Guarding His Heart

“You’ve got it now,” he said in a low voice she felt all the way in her toes. Kevin ran his thumb over the number, smiled at her, then dropped her hand. “Call me.”

He turned and walked away. The towel dipped. Jasmine sucked in a breath. He caught it before it fell. Jasmine released a disappointed breath. Yeah, he was definitely a get-in-your-blood kind of guy. Thank goodness she was leaving New York in two weeks.

Now, to keep from calling him before she left town.

Chapter 2 (#uaaee1d1d-9f66-529d-a955-ac55901217d5)

“Come on, Kevin, tell me. Are you retiring?”

Kevin chuckled and took a sip of the red wine in his hand. He leaned against the balcony of photographer Rafael Sim’s penthouse overlooking uptown Manhattan. He stretched out his hands reflexively. The nearly constant ache didn’t subside. Pretty soon he wouldn’t be able to ignore it. He put down the glass of wine and looked up from his failing hands.

“Rafael, when the decision is made, I’ll let you know.”

“You really think you have one more season left in you?” Rafael asked. There was no judgment in his voice. If anything, there was a hint of admiration in his friend’s tone.

A month ago, Kevin would have lived up to that admiration.

“I’m not quite ready to be put out to pasture,” Kevin said. Carefully, he picked up the wineglass and took another sip. He didn’t admit defeat easily and he wasn’t ready to give up his place in the league.

“Well, you know retiring will free up your time to pursue other things,” Rafael said. His curly dark hair was cut in a fashionable style that would have looked ridiculous on any other guy, but Rafael was able to pull it off, along with his white pants, flowered button-up shirt and dark-rimmed glasses. That was Rafael, fashionable to the core.

“Things like what?”

Rafael shrugged and leaned his forearms on the balcony next to Kevin. “Things like sponsoring the art exhibit of your good friend.”

Kevin laughed at the blatant request. He’d met Rafael several years ago during New York Fashion Week. That was right after Kevin’s divorce, when he’d chosen to bury his heartbreak in the arms of a supermodel he’d met. She’d dragged him to a fashion show and instead of being bored out of his mind, he’d ended up sitting next to Rafael, talking about art. Kevin had agreed to sponsor Rafael’s next exhibit and they’d been friends ever since.

“You know I got you,” Kevin said. “What are you showcasing this time?”

“Chronicling life in my hometown in Texas. The place once thrived... Now the jobs are gone and it’s dying out. My family is still there, and they’re trying to hold on like everyone else.” Rafael’s voice was bittersweet. “The loss of jobs is sad, but the hope of the people still shines, ya know?”

“I know.” Kevin’s own hometown in South Carolina had gone through the same thing. Loss of industry, people moving out and a stunted tax base had nearly killed the place his mom and grandmother still called home. He’d done what he could to help bring business back and the place was finally making a comeback. “I think that’s a good idea. Maybe it’ll help shine some light on your hometown.”

Rafael nodded. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

The sound of conversation inside the penthouse increased. Kevin straightened and glanced toward the door. “Sounds like we’re missing your party,” he teased. There were other people on the balcony, too. Music played from the speakers and conversation and laughter flowed, but it definitely sounded like something had excited the people inside.

“I know,” Rafael straightened and walked toward the balcony doors. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

Kevin followed. He glanced through the glass at the people still inside. He spotted a pair of beautiful brown eyes and a flash of blue-tipped hair. A slow smile spread over his face while pleasant surprise and the thrill of a chase played a pickup game in his chest. “Jasmine Hook.”

Rafael nodded and grinned. “She made it.”

Kevin glanced at Rafael. “You know her?” Obviously, if she was here. He wanted to know how Rafael knew the woman he’d thought of repeatedly since the shoot earlier that day.

“We worked a couple of shoots together. How do you know her?” Rafael threw Kevin a curious look.

“She photographed me this morning.”

Rafael’s eyes widened. He ran his hand through the curly bangs that had fallen over his eyes. “No shit. She saw you naked.” He didn’t say anything else, but his tone begged Kevin to spill some dirt.

“She did, but she wasn’t impressed.”

Rafael flicked his wrist. “I should have known. Jasmine isn’t easily impressed. She dated Julio for a while and they broke up about two years ago. After that, she hasn’t gone out much. I was hoping you and your raw animal magnetism would have broken her dry spell.”

Kevin seemed to recall that Julio was Rafael’s cousin. He wasn’t in fashion but he was a popular DJ in the New York club circuit. “What happened with her and Julio?”

He had expected his animal magnetism to have gotten Jasmine to at least agree to see him again. He didn’t typically strike out when it came to women. He wasn’t arrogant, but he also knew some women were easily drawn to a professional athlete. A lesson he’d learned the hard and fast way early in his career.

“He got back with his kid’s mom. They’re married now.”

“He broke her heart?” That would explain why she’d backed off. Broken hearts made getting back out there difficult. He knew; he’d been on both ends of that particular ailment.

“Doubtful,” Rafael said. “She seemed okay afterward. None of the usual dramatics, and she’s still okay with me.” Rafael shrugged as if that explained everything.

“Why wouldn’t she be okay with you?” He didn’t bother to ask what the usual dramatics were. Rafael was a bit of a drama king himself. Last year, Kevin witnessed one of Rafael’s post-breakup meltdowns. That had not been pretty.

“I hooked them up,” Rafael explained. He pulled open the door and stepped inside. “Come with me to greet her,” he said over his shoulder.

Kevin followed Rafael over to Jasmine. She looked even better hours later. She seemed chill and relaxed as she greeted Rafael’s other guests. Her smile was easy and her laughter infectious. She still wore the black boots from earlier with a different pair of jeans, torn this time, and a gray tank with MTWTFSS on the front. Days of the week, the WTF in the middle in bold. Kevin smiled at the hidden question.

Rafael strolled right up to Jasmine and encased her in a huge bear hug. Jasmine laughed and hugged him right back. The two were obviously friends. Whatever ill will she had toward Rafael’s cousin had not spilled over and ruined their relationship.

She glanced at Kevin over Rafael’s shoulder. Surprise flashed across her features. He didn’t know what divine intervention put her at the same house party as him, but he was thankful for it. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head. She blessed him with one of her killer smiles before she pulled back and looked at Rafael.

“I hear you got a good look at Kevin’s goodies,” Rafael teased.

Jasmine’s answering chuckle made various parts of Kevin’s body tighten. “He did well. Not a trace of shame or embarrassment in the middle of a room full of strangers.” Her brown eyes met his. The light hit them, adding a golden hint to their brown depths. He wanted to step closer to gauge their hidden secrets. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said to Kevin.

Rafael answered before Kevin. “He’s a good friend of mine. Even more so today because he agreed to sponsor my next exhibit.” A woman across the room called Rafael’s name. He turned toward her and nodded. “Well, since you two know each other, I’ll go see what Livie wants.” He waved his hands at her and Kevin as if they should keep talking and left them.

Jasmine turned the full impact of her sexy smile Kevin’s way. The dull ache in his hands was easily forgotten when she smiled at him that way. Everything was forgotten except thoughts of what he might need to do to see that smile more often.

“So, exhibit sponsor, huh?” she said with a raised brow. “Maybe I should call you.”

“I like Rafael’s work. I haven’t seen yours.” He actually had and knew it was good. The pictures they’d gone over after the shoot were impressive. He knew the “Bodies in Motion” issue wasn’t just about gratuitous naked athletes, but she’d done a great job of capturing his athleticism as he’d run, jumped and dunked the basketball in the studio. She was talented, but he liked teasing her.

“You’re an art critic now?” She brushed her long, blue-tipped bangs out of her eyes and met his gaze through thick lashes. The silver bangles on her slim wrist slid down her arm almost to her elbow.

He pursed his lips and nodded to try to look serious. “Oh yes. I’m very selective. My opinion is highly sought after by those in the know.”

Full lips twitched and her eyes brightened with laughter. “Hmm. I’ll have to keep that in mind. I can’t have you criticizing my photos of you.”

“Yours will be judged extra hard.”

He placed his hand near her lower back but didn’t touch and nodded his head in the direction of the bar on the left side of Rafael’s spacious living room. There wasn’t a bartender and Rafael’s guests could mix their own drinks. Jasmine let him lead the way. He was pretty sure let was the right word. He doubted she would ever let anyone direct her if she didn’t want them to.

“And why will mine be judged harder than the others?”