Page 26 of Hello Quarterback

He held the door open for me, and I stepped into the back seat, catching a hint of his cologne. The desire that rushed through my body was so foreign, so strong, I nearly toppled over on the way to my seat.

If Ford noticed my stumble, he didn’t say a thing. Instead, he slid in after me and closed the door. Within seconds, Zeke was pulling out of the garage.

Here, alone in the back seat with the privacy window separating us from Zeke, I realized yet again how large this man was. He was at least half a foot taller than me, pure muscle and hard angles, and I was practically salivating. If he could hear the thoughts going through my mind, sense the way my body was reacting to his presence, he’d think I was no better than the groupies who lined the stadium after games, hoping for a player to take them home.

Finally, the silence felt so thick between us that I said, “You look nice too, Ford.”

His shoulders seemed to relax at that comment. “Thank you.” His tone was warm as a towel fresh out of the dryer. My mom always used to give one to me, even if I hadn’t showered, and wrap me up in the warmth.

We drove without speaking for another couple minutes, and the silence made me restless. As if sensing my nerves, Ford reached out and caught my hand in his.

I looked at his large hand enveloping mine and then up at him, where a reassuring smile played along his full lips. “Better practice, right?” he said.

My smile faltered. I thought he’d been trying to comfort me, but no, it was all strategic with him. Why did I want to avoid the truth so badly? I was too old, too successful, to be pining after a guy who had no interest in me, who didn’t appreciate all I had to offer.

So I reminded myself of that, even while linking my fingers through his. “Are you up for this?” I asked, doubting myself mostly. “Tallie leaked to the press that we’d be at the restaurant tonight. It’ll be... chaotic.”

He rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand, almost like it was instinct. “I’ve dealt with the press before.”

“Right.”

More silence.

“Ford, I’m going to need some encouragement here. I’m freaking out a little.”

He reached up his free hand, holding my cheek in his palm. “No need to worry. Just keep your eyes on me, Sunflower.”

My lips quirked. “Sunflower?”

“That’s the flower you chose, right?” he said. His voice held a note of emotion to it—I couldn’t quite tell why, though.

“That was quite the display you sent to the office,” I replied. A little butterfly fluttered in my stomach at the reminder of Tallie’s words.Does he know this is fake?

Heat intensified his gaze as he said, “I meant it. I’ll be the only man sending you flowers.”

“Why?” I asked. “Jealous?”

But his response was completely serious. “Because my girl will get what she needs from me. No one else.”

Before I could respond, the limo had slowed and then stopped. And then the back door opened, leading us into a hoard of paparazzi with blinding flashing cameras.

16

FORD

I could feelMia stiffen as the door opened and the photographers swarmed. Security was doing their best to contain the paparazzi behind the velvet rope, but they couldn’t exactly stop the shouting coming our way.

“ARE YOU TWO DATING?”

“ARE YOU JUST FRIENDS?”

“MIA, WHAT WOULD HAYDEN THINK?”

“YOUR FANS ARE DISAPPOINTED, FORD. ANY COMMENT?”

“FORD, WHO IS MIA TO YOU?”

Despite the tension in her shoulders, her voice was calm as she said, “No comment.” But I found the reporter holding a mic with the logo of the largest station I recognized. I held Mia to my side, her body soft and warm against mine, as I spoke directly to the reporter.

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