“I will.”
He eyed her bedroom door. “Maybe after a quick shower . . . ?” But even he knew their window of opportunity had passed.
She pushed a strand of hair from her face with a grubby hand. “We’re dirty, exhausted, and we have to leave for the airport in three hours. So much for our night of passion.” And maybe that was for the best.
“Tomorrow,” he said. “Chicago.”
She fingered the fringe on her shawl, not quite looking at him. “What if this is a colossal sign from the universe that we’ve gone as far together as we should?”
“That’s defeatist thinking. Knock it off.”
“But you have to admit—”
“I admit nothing. If you want to be a champion, Olivia Shore, you have to stay in the game.”
And that’s what this was to him. A game.
*
In the morning, the police returned Olivia’s phone and purse, which they’d retrieved from the limo, the twenty dollars still folded neatly inside. Thad had spent what was left of the night canceling his credit cards, ordering a new phone, and reliving what had happened. He didn’t sleep until their flight back to Chicago, and when he awoke, he saw Olivia sound asleep herself, lips slightly parted, purple headphones cockeyed on her head. She looked young and defenseless, far different from the furious woman who’d gone after their kidnapper last night.
Henri had booked them into the Peninsula Chicago on Superior Street. Thad’s condo and Olivia’s rental apartment weren’t far away, but they’d agreed it would be inconvenient to shuffle back and forth for their engagements, so the hotel would be their home for their last three nights.
The three nights Olivia insisted were all they would have together.
For the first time in his life, Thad had lost control of a relationship. He had to turn that around.
Their suite at the Peninsula had a baby grand piano and a wraparound terrace that looked out over Lake Michigan. While Henri waited for his room to be ready, he camped out with his laptop, and Paisley took off for Sephora.
Liv gave Thad her Queen of Sheba look. “I want to walk.”
He wanted to do more than walk, but not with Henri temporarily working in their suite. “Fine with me.”
She changed from flats into sneakers and traded her trench for a fleece jacket he’d never seen—one more item she’d stuck away in those 799 suitcases she traveled with. On their way out the door, she stole the Chicago Stars ball cap he was wearing and stuck it on her own head. “It makes me feel young,” she said, as she pulled her ponytail through the hole in the back.
“You are young,” he pointed out. “Relatively.”
“I don’t feel that way.”
“Thirty-five is only old in football years.”
“You’re almost forty, so that makes you ancient.”
“I’m not almost forty. I’m thirty-six.”
“Going on thirty-seven.”
“Not yet.”
“Je m’excuse.”
They turned onto Michigan Avenue. The day was sunny, but cold and crisp, thanks to the spring chill coming off the lake. The chill hadn’t discouraged the pedestrians bustling along the wide sidewalks with their shopping bags from Nike, Bloomingdale’s, Chanel, and the Apple Store.
“What are you going to do with yourself when your football career is over?” she asked.
“Not sure.”
“Give me a hint.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been doing some work with a friend.” Work he wasn’t ready to talk to anybody about. “I’ve got an idea. The Omni’s close. Let’s check in for a couple of hours. Just you and me.”
“It’s too pretty to go inside.”
“It’s cold, and you’re nervous. Afraid you can’t keep up with me, aren’t you? Afraid you’ll be a dud.”
“I’m not afraid I’ll be a dud.” She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets. “Okay, I might be a dud.”
He laughed. “You’re adorable when you’re insane.”
“Dude! It’s Thad Owens!” Three guys in hoodies and backward baseball caps strutted toward them. Early twenties. One wore jeans, two were in cargo shorts even though the temperature was in the forties.
“We’re big Stars fans.” The tallest bro, ablaze in neon-green sunglasses, stopped in front of them.
“Glad to hear it,” Thad replied, as he usually did.
His companion, whose hoodie advertised his preference for Miller Lite, poked the guy next to him. “Except Chad. Bears all the way.”
“Bears suck,” Neon sunglasses declared. “So does Clint Garrett. You should be playing.”
“If I was better than Clint, I would be,” Thad said mildly.
Neon sunglasses snorted. “What about those interceptions he threw against the Patriots?”
“It’s easy to be a quarterback when you’re home on your couch.”
Sunglasses missed the dig. “And that pick six in St. Louis? What about that?”
Thad set his jaw. “Happens to the best of us. Nobody in the League has a stronger arm than Clint or quicker feet. The Stars are lucky to have him.”
“I still say—”
“He’s fast, he’s aggressive, and he’s smart. I’m proud to be on his team. Nice talking to you.” Thad took Olivia’s arm and made his escape.
Behind him, one of them groused, “We didn’t even get a picture.”
Liv slipped her hand through his elbow. “Pick six?”
“The idiot threw the ball right into traffic,” Thad grumbled. “Their safety picked it off and ran it in for a touchdown. Six points.”
“Pick six, I get it.” She grinned and shook her head. “Idiot.”
“It’s not funny.”
“Oh, it’s funny, all right. Some singers I know could learn a few lessons about team loyalty from football players.” She stopped without warning, backed him into the window of the Burberry store, and kissed him, right there in the middle of Michigan Avenue.
He didn’t know what had brought this on, but he wasn’t going to argue about it. It was a long, deep kiss. Her hands looped around his neck. Her lips parted, and so did his. Their tongues met in an intimate romp. His hands went to her waist. Her breasts pressed against his chest. This was the prelude to everything he’d been waiting for.
“Ew!” A teenage girl’s shrill giggle dumped cold water all over that kiss. “Get a room!”
He released their kiss and gazed into a pair of dewy, diva-dark eyes that made Liv look as young as those teenagers snickering behind her.
“Omni?” he whispered.
She nodded. A short, barely there nod, but a nod nonetheless.
He took her hand. They jaywalked . . . jaywalked! . . . across six lanes of Michigan Avenue traffic with horns blaring and drivers cursing.
Still holding hands, they stormed through the doors of the Omni. He had just enough sense left to steer her away from the registration desk. “Wait here.” No need to have both of them standing at the desk without a single piece of luggage.
He made quick work of registering, paying with the emergency cash he’d borrowed from Henri until he got to his bank. He didn’t care about the Wi-Fi code or the hypoallergenic pillows they offered. All he wanted was a room. And a bed.