Read A Matchless Romance (Aisle Bound) for Free Online Page B

Sure, it wasn’t a loincloth and leather scabbard from one of his games. And yes, he still looked handsome enough to double time her heartbeat. But he wouldn’t blend in with the rest of the guests, that was certain.
    “Um, Drew? What’s with the outfit?”
    “You told me to wear something nice. I even called my grandmother for advice.” He put one hand to his mouth and stage-whispered behind it. “I almost asked my roommate, but Matthew’s taste runs to ruffled pirate shirts and kilts. He’s a serious gamer who likes to live his characters in real life. Even I know enough to not trust his fashion sense.”
    She flicked a finger at his feet. “So your grandmother told you to wear white shoes?”
    “Grandma said the nicest I ever looked was at the opening ceremonies of the Summer Games, in my Team USA uniform. This is the best I’ve got.”
    Oh. Her heart melted at the sweetness of pleasing his grandma. And body parts a little lower melted a bit at the realization that the patch on his jacket did say USA. A medalist, at that. Pretty sexy stuff. And he’d tried so hard. Followed her order to dress nicely—as nicely as he knew how—in both spirit and letter.
    If this outfit was good enough for Americans to wear in front of the whole world, it’d have to be good enough for Ivy and Ben. “You’re right. I’m sorry for my knee-jerk reaction. It’s a very nice outfit.” Then she remembered that she was supposed to be coaching him. Wardrobe would definitely be a consideration as he prepped for his media blitz. “But I don’t think you should wear it to your interviews in New York.”
    “Right. Because I’ve retired?” He folded his long legs like a preying mantis and sat on the edge of the low slipper chair.
    Tabitha grabbed a pale lemon pillow and hugged it to her chest as she sank onto the sofa. “From what?” She really wanted to know. The unrelenting inner fire required to be such an elite athlete had always amazed Tabitha. The single-minded drive, the spirit of the entire world coming together for two weeks—she loved the Summer and Winter Games. Cleared her schedule to watch both summer and winter every four years. She used to have to get up in the middle of the night to catch all the events, so thank God for the invention of the DVR.
    “Five thousand and ten thousand meters.”
    Wow. The footraces were her favorite part. The historical significance of how they tied back to the events of the original, ancient Games sent chills up her spine every time. “You can run that far without wanting to lie down and die?”
    “Many, many times in a row,” he said with a laugh. “In fact, I missed it so much that I’m training now for a marathon. Twenty-six point two miles. If I get a couple of those under my belt, I might move on to triathlons.”
    Wow again. A vision of long, tan legs covered in dark hair pumping in unison with muscled arms swept through her brain. She took another sip of champagne to cool her suddenly overheated imagination. “You do realize that’s incredibly sexy?”
    “What—sweating and panting?”
    “Exactly. When you talk to women today, be sure to mention you were in the Summer Games. Or your triathlon training. Or both.”
    Drew shook his head. “I can’t. That’s bragging.”
    He was modest, too? A medalist with what sounded like a pretty great job who had to be covered in muscles…it stymied her that he had trouble interacting with women. No, Drew must’ve overthought the whole thing with his boss and HR. Panicked at the first smack down from his new boss. Because Tabitha was tempted to call him a slam dunk. He certainly had her motor revved already. By the time she was finished with him, he’d be a prime candidate for her next Match-n-Mingle event.
    “Damn right it’s bragging. How is a woman going to find out all the amazing things about you unless you tell her?”
    He shrugged. Slid further back in the chair and crossed an ankle over one knee. “Makes sense, I