Steal My Heart (Bachelors & Bridesmaids) by Barbara Freethy Page B

Michael's cryptic words when she drove back to San Francisco. After checking out of the hotel, they'd each gotten in their cars and were currently tailgating their way back to the bay. Michael had let her lead, and she couldn't help thinking how happy she felt every time she looked in the rearview mirror and saw him. It felt good to have him so close.
    Actually, being with Michael just felt good in general. It was a dangerous, heady, somewhat out of control feeling, kind of like riding that roller coaster, only a lot better. She tried to remind herself that once the competition was over, Michael would be out of her life, but that didn't change the way she felt right now. For once, she was going to let the future take care of itself and live in the moment.
    She hit a fair amount of traffic going into the city and it was almost four by the time she reached her apartment building in North Beach. She pulled into the underground parking lot, hoping Michael could find a nearby spot. She wanted to drop off her bag and grab a jacket before going to the stadium.
    When she got into the lobby from the garage, she saw Michael waiting outside the front door with his suitcase. He didn't want to leave it in his truck while they were at the game, but having his suitcase in her apartment meant he was going to have to come up after the game to get it. She'd worry about that later.
    "This is a nice neighborhood," Michael said as she let him in.
    "I love the area. I have a couple of friends who live nearby and there are great restaurants, bars and it's short walk to the pier."
    "Sounds perfect," he said, following her up the stairs to her second floor apartment.
    "Don't expect much," she warned as she opened the door and ushered him inside. "It's just a big studio."
    "But you have a lot of room," he commented, glancing around.
    She did have some space. The large room was divided into three areas, one for sleeping, one for sitting and one for cooking. Her double bed was hidden behind an ornamental screen. She had a couch and an armchair by the window, and her kitchenette offered seating at a counter with two stools. A small bathroom was just behind the kitchen and walk-in closet. She was happy she'd done her laundry a few days earlier. And since she hadn't been home much the past few days, the place was pretty neat.
    "I like the light," he said. "But where's your art? Your walls are pretty bare."
    "It's back at my parents' house."
    "You really don't feel the urge to paint anymore?"
    "I've done some sketches, but nothing good enough to hang on a wall."
    "I doubt that."
    "Well, I just haven't gotten around to decorating. I've been busy. Maybe I should see your place, because I have a feeling it's not going to look like it came out of the pages of a design magazine." She paused, frowning. "Actually, I'm probably wrong. It would make sense if you had your home professionally decorated. You must have made a lot of money in football. Where do you live exactly?"
    "I have a small house in the Berkeley hills. My sister's friend Carmen helped me decorate it. She's not a professional, and I paid her in tickets for last year's playoff game. You'll have to come over and check it out."
    "Why Berkeley? Why not San Francisco?"
    "I enjoy having a little more space than I'd have here in the city. Plus, I have a great view of the bay from my deck. I've seen some amazing sunsets. As an artist, you'd love the colors."
    She would love the colors. His words had already created an image in her mind. It was funny that Michael was making her think about painting again. He hadn't just taken her back in time to high school, but to a place in her life where she'd been filled with a lot of passion for art. She still had passion; she was just more practical now. She was an adult. Being practical came with age, didn't it?
    Shaking her head, she walked across the room, grabbed a jacket out of her closet and said, "Let's go to the game."
    After leaving her apartment, they got into