Always Be True (11 page)

Later, though, when she was alone in her bed, she planned to replay it a few times in her head. After the rough start to her day, it would be nice to end it on a high note—or at least a hot one.

Practice was over, and the last of the equipment was locked up in the storage area. According to Jay, it was nothing short of a miracle that all the kids had been picked up on time. Thanks to heavy traffic and other unpredictable factors, more often than not he ended up hanging around the center for up to an hour after the official quitting time for one last parent to show up. When asked how he felt about that, Jay shrugged it off, saying it came with the territory. Like Tino, Jay was single and had no one waiting at home for him. He could afford to be generous with his time.

After Jay left, Tino walked by the computer lab. Judging by the intent expressions on the students' faces, it looked as if everything was going smoothly. The class wasn't due to let out for another twenty minutes. Rather than lurk in the hallway, he headed outside to get some fresh air.

For once, the outside basketball court was empty. He dug his ball out of his gym bag and started shooting from the free throw line. When he hit the basket four times in a row, a round of applause broke out from the shadow near the entrance. He made one last shot before turning to face his unexpected audience.

Five teenagers started toward him; all of them looked to be in their mid-teens. They still had that lanky, not-quite-filled-out build common to kids that age. In fact, Ricky would fit right in with them, attitude and all. For now, Tino bounced the ball and waited for them to make their final approach.

One boy stepped forward, leaving the others to form a ragged line behind him. “So, what are you doing shooting hoops in our part of town?”

Tino kept his smile friendly. “I'm waiting for a friend and had some time to kill.”

The kid glanced at his friends and then back at Tino. “Well, you should kill it somewhere else. We play every day at this same time.”

No way was he going to be run off by a bunch of punk kids. “Looks like I got here first, but I'm willing to share. What do you say to a quick game of three on three?”

He wasn't surprised when they didn't immediately leap at the chance to face off against him. One of the others joined the discussion. “Why do you want to play here at all? I bet they have a fancier court wherever it is you live.”

“They might.” In fact, there was a better hoop mounted on the annex right outside his front door. He took another shot and smiled when it bounced off the backboard to fall through the hoop despite how badly the whole thing was canted to one side. “But I'm helping Jay Tobin with his basketball team. Practice just let out a few minutes ago, and like I said, I'm waiting for a friend.”

Some of their growing tension seemed to ease off a bit. “So you're the army cop coaching my little brother, Mitchell.”

Now that the kid had brought up the subject, Tino could see a strong family resemblance between the two boys. Mitchell had even mentioned his brother a couple of times. What was his name? Trevor? No, that wasn't it. After a second, it came to him—Tyler. “Yep, Tyler, that's me. Your brother shows some real talent for the game. Have you been working with him?”

Tyler shrugged. “Yeah, I've showed him some moves.”

“You've done a good job. So, how about that game?”

The others all looked to Tyler for an answer. He nodded and immediately peeled off his shirt. Two of his friends did the same while the others sided with Tino. Within seconds, the game was in full swing with some good-natured name-calling and a few collisions meant to establish dominance. Tino gave as good as he got, figuring the boys would respect him more for standing his ground.

All too soon, it was time to call it quits for the evening. Natalie would be looking for him, and he wanted a chance to talk to the kids before he had to leave.

He held his hand out to Tyler and then to each of the others. “Good game, guys.”

“You've got some skills for an old man.” Tyler smirked and his friends all laughed.

God, it was like talking to Ricky when his nephew was feeling his oats. “Not that old, kid. My two brothers and I could kick your asses anytime.”

The boys hooted at that idea. “Three against five wouldn't be fair.”

Tino gave it some thought. “My younger brother is in the Marine Corps, but he should be in town for a visit soon. And I bet Jay would play on our team. Add in my nephew, who is about your age, and we'd have enough players.”

Tyler didn't hesitate to accept the challenge. “Yeah, bring it on. We're always around.”

Tino pulled a towel out of his bag and wiped the sweat off his face. “You were right about me being used to playing on a court in better condition. We could maybe do something about this one, but you guys would have to help with that.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Do we look like we have the money to buy new hoops?”

“Maybe not, but you can swing a paintbrush and maybe mix up some concrete to reset the pole and patch a few of these holes.”

He gave the teenagers a few seconds to let that idea sink in before adding, “Here's the deal. My brother and I will bring the new equipment and any other necessary supplies. You guys will provide the labor needed to install them and repaint the lines on the court. And I'm betting my mom will be on board to feed whoever shows up to work.”

When Tyler didn't immediately respond, Tino prodded him. “Well, do we have a deal?”

“What would you get out of it?”

Oh, yeah, that attitude sure brought back memories. Trust didn't come easy to these kids, and maybe they were right to feel that way if the adults in their lives had failed them.

“For starters, I'd get a better place to shoot hoops when I'm here. Besides, when we finally play you guys, I don't want my brother to miss a shot because of a bent rim. He'd never let me forget it. The man's built like a tank, and he doesn't pull his punches just because I'm his brother.”

Tino let his smile fade away. “I also think that you guys will take better care of the place if you've invested your own time and effort into fixing it up.”

Tyler still didn't cave. “When would you be doing this? Because I might have stuff to do. Important stuff.”

Yeah, right. Rather than call him on it, Tino repeated the offer. “When the new backboards and hoops are delivered, we'll pick a day to meet here for a work party. If I don't see you here to set that up, I'll send a message home with Mitchell.”

He stuck his hand out and waited for the teenager to buy in to the program. If he didn't, there was no way the others would.

The kid eventually took that final step forward and shook Tino's hand. “Fine. We'll be here.”

“Good deal. Now I've got to go.”

Tino had been aware for several seconds that Natalie was watching the interaction from over by the door. He picked up his bag and walked over to join her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

She looped her arm through his as they started toward the parking lot. “I haven't been here long. It looked like you and those boys were having a pretty intense discussion.”

“They let me join their game.”

“How did that go?”

He grinned. “It was fun. Well, other than they think I'm old. Hell, I only have about ten, maybe twelve years on them. But to listen to that bunch, I have gray hair and should be using a walker.”

Natalie frowned in a token pretense of outrage on his behalf, but her blue eyes danced with a bit too much glee for it to be believable. “So, what did you do about that?”

Tino puffed out his chest. “What I had to do to defend my manly honor. I challenged them to a game the next time my younger brother comes home for a visit. It would be me and my two brothers, my nephew, and Jay against the five of them.”

She gave him a considering look. “Old man or not, I'd pay good money to watch that.”

“Hey, now! You're supposed to be on my side in this. Besides, whatever we might lack in youthful stamina, we make up for with bullheaded stubbornness.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. I apologize.”

They'd reached her car, but she didn't seem in a big hurry to leave. He gave her a playful leer. “To make up for that insult, I don't suppose you'd agree to wear a cheerleader outfit to the game.”

God, he loved making her laugh. He leaned in closer. “On second thought, never mind. It would be too distracting, and those kids already have us beat on youth and energy. And seriously, if we ever act out that particular fantasy, I'd rather it was behind closed doors.”

Her eyes flared wide with a flash of heat. “Would you wear your basketball shorts and a tight T-shirt if I agreed to let you check out my pom-poms?”

Groaning, he pulled her into his arms. “Lady, that's just plain mean to make that offer when we're out in public where I can't show you just how much I'd love to get my hands on your…pom-poms.”

“Poor guy, I'm sure you can handle it.” She rose higher on her toes to press a quick kiss on his lips. “Or should I say them?”

He kissed her back, fighting the urge to lift her up on the fender and show her exactly how much he wanted to do more than flirt in a parking lot.

When they were both a bit breathless, he broke off the kiss before he died of terminal sexual frustration. He opened her car door for her. As she got in, he said two words. “Eight days.”

She blinked up at him in confusion. “Eight days? I thought our picnic was this weekend.”

“It is, and I'm really looking forward to that. However, it's eight days until we're having dinner at your place when it will be just you, me, and those pom-poms.”

Then he picked up his gym bag and walked away, liking the fact that she watched him for a long time before starting her car and driving away.

Tino walked over to a bench at the edge of Green Lake but decided against making himself comfortable. As tempting as it was to sit and watch the sun rise, that wasn't why he was there at O-dark-thirty.

That had more to do with his need to see a certain petite blonde again than it did with soaking up some early-morning rays. Last night in the parking lot outside of the community center, he'd teased her about why he was counting down the days until they would have dinner at her place, saying that it was all about the chance to check out her “pom-poms.” That had been a lie. Okay, not really. He was a guy, after all. Damn straight he wanted to get his hands—and his mouth—on them.

However, that wasn't the only reason he wanted to get her behind locked doors, or even the most important one. The bottom line was that he wanted to have Natalie all to himself. Yes, they'd had dinner together the other night, but the only time they'd actually been alone was in the car and the few minutes when the fog had insulated them from the rest of the world.

He would also see her tomorrow at the center after practice with Jay's team and again on Sunday when they were going on a picnic. Again, they'd be surrounded by people, and he didn't want to share. With her busy schedule, it was hard enough to find a time when he could see her at all.

So after he'd gotten back to the annex, he'd given in to the need to simply hear her voice again. They'd talked on the phone for nearly an hour about nothing and everything. Finally, knowing that she really needed to go to bed, he'd been about to say goodnight when on impulse he'd asked if she'd like to go for a morning run with him. He'd even treat them both to coffee afterward. Granted, they wouldn't be completely alone, but they could pretend they had the park to themselves. That she didn't hesitate to accept the invitation still had the power to make him smile. It was nice to know that she was also anxious to spend more time with him.

Right now, the woman in question was headed straight for him. One look at the outfit she had on had him double-checking to make sure his tongue wasn't hanging out. Her running pants were black with a blue stripe down the side. They outlined every curve in her shapely legs and that adorable ass. The matching shirt did the same for the aforementioned pom-poms. However, as much as he loved the look, he didn't much like the way two other guys gave her the once-over as they ran past. Assholes.

Maybe he should make it a rule that she had to wear one of his oversize T-shirts over her outfit whenever they went out for a run. He could just imagine her reaction to that suggestion. It might be worth asking her just to see if he was right.

“You know, that's a disgustingly cheerful smile for this ungodly early hour of the morning.”

Tino laughed. “Yeah, well, I've always found you can irritate a lot more people by being cheery in the morning than by being grouchy.”

Natalie gave him a mock frown. “Well, it's working. I can't believe I got up an hour earlier than usual just to get all sweaty and tired.”

He had some sympathy for how she felt. “It could be worse.”

She looked doubtful. “How?”

“It could be raining.”

She grinned, her smile framed by a matching set of dimples. “Point taken.”

“Maybe this will improve your mood.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close for a quick kiss, which she returned with gratifying enthusiasm. It also had an obvious effect on a certain part of his anatomy. No surprise there—it happened every time he saw her or even thought of her. Hoping she wouldn't notice, he loosened his hold on her and took a half step back.

She bit her lower lip and then said, “Um, you know, I've been rethinking this whole running thing since you suggested it last night.”

“Really?”

Because if she'd changed her mind, it was a little late to say so, considering they'd already dragged themselves out of bed to get there.

“Well, you might have noticed that you're about a foot taller than I am.”

Where was she going with this? “Yeah, I noticed.”

“So the difference in our heights is going to make it hard for us to run at the same pace.”

Did she really think he'd run off and leave her lagging behind? “Don't worry, Nat. We'll figure it out. Besides, I'm in no hurry to get anywhere.”

Her dimples made another quick appearance. “That's what I'm talking about. I'm worried you'll never keep up with me.”

Then she took off like a bat out of hell, leaving him staring after her.

It didn't surprise Natalie at all when Tino caught up with her within a few seconds, not with those long legs of his eating up the distance. Still, it had been fun to be in the lead even for a few seconds. Then the big show-off not only passed her by, he rubbed it in by literally running circles around her as she pounded down the path.

Now he was jogging backward right in front of her. “If you wanted a head start, all you had to do was ask.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why bother? Even if you'd waited until I was halfway around the lake, you would have still caught up with me.”

“True, but only because I want to be with you.” He turned then and fell into step with her, shortening his stride to match hers. “Besides, they taught us in the army that it's more important that the unit stay together than it is to set any world speed records.”

He looked as if he actually meant that, which pleased her. They lapsed into an easy silence, taking pleasure in the cool morning air and each other's company. She couldn't help but notice how well he moved, his motion fluid and easy on the eyes. Even if she hadn't thought so herself, he also garnered admiring looks from a trio of women sitting on a bench next to the trail.

She might have resented their hungry gazes if they hadn't also glanced in her direction with obvious envy. She smiled at them back over her shoulder and laughed when one of them gave her a thumbs-up approval.
Yep, ladies, he's mine, all mine.

Tino happened to glance in her direction right at the moment. “Now who is looking disgustingly cheerful? What's going on?”

“I'd tell you that those women we just passed are jealous that I have such a hunky guy for a running partner, but their admiration would only stroke your already impressive, um, ego.”

“Really?” The jerk patted her on the shoulder. “Don't worry, you're the only one I want stroking my, um, ego.”

That might have meant more if he didn't also immediately spin to start jogging backward again so he could check out his admirers, which made her want to punch him. Before she gave in to the impulse, he changed direction again. Maybe some of what she was thinking showed in her expression, because his smile immediately faded and he slowed to a stop.

“All joking aside, I meant what I said, Natalie. I'm not interested in them or anyone else. There's only one reason I'm out here at this hour, and that's because I couldn't pass up a chance to spend time with you.”

Then he gave her a quick kiss before starting down the path again. Natalie hustled to catch up with him, her good mood restored. When they finished a full lap of the lake, they slowed to a walk. As soon as they did, Tino took her hand in his. The small connection warmed her heart in a completely different way than the strenuous exercise had.

“Now, for that coffee I promised you.”

They headed across the park to one of the ubiquitous coffee shops in the Seattle area. After getting their lattes and pastries, they crossed back into the park to sit on a bench.

Tino gave her a considering look. “Are you warm enough now that we've quit moving?”

“I'm fine, and the coffee will help.”

He immediately scooted closer and put one arm across her shoulders, drawing her in to the warm strength of his body. “How's that?”

She gave in to the temptation to snuggle a little closer. “Much better.”

He sipped his coffee. “So what does your day look like?”

“The usual boring stuff. You don't want to hear the details.”

Tino's dark eyes narrowed. “I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't interested. I don't know what the head of a charitable foundation does with her time.”

He actually sounded serious about wanting to know. Clearly, she was letting her ex-fiancé's disinterest in her work color her expectations. “I'm sorry, Tino. Most people's eyes glaze over when I rattle on about my job and what I'm hoping to accomplish.”

His arm tightened around her shoulders, strengthening the connection between them. “I'm not most people.”

She was becoming increasingly aware of that fact. “Most of the money the foundation gives out comes from Grandpa Cyrus directly, but we also work with our clients to help them get additional funding through other grants. I don't know how other foundations work, but I follow the guidelines Grandpa set up from the beginning. As a result, we usually take on one large project like the community center and work on it from development through completion before taking on another.”

She paused to finish off the last bite of her chocolate croissant. So delicious and so bad for her hips. Oh well, it was her reward for her lap around the lake.

Tino seemed to be waiting for her to continue, so she picked up where she'd left off. “Since that project is nearing completion, we've been looking into some future possibilities. At the same time, we do some smaller, more targeted grants, like new computers for a specific school. This morning I will be meeting with representatives from another school that needs some musical instruments for their band program.”

He stared out toward the lake, his expression hard to read. “You must love your job, knowing how much you are helping people in so many ways, all of them positive.”

She wanted to ask about his time in the military, but she wasn't sure how to broach what could be a touchy subject. Finally, she settled for asking, “What was your favorite part of being in the army?”

“I loved the teamwork, knowing the people in my unit had my back. That we could accomplish more together than we could as individuals.”

Before she could respond, he glanced at his watch. “Oops, we'd better get moving. I'm supposed to help Jack again today, and you have some musical instruments to buy.”

He finished his coffee and tossed the cup into the nearby trash can like he was taking a shot at a basketball hoop. “Nothing but net!”

After also disposing of her trash for her, he took her hand in his and tugged her up off the bench. Once again, they walked hand in hand toward where they'd parked. She really wished they didn't have to rush off, but they both had obligations.

Maybe he was feeling the same reluctance to end their outing, because he took both her hands in his when they reached her car. “I'll see you tomorrow night after practice, and we can firm up the details for Sunday. The weather forecast is predicting rain, so I'm thinking we should plan on taking the ferry ride out to Friday Harbor instead of packing a lunch. We can eat at one of the restaurants on the island and wander through the shops until it's time to catch the ferry for the return trip.”

She couldn't wait. “Sounds perfect and relaxing.”

“Great. I'll check the schedule and let you know what time I'll pick you up.”

Tino continued to hold onto her, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over the back of her hands while he checked out their surroundings. “I hope you don't object to PDAs.”

The small caress was short-circuiting her thought processes. “To what?”

His mouth kicked up in a sexy grin. “PDAs. You know, public displays of affection, because I'm planning on indulging in one here any second, and it will be impressive.”

She bet it would be, which was just fine with her. Besides, any woman would have to be either crazy or dead to object to what he had planned. “Give it your best shot.”

The second his mouth touched hers, butterfly soft and teasing, her pulse went into overdrive. The touch of his tongue against her lips took the kiss from teasing to pure temptation, and the devil knew it, too. When she moaned and pressed closer against his body, he smiled and kicked the heat level up another notch.

By the time he broke it off, they were both breathing harder than they had been at the end of their run. Tino's smile was a bit rueful. “Wow, I think I need to take a cooldown lap around the lake. Of course, maybe jumping into the water would be more effective.”

He kissed her again, this one quick and friendly. “You'd better get going. I don't want to make you late for work.”

Then he winked at her. “Unless you're willing to be
really
late.”

And darned if she didn't actually consider it. His huge grin made it clear that he knew it, too. It was time to put some distance between her and the sexy man who was still standing way too close for her peace of mind.

She got in her car and closed the door, needing that barrier between her and temptation. After lowering the window, she said, “I'll see you tomorrow night after my class ends.”

“Yes, you will.”

Then he patted her fender and walked off with that sexy swagger that made her hormones sit up and take notice every time she saw him.

As she drove off, she was already counting the hours until she saw him again.