Winning Whitney, page 5
part #3 of Alaska Blizzard Series
“I think we need drinks,” he said after a few minutes, gently pulling her through the crowd toward the bar. She nearly sagged against him, trying to catch her figurative breath.
“You okay?” Jack gently lifted her chin, looking deep into her eyes.
“Yes, thank you.” She nodded as he got two glasses of champagne for them and promptly drained her glass.
“Wow.” He motioned to the bartender for another. “You’re not okay, are you?”
“The attention just caught me off-guard. Sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry it upset you.” He gave her an apologetic smile. “Unfortunately, we’re now outed as a couple unless we go out of our way to tell everyone we’re just friends and this wasn’t a date.”
“We should do that,” she murmured, looking over to where Sara and Aaron were laughing. “Look at them. They’re not dating and they came together.”
“They’re both in denial.” Jack shook his head.
“It’s hard to trust your heart to another person,” she replied, though she couldn’t look at him when she said it.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
“Spoken like an optimist.”
“Spoken like a man who’s been burned but still believes in forever.”
Chapter Six
She turned to him, studying his face carefully. Deep-set light blue eyes, the scruffy beginnings of a beard, and those wonderfully kissable lips. He’d been clean-shaven four years ago, but she liked this new look. It made him seem older, more mature somehow, but still the handsomest man she’d ever been with. Maybe not by Hollywood standards, but in her eyes, no one even came close. She was still completely smitten, no matter how many times she told herself it was impossible for them to be together.
“What are you thinking with such a serious look on your face?” he asked after a while.
“How handsome you are.” She smiled sheepishly.
“Thank you. I could say the same about you, except I’d use words like gorgeous, stunning, and breathtaking.”
She flushed. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that.”
“Why? You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. I find it hard to believe you were ever attracted to a grubby guy like me.”
“You’re not grubby. You’re…” Her voice trailed off as Aaron and Sara joined them.
“I had no idea you guys were dating!” Sara gushed. “You don’t tell me anything.”
“We’re just friends,” Whitney said with a faint smile.
“For real?” Aaron looked amused.
“You and Sara are just friends,” Jack pointed out. “What’s the difference?”
Aaron and Sara glanced at each other until Aaron finally nodded. “Okay, you got us. You two just looked so…”
“Right?” Sara supplied, chewing her lip thoughtfully. “Like you’ve been together forever. I can’t explain it.”
“It’s the dress,” Whitney interjected smoothly. “It makes everything seem perfect.”
They chuckled and changed the subject, but Whitney was reeling. It was as if every force in the universe was trying to push them together and she wasn’t sure if it irritated her or made her heartbeat kick up a notch. She liked him. There had never been any doubt about that, but legally he was still married and her past was on a collision course to catch up to her. She only had a few months before she had to make the biggest decision of her life and Jack was a complication she didn’t need. No matter how much she wanted to touch him. Talk to him. Kiss him. Shit!
“Would you excuse me?” she asked him softly. “I need to go chat with Hailey.”
“Of course.”
* * *
Jake watched her hurry away and wondered if Aaron and Sara had put the final nail in the coffin for him tonight. She’d already been nervous and now she seemed to want to put distance between them.
“You don’t look like a guy who wants to be just friends,” Aaron commented lightly, coming to stand beside him.
“She’s not down with almost divorced. She wants everything signed on the dotted line before she’ll even consider it.” Aaron was his best friend, but he hadn’t told him Whitney was the woman he’d met in Boston four years ago. In fact, Jake was fairly certain he’d never told him her name and in retrospect he wondered why. They’d shared almost everything in the fourteen years they’d been friends, from hockey to weddings and breakups. He hadn’t shared anything about Whitney, though. At least nothing beyond the fact he’d met someone special whom he’d spooked by telling her he was still married.
“You’re almost there. You’ll be a free man soon.”
“Yeah, and she’ll be long gone.” Something deep inside of him told him Whitney wouldn’t be in Alaska much longer. She hadn’t said anything and neither had Kane, but some instinct gave him a funny feeling that she would disappear and he’d never see her again if he didn’t find some way to rekindle what they’d started four years ago. It made no sense, to be so fixated on a woman he’d had such a short time with, but there was no way to ignore how he felt.
“You really like her, don’t you?” Aaron asked, surprise on his face.
Jake managed a half-shrug. “What’s not to like? Beautiful, Harvard graduate, sweet, and not interested in kids any time soon.”
“You’ve already talked about kids?”
“Not directly, just in the scope of conversation about my situation, miscarriages and all that. She said she’s not interested at this stage in her life, which was nice to hear.”
“Women say stuff like that a lot,” Aaron mused quietly.
Jake gave him a look. “One minute we’re perfect for each other and the next she’s trying to trap me? You’ll need to make up your mind, my friend.”
Aaron grinned. “Just callin’ it as I see it. She’s keeping you at arm’s distance until the divorce is final and telling you what you want to hear. Maybe you should be careful.”
Jake gazed across the room to where Whitney and Hailey were laughing about something and wondered again what made her so special. Her beauty coupled with the aura of mystery around her, for sure, but there was still more. She’d mesmerized him once and was doing it again without doing much of anything. There didn’t seem to be a damn thing he could do about it either.
“Since I know you’re not going to listen to me, are you gonna ask her to dance?” Aaron was asking him.
“You gonna ask Sara?”
Aaron shook his head. “Nah. We’re buddies. We don’t do that.”
“You can’t share a casual dance at a fun, fancy party? She’s your date, whether you’re sleeping together or not. Stop being a selfish ass and ask her.”
Aaron opened his mouth but then shut it again and walked toward the girls. Jake let him go without following. He wasn’t ready to have Whitney in his arms again. Not yet. He had to figure out what the next step was first.
* * *
Despite her initial reservations, Whitney had a great time, hanging out with Hailey, Dani, and Sara and meeting a few of the other wives and girlfriends as well. They seemed a bit skeptical when she said she and Jake were just friends, but she tried to laugh it off.
“No, really, he’s a great guy, but he’s on the rebound and I won’t be in Alaska past the summer,” she told one of the other players’ wives, Renata Price.
“You don’t think you could learn to like Anchorage?” Renata asked.
“Anchorage is beautiful, but it feels really far away up here,” she admitted. “I miss living in a big city with art exhibits, comedy shows, lots of clubs and concerts… I’m twenty-four and nowhere near ready to settle down. I purposely took a couple of years off after graduating from college and waited tables because I wasn’t ready to start a lifelong career just yet. I wanted to have some fun first.”
“And how much longer do you think you’ll want to do that?” Renata asked quietly, her dark eyes filled with curiosity but not malice.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m assuming I’ll know when I’ve had enough.”
“Sometimes you miss out on the best things in life when you stay on the straight path instead of taking a few detours.” Renata winked. “Trust me.”
“You’ve been sowing oats since college?” Hailey murmured in her ear as Renata moved off to dance with her husband.
“To a degree,” Whitney admitted, “but I don’t know her well enough to tell her all of it.”
“Do you know me well enough?”
“Yes, but not at your engagement party. Go make out with your fiancé or something!”
“This conversation isn’t over,” Hailey called over her shoulder as she walked toward Kane.
“Sounds like you’re in trouble,” Sara said.
Whitney made a face. “It’s like no one around here understands boundaries.”
“You can say that again. People ask me every single time we’re out why Aaron and I aren’t dating.”
“Why aren’t you? You’re both single, attractive, and obviously like each other a lot. It makes no sense.”
“He’s not ready to settle down and I enjoy his friendship far too much to risk it over casual sex.”
“When he looks at you, there’s more there than casual sex and beer buddies.”
“Aaron looks at almost anything with tits and a vagina that way—I’m not even a little bit interested in being the next notch on his bedpost.”
“Ah, so you do like him.” Whitney grinned.
“By the time he figures out what could be, I’ll be gone.”
“You’re leaving, too?”
“I didn’t get into veterinary school so I started taking classes to get my Master’s in Biology since that’s what my undergrad was in. Now that Niko is in full-time pre-K, I’ve been interning with a veterinarian here in Anchorage. I’m going to apply again and see if having hands-on experience helps me get in. The nearest school is in Fairbanks, though, so the closest I would be is six hours away. The other options are a lot further away and that would be the kiss of death for any relationship between us.”
“I understand.”
“He’s sure nice to look at, though, isn’t he?” Sara turned to watch Aaron as he danced with Renata and her husband, Dave, danced with someone Whitney didn’t recognize.
“Yup.” Whitney nodded, though her eyes drifted over to Jack, who was talking to one of his teammates that she hadn’t yet met. Lord, he filled out a suit beautifully. He looked great without a suit, too. In fact, she almost preferred him in nothing and—
“Whitney.” Gage came up behind her, his hand on her arm. “Would you give me the pleasure of a dance?”
“Oh, um, of course.” Whitney was caught off-guard, letting him lead her onto the dance floor before she had time to think of an excuse to refuse. Gage Caldwell was the billionaire owner of the team and ran in circles she’d spent the last six years trying to avoid; the last thing she needed was him asking too many questions.
He was light on his feet, swinging her around for a waltz she hadn’t danced in years. Her body remembered all those dance lessons as a little girl, though, and she followed instinctively.
“Not your first waltz,” he commented.
“No.” She didn’t meet his eyes, focusing on the cake created out of cupcakes Kane and Hailey had set up on a table in the back of the room. Half of them were red velvet and the other half chocolate peanut butter, all covered in white chocolate icing with candies made of their initials topping each one. She’d teased them about all the fun little details they were putting into the party, but deep down she was envious. She’d always dreamed of something this elegant but equally fun for her own engagement someday; sometimes it felt like it would never happen.
“I know who you are, Whitney.”
Chapter Seven
Her eyes snapped to his and she missed a step, gripping his arms as she stared at him. “Excuse me?”
“Your secret is safe with me,” he said, guiding her back into their rhythm, “but I’m puzzled about your motivations.”
“Privacy,” she hissed through her teeth, her heart slamming triple time.
“I’m working hard to make this team a cohesive, focused group with no drama. Something tells me your relationship with the captain of my team is going to wreak havoc on my carefully laid plans.”
She frowned. “We’re not in a relationship; we’re just friends. And I have no intention of wreaking havoc on anyone, anywhere.”
“I don’t think you have much control of that.”
She pursed her lips. “If you want me to leave, you’re going to have to give Kane and Hailey enough time to replace me.”
He shook his head. “I’m not threatening you.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Offering my help.”
“Your help?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Whatever it is you’re hiding from… I can help.”
“I don’t need help.” She eased out of his arms, a plastic smile on her face. “Thank you for the offer, and for the dance, but I’m fine. All I ask is that you respect my privacy. Please.”
He inclined his head. “As long as you don’t leave a trail of broken hearts in your wake. Since Jake announced you’re only friends, every unattached guy on the team is clamoring to ask you out.”
“I’ll probably be gone by mid-summer,” she said softly. “And I’m not interested in any of them, so you don’t have anything to worry about.”
* * *
“Having fun?”
Whitney turned at the sound of Hailey’s voice, giving her a smile. “The question should be, are you having fun?”
“I’m having a blast, but my bestie looks like someone kicked her puppy even though she’s the most gorgeous woman in the room.”
“I wish people would stop saying that!” The words came out more sharply than she intended and she let out a breath. “Sorry. I’ve just heard that so many times I’m a little sick of it.”
“You’re sick of hearing that you look pretty tonight? Why?”
“This is your night, so the attention on me makes me uncomfortable.”
“Then why did you wear a dress meant to bring men to their knees?”
“I didn’t—” Whitney cut herself off abruptly and looked down. “I guess I did. I just missed…”
“Having a life?” Hailey interjected softly, her blue eyes filled with understanding.
“I’ve done some modeling in the past and it’s been a while since I dressed up or anything. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize, I totally get it. You’ve been a lifesaver for Kane and I and we don’t begrudge you having fun. You need time off regularly.”
“I don’t.” She took a breath. “I love you and the twins. That’s all I need until it’s time to leave.”
“Where are you planning to go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why do you have to leave?”
“It’s complicated.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “I’m getting tired of that non-answer, you know?”
“One day, when it’s not your engagement party, we’ll talk about it. Promise.”
“You’ve been saying that for months.”
“We’ve been busy.” Impulsively, Whitney hugged her. “You’re a good friend. I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult lately.”
“Seems to me everything changed after you ran into Jake. If he makes you that unhappy, we can keep him away from the house.”
“No.” Whitney squeezed her arm. “Jake’s not a problem. I like him. Too much, probably, but I’m a big girl. I can handle being friends with a guy I slept with a few years ago.”
“Actions speak louder than words, girlfriend, and your actions tell me a totally different story.”
“It’s this damn dress. It’s making me say and do weird things. I need another drink.”
* * *
By the time there were toasts and roasts and more champagne than any woman who had to get up with twin infants in the morning should have drank, Whitney finally started to relax. Once she managed to stop thinking so much, she had fun. Many of Kane and Hailey’s friends had become her friends, too, and no matter how much she tried to tell herself it was a mistake, Jack was just as engaging and charming now as he’d been four years ago. He was solicitous but not pushy, and he still made her laugh. Dancing with him had probably been her biggest mistake. When Prince’s “Erotic City” came on, she was swept back in time and he seemed equally impacted. His eyes sought out hers and they were drawn together as if by magic. He moved in behind her, one hand on her hip and they swayed in time to a beat that was painfully familiar.
“I think this is our song,” he murmured against her ear.
“Oh, this is definitely our song,” she murmured, almost to herself. She turned to face him, resting her arms lightly on his shoulders. The four years since they’d last touched made no difference whatsoever. Their bodies remembered everything and came together as if they’d danced just yesterday. As if they’d done more than dance.
He put both hands on her hips and drew her closer.
“Jack…” Her breath caught as the heat of his torso practically seared hers, right through their clothes.
“Close your eyes. Go back to that night in the club. Do you remember how magical it was being together?”
Her eyes drifted shut and she pictured it all. The smoky club. His strong arms. The way they’d moved so effortlessly. His pale blue eyes and those damned dimples. Why hadn’t she remembered them before now? Her eyes flew open and she pressed the fingers of one hand to his cheek, brushing the coarse hair of his light beard. His eyes met hers curiously, but she just continued what she was doing.
