Funnily enough, she thought Jacqueline might enjoy the verbal duels just as much.

“Mum’s expecting me to go into the charity sector because of my camp,” she added, “and yeah, I can see it.”

Danny nodded. “It’s amazing, what you do.”

“You helped. Thanks.” It wasn’t so hard to choke that out. “The kids get a kick out of having you come and spend time with them.” With rugby a certified national craze, getting to interact with a player as admired as Danny was a major deal.

“It’s fun, especially seeing their faces light up when you and the other instructors join me for a game of touch.”

Their eyes met, a simple, powerful understanding passing between them in that moment. Then it shifted, just a fraction. A problematic fraction. The eye contact held a moment too long, the intensity of the connection a little too deep.

They both jerked their heads away, suddenly deeply focused on their meals.

Ignore, ignore, ignore.

Her phone buzzed. Buzzed again. And again. Thanking the heavens for the interruption, she grabbed it from her pocket. “My girlfriends,” she said. “They must’ve just seen my post. They’re going nuts in our group chat. Veni’s playing along.”

“Of course the rest of them are hyped up.” Danny leaned back in his chair in that sprawled-out male way and held out his arms. The position emphasized the sleek musculature of his chest, showed off the line of his biceps, made the light shine on his far-too-sexy forearms. “Because I’m superhot.”

“This is hell.” Catie threw up her hands in lieu of strangling her fluttering stomach. “What did I do to deserve it, that’s what I want to know.”

“Oh, you doth protest too hard, Caitlin. I think the fans are right. You’re madly in lust with me.” He widened his eyes. “Should I lock my door tonight? Will you be able to resist the urge to break it down and attack my fine bod?”

Catie would not laugh. She. Would. Not. Laugh.

But a snort escaped her nose, and then it was all over. Only Danny could do this to her—make her laugh so hard that her stomach hurt. Especially when he joined in with that infectious, warm laugh of his.

Wiping away tears a long time later, she pulled up the chat. “A whole bunch of ‘you’re a sly one’ followed by ‘we’re so happy for you!’ and oh, they want to know if you’re good in bed?”

She looked up just in time to catch dark red bloom across Danny’s cheeks, his mouth falling open before he snapped it shut and pushed back his chair. “I’m going to clear the table.”