Mistletoe Match-Up (Romancing Wisconsin #3) Read online

Color tinged her cheeks. She rolled the ball in front of her and held it between them. “It wouldn’t be a fair game in my jeans.”

  “I’ve got extra shorts and a tee shirt in the locker room. Red bag, right on the bench.”

  “You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you?” She raised the ball and pushed it against his chest, halting his advance. But an undeniable spark of interest lit her eyes.

  “You gonna go get changed, or do you need some help?”

  “I can dress myself, thank you.” She shoved against the ball, sending him back a step before she spun toward the locker rooms.

  “I’m better at undressing anyway,” he called after her.

  Her laugh bounced off the walls. She shook her head and stripped off her winter coat to toss it onto the bleachers before disappearing through the door.

  Derek figured a little practice was in order while she changed, but he became so distracted imagining her stepping out of those jeans in the deserted men’s locker room that he missed more shots than he made.

  A loud snort brought him around the next time the ball bounced off the rim and out. Her long curls now pulled back into a messy ponytail, Lisa straightened from the locker room doorway while he retrieved the ball.

  “This will be like taking candy from a baby.”

  Derek’s grip tightened on the rubber ball in his hands. If he was the baby, she was the candy he wanted. She shouldn’t look sexy in his baggy shorts and oversized tee-shirt hanging past her hips. She should feel self-conscious, but instead she strode toward him with a cocky swagger that put him back a good ten years.

  “Play to fifteen or twenty one?” he asked.

  “Fifteen is just a warm up.”

  “Twenty-one it is. No fouls, win by two?” She nodded agreement so he tossed her the ball; whoever made the first basket would start on offense. Lisa passed it back.

  “I’m feeling charitable—you go first.” She faced him and assumed a defensive stance.

  Derek chuckled and began to dribble. She didn’t even give him five seconds before she lunged forward, stole the ball, spun, and shot.

  Swish.

  Damn. He forgot how flippin’ fast she was. She jogged over for the ball and passed it back to him before resuming defense. He dribbled again, but now he was ready for her and faked left. She met him on his spin back to the right and the ball was hers. Shoot. Score.

  This time when he got the ball, he simply drove straight in for a lay-up. She stayed with him the whole way and reached high to block. The ball hit the rim and bounced out. Lisa snagged the rebound, shot while airborne…nothing but net.

  And she was up by three in about a minute.

  Derek faced her yet again. No smile graced her lips, no triumph gleamed in her laser gaze. That came after the buzzer, or in this case, after she scored basket number twenty-one. Right now, she was an athlete one hundred percent committed to the end result—and even more impressive now than she’d been in high school.

  He had to think about his strategy. He was good, but she was better. If only he could come up with a way to throw her off her game.

  “Quit stalling,” she ordered. “I want more candy.”

  “Don’t get greedy.”

  Her trash talk motivated him to score a quick two points to keep him in the running. Lisa rebounded with four in a row. As he fought for his next point, she played heavy physical defense to keep him away from the basket. From one instant to the next, he went from concentrating on the game to being aware of the soft steel of her toned body battling to keep him out of scoring position.

  A blast of sexual awareness slammed his senses along with her warm, sweet scent. He was lucky to make the shot and had to take a couple deep focusing breaths when they faced off, Derek on defense this time. She started forward, and he doubled his efforts to keep her from increasing her lead. Arms spread wide, hips balanced above his bent knees, he shadowed her moves.

  Never in his life had he thought of basketball as an erotic sport—especially since he usually played with guys. And the couple times he’d been trounced by Lisa in high school he’d concentrated on his defense instead of her assets. But now, every brush and bump between them heightened his awareness.

  Their tennis shoes emitted ear-piercing squeaks on the gym floor, in sharp contrast to their labored breathing as the game heated up. He caught up at sixteen, then she went up by two.

  Three.

  Four.

  One more and he was toast. After he made up a point and she had the ball again, Derek vowed to do whatever necessary to keep her from the win. He crowded closer in his defense. Breathed down her neck. Using chest and hips, he checked her at every turn, not above letting his palm slide across her tight rear when he reached around to strip the ball from her hands.

  She fumbled, and he snagged the ball. He bent low in the dribble, taking a moment to catch his breath. It was gratifying to see her equally winded. Hands braced on her knees, she eyed him with suspicion. Probably wondering if the graze of his hand had been deliberate or just part of the game.

  It was both, starting now. When it came to the new tires and her safety, he wasn’t above playing dirty.

  “I’m impressed,” she huffed between breaths. “Considering Santa beat you earlier.”

  Derek concentrated on his dribble, yet held her gaze. “I was distracted.”

  “By what?”

  “You.”

  She scoffed. “You didn’t even know I was here.”

  “I know.”

  Her gaze flitted to the side. He seized the opportunity to drive past for a successful lay-up. Catching the ball on the bounce, he passed it to her and faced her on defense. Determination sharpened her features and tightened her jaw. But he knew he could not allow her to score the winning point.

  Play commenced fast, furious and downright sassy. Squeaks and grunts permeated the air. Derek prevailed over her next two attempts, tied the score, and went up by one. Victory danced within his grasp.

  He’d play defense with her any day. Gave him the chance to bump and grind when she tried to back her way closer to the basket. Lisa pushed hard against his hip block with a loud growl of frustration.

  Derek sucked in an aroused breath, and ground back. She gasped. He knocked the ball from her hands and they both lunged for possession.

  Chapter Six

  Faced with Derek’s confidant stance, Lisa prepared her defense. Not that there was much to prepare. His game may be dirty, but it was simple. Yes, he’d turned her on, but he also worked himself into quite the state of arousal in the process.

  He didn’t seem to care if she noticed, so she had no qualms about using it against him. She didn’t move when he tried to get past, countering his shoulder bump with her chest. His indrawn breath told her he felt the brush of her breasts on his arm. Good. When he pivoted his back to her, she splayed her fingers on his muscled thigh, flexed, and leaned full against him while reaching for the ball with her free hand.

  It almost worked. She came within an inch of her goal before he spun left and got off a clean jump shot from beyond the three-point line.

  Whoosh. Game over.

  Derek gave a triumphant shout, both arms raised over his head.

  Lisa went to retrieve the ball unable to believe she’d lost. Even harder to believe was how much fun she’d had in the process. She didn’t even feel bad about the tires, because it’d been his suggestion and she knew she’d put her heart into the game. Losing wasn’t so bad when she won at the same time.

  She faced him on the court. Sweat glistened on his brow, damp locks of hair clung to his forehead. His shirt was equally damp, but she knew first hand that up close, underneath the heated odor of exertion, lingered a hint of the spicy scent her senses had endured at the wedding. A crooked smile added to his overall sexiness, and she fought the insane urge to jump him right there.

  “Looks like you got some tires,” he said.

  “Looks like.” She spun and walked away. No sense lett
ing him get too cocky. “I’m hitting the shower.”

  He stalked her across the court and into the men’s locker room. Despite trying to ignore him, she was hyper-aware of every step he took. After swiping up her jeans and sweater from the bench, she turned to retreat to the women’s locker room. Derek blocked her path, his brown eyes as fiery as the heat emanating from his body. Her heart banged against her ribs.

  “You got a towel I can use?” she asked.

  He crowded close, leaning to dig a hand into his duffle bag. When he straightened, he offered the towel without giving an inch. “I only have one—we’ll have to share.”

  His gruff implication conjured up all kinds of delicious, naughty images. Ones she wasn’t sure she was ready for just yet. Physically? Hell yes. Emotionally? Well, she was getting there.

  She fisted the towel in her hand and pushed him against the lockers. His shoulder blades hit with a metallic bang. Gazes locked, Lisa eased past. He leaned his head forward, a combination of invitation and intent. His scent filled her nostrils, and she fought the urge to surrender.

  Bumping his chest with the towel to hold him in place, she said, “I’ll bring it back when I’m done,” and made her escape.

  His combination groan and chuckle bounced off the lockers. “Keep it,” he called as the door swung shut behind her.

  Lisa didn’t linger under the hot spray longer than it took to rinse off because she planned to take a real shower when she got home. Not to mention, imagining Derek on the other side of the concrete wall soaping up all those hard muscles was pure torture.

  Dressed again, she waited outside the men’s locker room, her back to the wall. Derek exited the locker room, duffle slung over one shoulder, brown leather jacket on but unzipped.

  “Hey,” he said.

  She handed him the damp towel, his borrowed shorts and t-shirt rolled up inside, and he stuffed them into his bag. With a deep breath for courage, she wet her lips and stepped forward. She was still turned-on from the game, and now it was payback time. Grasping the edges of his open jacket, she used the leverage to bring his mouth down on hers.

  His duffle thudded to the ground. Derek wrapped his arms around her and thrust his tongue inside her mouth. She welcomed the instant passion and edge of roughness in his kiss. Her palms flattened against his broad chest, then slid up so she could tangle her fingers in his shower-damp hair. The rest of her greedily pressed against his length.

  When he pinned her up against the wall and nudged his knee between her legs, she didn’t hesitate to open for him. His renewed arousal pressed hard against her thigh, and an answering throb of desire pulsed through her body.

  He reached with one hand to brush clinging tendrils of her ponytail away from her neck. He tore his mouth from hers, and she tilted her head. A gasp burst from her lips when a brief, sharp pain bit into the skin above her collarbone. Heat spiraled to her core with the realization that he’d bitten her. She fisted her hand in his hair and pulled.

  He resisted. “You had that coming.”

  “I’m not complaining, so long as you don’t suddenly grow a set of fangs.”

  He chuckled, then growled against her throat while gently sucking where he’d bared his teeth. Reaching beneath his untucked shirt, she ran her palms along his torso. Material bunched as she explored his abs and moved up, then back down. Her low murmur of appreciation vibrated against his lips on her throat.

  “God, it’s crazy how much I want you,” he said.

  She wiggled her fingers down inside the right front pocket of his jeans.

  “Lisa,” he rasped. “We can’t do this here.”

  “I’m looking for your keys.”

  She rubbed one finger against the steel bulge behind his zipper. Another groan rumbled in his chest. “That is not my keys.”

  She eased her hand free. “Mmm. Too bad.”

  “Try the other side.”

  Lisa laughed and went for his coat pockets instead. Score. Keys clutched in one hand, she directed his mouth back to hers with the other. She was breathless in minutes and leaned her head back against the wall when he discovered that kissing behind her ear made her shiver. Cool air registered against her bare stomach a second before his warm palm slid up over her ribcage.

  She grabbed his wrist. Her nipples ached in anticipation of his touch, and she relaxed her grip.

  No. She’d started this second game with an end goal in mind, even if he’d almost made her forget. Even if she wanted to forget. Easing his hand out from under her shirt, she whispered, “You available tonight?”

  “Yes. Anytime and anywhere you want me.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “Barely a half-mile away.”

  “In that case, I want you in your garage. Tonight.”

  “Sounds interesting, but I have a king bed in my room.”

  He leaned in for another kiss. Lisa laid a staying finger on his lips and gazed into his dark eyes. “Equally as interesting. But you can’t change the alternator and muffler on my car in your bedroom.”

  She practically heard the click in his mind. That’s right—Chad had blabbed when she called to find out what he’d done with her car. Derek’s nostrils flared and his mouth thinned. He pushed away from the wall. Away from her. She fought a twinge of guilt and a huge cry of protest from her over-stimulated senses.

  With a quick jerk, he bent for his duffle before holding out his hand. “Keys.”

  She stuck her hands behind her back and shook her head. He stepped forward, his expression as tight and grim as his demand. Despite his anger over having been played, she was pretty sure she hadn’t misjudged a man who’d revealed he still cherished his mother’s memory.

  “Until my car is fixed, I have no way to get around,” she pointed out. “You live within walking distance of work; I still have to find a job.” And raise money for Mark’s resort, but she kept that detail to herself.

  “How’d you get here?”

  “My mom dropped me off.”

  Derek came closer still, until his lean length pressed her against the wall. The contact was like a shot of gasoline on her cooling passion.

  “You absolutely sure about what you’re doing here?” he whispered.

  “Of course.” Too bad the words didn’t sound as confident out loud as they did in her head.

  “Consider this your fair warning, then. This little game you’re playing here is only going to end one way.” His breath caressed her lips a second before his mouth took hers.

  A long moment after her defenses crumbled and she kissed him back, he lifted his head to draw an unsteady breath. And yet, cocky confidence lined his smile.

  “Yeah. You can bet the bank I’m winning this one.”

  ****

  Lisa parked Derek’s truck by the residence wing of Whispering Pines Lodge and sat for a moment. Her second interview in Green Bay for the City Hall job hadn’t gone well at all, so she’d spent the rest of the afternoon securing donations for the fundraiser. With a lot of dogged determination, she’d done moderately okay in the city.

  Still, no matter how busy she kept herself, nothing kept Derek’s declaration from replaying in her mind all day long. “You can bet the bank I’m winning this one.” If she’d realized exactly where that kiss would lead, she never would’ve made the move.

  Well…yeah, she would’ve—with a different approach. Something to keep them on even ground, because now she wondered, did he like her, or would she be nothing more than a challenge to win?

  The realization that she wanted to be so much more to him than a challenge made her want to run back to Indiana. After he’d gotten a taste of winning with the pies and basketball game, she’d never seen him so sure of himself. His confidence was a turn on by itself. One more kiss, and she was afraid she’d fail any attempt at defense in a matter of seconds, no matter the cost.

  But when he won the game, where would that leave her now that she saw the man he’d become?

  She blew out a cleans
ing breath and reached for the two bottles of wine on the passenger seat. Forget Derek for now. The next few hours were hers to unwind with her brother and new sister-in-law, and maybe pitch some future fundraising ideas over dinner and a glass of wine…or five. After all, Mark had invited her to stay at the lodge if she wanted, and it was snowing. Again.

  Her knock at their private entrance triggered barking on the other side of the door. While she waited for someone to answer, her glance traveled across the full parking lot and massive entrance to the fieldstone and log structure.

  The snow-covered walkway glistened like a million diamonds had been spilled under the old-fashioned, post-mounted carriage lanterns. Christmas lights twinkled on the roofline and porch railings. The place looked like a Thomas Kinkade painting come to life, complete with the sounds of laughter from the families mingling about the grounds and the porch.

  The sound of the door opening brought Lisa back around with a smile. Derek’s large frame filling the doorway shocked her tired senses. Janelle’s two dogs, Duke and Daisy, crowded around her legs, whining for attention. Lisa’s gaze never left Derek’s.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Nice to see you, too.” He stood aside with a grin that increased his appeal ten-fold. It also drew attention to his mouth. Which reminded her of the last time she’d seen him. In the gym. With his hard body pressing hers against the wall. Awareness sizzled through her like an egg dropped into a hot frying pan.

  Oh, God, there goes my relaxation.

  “I didn’t know you’d be here, that’s all.” A quick glance located mistletoe on the archway two steps ahead, so she slipped to the side, trying not to trip on the dogs. Derek’s footsteps echoed behind her, and his hands settled on her shoulders. She caught her breath when he leaned close, his lips against her ear.

  “My family, too, remember?” He brushed past, relieving her of the wine bottles on the way. When Mark materialized from the kitchen, Derek spun to face her but kept walking backward.

  Chicken, he mouthed. His laughing gaze flicked up to the mistletoe behind her.