Kendra gestured to his body. “I just imagine a PI as a chain-smoking middle-aged guy in a trench coat.”
CJ chuckled. “I don’t know if that was ever true, and if it was, that would have been back in the Forties. What about you, though? How did you end up becoming the Roving Champion?”
“Oh. It’s nothing special.” Kendra smiled. “I’ve always loved sports and athletics. I’ve dabbled in tons, even if my most recent love is climbing and OCR. There’s just something about pushing your body to the limit. It’s not really about the competition for me.” She let out a contented sigh. “It’s about having some goal and working toward it. I think that’s part of what I love about the OCR scene. There are definitely people who are competitive, not nearly as much as in climbing, but at the end of the day, it’s more about you versus the course than anything.”
“I can understand that.”
“I started in college studying kinesiology,” Kendra continued. “I wasn’t on any of the actual teams because I was too much of a dabbler, and I always wanted to do my own thing, but then I got the idea of doing some videos of me doing my athletics from a guy I met, Graham. He had some experience with that kind of thing, and he kind of helped launch my career.”
“Graham?” She watched as CJ’s smile disappeared. His neck and shoulders tensed. “That makes sense.”
“We’re not like that.” Kendra waved her hands in front of her face. “I mea, he’s my best friend, but he’s not my boyfriend. He has a boyfriend, actually. So that’s why… that and he’s not my type, though the first part is more important.” She looked to the side, trying to hide her embarrassment.
“Oh.” CJ relaxed, and his smile returned.
Kendra didn’t mind a little jealousy from the man. They might be on their first date, but he showed he cared enough to want to fight for her. Sometimes she might find that annoying, but the last thing she wanted from CJ was apathy.
“You started your videos and the rest is history?” CJ asked.
“Basically.” Kendra shook her head in disbelief. “It kind of just blew up. I never thought anyone would care to watch me climb or do obstacles or silly physical challenges, but my channel grew. A hundred followers. A thousand, a hundred thousand. The next thing I knew I was getting major ad share revenue and sponsors were showing up. They wanted me to wear their gear and clothes in my videos, and I could make a living as an athlete on my own terms. I dropped out of college. My parents weren’t happy at first, but after doing it for a couple of years they were proud of me. Kendra’s Challenge became The Roving Champion, and here I am.”
“That’s very impressive,” CJ said. “It sounds like you’re getting to live your dream.”
“Yeah, I am. What about you? Was being a PI like your dream? Did you sit there as a little boy and watch PI movies?”
“I was raised in a… strict environment,” CJ said, sounding uneasy. “Abusive, I guess some people might call it. I didn’t watch a lot of movies.”
Kendra offered him an apologetic smile. She had such a great relationship with her parents and family that she always felt blessed while also pitying people who didn’t experience the same.
CJ shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, but my childhood wasn’t as happy as some. Forgive me if I don’t want to talk about it.”
“No, I understand.” Kendra reached across the table to pat his hand. She smiled when he took hers, enjoying the warmth. “But now that you’re away from them, you must have some sort of dream, right?”
CJ shook his head. “Honestly? Not really.”
Kendra sighed. “That’s kind of a bummer.”
“I don’t think that way.” CJ’s smile brightened. “Right now, I’m enjoying every day with my brothers.”
“Your brothers? You come from a big family?”
“No, they’re not my brothers in that sense. We’re just so close, we’re like a family.” CJ looked to the side before turning back toward Kendra. “We’ve gone through a lot together. I trust them with my life.”
“Wow.” Kendra’s eyes widened. “I love Graham like a brother, but if it came down to my life I think I’d rather call the cops.”
CJ laughed. “Fair enough. We’re all big guys with jobs like mine. We’re used to things getting rough, but the point is I’ve got good people backing me, and I’m one of those guys who just goes with the flow.” He took another bite of his burrito. “I’m hoping it’ll all work out. I can’t control the universe, so why worry about dreams? It’s not that I think they’re stupid or pointless. It’s more like that I’m living my dream every day because I’m free from people who’d control and hurt me.”
“That’s a great attitude. I wish I could be more like that, but I get in my head too easily.” Kendra sat back, trying not to be distracted by the hunk across from her. The serious turn in the conversation helped, though she did wonder what he’d taste like. She shook her head.
“Problem?” CJ asked.
“No, no. It’s just me being shallow. I can’t even believe I’m thinking some of the things I’m thinking after you laid all that on me.”
“Thinking what?” CJ asked, his voice low and enticing. “You can tell me.”
“I-I can’t.” Kendra’s bottom lip quivered.
She couldn’t take CJ looking at her like that. Her insides fluttered, and heat pulsed through her. This went well beyond undressing her with his eyes. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one thinking inappropriate thoughts in the middle of the serious conversation.
CJ returned to his food, his eyes never leaving her as he nibbled off a small piece.
His nostrils flared, and
