The Recruiting Trip (The University of Gatica #1) by Lexy Timms Read Free Book Online Page B

If Aileen had the nerve, she’d have taken a picture with her iPhone. The guy could be a model.
    “Stanford’s a good school. Education, athletics, football… it’s all there.”
    “And warm weather. Which is a bonus with training.”
    He nodded. “It is. However, I also like winter. The snow, tobogganing, all of it. New York gets all the seasons; all fall, winter, spring and summer. Stanford seemed to only offer a touch of spring and a lot of summer.”
    “You like winter?” Why would someone choose cold icy days like today when they could settle for weather… well, anything above freezing. “Where are you from?”
    She swore she saw a twinkle in his eye when he grinned sheepishly. “Texas. San Antonio, Texas. It doesn’t snow much there.”
    “So you basically chose Gatica for the snow?” She realized she hadn’t heard an accent on him to give her a hint.
    “When you put it that way, it sounds lame.” He looked out the window and watched some fresh snow flakes fall. “I chose Gatica because I knew I would excel here. It felt like I belonged here. None of the other universities I looked at gave me that feeling.”
    She stared at him and a moment later made an effort to close her slightly hanging mouth. Beauty, brains and honesty. Yup, she could totally fall for him. She would definitely have to make NCAAs just so she could see him again next year. At Stanford, they wouldn’t compete anywhere together until nationals. Maybe that was a good thing.
    The waiter came by and asked if they wanted any desert. Aileen declined and then felt bad Tyler said no as well.
    “You didn’t have to say no on my account.”
    A single eyebrow rose on his face. “If I order something and you didn’t, you’re just going to stare with those puppy dog eyes of yours at my cheesecake and then I’d have to offer to share it with you. Then you’d get mad at me for ordering.”
    “I have a work out in the weight room tomorrow morning before the meet. Cheesecake won’t hurt me any.” Puppy dog eyes? She grew giddy from the silly compliment. “Do you always assume things about women?”
    A sly look crossed his face. It made him incredible sexy. “Are you saying you aren’t a typical woman?”
    Wow, he had charisma. “I can’t say I am… or I’m not. Comparing doesn’t get you anywhere you really want to be.”
    “Except for hurdle times. You can compare there.” He reached out and touched her wrist. “A pretty thang like you doesn’t have to compare when you’re already ahead of everyone else. Woman, or track-wise.”
    Coach Anderson approached the table and Tyler quickly sat back as if nothing had happened.
    Which was probably true for him. Aileen, on the other hand, tried to suck in a few quick breaths without panting. She hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath.
    “I’ve already paid the bill,” Coach Anderson said. “Is there anything else you’d like to see or do this evening, Aileen?”
    Put the moves on your star athlete? “I think I’m good. I’ll have an early start tomorrow morning if I want to get to the weight room before the meet starts.”
    “Yes, about that,” Coach Anderson said. “I have to be at the track at least two hours before the meet starts. I can pick you up for seven-thirty or eight if you would like. I’ll have one of the athletes come by and take you to the meet when you are finished.”
    “Okay. How about eight? Is that okay? I’ll need about an hour and a half to get everything in. I can meet you down in the hotel lobby if that works?”
    “Perfect.”
    Tyler helped her with her jacket when she fumbled trying to get it on. As they walked out into the cold, she fell instep beside him.
    “Tyler!” A very large, muscular guy called out from the First Down as they passed it. The boy reminded Aileen of a fridge.
    Tyler stopped walking. “Hold on a sec, coach.” He jogged over to the entrance of the bar and chatted quietly with the guy who had called him. He came