did, yet nerves still turned her stomach into a jumbled mess. She had the book deal because of her borrowed status photographing celebrities. The agreement from the gallery was for the same reasons—that and she was friends with the owner. That didn’t mean people would like the photos or get what she was trying to convey.
She kept having a recurring nightmare of people only seeing old, dilapidated houses instead of the stories of the people who lived there. What those families overcame. She’d be laughed out of the gallery and her book would flop harder than a deflated basketball.
“I’m excited about the project,” she said brightly, instead of letting him hear her insecurities.
“It’s cool you have a plan and know what you want. Seriously, not everyone has that.”
Something in his voice made her think he didn’t refer to people in general, but instead to himself. “What are you doing during the off-season? Do you relax or are you itching for the new season to start?”
He looked down at his hands and stretched them out. A frown pulled on his lips. “Actually, I’m trying to figure out my next steps.”
Next steps? From the little she knew of basketball, he was still considered an elite player in the league. “What do you mean?”
“Retirement or not.” He looked up at her.
“Retirement? You can’t be serious. You just won a championship. You’re the cover model for the Sports Fitness ‘Bodies in Motion’ issue. That only goes to top athletes. Why would you retire?” Okay, so maybe she’d researched him a little after today’s shoot.
“I’m thirty-six. Might as well go out while I’m still on top.” He shrugged as if the answer was an obvious one.
Except the look in his eye didn’t match his voice. His tone reminded her of someone forcing themselves to make a decision they were still unsure about. “What will you do if you retire?”
He shrugged. “That’s the thing. I’ve got a few business interests. I could explore more of those options. It’s just...”
“They’re not basketball.”
He studied his hands again. “Basketball has been my life since I was eighteen. I was drafted right in the middle of my first year of college and I haven’t thought about doing anything else since. Could I really be happy in a suit, sitting behind a desk at a corporation?”
She couldn’t see him in corporate America. Not because of the tattoos or pierced ears; the art could be hidden beneath business suits and the earrings could come out. She couldn’t see it because Kevin had this layer of wildness and excitement about him. No matter the environment, that dangerous air and flair to live outside the boundaries expected of him would always show.
But stranger things had happened. She didn’t really know him and was basing her decision on his outgoing personality and the few reports of his off-court antics she’d read. The guy took his teammates skydiving to celebrate their first playoff win.
But he was thirty-six and successful. Her quick internet search hadn’t brought up rumors of him spending money frivolously or filing for bankruptcy, a situation that plagued some celebrities who achieved superstardom as young as he had. He could get excited about one of his businesses and really thrive.
“You won’t know until you try,” she encouraged. “If you’re ready to retire, don’t let the idea that you’re only good at basketball stop you. I’m sure you’re good at other things.”
“How do you know?” he asked with a sexy tilt of his full lips that made her ease closer.
“Your eyes are intelligent.” She met that dark gaze. His eyes were brown, bold and very cocky, but he wasn’t a dumb jock. He watched, listened and observed. All signs of intelligence.
His gaze became guarded. His brows drew together. She must have surprised him. “No one’s ever told me that.”
“I’m glad to be the first.”
Kevin closed the distance between them. His large hand clasped her waist. The possessiveness came back to his gaze. Jasmine’s pulse accelerated and she swallowed hard. He pulled her close until the tips of her breasts brushed his hard chest. A shiver went down her spine. Not from fear but anticipation. Heat roared through her like wildfire.
“I want to kiss you again.”
She wanted to kiss him again. When she didn’t protest, his head lowered. Jasmine’s lashes lowered, too. Expectation wound up and tightened her nerves like a coiled spring. Thoughts of cabins and next steps in life blew away with the soft breeze.
Ringing filled the air. Something at Kevin’s hip vibrated.
He pulled back. “My bad. That’s my cell.” He pulled out his phone and checked the screen. “My daughter. Let me take this.”
Jasmine nodded and stepped back. She tried to steady her breathing as he leaned against the concrete balcony railing and answered the call.
“Hey, babe, what’s up?” Kevin frowned and cocked his head. “What? Well, I’m sure your mom has a good reason for saying that.” Pause. “Let me talk to her.”
Kevin held up a finger toward Jasmine and gave an apologetic shrug. “Sabrina, what’s going on?” He listened for a few seconds. His lips tipped up, followed by a low chuckle. A flirty sound filled with history and memories.
She watched Kevin talk to his daughter’s mother and her passion slowly cooled. Her internet search had brought up personal information on him, as well. Married young to his high school sweetheart, right when he entered the league. Divorced four years later. After that, he’d been in a long-term relationship with another woman and she’d had twins right before they’d split. Since then, he hadn’t been connected with anyone on a lengthy basis.
Baggage, drama, warning! Back away from this man ASAP.
“Okay, kitten, calm down,” he said laughing. “I agree on punishment. She shouldn’t have come in late. I’ll swing through Atlanta and check out this guy she likes.”
He paused to listen. Jasmine’s mind whirled. Kitten? That was definitely a pet name and had definitely been spoken with affection.
The call ended. He shook his head and slipped the phone in his pocket. “Sorry, that was my ex-wife. My daughter has a new boyfriend and it’s driving Sabrina crazy.” He turned back and reached for her. “But that’s not important right now.”
So kitten was the ex-wife. Oh no! She wasn’t about to sign up for this again.
Jasmine stepped far out of his reach. She looked at her watch. “You know, I’ve really got a lot to do tomorrow and I need to go.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, like, right now.” She was having a serious case of déjà vu and that crap wasn’t cool. Memories of getting swept up in a guy she knew could get under her skin, ignoring his overly friendly relationship with his ex-wife, the crushing blow when he left her to go back to the familiar. Sure, she didn’t have plans to do anything long-term with Kevin, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be halftime in
