“And he won’t let anyone know who I’m coming to see,” Ariana said, raising her brows.
Nicole shrugged. “There’s that, too.”
Ariana smiled. “More secrets and clandestine meetings,” she said in a low, hushed voice.
Nicole smirked and Ariana followed her off the elevator and into the apartment. She set the sack down on the living room table as Nicole plopped down on the couch and sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Ariana asked, sitting next to her.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about all the secrecy and perception stuff,” Nicole said. “Shealyn and I were talking and we’re friends with several players. We don’t do much socially with them during the season, but that’s because we’re all so busy.”
“Okay…” Ariana furrowed her brow. She wasn’t quite sure what was bothering Nicole, but she could tell something was on her mind.
“This”—Nicole pointed between the two of them—“feels different.”
Ariana nodded. “Ah, your other player friends don’t come over and talk basketball or play one-on-one with you?”
Nicole shook her head.
Ariana smiled and moved closer to Nicole until their knees touched. “I don’t go over to my friends’ places and play basketball with them either. We may talk a little strategy now and then.” Ariana shrugged. “We”—she pointed between the two of them—“have a connection. I felt it when I stared into your eyes that day I landed in your lap. You felt it too.”
Nicole nodded. “We both have our boundaries on dating during the season and for good reason.”
Ariana nodded in agreement. “More than friends would be dangerous for you professionally, Nicole. I know that and would never do anything to put you in that position.”
“I know,” Nicole replied. She sighed and gave Ariana a sad smile. “I don’t like you having to lie to Cameron.”
Ariana tilted her head. “You’re talking about the other day when I came home and wasn’t expecting to find Cameron there.”She sat back against the couch. “I didn’t exactly lie, I just didn’t tell her all the details. It’s not because of you, Nic. What if I had been out taking ballroom dancing lessons and didn’t want Cameron to know? I wouldn’t have told her where I’d been then either.”
“Ballroom dancing?” Nicole’s brows comically crept up her forehead.
Ariana chuckled. “What if I’d met someone and wasn’t ready to share her with Cameron or my other friends? What I’m saying is, she doesn't have to know where I am all the time. You’re not making me lie.”
“But you can’t tell her you’re with me,” Nicole said.
Ariana thought about this for a moment. “I probably could, but I’m choosing not to.” She sat up and leaned towards Nicole. “Please don’t let our need for discretion mess this up. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you and telling you about my game. I want to play basketball with you again.”
“Isn’t itmyneed for discretion though? If you weren’t a player and I wasn’t a broadcaster…”
“But I am and you are,andwe’re professionals and we can do this.”
“The lying and secrecy doesn’t bother you?”
Ariana shook her head. “This ismyprivate life, Nic. It’s my business, not my friends.”
“You’ll tell me if it becomes too much?”
Ariana smiled. “You’ll never be too much, but I do have a lot of basketball to talk about with you tonight.”
Nicole’s face beamed with one of those smiles Ariana was coming to love.
Chapter Twenty
Nicole glanced over at Ariana as she stared at the TV screen. They’d gone through several different plays in Ariana’s game as well as the things Nicole wanted to show her from the game she called. They were now watching another game that was live.
She took the opportunity to study Ariana’s profile for a moment. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun today and Nicole was drawn to the shape of her jaw. A flutter erupted in her stomach as she imagined tracing her thumb down the angular path to her chin.
Their earlier conversation had put Nicole at ease. She would no longer worry about Ariana having to lie to her friends. For now, it was part of who they were. Nicole also wasn’t going to question what this was. Yes, they had a connection and Ariana felt it too.
