Very Wicked Beginnings by Ilsa Madden-Mills Read Free Book Online

her and sang out in a low voice, “Why do birds sing? Why do phones ring? Why does my heart fly? For all I know, you’ll make me cry. Why do fools fall in love? Why were you named after a dove?” I stopped and grinned, impressed with my spur of the moment performance.
    Her mouth gaped. “That was the most atrocious thing I’ve ever heard.”
    “It was pretty cheesy, wasn’t it?”
    “Pure crap,” she said, but then smiled.
    I laughed, and I mean, I laughed . And the sound was so real and easy and good and she was just fucking perfect.
    “Don’t tell anyone I sing silly songs,” I said teasingly. “Football players are supposed to be tough and mean.”
    She gave me a thoughtful look. “Everyone says you’re pretty good on the field. That no quarterback is safe.”
    I didn’t believe my own hype, actually. “Whatever.”
    “I hear you’re the best defensive end BA has ever seen and a four-star recruit by ESPN.”
    I scratched an eyebrow. “Maybe.” I leaned in closer. “Maybe you can come and watch me practice? I could use my own personal cheerleader in the stands.”
    “I thought the season was over anyway.”
    I shrugged. “I’ve got a recruiter coming to see me soon. Wanna be ready.”
    “Ah, well, I’m pretty busy.” She paused, a weird look on her face. “But I’d love to see you in uniform.”
    My eyes widened. Bingo! “That can be arranged. Maybe you could wear your little ballet skirt?”
    Visions of me slipping my hand up under her skirt flashed through my head. Again. Maybe she’d unlace my football pants, take my cock out and—fuck—I had to stop this line of thinking. Because, I think I really liked this girl, and something in me wanted to do right by her.
    I wanted to woo her.
    And that was the craziest thought I’d ever had.
    I grinned at her red face. “Ah, I shouldn’t have said that. You’re thinking dirty thoughts.”
    “Am not,” she said, but she didn’t sound sure.
    “Uh-huh.” My lids lowered.
    “How do you know?”
    I leaned in. “I can read a girl. And based on the red face and dilated eyes, you like me.”
    Her breathing escalated, making me scoot in a tiny bit closer. I inhaled her wildflower scent, my heart beating like a drum.
    “Get to know me, Dovey. Let’s hang out. I promise I won’t bite unless you want me to.”
    She let out a long sigh, like she was getting ready for a sermon. She said, “I appreciate your balls in coming up to me. I even applaud your whole ‘I dreamed about you’ line, because it was smooth. Just the right amount of humor with a touch of sexy. It’s obvious you’re a master at picking up girls. And the kissing part? That was excellent. Very subtle, and just enough to get my mind to thinking about us … you know … kissing.” Her words faltered. “But at the end of the day, it won’t work. We aren’t compatible. We come from two different places. You’re rich; I’m not. You like to party; I don’t. You like high heels; I don’t wear them. Good grief, your friends call you Hollywood. Then there’s me. I work my ass off to get everything I have. So yeah, not feasible.”
    I straightened up. “I’ll meet you after dance. I want to see you again before I go home.”
    She sputtered. “No. I just gave you a list of reasons why we can’t go out.”
    “Yeah, I may have missed some of it. I was watching your mouth move,” I murmured. “Got distracted by your lips.”
    “Is this a joke?” she asked.
    “I don’t play pranks.” I waved at the space between us. “We have a connection. I knew it the moment I sat down with you. You want to resist me, that’s fine. I like it. It’s like foreplay.”
    I slid off my leather varsity jacket and wrapped it over her shoulders. “Meet me outside your building so you can give me my jacket back. That’s all. No more songs.”
    I tweaked her nose. “And my dream was real.”
    Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, making me chuckle. I gave her one last lingering look and