easy to go over to his apartment instead and talk myself out of pursuing her when she could be right that it’s a bad idea.

The elevator door dings and then opens to reveal the woman I’ve come to believe is the most beautiful person on the face of the planet.

Not just because of looks either. Ellie’s a fierce advocate for female athletes and her friends and family.

Given her immediate willingness to help Anna, that applies to anyone who needs her.

“Hi,” I greet her as she steps out. The long floral skirt she’s wearing has a slit up the side and the bottom of her sleeveless top skims the skirt’s waist, showing a tiny sliver of tanned skin.

“Hello.” She smiles and we stand in the hallway a moment just staring. It’s a habit I think we should instill immediately in our relationship, if there’s going to be one. A few minutes without talking, looking at each other and reading the vibes. Maybe it will save us a few arguments.

“I brought sparkling water,” she says, holding up a six-pack of orange-colored cans. “I thought we should keep clear heads, so wine was a no-go, and I know you love this brand.” She throws me a smirk. “You’re not the only one who’s good at Instagram sleuthing.”

I eye the label of the can, pretending to check out which flavor she brought—peach—as my cheeks heat over her alluding to the night I brought cookies from Kookie Hause to Charlie’s. Has she figured out yet that I claimed to love sugar cookies when I hate them? I wouldn’t put it past her.

“I never underestimate you,” I reply.

“Well. Not anymore.” She grins at me in a smug way. “Also, pineapple sorbet.”

My eyes widen at how thorough she’s been discovering my favorites. “Now you’re just embarrassing yourself.”

She laughs and wiggles her eyebrows at me. The action is so adorable I almost kiss her on the spot.

“Thank you, Ellie.” I take the sparkling water in one hand and then use the other to hold her now free hand and lead her down the hall to my apartment. She doesn’t protest the contact, which is a good first step for tonight.

“I can tell how hard you train,” she says as we walk. “I swear seventy-five percent of your pictures are from one gym or another.”

I pause and tap in the code to my door and then swing it open, leading her inside. “I have to work twice as hard to stand out since I’m on defense.”

“Dad says only a couple defensive players have ever won MVP, but that people are talking about you doing it.”

I set the sparkling water down on the dining room table and turn to her.

It’s not a surprise that Rob Bennet talks about his players.

He’s one of the reasons that playing for the Pumas is on a lot of guys’ wish lists.

He boasts about his players all the time, and maybe it’s just easier for people to hear his praise given that his TV show gives him a big audience, but it still feels good.

My teammates love it when Mr. Bennet gives someone a shout out on the show.

“That’s my goal this year. Best of the best.”

“Easy peasy.” She shrugs. She takes in the wide-open space of the main rooms of my apartment. The living area is to the left, with big couches meant for comfort and a ninety-eight-inch flat screen that takes up most of the far wall. She whistles lowly.

I let out a low chuckle, kind of embarrassed. “I’m serious about watching film and getting the most out of it.”

She turns to me with a grin. “I bet. I know from Charlie that this screen is also used frequently for video games.”

“Back before he spent all his time with Janelle.”

Ellie walks toward the kitchen, which is on the small side considering the size of the space in general. I don’t need much. She opens the freezer and puts the sorbet inside.

“So far so good,” she says, eyeing me and biting her lip. Her expression is amused with a hint of nervousness.

I walk over to her and put both hands gently on her shoulders. “ Don’t be worried.” She lets out a long breath. “I want you to have fun. Don’t be waiting for the worst-case scenario.”

She moves her hands to my waist, like she needs to steady herself. “We don’t have a great track record,” she points out.

“Bad assumptions.”

“What’s for dinner?” She turns around to face the counters and stove behind her, eyeing the pots and pans.

“Steak and fries,” I say. “I make one dish fit for company and that’s it. But the fries are homemade and Charlie loves them. I’m feeling confident.” She tilts her head at me. “What?” I ask.

“You made a joke.”

I let out a laugh. “I’ve been known to make the rare one.”

“Not around me.” She raises an eyebrow.

“Too busy defending myself.” I head for the fridge and grab the steaks.

She scoffs behind me, which makes me smile.

“I’m going to throw these on the grill while the fries finish up in the oven.

” I head for my balcony, which spans the length of the apartment and was the biggest reason I wanted this unit.

I have some outdoor exercise equipment on the far side, closer to the living room end, because I enjoy being outside when I can and using my exercise bike in the evenings after games sometimes helps clear my head enough to fall asleep.

On this end, where we emerge from the kitchen, is my grill and a patio table and chairs, which are set for dinner tonight.

“You don’t mind eating outside?” I ask.

She settles in one of the chairs to watch me. “Nope,” she murmurs and shakes her head. The night has cooled slightly, though the heat of the early October day still lingers.

We’re quiet as I start up the grill and throw the steaks on, and I don’t interrupt the silence for a moment.

It’s good for both of us not to try to fill the space, and I admit that I crave this heated stillness with her.

I want to recapture the moments from the dance floor last week where we couldn’t resist each other for another second.

I turn from the grill and watch her a moment as she stares out at the lights from nearby buildings and the traffic below.

She sweeps her hair over one shoulder, exposing her neck and jawline in a way that makes me want to cross the short distance between us and scoop her into my arms. Kiss that jawline and run my lips down her skin.

“I don’t know why I reacted so badly that night at Charlie’s,” she says, surprising me from my admiration of her profile. “I feel like I set myself up for hating you.”

“You’ve already apologized,” I point out.

“I know.” She shrugs. “I was just thinking about how we really got off on the wrong foot.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have repeated something I read on the internet so flippantly. Believe me, I know better than that.”

“Yeah.” She gives me a rueful smile. “I should’ve taken a beat. People say that stuff about me all the time.”

“I don’t want to be those people. Ever. Thank you for reminding me.”

“Especially the part where I reminded you in front of all your friends about how everyone said you slept with Linda?” She bites her lips together, and I think I’m paying way too much attention to that part of her face for how I’m noticing everything about them.

I shrug, like it wasn’t a big deal. “It’s fine.”

“How about the time I believed a slimeball like Grayson Hollis over you?” She puts her elbows on the table and rests her head in her hands, leaning over the table toward me.

I turn to flip the steaks and then return my gaze to her, leaning back against the cement wall that lines the balcony. “He knows what to say and how to say it. That’s why people believe him. Maybe that’s why I’ve tried less to be likable the last year. I don’t want to be anything like that.”

“You’re not.” Pink blooms in her cheeks and she quickly corrects herself. “I mean you’re not like him. Not that you’re not likable. ”

“I know exactly who I am, Ellie Bennet. Likable isn’t high up on my skills list.” I smile at her, and the color in her cheeks deepens. That’s the next spot I’m going to kiss when I get the chance. Lips, neck, cheeks. The list is getting kind of long.

She pretends to consider this. “I think that’s probably hard when the main objective of your day is to plant someone’s face in the turf.” She gives a small what-do-you-do shrug, and I let out a bark of laughter.

“I don’t specifically go for faces, to be fair,” I retaliate. “I’m more than happy to knock someone on their butt.”

She laughs this time, and I let the warmth of it slide through me as I take the steaks off the grill and put them on a warmed plate I brought out for them. Then I scoop some herbed butter on top.

“I’m going to go grab the fries. I’ll be right back out.”