Malcolm stared down into Lauren’s eyes. “Thanks, and yes, we’ve met. Hello, Lauren.”
That’s one way to describe it. “Hi, Malcolm.” She had only seen photos of him wearing a tuxedo, and those pictures hadn’t come close to capturing the raw magnetism he exuded standing next to her. She couldn’t decide whether she liked him better with his locs or the close-cropped look he now sported.
“Well, my wife is going to have my head if we don’t get at least one dance in, so I’ll see you two later. Malcolm, can you make sure Lauren gets acquainted with everyone?”
Lauren’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’ll be fine. I’m sure Malcolm has some other people to see.” She looked to Malcolm, expecting him to agree. To her amazement, he extended his arm.
“Shall we?”
With Mr. Green and his wife staring at her with huge smiles, she couldn’t very well say what she wanted. Instead, she took his arm and let him lead her out to the dance floor. She regretted it the moment he wrapped his arm around her. Malcolm kept a respectable distance, but it didn’t matter. His closeness caused an involuntary shiver to pass through her. And why did he have to smell so good? The fragrance had a perfect balance of citrus and earth that was as comforting as it was sensual. How was she going to make it through the next five minutes?
Malcolm must have sensed her nervousness. “Relax, Lauren. We’ve danced closer than this, so what’s the problem?”
Lauren didn’t need any reminders of how close they’d been in the past. “I’m fine,” she mumbled.
A minute went by and Malcolm said, “Smile. You don’t want everyone to think you’re not enjoying my company.”
She glared up at him. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “I’m holding a beautiful woman in my arms. What’s not to enjoy?”
Mr. Green and his wife smiled Lauren’s way, and she smiled back. As soon as they turned away, she dropped her smile. “I can’t play these games with you, Malcolm,” she whispered harshly.
“This is no game.” Their eyes locked for a lengthy moment, then he pulled her closer and kept up the slow sway.
Lauren fell silent and tried to maintain her composure. The softness she saw reflected in his eyes gave her pause, given that it had only been a few days since their confrontation. She figured he was just being polite because they were in a room full of people, but deep inside, a small piece of her wondered if it was something else. Common sense said to let it go, but she couldn’t. “Why are you doing this?”
Malcolm’s brows knit. “Doing what? I’m just dancing.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “You know what I mean. Five days ago you wanted me gone. Now, tonight, you’re acting like you don’t hate me...almost like you care or something.”
“I don’t hate you, Lauren. At least not anymore.”
She gasped softly.
“I won’t lie. For about six months afterward...let’s just say you weren’t at the top of my favorite-persons list.” He shrugged. “Now...” He let the sentence hang.
“A lot of time has passed, and we’re not the same. I’ve changed and so have you.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. “That’s true. But there are some things that are still the same.”
The last notes of the song faded, and he led her off the dance floor. “What are you talking about?”
Malcolm stopped near her table. “Your kiss.” He pivoted and walked off.
Lauren stood stunned and unconsciously brought her hand to her lips. Realizing what she’d done, she snatched it down. She turned and saw Morgan glaring at her from across the room and hoped to escape a confrontation. She didn’t need one more thing tonight. After locating upper management and a few of the players and saying goodbye, she left the ballroom. If Lauren were lucky, she’d make it out of the hotel and to her car without any problems.
When she took the job, Lauren had known she would have to deal with Malcolm, but she hadn’t counted on this.
Monday afternoon, Malcolm tossed another pass to the rookie running back who’d just been signed. He’d been more than surprised when Christopher Long asked him to help with some drills and laughingly said he wanted to be ready when Malcolm retired. Many of the younger players were hesitant to ask for help from the veterans, so it pleased Malcolm that Chris felt comfortable enough to seek him out. If the twenty-two-year-old continued to display the skills Malcolm had seen today, he’d be more than ready.
“Bring it in, Chris.” Chris jogged over to where Malcolm was placing cones on the field. Malcolm gestured for the ball. “Now we’ll work on the three-step cut.” The drill helped a player develop lateral movement and cutting speed, both of which were necessary for eluding tacklers. It also helped improve ball-handling skills. “Let me see what you’ve got.”
Chris nodded, assumed the position and started the drill.
After he finished, Malcolm said, “Not bad. A little repositioning will help with your agility and speed. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and keep your toes pointed straight ahead.” He demonstrated the technique in slow motion and at full speed, then had Chris repeat the motion. They started at ten yards and increased the distance by five yards until reaching twenty-five. After the last round, they crossed the field and went inside to the cafeteria. Nigel was seated at a table with some papers in front of him, but he glanced up at their approach.
“Hey, Nigel.”
“Hey, Malcolm.” He extended his hand to Chris. “I’m Nigel West, the chef.”
“Christopher Long.”
“Camp doesn’t start until next week, so what are you two doing here?”
“I asked Malcolm to help me with a few drills,” Chris said.
Nigel stood. “How about I make you two one of the recovery shakes Lauren is implementing? You can be the test subjects. Chris, if you haven’t seen her yet, make sure you schedule an appointment.”
“I meet with her on Wednesday.”
“Good. Have a seat and I’ll be right back with the shakes.”
Chris sat at the nearest table. “Thanks.”
Malcolm followed suit. The mention of Lauren’s name conjured up memories of their dance on Saturday night and the way her soft curves had felt pressed against his body. Just the thought spiked his arousal. He had done a good job putting her out of his mind for the past two hours, knowing she would be at the facility, but now she was front and center again. He just hoped to leave without running into her. Visions of how she looked in that body-hugging black dress that had left her shoulders bare had played havoc with his mind all weekend. He wasn’t supposed to want her.
Chris’s voice pulled him out of his reverie.
“I want to thank you for working with me today, Malcolm. My boys thought I was crazy for asking. Said no veteran would groom a rookie to take his position.”
He chuckled. “Most wouldn’t. But I’m not worried about you taking my position. Two years from now, it’ll be all yours.”
Chris laughed. “What else do I need to know to make it on this team? I know I won’t be starting and most likely won’t play but a few downs all season, but I don’t want to get cut.”
Nigel