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She stood and thanked Barbara for sharing her section of bench, then rubbed her nu Raoul and Brittany stood close together, talking intently The blonde reached up and touched his face Then Raoul saw Nicole and hurried over to the railing

"What did you think?" he asked

"You’re great," she said honestly "I was incredibly iame, I could tell you did really well How far can you throw a football anyway?"

Raoul grinned "We were awesoether No one player canfor your sports interviews," she teased

Hawk joined Raoul and gave hih five "Great job," he said, then turned to Nicole "Our boy’s going all the way"

She ignored the implied connection "I’m happy to hear it"

"So how many can you take in your car?" Hawk asked

"What?"

"Kids How many can you take in your car?"

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," she said

"She drives a Lexus Hybrid," Raoul said "So four, but the three in the back can’t be huge They won’t fit"

Hawk nodded "I’ll have the lot"

She made a T with her hands "Who are they and why are they et pizza after the gairlfriends, a few kids from school It’s a tradition I like to keep the out at a pizza place is safer than just cutting the stupid and hurt themselves Not all the kids drive, so we need rides"

She are of Raoul standing right there For so in front of him Maybe it was because she knew he didn’t have anyone on his side But if she agreed, she knew she would feel as if she’d beenshe didn’t want to do Worse, Haould probably assuot to spend ti have to be a co lot," she said, her teeth clenched

"I’ll have the guys look for you They knohere we’re going I’ll see you there"

"Not if I can help it," she hborhood places with plenty of tables, a jukebox and delicious sarlic, peppers and toame but didn’t think she was starved until she walked into the building and took a breath Suddenly she ith hunger and desperate for the recipe

The four boys she’d brought with her drifted away as soon as they arrived They’d been polite, but obviously terrified that she would want to join the that she wasn’t interested in interfering with their good time when she realized she didn’t really know anyone here The only parent she kneas Barbara, who hadn’t come The only other adult of her acquaintance was Hawk and she was confident he would be holding court with his players Not that she wanted to sit with him

It would probably be best if she just left, she told herself Maybe she could order a pizza to go

She was already in line at the counter, leaning on her cane, when soe and warm settled on the small of her back She’d never felt the touch before, but she recognized it Recognized it and melted from the inside out

Hoas it possible for her body to react so strongly to one man? What combination of chemistry and cosmic humor made her want to turn around, pull Hawk close and des Barbara had said about him weren’t just cheap talk?

She carefully sidestepped his touch Instead of taking the hint, he grabbed her hand

Just like that Pal As if he owned her As if they belonged together Worse, he wasn’t even looking at her He was talking to some father

She wanted to pull her hand free and de her She wanted to tell hiether, and ask hi She wanted to see if that bench seat in his truck was big enough for the two of them

The father walked away and Hawk turned to her "You don’t have to order," he said "They knoe’re coaet a beer, but I’d rather you didn’t I don’t like anyone drinking in front of the kids on gaht It’s probably dumb, but there it is"

His eyes were dark, as if they could absorb all the light in the rooet lost in his eyes, which just went to show that she’d ar delusions

"You’re holding my hand"

One corner of his mouth turned up "It’s all I can do in a crowd, but once we’re alone I’ll crank up the heat"

She jerked free of hi about, but let me be clear You and I are never--"

"Hey, Coach, did you order salads?" one of the cheerleaders asked "You know some of us don’t want pizza"

"I ordered salads," he said, sounding tired, then he turned back to her and grabbed her hand again "What is it about wo around an extra thirty or forty pounds is bad But woers are the worst"

"She’s a cheerleader What did you expect?"

"That she should be happy she’s healthy and athletic and get off ht?"

One eyebrow raised "You’ve been talking aboutto chat about you I’m confident you totally love their interest and do whatever you can to fan the fla she’d said "You were asking questions"

"Did you listen at all? I didn’t ask It wasn’t necessary Information was offered"

He smiled, a slow, sexy, self-confident smile that etting to you I can tell"

"Someone just shoot me now," she muttered

One of his players caame As Hawk answered, Nicole tried to pull away, but he didn’t let go Short of a tugging ood or bad

She glanced around the place and saw several ht their eyes, they turned away and whispered to each other

"The fan club isn’t happy," shelife and limb"

"I’o, we could solve the energy crisis"

Just then several servers walked out carryingaround dove for tables Hawk kept hold of her hand as he e booth in the corner, one apparently reserved for hi, she slid in He followed She found herself shifting closer and closer to irlfriends Despite her efforts to keep at least six inches between the froood place for her cane, but there wasn’t one

"I’ll take that," Hawk said, pulling it out fro the back of the booth "What happened to your knee?"

"I fell and tore it up"

"Are you getting better?"