7 comments/ 9914 views/ 3 favorites F2: An Extra Ticket By: PennLady FAWC 2: An Extra Ticket (Author's note: This story is a submission to the second Friendly Anonymous Writing Challenge (FAWC). The true author of this story is kept anonymous, but will be revealed on August 16th, 2013, in the comments section following this story. Each story in this challenge is centered around a random determination of four "mystery ingredients." There are no prizes given in this challenge; this is simply a friendly competition.) (The mystery ingredients for this story were sarcasm, food, intellect and sport.) * * * * "What am I doing here?" Jaden Connors grumbled to himself. It was freezing, his friend had apparently stood him up, and he had no ticket to get in. What a god-awful idea this had been. He turned to try to find his way back and stumbled when someone bumped into him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me." A woman decked out in red and white except for the blue of her jeans looked up at him. "I didn't see you there." "Really? I would think I stick out like a sore thumb. I'm the only one that doesn't look like a candy cane." She frowned. "I said I was sorry. No need to be rude." Jaden sighed and dragged a gloved hand over his face. "Look, I'm sorry. This day has just—not at all gone the way it was supposed to." Her frown faded and she smiled, all the way up to her green eyes. "I've had those days. Here, let's step out of the way." Jaden let her take him off the main pathway, slightly away from the rowdy but good-spirited crowd making its way into Toyota Park for the Chicago Fire's game against FC Dallas. Most were dressed in red and white, like the woman in front of him, to support the home team. "So what's the problem?" the woman asked. "I'm Kayla, by the way." "Nice to meet you, Kayla. I'm Jaden Connors. And the problem is that I was supposed to meet someone here and they're not here. I am miles from home, I don't have my car, and I don't have a ticket. So I suppose I will get a cab, if they come all the way the hell out here." "You could get a ticket," she pointed out. "I didn't come for the game," he said, impatience getting the better of him. "I came to meet a friend of mine and take advantage of our company's box. If I'd wanted to be out in the cold I could have done that for free and closer to home." Instead of walking away, which Jaden thought any other woman would have done when faced with his attitude, Kayla laughed. "You sure are having a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day, aren't you?" "Pardon?" She waved it off. "Never mind. Kids' book. Tell you what, Jaden, I can help you." "You can?" He was skeptical. He didn't particularly need help; after all, he was perfectly capable of calling a cab. "I can. I can tell you where to go," here she paused for effect, "to get a cab. Or . . . ." Jaden fought a smile. "Or?" "Or," she continued, "I can get you a ticket. If you go to the game, you won't have come all this way for nothing. What do you say?" "I say, 'Point me to a cab.'" "No, no." She shook her head and the brown curly hair under her red-and-white hat swayed back and forth. "You say, 'Hey, that sounds like fun. Let's go.'" Jaden narrowed his eyes. "Why would I say that? I don't like soccer and I don't like the cold." "What do you like, then?" "Being warm." * * * * Kayla grinned. She couldn't help herself. Somewhere, underneath the grumbling exterior, she was sure there was a nice guy who would be fun if he loosened up. "You don't have to stay cold, you know," she told him. "You can get coffee, hot chocolate, or the choice of most people, beer." She studied him for a moment. He had dark hair to match his eyes. "Wearing a hat would help, too." "Why are you trying to convince me to go to the game?" "You came all the way out here and you look like you could use some fun. Besides, I have an extra ticket and you might as well use it." "Why didn't you say that in the first place?" "It was more fun to convince you." She laughed. "So, do you want the ticket or not? You have anything better to do?" she asked before he could refuse. Jaden pondered the question and laughed himself. "No, I don't. All right, you win." He shook his head and took the ticket she held out to him. "You're pretty tenacious. You must be hell on car salesmen." "No, that's my mom. I'm just in training." They went into the stadium and while Jaden was tentative at first, he asked a few questions about the team and the game, then in the second half moved on to strategy. Kayla was amazed at how quickly he grasped the concepts. She'd played and watched soccer for years and didn't think she understood it as well as Jaden did after one game. When it was over, the score was three to one in favor of the Fire, and Kayla stood and cheered with the rest of the crowd. Jaden stood and clapped, and she thought he might even have enjoyed himself. She nudged him. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" "It was okay." When she gave him a look, he raised his hands in mock surrender. "All right, all right. You win." He grinned. "That was a hell of a lot of fun." "Hungry?" she asked as they made their way out. "Does it matter?" He gave her a wry look. "Won't you just try to convince me to eat something if I say no?" "Probably. So, let's just skip all that and go to a little diner I know with the best pierogies in town." "There's no such thing as a good pierogie, let alone a best one." "Blasphemy!" She smacked his arm. "Come with me." An hour later, Jaden conceded defeat once more. "I have to learn not to argue with you. Those were indeed excellent pierogies." "I am pretty stubborn. My mom used to say I'd argue with the Pope." "And no doubt, you'd win." Kayla shrugged. "Well, it might be a draw. I hear the Pope is a smart guy." Jaden shook his head and smiled. "I'm curious, what do you do when you aren't browbeating people into attending soccer games and eating these potato pockets?" "You say that like it's a bad thing," Kayla teased. "But if you must know, I work for the family business." "You're in the mob?" She laughed; Jaden had a pretty good sense of humor now that he'd relaxed. "No, nothing so exciting. My family owns Nowak Heating and Air Conditioning. My grandfather started it, now my dad runs it but Gramps keeps his hand in." "You crawl around in air ducts?" "No, not my style and too dusty." She shook her head. "I handle the scheduling, help with the billing, things like that. What do you do?" "Biomedical stuff at Abbott Labs. I'm a researcher." "Wow. Way beyond me. Suffice to say biology wasn't my favorite subject." She made a face. "I almost threw up when we had to dissect frogs." "I don't deal with frogs," he assured her. "It's all computers and microscopes and white walls." "No wonder you needed to get out and do something. That would drive me crazy." Kayla glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, I'd better get home." They paid the check and stepped outside, huddling into their jackets against the biting wind. "How far away are you?" Jaden asked. "Want to split a cab?" "No, I'll just take the El." She nudged him with an elbow. "I do want to say thanks, though. I had a fun day, thanks for going along with it." "Surprisingly, I had fun, too." They stopped at an El station entrance. Jaden held his hand out. "It was nice to meet you, Kayla Nowak. Maybe we can meet up again sometime?" "Likewise, Jaden Connors, and I'd like that very much." She pulled a business card and a pen out of her purse and wrote on the back of the card. "There's my number and here's something to remember me by until you call." She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him. His lips were cold for a moment and then body heat conquered the winter cold. Kayla hesitated, then touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. He responded to the challenge by wrapping his arms around her and thrusting his tongue against hers. Kayla laughed inwardly as she brought her arms up around his neck, not backing down from the kiss. When they were finished, Jaden looked down at her, his dark eyes glinting. "You're a piece of work, Kayla. But so am I." * * * * "Tell me more!" Theresa Jablonski, the other receptionist at Nowak Heating, leaned over her desk. "Did you go home with him?" "No!" Kayla scolded. Never mind that she had thought about doing just that. She'd almost suggested it after that kiss, but had made herself take a step back. "Come on, I don't do that!" "But you said he's cute, and smart! God, a doctor!" "Not that kind of a doctor," Kayla reminded her. Jaden had handed her his own business card and she'd looked at it on the train home. When she saw the "Ph.D." after his name, she'd been a little awed. Maybe she should toss the number, she thought. She didn't consider herself dumb by any means, but the business degree she'd worked for didn't compete with a doctorate. "But—wait." Theresa picked up the phone. "Nowak Heating, this is Theresa, how can I help you?" Kayla busied herself with checking the daily schedule, seeing if anything needed to be canceled or rescheduled. They were in a slower period, which was good. The cold snaps in December and January and the heat waves in the summers kept their technicians on the go constantly, but as spring approached and the weather warmed, the pace slowed a little. Her mind wandered back to Jaden. She wanted to see him again, but could she hold his interest? Soccer and pierogies were fun, but not much to build on if there wasn't anything else. "Hey, Kayla!" A loud voice ripped her from her thoughts and she winced. She took a breath. "Hi, Mickey." "What's on tap for today, babe?" "Don't call me 'babe.' I'm printing out the schedule now." If Mickey wasn't her father's best friend's son, she'd have let him have it long ago. Ever since he'd been moved up to a supervisory position, he thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. He also seemed to think it entitled him to Kayla. He'd started calling her things like "baby" and "sweetheart," which she didn't like on several levels, not least because it was unprofessional. Kayla had told him flat out to stop, but he hadn't. He seemed to think she'd "come around" and she didn't appreciate it. When he'd tried to kiss her, she'd slapped him but he looked bemused instead of offended. She'd told her father about Mickey's treatment, but he hadn't acted as she'd hoped. "He's my friend's son," her father had said. "He's a good boy, Kayla. Just ignore him and he'll move on." Well, he hadn't moved on and Kayla was sick of it. "Here, Mickey." She held out the papers but kept her eyes on her monitor, hoping he'd take the hint. "Thanks, babe." "Don't call me that," Kayla said through gritted teeth. As though he hadn't heard her, he went on. "I'll pick you up for lunch, okay? See you later." "I have plans," she replied, but he was on his way out and didn't hear her. "You have lunch plans?" Theresa asked in surprise. Kayla tended to eat quickly in the break room. "I will." Kayla pulled out Jaden's card and punched in the numbers. * * * * Jaden flipped Kayla's card over his fingers, wondering if he should call or wait a while. He had a break, so the timing was good for him, but it might not be for her. "Hey, Jaden, did you get the trial results back?" His coworker, Mark Callahan, poked his head in the door. Mark's blond hair, which was untamed at the best of times, looked especially so today. Jaden wondered how it could defy gravity like that. "No, not yet. I wasn't expecting it until this afternoon, or maybe tomorrow. Any problems?" "Don't think so. Just checking." Mark nodded and made to leave but Jaden called him back. "Hey, Mark, what happened on Saturday?" "What?" "Saturday. The soccer game. We were supposed to meet and go to the box and all?" "Oh, wow." Mark smacked his forehead. "I am really sorry, man. My mom called last minute the night before because my dad was sick and I couldn't get in touch with you." "Couldn't get in touch?" Jaden gave him a baleful look. "Right, because it's not like we have these nifty little phones that let you call people from just about anywhere. Not like you can write a text message or anything." "Hey," Mark said defensively, "I said I was sorry. Truth is, I took my phone with me and the battery ran out and I actually don't know your phone number. That's why it's stored, so I don't have to remember it. You probably don't know mine, either." "Yeah, true. Okay, sorry. Didn't mean to take it out on you. How's your dad?" Mark came in and sat on Jaden's extra chair. "He's okay, thanks. Needs rest, mostly. So, what did you do?" "Believe it or not, I met this woman who had an extra ticket and I went to the game." "Really? Damn. How come that never happens to me?" "Because you're married." "Ah, right." Mark nodded and popped up out of the chair. "So what next? Are you going to see her again?" "I have her number." Jaden held up the card. "I'm thinking I might call her. We had fun." "Ha!" Mark was triumphant. "I told you it would be a good idea to go to the game!" He left before Jaden could reply. Jaden stared after his friend for a moment, then studied the card again. The game had been a good idea, if only because he'd met Kayla. Who was he to stand in the way of a good idea? * * * * "Hello, this is Jaden Connors." Kayla was relieved when he answered the phone and savored the sound of his voice for a moment. "Hi, Jaden. This is Kayla." "Hi. Guess you saved me the trouble of wondering whether I should call you." She smiled. "I guess so. I was thinking since I helped you out the other day, maybe you can return the favor." Jaden laughed. "Helped me out?" "Sure. You needed to get out and relax, and I helped." "Is that what happened?" "Never mind," Kayla said. "Listen, I do need to ask you a favor." "Shoot." "Are you free for lunch? Today?" "I don't know. Hold on." She heard tapping and guessed he was looking at an online schedule. "Actually, I am. Were you planning a trip out here?" "Oh, I forgot you worked out there." Kayla was disappointed; Abbott Labs was outside the city and not terribly conducive to spur-of-the-moment lunch dates. She should have realized. "Never mind." "Is something wrong?" Jaden sounded concerned. "No, I'm just trying to avoid someone." She sighed. "It's okay, I'll just make myself scarce." "Why did you call me? To see me or to avoid someone else?" He didn't sound angry, but genuinely curious. "Can't it be both?" He laughed. "I suppose. Tell you what, you're in luck. I am free for lunch, I need to run some errands anyway, and it should all work out." "I can meet you halfway," she offered. They worked out a place and time to meet and Kayla hung up, relieved. "I guess you have plans," Theresa said. "And not with Mickey." "I can't stand him," Kayla grumbled. She took a deep breath. "Yes, I do." "With the doctor?" "Yes." "Okay. Remember: if he has a brother, I want to know." * * * * "At last, the damsel in distress." Jaden grinned as Kayla stepped out of a cab and hurried over. He held his arms out. "Your knight in shining armor is here." "Where?" Kayla craned her neck and looked around him. "Very funny. I'm not the one who called up begging for help." "I wasn't begging." Kayla strode past him as he held the door to the restaurant open. "I was asking with urgency." Once they were seated and had placed their orders, Jaden leaned back in his chair. "I can't imagine what sent the intrepid Kayla running for cover. Tell me. I'm dying of curiosity." She glared at him and fiddled with her napkin. Jaden knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help enjoying her discomfort. She'd been so forward the other day, so fearless, that the idea of her hiding from someone made no sense. Kayla huffed out a breath and tugged at the ends of her hair. "There's this guy at work and he's got a thing for me. So today after he pulled his usual Neanderthal act, he informed me we were going to lunch. I decided I had other plans." "You decided I had other plans as well, hmm?" He raised an eyebrow. "I did ask first," she pointed out, "and I said you didn't have to come." Jaden nodded in acknowledgement of her point and the conversation halted as the server brought their food. Jaden grinned when he saw Kayla's pierogies. They remained quiet as they ate and Jaden turned over Kayla's words for a few minutes. He didn't like them. "Who is this guy that bothers you at work? And can't you tell the boss? Wait—you said you worked for your family, right?" "His name is Mickey Dalton," Kayla said. "He's my dad's friend's son and yes, I have told my dad. My dad is a good guy, but he's got the 'boys will be boys' attitude. He doesn't think it's any big deal, that it's just the way Mickey is and he doesn't mean any harm." "What do you think?" "I think Mickey is a jerk. He thinks that since my dad owns the company, and our dads are friends, that gives him some kind of claim on me." Jaden didn't like that idea any more than Kayla did. "Want me to come down and have a talk with him?" Kayla stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth and gaped at him. Then she put the fork down and laughed herself silly. "Oh my God," she said when she could breathe again. "I don't know whether you're being sweet, serious, or crazy." She wiped at her eyes. "Either way, I appreciate the offer." He grinned. "Maybe I was being all three." "I'll be fine." She waved it away. "I've been thinking of getting another job anyway. I love working with family, though, and Mickey's more hot air than anything." Jaden frowned. "Problem with that is sometimes guys like that are more than hot air." "I'll be okay," she repeated. "If he gets out of hand I'll get out and tell my dad, and he'll handle it." "Hmmm." Jaden let it go. The rest of the lunch was more enjoyable than he'd expected. Kayla was fun to talk to and made him laugh. She was a welcome change from the white-walled lab he spent so much time in. As he had been at the soccer game, he was glad she'd talked him into coming. "Thanks, Jaden," she said as they walked out. "I appreciate your meeting me, and I had a lot of fun." "Me, too. Come on, let's get a cab and get you back to work." He hailed a taxi and held the door for her, pleased when she smiled at him in thanks. When they arrived at the office, he stepped out with her. "I always walk a lady to the door," he said against her protests. She shrugged and walked in. The office was set up to be warm and comfortable. There was pale wood paneling on the walls on which hung a few pictures of the Chicago skyline. A couch and two chairs covered in light blue fabric were arranged around a coffee table. Against the far wall was an empty desk Jaden assumed was Kayla's, and a pretty blond woman sat at another one near the door. "Hi, Kayla," the blonde said. She looked at Jaden and grinned, then glanced back at Kayla. "So this is the doctor, I see." "No, I'm not a doctor. I mean—" Kayla interrupted. "We know." She smiled at him. "I saw the Ph.D. on your card; that's pretty impressive." "Thanks." "Hey, Theresa, where's the¬—" A man that Jaden knew had to be Mickey Dalton came out of a back hallway. Mickey had short hair, a square jaw and a five o'clock shadow. Jaden judged the other man to be a little shorter than his own six feet, with a stocky build and broad shoulders. He didn't look pleased. "Hey, Kayla, I thought we were going to lunch." Mickey glanced from Kayla to Jaden. "No, we weren't," she said firmly and turned to the woman at the desk. "Theresa, this is Jaden Connors. Jaden, this is Theresa Jablonski, our receptionist." "Nice to meet you," Theresa said. F2: An Extra Ticket "I'm Mickey Dalton," Mickey cut in. "Kayla mentioned you." Jaden nodded and noted that the other man didn't offer to shake hands; neither did he. "She didn't mention you," Mickey shot back. "She did to me," said Theresa. "Here's the work order, Mickey." She held out a piece of paper that Mickey took without looking. "Well, I have to go. Thanks for lunch, Kayla." Jaden leaned down and kissed her. "I'll call you later." He nodded to the others. "Good-bye, Theresa, Mickey." Mickey's face got dark and he stalked out of the room. Theresa murmured a good-bye, glancing at Kayla and then down at her desk, not bothering to hide a smile. Jaden walked towards the door, taking one of Kayla's hands in his so that she'd follow. "What was that for?" she asked. "What? I can't kiss you? You kissed me first," he told her, pleased when she laughed. "Anyway, it was because I wanted to, like I want to call you later and see you again." "I'd like that." Jaden was still smiling as he walked outside to hail a cab. * * * * The following Sunday, Jaden pointedly refused the Chicago Fire knit hat Kayla held out to him. "Oh, come on," she said. "It will keep you warm and show some home team support." "I'd look ridiculous." He kept his hands in his pockets. "So what? So does everyone else." "You'll be warm." "I'm fine." Kayla gave him a coy look and took a chance. "I'll think it's sexy." He raised an eyebrow. "You will?" "Sure." "All right." He held out his hand for the hat and put it on. "There, how's that?" "Rrrowr." "Oh, please." She grinned and took his hand as they walked to their seats for another Fire game, this time against the New York/New Jersey Red Bulls. Kayla was glad that Jaden was willing to come; she and her brother had season tickets, but he hadn't been able to come and so she'd asked Jaden. He'd agreed after a token argument, and she suspected that was more for her benefit than anything. Still, she preferred his company to anyone else she might have asked, and he did look cute in the hat. "How are things at work?" Jaden asked. "Mickey leaving you alone?" "He's no worse than usual." She shrugged and looked away, pretending interest in the player warm-ups. "He just has a thick skull. I'll get through eventually, even if it's with a baseball bat." "You sure?" Jaden turned to look at her. "Don't play that down. He didn't look too happy when I was in your office." Mickey hadn't been happy—at all—with that. He'd stomped around in a fury for the rest of the day, to the point where everyone else had gone out of their way to avoid him. All the while, whenever he'd had to come to the front office, he'd thrown dark, angry looks at Kayla. Possessive looks, she'd thought, and they made her nervous. "It'll be okay," she said, hoping she sounded convincing. "I can handle myself." "I have no doubt." She was relieved when he let the subject drop. In truth, Mickey had done more than just stomp around. He'd cornered her when Theresa was out to lunch one day and told her in no uncertain terms that no brainiac in a suit would ever want her, and that she'd do well to look to her own, specifically him. Between her anger and her fear, she'd snapped and told him to go fuck himself. He'd sneered and walked away. The worst part wasn't that he'd actually scared her, it was his comment about Jaden being smart and not wanting her. She put it out of her head, determined to enjoy the game, and Jaden. He was more interested in the game this time, she noticed. He'd been curious last time but now he was watching intently. "Guess you're an official fan now, hmm?" she said at halftime. "What do you mean?" "You've been staring at the field like you're studying for a test. Usually it's only the die-hard fans who look that intense." "I read up on soccer last week," he said. "I'm just trying to match what I read with what's going on. Seeing if the application matches the theory." "Oh." She nodded, not sure she understood exactly what he meant. He gave a self-deprecating smile. "Sorry. I don't like not knowing things, so when I get onto something new, I have to learn about it. I did the same thing in school when a friend of mine got into movie animation. I read a bunch of stuff. This time it was soccer, and I have to admit, it was fun. I don't usually read about sports." No, she thought, he probably read about economics and science, which Kayla had only a basic understanding of. She knew she wasn't stupid, but she wondered if she seemed so compared to someone like Jaden. After the game, Jaden took her hand as they walked out. "I also read up on pierogies and restaurants. Are you game to try a new place?" "Jaden, I eat things besides pierogies." "I haven't seen you eat anything else." "You're just not around me often enough." "Maybe we should change that." Kayla raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we should." They ate at the restaurant Jaden had found, and Kayla's pierogies were delicious, as was Jaden's chicken marsala. While they relaxed with some coffee, Jaden caught her eyes. "I wouldn't mind being around you a little more. Want to come back to my place?" Kayla met his gaze. "Yes." * * * * Jaden's apartment was on a quiet street not far from his office. He wondered what Kayla thought would happen; hell, he wondered what he expected to happen. He didn't make a habit of bringing women to his place, or of going to theirs. Not that he hadn't had the occasional hook up, but he'd tired of them. He didn't think that would happen with Kayla. She was too much fun to get tired of. "Here, I'll take your coat." Jaden held his hand out. She stuffed her hat and mittens in one sleeve before handing it to him. "Thanks. This is a nice place. I bet you keep it this neat all the time." "I try. I admit I have someone come in to clean every couple of weeks. Truth is I spend a lot of time at the lab on projects, so I just don't have the opportunity to mess it up." He hung her coat up on a rack by the door and turned back to her. Her face was pink from the cold and the light green sweater she wore highlighted both her eyes and her curvy figure. "Want some wine or anything?" he asked, gesturing her to sit. "Wine sounds nice." She curled up in a corner of his overstuffed sofa. In the kitchen, he spied a note on the counter. It was a reminder about a work project and he decided to worry about it later. Kayla was much more appealing than his work. He grabbed some glasses and a bottle of wine and brought them out to the living room. "Look, I'm showing some team spirit. It's red wine." Kayla laughed. "I knew you'd come around." Jaden smiled and poured the wine, then stretched back on the opposite side of the couch. They talked for a while, a meandering conversation that covered home, family, hobbies and more. A couple of times he felt himself tuning out the conversation as part of his brain insisted on going over the project he'd left himself a note on and he forced himself to ignore it. They had more wine and shifted closer together on the couch. She was warm and smelled delicious. He was about to lean in for a kiss when a bunch of mental pieces fell in place. "Damn." Kayla looked at him, confused. "Sorry?" "No, not you." He hesitated, then bent down for a quick kiss. "Sorry. I just thought of something for work and I have to write it down before I forget." Muttering to himself, he got up and found a notebook by his computer. He brought it back to the couch and started writing. "What's that?" Kayla peered over his shoulder. "Chemical links and reactions," he said absently as he drew letters, numbers, and figures on the paper. "One of my projects hasn't worked like I thought it would and now I think I figured it out." "Oh." He wrote for another couple of minutes and set the notebook down. "There. Now I can ignore it until Monday." He turned and smiled at Kayla. "I am sorry. You're much more attractive than that is." "I'm more attractive than chemistry?" "Now, see, chemistry is a funny thing." Jaden moved closer. "There's chemistry that makes medicine, or there's chemistry between two people. I think you and I have plenty of chemistry." "You think?" Kayla ran her tongue over her lips. "Or is it just the wine?" He chuckled. "No, it's not the wine. See?" He kissed her, lingering on her lips before pulling back. "Yeah, that's chemistry," she said in a breathy voice. "The thing with chemistry is, one has to experiment." Jaden kissed her lips again, this time teasing the corners of her mouth with his tongue. "You never know what might work." Kayla smiled against his lips and dragged her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. He closed his eyes and made an approving sound. "Looks like that works," she said. "Like I said, it's all about experimenting. Trying new things and seeing what works." Jaden slipped a hand under her sweater. Her skin was soft and warm and he felt her tense under his touch. He brushed her skin lightly. "I never knew . . . chemistry could be so . . . exciting." Kayla's heart raced as she looked into his dark, mischievous eyes. "It is." Jaden leaned in and kissed her neck; she hissed out a breath. "When you put things together, sometimes they move from their ground state into an excited one." He kissed her again and this time he meant it. Kayla moaned as one of his hands tunneled in her hair to keep her in place as his tongue explored her mouth. She brought her arms up and splayed her hands on his back, savoring the solid, warm feel of him. They both laughed as they shifted on the couch so that his body covered hers. His laugh turned into a groan when she rolled her hips against him. "Looks like someone's excited," she murmured. She wiggled again, eliciting another groan as she rubbed against his erection. "I bet I'm not the only one." Jaden's voice was deliciously rough. He sat back and pulled her with him. In a flash, her shirt was off, followed by her bra and then Jaden was licking and sucking on her nipples. Her excited state ratcheted up a few notches. Determined to return the favor, she reached down to undo his belt and zipper. They laughed again as they began to get tangled while they angled for position. At last Jaden gave up and leaned back to let her finish. Kayla glanced up at him while she unbuckled the belt and then unzipped his jeans. She tugged the waistband down and he raised his hips to help her slide them down over his hips, along with his boxers. He finished by kicking them off and pushing them aside. She grinned. "I think this qualifies as an excited state, don't you?" He groaned as she stroked his shaft, and she gave a satisfied laugh. "God, Kayla, that feels good." "That's the idea." She moved her hand in a steady rhythm, grinning to herself when she felt him jump under her touch. "I think that's quite enough of that, and we need more room." "What?" Jaden sat up and pulled her to him, kissing her thoroughly. She reached down to get his t-shirt off and heaved a relieved sigh when their bodies met. Jaden's lips never left hers as he moved from the sofa to the floor, bringing her with him. He lay on his back and reached between them to undo her jeans. The feel of his fingers so close to her sex sent a shock of sensation through Kayla's body and she helped him slide her jeans off. She couldn't stifle a soft cry as his fingers slid through her wetness and then pushed inside. Her muscles clamped around his fingers and suddenly she wanted him inside her more than anything. She pushed his hand aside and rose up, grasping his cock with one hand to guide him inside. He put his hands on his hips to steady her and the both groaned with relief as he slid into her. Jaden gripped her hips, resisting the urge to thrust hard into her. She was so hot and wet around him that it was a difficult struggle, but he managed. God, she felt good. He didn't think anyone's body had ever matched his so well. He looked up at her half-closed green eyes and brushed her hair back. "You okay?" he asked. "Yeah." She opened her eyes and smiled. "You?" "Better than okay." He put a hand behind her neck and urged her down for another kiss. Kayla closed her eyes while they kissed. She reveled in the sensations from his hands, his mouth, and his cock inside her. They found a rhythm and it was the right pace to drive her towards an orgasm, yet slow enough to make her impatient for it to arrive. Whenever she tried to speed up, Jaden tightened his grip on her hips and slowed down. "Jaden, please," she whispered. "Don't want to rush," he said, but he sounded strained. She realized he was close, too. "We can always do it again," she told him as she nipped at his earlobe. "Feels too nice to rush," he said again, but his body belied his words. Jaden moved faster, thrusting up into Kayla's heat, wishing it didn't have to end. He looked up at her, cupping her face so he could watch her expression. She closed her eyes and he could feel her inner muscles tightening as she got close to coming. "Kayla." She opened her eyes and fixed on his as she came. She cried out and moved even faster, trying to make the feeling last. Jaden felt his own orgasm rush through him and he held her steady as he thrust into her. He loved the way she felt around him and the way he felt inside her. A sense that there was more between them than soccer and sex, far more, rose up in him as they lay on the floor. He skimmed his hands over her back until she gave a small laugh. "You're going to make me fall asleep if you keep doing that, and I can't imagine this is very comfortable for you." Jaden took stock. The carpet on the floor wasn't bad, but Kayla's soft, warm body on top of him more than made up for it. Still, she was right. Ideally he'd pull a blanket over top of them both and they'd fall asleep. The reality was that he was not so comfortable, he suspected Kayla wasn't either, and he had no blanket on the couch. He nudged Kayla's head up so he could kiss her. "Come on, as nice as this is, the bed is nicer." She slid to his side and knelt on the floor while he sat up. "Are you sure? I'm a big girl, you know. I can go home." Jaden gave her a wry look. "Seriously? You think I'm only asking you to stay to assuage my guilty conscience or something?" "I'm just saying that you're not obligated to ask me to stay. I can handle it." He kissed her once more. "It's not an obligation, Kayla. I want you to stay." * * * * "He's taking you out and you need a dress?" Theresa grinned and clasped her hands together in glee. "It's serious! I knew it would be serious!" Kayla couldn't stop a laugh. "It's not that serious. He's asked me to some kind of work thing and I don't actually need a dress, just something dressier than what I have." "When can we go shopping?" "I knew I could count on you," Kayla said. "When shall we go? I love dress shopping." Theresa would have gone then and there, Kayla knew, but they still had a work day ahead of them. "What do you need a dress for, Kayla?" Mickey's voice ruined her mood. "None of your business, Mickey." "Hey, be nice, sweetheart. I just asked a question." "Don't call me 'sweetheart.' It's still none of your business." "It's the smart guy, right? The doctor? He asked you somewhere?" Mickey snorted. "That'll be as much fun as a root canal." "Or as talking to you," Kayla said under her breath. "Mickey, leave me alone. For the last time, it's none of your business." "Let me tell you something, Kayla." Mickey came over and braced his hands on her desk. She glared at him. "Your Mr. Ph.D. is going to get tired of you real soon. How far do you think your business degree from the community college will take you with him?" "Shut up, Mickey." Kayla got up and walked to the back room where they kept the files. He followed and wouldn't let up. "What are you going to say when you're in a room full of people like him? You think they talk about the things you like? You think you walk in their world? They walk over people like you, Kayla." "You finished? Because I stopped listening a while ago." Kayla snarled as she went through a filing cabinet for nothing in particular. "They walk over people like me, too!" Mickey put a hand on her shoulder and spun her to face him. "You're better off with someone like me, Kayla. I understand you better than he will, and more important, you'll understand me." "Fuck off!" She pushed him back. "I'll decide who understands me and who doesn't. And I don't want to understand you." She shoved past him and into the main room. "Theresa, I have to go." "Sure, where—" Theresa stared as Kayla stormed out the front door and slammed it behind her. "Well. Never mind that." "Where'd she go?" Mickey demanded. "Away from you, and frankly, I don't blame her." * * * * Kayla stared at herself in the mirror. Was it too much? Not enough? "Kayla, you're fine." Theresa patted her friend's shoulder. "Jaden said it was dressy but not formal, and that's what you have here. It's understated, classic and classy. You'll knock him dead." "That's not really how I'd like the evening to end," Kayla said. Theresa laughed. "I'm being figurative, dummy." Kayla sighed and looked in the mirror again. "Are you sure? I don't want to, you know, do anything wrong. Don't want to embarrass him." "How in the world could you do that?" "I don't know." Kayla tugged at the sleeves and neckline of her dress, then at the hem. "It's just . . ." She sighed. "I'm going to be in a room full of people a lot smarter than I am. What if I say something stupid?" "Mickey said something like that, didn't he?" Theresa demanded. "Since when did you start listening to anything that asshole said?" "I'm not. I mean, I don't. But he's right about the fact that Jaden is really smart, and so are the people he works with, and I'll never be that smart." "You are plenty smart," Theresa admonished. "Being smart doesn't always mean you got good grades or have a bunch of degrees. Now, knock it off. Don't let Mickey the Idiot ruin a good thing for you. That would be stupid." "Okay, you're right." Kayla gave a sharp nod and shook herself. She would not let Mickey get in the way. "You sure the dress is all right? Not too short or anything? Maybe I'm overdoing it? Underdoing it?" "Kayla, stop. It's gorgeous. The blue is a perfect color for you, and those shoes . . . oh, those shoes." Theresa gave a wistful sigh. "I wish I could wear shoes like that. Or have legs like yours. Or both." "Stop. Your legs are fine." Kayla gave up the mirror and went over to get her necklace and earrings. "Okay. I have to stop this and I have to go." "Yes, you do." Theresa handed her a small clutch purse. "Now, forget about whatever Mickey said, and go enjoy yourself." "Right." Kayla went downstairs and took a cab to Jaden's apartment building. He was waiting downstairs for her and smiled as he came outside. "You look terrific." He put his hands on her waist and drew her forward for a kiss. Kayla sighed as he held her close. "Mmm. You smell good and feel good, too. What say we skip this and go upstairs?" "No." She poked him in the chest. "I got all dressed up for you, now you take me out." "Yes, ma'am." He looked her over again and saw a red pin on her lapel. Grinning, he tapped it with a finger. "Couldn't leave the soccer team home, eh?" "Just a sentimental reminder of how we met." "Oh, man! I forgot my pierogie pin." "Smart ass." * * * * Jaden was pleased Kayla had agreed to come to the dinner. It was a fairly low-key event, a company thank-you to the group for a long-term project that had recently been completed. There was a DJ, an open bar, and even a brave few dancers. He liked that he had someone to bring to one of these events. F2: An Extra Ticket He and Kayla were sitting with Mark, his wife, and a few other people. He was surprised to see that Kayla seemed a bit shy, or at least reserved. He understood that she didn't know anyone other than him, but it was tough to reconcile the quiet woman next to him with the audacious one who had approached him at the soccer game. The food was served buffet-style, and there was a large selection of Asian foods. Jaden didn't know who had done the catering, but he thought they should have been commended. His favorite dish was a spicy chicken with noodles. As Kayla moved along beside him, he nudged her. "It'd be perfect if they had pierogies, don't you think?" She'd given him a small smile and laugh, but he didn't think she found it all that funny. He shrugged and let it go; standing in line at the buffet wasn't a good place for further questioning. After the dinner dishes had been removed and the caterers were switching to desserts, everyone took a break for drinks or restrooms. Jaden took advantage and reached for Kayla's hand. "Hey. You okay?" "Sure." She smiled. "Everyone's really nice." "Want to get something to drink?" "No, that's okay." "Come on, let's get some air." He tugged her hand as he stood up. Outside, he led her to a small courtyard to one side of the restaurant. They sat one of the stone benches and he turned to look at her. "Okay, now you can tell me. What's wrong?" "Nothing." She brushed imaginary lint off of her dress. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little tired. I am having a good time." "Yeah, it's not bad. I mean, it's no soccer game, but—" "I can do things besides go to soccer games!" Kayla jumped up and paced the small area. "I'm not stupid." "I know you aren't. I never said you were. I was joking." Puzzled, he stood and put a hand on her arm. "Kayla, what's wrong?" She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I'm just worried, I guess." "About what?" She began to speak, then closed her mouth and started again, and the straightforward woman he knew was back. "I'm worried I'm not smart enough for you." Surprised, Jaden stared at her for a moment. "Why would you think that?" "Because you have a Ph.D.! Because you work with chemicals and things that have names I couldn't pronounce in a million years. Because you are trying to do things like cure cancer and I'm just the secretary for a family heating company and—" He heard the tightness in her voice as she stopped herself. For a moment he couldn't believe it. He'd never for a moment doubted Kayla's intelligence, because there'd never been a reason to. She was sharp and quick, and he didn't care how many degrees she didn't or didn't have. "Anyway," she continued and pulled him out of his thoughts. "I just, um, it's just been on my mind. And then we come here tonight, where everyone's as smart as you are and I'm not, and I'm worried about saying something dumb, or not understanding what you all talk about, and all I know is soccer and football and—" "Kayla," he interrupted as gently as he could. "Kayla, stop." She fell silent and stared at the ground. "Come here." He pulled her to him and after a moment's resistance, she went. "What brought all this on? You never said anything before." She took a few breaths to steady herself and rested her head against his chest. "I think it's been on my mind ever since I saw your card. But really . . . Mickey was harping on it. He said you were too smart and you'd get tired of me, and I hated to admit it but I was afraid he was right." "He's not right." Jaden tightened his arms around her. "He is nowhere near right." They were quiet for a minute. Once he had his thoughts in order, Jaden led her back to the bench. They sat and he took her hands in his and looked straight at her. "Kayla, I know I can be snarky, but I'm not now. I care about you a lot. I like spending time with you and talking to you. You may not have a degree, but I don't care. You keep me on my toes more than anyone else in my life, and I like that." "You do?" "Of course. I love a challenge and—" "Don't say it." She placed a finger over his lips and smiled. "You were doing so well, not being snarky." He held her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "Sorry. Old habits. Anyway, to put it plainly, Mickey doesn't know shit about you, or me, or us, which means you have no reason to listen to him or let anything he says bother you." "I know," Kayla said. "I do, really. And it wasn't so much what he said as that I was already thinking it. When he said it, I thought if someone else thought that way, then probably others did, and if you did . . . I couldn't stand for you to think about me like that." "And I don't. I've never acted like that, have I?" When she shook her head, he went on. "Then what I need you to do is trust me. Believe what I say and what I do, and not what Mickey the Idiot says." "I know. I do." She sniffed a little and then smiled. "It's just me. A little insecurity, what can I say?" "You? Insecure? I don't think so." Jaden laughed and caught her hand as she lifted it as though to hit his arm. "See?" "All right. I'm sorry." She leaned forward and kissed him. "Let's go back inside. I didn't mean to ruin your night." "You didn't." He stood up and pulled her with him. "You promise not to listen to Mickey the Idiot anymore?" Kayla shook her head and put a hand over her heart. "I promise." "Good." He kissed her once more, long and thorough. "I really think we should go back to my place. It's much more intimate there." "Shouldn't you tell your friends you're leaving?" She returned the kiss. "Why? They might want to come. I want you to myself." "But we didn't have dessert." She tilted her head to the side as Jaden kissed her neck. "That's all right. Suddenly I have this craving for pierogies."