Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2

“Look, I’m sorry,” Jake said sincerely. “I could tell I frightened you back at the bistro and I just wanted to apologize.”

Her expression was still wary, but softening. Her shoulders even looked like they were unclenching a bit.

“I was…uh…I was in a lot of physical pain.” That’s true at least. “And I think that physical pain got lost in translation,” he admitted. He ran a hand over his jaw. “When I saw your expression, I realized I probably looked crazy.”

She chuckled softly. Definite progress. He tried to grin back, but Jake had never been much of a smiler. Hopefully that wouldn’t count against him and his half-grin would suffice.

“Well, a little crazy,” she confessed. Those sexy dimples popped out again. “At first I thought you were…you know…special.”

“Special?”

“Like Rainman.”

“Shit.”

She laughed. Jesus, she had the best laugh.

“And then when you started mumbling to yourself, I admit I thought that you might be…uh…”

“Eleven eggs short of a dozen?”

“Yeah,” she chuckled, her green eyes amused. “Something like that.”

He found the situation amusing too, but he still didn’t want her to think of him like that. It wasn’t the world’s best position for asking a lady out. “I’m Jake,” he said. He gave her a sheepish look. “AKA ‘Simple Simon’.”

She laughed again, a warm, welcoming sound that made her seem impossibly more beautiful to him than she already did. Now if he could manage not to fuck things up again they might make progress of the dating kind.

“I’m Robyn,” she said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you. I’d shake your hand, but, uh…”

Jake’s eyes darted down to the bag and two boxes in her hands. “Let me help you with that,” he offered. “I mean—if you’re okay with that.”

She started to say something—but just then a big Italian dude came flying out the door of the building Robyn had tried to get into before Jake had stopped her. The guy had a baseball bat in his hand and a lot of attitude written across his face.

This had to be Nicky. Jake’s jaw tightened. Definitely not a woman.

“Yo! Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck are you messing with my little sis—”

Robyn was his sister. Just his sister!

“Yo, Jake Chamberlin! Pisan!” The baseball bat was quickly tossed aside. Nicky pounded Jake on the back, smiling from ear to ear. Jake shook his hand and nodded back.

Robyn’s eyes widened. “You know him, Nicky?”

“What? You don’t?” Nicky sighed like a martyr. He looked at Jake. “My sister…she don’t watch sports, bro.”

Jake had figured that out long ago. Most women would have been thrilled to find themselves sitting next to Jake Chamberlin back at the bistro. Robyn had been anything but thrilled. Not only had she failed to recognize him, she’d thought he was batshit crazy.

“Yeah,” Jake muttered. “I had that feeling.”

“Robyn, this is Jake-fuckin-Chamberlin!” Nicky went on. “The quarterback of the New York Bloods!”

“Former quarterback,” Jake cut in. “I retired after the Super Bowl.”

“The Super Bowl winner! And hometown hero, pisan.”

Once upon a time Jake had enjoyed his status as a sports icon. In this moment, he found himself wishing Nicky hadn’t enlightened her. He wanted Robyn to get to know him—the real him—not the guy who’d taken the New York Bloods to Super Bowl victory.

“Nicky, here,” Robyn said, loading him down with everything in her hands. “Would you put these in my apartment for me? Your cannoli is in one of the boxes and make sure you leave me one of the coffees.”

“But—”

“Dominic—please…?”

He sighed. “All right.” He nodded at Jake. “Good to meet you, bro. Congrats on the ring.”

“Thank you,” Jake said. He gave Nicky a firm pat on the back. “Good to meet you too.”

Robyn watched her brother disappear into the building before turning to face Jake. “I’m sorry about my brother. He lives and breathes sports.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “I’ve never seen him make all over another man like that. It was creeping me out, to tell you the truth.”

Jake chuckled. Jesus, the woman could even make him laugh. “I’m used to it. No biggie.”

A thoughtful look crossed Robyn’s face, as if she were trying to figure out a puzzle. “You looked familiar to me back at Cha Chas and I guess that’s why. I’ve probably seen you on TV or something before.” She shrugged. “Who knows. Anyway, a quarterback, huh? That means you play…uh…don’t tell me…give me a second… Baseball? No! Football! Football, right?”

Jake felt like a deer caught in headlights. He supposed he didn’t have to worry about her wanting to get to know the quarterback rather than the real him. She hadn’t even guessed the right sport the first time. He didn’t know whether to be offended, humored or relieved. He chose the latter two.

“Football,” Jake murmured.

She nodded. “It’s good you retired. Too violent in my opinion.”

“You’re telling me. I sustained three knee injuries during my career.”

Her expression softened. “That explains the pain you were in.”

“Huh?”

“The pain you were in at Cha Chas.”

“Yeahhh,” Jake drawled, thinking quickly. “It was my knee.” My wie-knee but never mind. “Very painful.”

“I’m sorry.” Her smile was sympathetic. “Look,” Robyn said, “I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. It was very sweet of you to come explain yourself. But I’m sure you have other things to do and I need to get to work.”

I just want to be near you. “Yeah, sorry if I made you late to work.”

She waved that away. “I work from home so it’s no inconvenience.” She smiled, the twinkle back in her gorgeous eyes. She held out her hand to shake his. “It was nice to meet you, Jake Chamberlin. I’m Robyn DiMarco. The guy with the baseball bat was my brother, Dominic DiMarco. We call him Nicky.”

So she wasn’t married. And if she had been in the past, she now loathed the guy enough to ditch his last name and take back her original one. Good.

“Robyn DiMarco. A beautiful name for a beautiful lady.” Jake took her hand, but rather than shake it, he held it to his lips for a soft kiss. “The pleasure is all mine.”

She visibly gulped. Was that good or was that bad?

“Yes, well…” She blinked and shook her head a little. “If you’re ever in our neighborhood again…” She grinned, regaining her composure. “I won’t run from you screaming next time.”

Jake smiled. Well, a three-quarter smile. It was a first for him, but then he could barely remember his own name around this woman. “Sounds good.”

Robyn started to walk away. He wanted to go with her in the worst way, but he knew it would be too much too soon.

“Oh!” Robyn said, spinning around to face him. “You said I forgot something at Cha Chas?”

“Yeah, you did,” Jake murmured.

“What was it?”

“My number.”

Chapter Three