“Right,” Tristan replied on a sputter of snickers.
The ride into Chicago passed in a blur of murmurs and small touches. Tristan and Ele talked low about random things, sites they passed, movies they liked, places they’d been. The chatter had a first-date quality to it, but the touches between them were intimate and familiar. His hands had a mind of their own, lingering on her skin, twirling her ponytail, massaging her neck. She responded to each caress, melting under his ministrations. Each reaction was a brick of trust between them, building something breathtaking. By the time they reached their destination, Ele was practically in his lap, all the barriers of propriety hacked away.
“What made you pick this?” Ele asked as they stepped out of the car without Robert’s assistance.
“Don’t know really. Do you need a specific reason?” he asked, curious.
“Maybe?” Her answer sounded like a question, as if she really did need a reason but she didn’t want to admit to it.
He moved closer to her and slid his hand around her nape, pulling her in. “I wanted to do something ordinary with you. Something you might never think would be fun. I figure you don’t get a lot of ordinary.”
Those icy-blue eyes were locked on his. Her grin was secret, an expression he hadn’t earned before now. She tilted her head up, kissing him light and quick. “Well then, let’s go catch a baseball game.”
Tristan grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers. He threw a glance over his shoulder, and with a nod from Robert, he and Ele jogged across the street to Wrigley Field. Tristan pulled the folded tickets from his pocket for them to enter the park. It was odd to be on the other side of the excitement. Normally, when he entered a stadium, it was as a member of a team, not as a spectator. It definitely wasn’t the same.
“Beer and hot dog?” Tristan asked Ele as they moved with the wave of people through the cement structure.
They hit the concession stand and found their way to the seats. The green plastic chairs were situated close together. And although Tristan hadn’t bought the cheapest seats, there was no mistaking this for the luxury boxes Ele was accustomed to. But like the adventurer she’d promised to be today, she slung herself into the seat. Maybe it had been the momentum or the excitement, but until that moment, Ele had been perfectly at ease. She glanced away from him though, and her body stiffened. He could almost hear her thoughts about all of the people and being out in the open. Her hand gripped the arm of the seat and tightened.
Tristan casually sat down and took a sip of his beer. Then, with deliberation, he set it at his feet before gently taking Ele’s from her hand. He placed hers on the ground next to his. Her nose wrinkled, and he stifled a laugh. Prying her fingers away from their death grip on the chair, he held them loosely.
Leaning over, he placed a light kiss on her cheek. “You got this,” he whispered.
He hadn’t meant to push really. But after her secret-spilling the night before, he could only think about all of the burdens she carried. Of course, it didn’t escape him that she was probably one of the wealthiest women in the world and certainly lived one of those lives people dreamed about. He got it. She was strong as hell too. But she never took the opportunity to do anything fun. There were pictures of her siblings out and about, without royal entourages, doing normal things. But there weren’t any of Ele. He’d looked. Every picture he could find of her was official. In the few hours between their talk and getting her to this game, this outing had become something of a quest for him. He’d never negotiated so hard—not even his last contract—as he had with Robert on the parameters of the date. Robert couldn’t have been more protective and intimidating than a father with a shotgun. But Tristan was nothing if not determined to get what he wanted.
She turned her head and gave him a bashful smile. Then, she nodded, like she’d made a decision. “So, what do we know about baseball?”
Tristan paused. He looked around at the stadium. There was a vibe, but it was different than watching football in Europe. For all the people, it seemed quieter. He was used to a sea of color, and while many of the people wore their team gear, it didn’t spill out of the stands in a ray of support.
He returned his gaze to her and rubbed his chin. “Not a lot actually.”
Ele snickered.
As if on cue, a vendor came through with programs. Tristan whipped out his wallet and bought one. He plopped it between them and flipped it open. They skimmed a couple of pages before Ele shifted closer to him. She tilted her head, and the brims of their hats bumped, making them giggle.
“What’s yours say?”
“My what?” Tristan whispered.
“Your bio.”
“You haven’t looked?”
The activity in the stadium increased—the voices of the people around, the announcements over the speaker, an occasional roar of the crowd. But Tristan had focused in, turned all of his attention to Ele. His vision and world narrowed to just her.
“No.” With the brim of the hat, it was hard to see her eyes. “I might have stalked you a bit after we met.”
He grinned. “A bit, huh?”
Squeezing his hand, she answered, “Maybe daily.”
He performed a quick scroll through the two months since they’d met. He’d been out on social media more than normal, which was saying a lot. He enjoyed hyping the National Team and generally raving about the opportunity. He participated in interviews and funny clips with his teammates. Tristan lived for the attention he received during that time. But thinking about Ele watching him flaunt himself in front of the world, he found he was uncomfortable. Rowan mercilessly teased him about his need for public adulation; Nico chided him on occasion. Ele did neither of those things, but he sensed something else—if not outright disapproval, then confused chagrin. Her own need to guard her privacy was in complete opposition to his urge to put it all out there.
“But not my bio?”
“No.”
The look he gave her called bullshit.