She wasn’t at all sure how serious he was about boxing, but if his brother was going for a major title, Hector couldn’t be far behind. Felix was the perfect example of what anyone even considering getting involved with Hector had to look forward to. She almost smiled smugly. This could very well kill the already weak temptation to continue to fantasize about the guy.
Catching Walter’s pained expression one more time, she finally had to ask. “Are you okay?”
The pained expression morphed into an even weirder one, and he started doing that head-bobbing thing again. “Yeah, I’m just a little sore is all. Me and Hector had a long workout last night over at 5th Street.”
Charlee lifted an eyebrow. “You work out with him?”
“Yep,” the head bobbing got more severe until Hector’s hand landed heavily on Walter’s shoulder and Walter froze.
“I’ll play the winner.” He pulled out the chair next to Walter, spun it around then straddled it, resting his big arms on the back.
Charlee’s mouth went dry in reaction to seeing him this close so suddenly, and her heart kicked into overdrive instantly. Not only had he interrupted the thoughts she’d been so lost in—thoughts of him once again, working out—he was now staring at her with that smile that made her insides liquid.
“But let’s put a timer on this one,” he added, still smiling and looking right at her. “I heard you’re the resident tactician. I don’t have all night,” his eyelids went a little heavy and he smirked, “not tonight, anyway.”
Panicking about feeling her face already heating, she was incredibly thankful that he turned his attention to Walter, patting him on the shoulder. “Let’s say forty minutes tops, big guy? This way I still get to see enough of your game to get an idea what I’m in for, but we don’t go too long.” She was just getting over the flush from the last comment he made to her when he turned to her again with a smirk. “I know you like going at it long and taking it slow, Charlee.” His playful smile made her breath catch. “But tonight you can indulge the new guy, right? We can do this nice and slow another time. I promise.”
She had to clear her throat for fear her voice would be a croak since her mouth was still bone-dry. “Forty minutes is fine.”
How in the world she’d concentrate on her game with him sitting there watching her and in that manner was beyond Charlee.
“Okay, forty minutes it is,” Walter said, setting the timer on, “unless someone wins sooner.”
That just might happen. Charlee was already contemplating letting Walter win—the sooner the better. She was already having a hard enough time staying composed and breathing steady. She couldn’t imagine beating Walter, which she’d done several times in the past, and have to sit there directly across from Hector.
Walter’s opening was the same as usual. She already knew what his next few moves would be. Damn Walter and his predictable play. How was she supposed to let him win without making it too obvious?
After the third uncharacteristically bonehead move on Walter’s part, Charlee looked up at him. Was he trying to lose? Their eyes met but not for long, because he immediately went back to staring at the board. Great. Maybe he was nervous about playing Hector too.
“So did Walter tell you about tomorrow?”
Charlee glanced at Hector. Why was it so damn hard to even look at him for too long? She nodded, glancing back at the board, and made her next move, taking Walter’s knight. She was now officially ahead in the game. If Walter continued to make the bad moves he’d been making from the beginning, she was sure to win.
“So you coming?” Hector asked, his unyielding stare burning into her now.
Chapter 6
Glad that it was Walter’s turn to move, Charlee glanced away, taking a quick moment to think about what Hector was asking her. He wanted to know if she was coming to see him fight Friday evening then hang out at a party where he’d be for the rest of the night. Just as the excitement began to build, Hector squashed the growing tingling sensation when he added with a smirk, “Bring your friend, Drew. She wanted to help me celebrate, remember? Tell her she’ll get her chance tomorrow night.”
Charlee didn’t even know why this surprised her. Of course, he’d be interested in Drew and not her. Why would he? Drew was outgoing, playfully flirtatious and charmingly confident—everything Charlee wasn’t. No wonder he’d been smiling at her from the moment she walked in. He probably planned on asking about Drew even before she got there.
“It’s only a day away,” she said, making a move immediately after Walter did and took his rook. “I’m sure she already has plans.”
She didn’t mean for that to sound as snippy as it had, but she couldn’t help it. Her irritation had reached a new level now. She was irritated at Walter for obviously throwing the game. Was he really that afraid of playing Hector the Great?
She was irritated at Drew for being so damn likable—irritated at Hector for staring at her as he had earlier from across the room and giving her an inkling of hope that there might actually be more to that stare. But mostly, she was irritated at herself for even going there.
Why would she even consider getting caught up on a guy like Hector? Hadn’t she learned her lesson already about getting her heart set on someone she knew was completely out of the question?
“Well, let her know, or you could come alone,” Hector said then put his hand on Walter’s shoulder. “Or you could come with Walter here. You’re coming, right, Walt?”
Walter smiled at her sheepishly then glanced at Hector and nodded. “Yeah, sounds like fun.” He turned back to Charlee. “You can ride with me if you want.”
Wonderful. Drew had Hector’s attention, and Hector had just lumped Charlee off on Walter. As if asking about her friend hadn’t made it entirely clear he had zero interest in Charlee, he had to double stamp it with this.
“Felix Sanchez is supposed to drop by,” Hector added.
Oh yeah, that made it better. If Walter bored her Friday night, she could drool over the famous man whore. Trying desperately not to frown but unable to even muster a smile, she glanced at him coldly. “Yes, Walter mentioned something about that.” She looked quickly back at the board because even as irritated as she was, she couldn’t look into those sinfully playful eyes without feeling drawn into them. “But thanks, I already have plans.” She cornered Walter’s queen, knowing exactly what he’d do next, and when he did, she took it with her next move. “Checkmate,” she said, glaring at Walter.
If she had it in her, she’d call Walter out for such an obvious phony loss. Was he really that spineless? Had he no confidence in his game at all? He hadn’t made the U.S. team for nothing. But she wouldn’t embarrass him. She knew all too well what it was like to be spineless. Maybe if she weren’t, she’d stare back at Hector like she’d caught him doing several times during this game alone. Instead, she’d looked away quickly every time. No wonder Drew was the one Hector and every other guy they met together, were ever interested in. Drew would’ve stared right back, maybe even smiled and done or said something witty.
“Wow, that was fast,” Hector said, standing up. “What happened, big guy? Not your day?”
Walter shrugged. “I told you she was good.”
Not that good. “Hmm, that felt a little too easy,” Charlee said, trying not to sound too sarcastic as she reset her pieces on the board again.
Glancing up for a moment, her heart sped up as she watched Hector and Walter trade places. Hector spun the chair Walter had been sitting in around and straddled it just as he had the first one. Charlee gulped at the sight of him even closer to her now. Why couldn’t he just sit like a normal person?
He quickly set up his pieces then leaned over a bit with that smile, “You ready?”
For once, she didn’t look away. It took all the courage she could summon, and she ignored the shivers already racing throughout her entire body. Out of nowhere, she felt suddenly enlightened. Sitting so close to her now, he didn’t seem so elusive—so b
ewildering. He was human just like her, albeit a very sexy, nearly perfect human, who made her tingle without the need to even touch her. Still, this guy didn’t possess superpowers or walk on water—although she’d hardly be surprised if he did.
It wasn’t fair. She was the one that had fantasized about this guy for almost two weeks now. Just because she wasn’t as outgoing as Drew or as slutty as those girls Saturday night, that shouldn’t make her invisible. She may not exude sensuality like some girls did, but she was no ugly duckling—not anymore anyway. At the very least, she’d be noticed. Chess, if anything, was the one thing she could be confident about. Charlee had done her homework. It was time to make herself noticed.
She almost chickened out, because it was something Drew would say, not Charlee. But she sat up straight, full of determination. Lifting an eyebrow and refusing to give into the urge to break the eye contact with him, she smiled. “I was born ready.”
~*~
For the first time today, Hector was able to indulge in Charlee’s deep blue eyes for more than just a few seconds. Okay, so maybe dark eyes were not the only kind that could take his breath away. Unlike the rest of the day when she’d pull away from his staring, this time he had been the one that looked away first. He had to before Walter noticed but mostly before he gave into the incredible urge he had to tell her just how amazing her eyes were.
Once again, Walter hadn’t wasted any time getting right to his lame plan of action. The second Hector had walked into that chess lab, Walter was on him. It actually worked out that Hector had a fight that Friday and that they were having a party afterwards. He’d invite Walter and Charlee to both, even though he didn’t think Walter would capitalize much on the opportunity. But regardless, not only would Hector be more than even with Walter but he was determined to slowly rid himself of the guilt that, annoyingly, even after the time he’d put into Walter’s workout last night, still lingered.
This should’ve been a painless enough payback, but then Walter had to open his big mouth around the other guys. Now Hector would be stuck hanging out with this bunch of virgins tomorrow night. As if that weren’t bad enough, Walter nearly blew the first part of the plan already. The plan was to let Charlee beat Walter so that Hector could play her and take extra-long between moves. This would give Walter a chance to make small talk with her, and if he got stuck, Hector would be there to help him out.
Walter was supposed to have brought up the fight so that Hector could be the one to invite her since Walter didn’t have the huevos to do it himself. But so far, not only had Walter hardly said a word but he was so ridiculously obvious about letting her win Hector thought she’d catch on for sure.
Hector was now the one making all the small talk while Walter sat there like a damn mute. How the hell did he expect to impress this girl? Worst of all, it was happening again. In spite of her indifference toward him on Saturday night, Hector thought it might actually be possible for him to be attracted to a cute little redhead like Charlee. Now he knew it was. Not only was he having an exasperatingly hard time keeping his eyes off her but he found it impossible to not add a flirtatious undertone to everything he said to her.
His comment about her friend Drew was meant to tone it the hell down and throw her off a little. He was sure if she hadn’t already, she would notice his eyes tracing every inch of her face: her eyes, her lips, and that porcelain skin. Then there were the freckles. She didn’t have as many as you’d expect on a redhead, but he never thought freckles would be so damn distracting or that he’d be having visions of kissing them slowly, one by one. Even that sexy little red eyebrow she’d lifted at him when she said she was “born ready” had sucked the air out of him.
Well, he’d just have to suck it back in because there was no way he’d be doing anything to move in on a girl Walter was so hung up on, no matter how unlikely it was that she’d be reciprocating Walter’s feelings. Hector was already going above and beyond anything he’d normally do for someone he didn’t even know all that well. And it was all for the sake of shaking the guilt that had troubled him for too long. He wasn’t about to blow all his efforts away for this. Nope, this wasn’t happening.
With everything he had going on in his life anyway, he didn’t have time for relationships. The most he could do right now was fun. And there were plenty of other girls out there he could have fun with. Saturday night had been further proof of that. Of course, Sam had thrown a wrench in that one, but Hector had no doubt he’d finish what he started with those two eventually. The girls had been just as disappointed as he was, and since he’d invited them also to Friday night’s party, he’d make it up to them soon enough.
After taking his turn, Hector glanced at Walter, giving him a look as Charlee took her time studying the board. Walter stared at him blankly. Hector opened his eyes wide, willing Walter to come up with something—anything. But frustratingly, Walter remained silent.
“Your turn,” Charlee said, sitting back in her chair.
Unlike most players who leaned in the whole time studying the board and focusing on their possible next move, Charlee would sit back during her opponent’s turn. Hector had observed that about her even during her game with Walter. For some reason, it irritated him now. Maybe it was because that chip on his shoulder was growing by the minute from her continued unimpressed and indifferent attitude toward him. Her sitting back the way she was made it seem as if she were sending out a message loud and clear—she didn’t have to put much effort into beating him.
He knew he was being paranoid, and most likely, as usual, he was over thinking things. She’d sat that same way during her game with Walter, but obviously, she really hadn’t had to try in that case since he’d so easily let her take the game.
With the sudden urge to not just win but really show off, Hector thought of some of the moves Sam had used on him in the past: the maddening ones Hector never even saw coming.
Thoughts of Sam distracted him for a moment. Hector had been so relieved to find out Sam was going to be fine. Having lost the only father figure he’d ever had recently, Hector wouldn’t be able to handle something happening to Sam.
Being so busy with Sam and training, Hector all but forgotten about Charlee’s snobbish attitude until Walter had showed up last night. Even though Hector refused to ask outright, he did get a few things out of Walter about what the people on the school’s chess team thought of him so far. They’d been thoroughly impressed. Of course, Walter didn’t say who exactly, and Hector was not about to ask, but he seriously doubted Charlee had been one of the ones so impressed.
It wasn’t until they were into the game a good ten moves that Hector picked up on Charlee’s plan. He couldn’t be sure yet, but if he weren’t mistaken, she was imitating the opening moves from his game in Saturday’s tournament, not the game in the final round against Bisbee either. This was the opening he’d used on Kowalewski—the player he’d knocked out before Bisbee, the one who was supposed to have been the biggest threat, the guy he'd specifically prepared his opening novelty for.
After a few more moves, there was no mistake about it. It was exactly the game he’d played.
Clenching his jaw, his mind raced now. What was she doing? She had chosen to play this for a reason. Why? Should he be flattered that she’d obviously took the time to examine his game and apparently memorized it, or should he be pissed that maybe she really was being snobbish—showing him up? What idea had she found that he hadn't when he prepared for Kowalewski?
Hector looked up at her after her latest move, meeting those deep baby blues once again. Nothing in her blank expression gave anything away. He decided not to let on that he knew what she was doing, because he still couldn’t figure out why. Instead he would use the fact that he knew what moves she’d be making before she actually made them to his advantage.
He’d completely given up on helping Walter make small talk with her. If Walter couldn’t even come up with a few comments about chess, the one thing these two had in comm
on, then he couldn’t be helped. More onlookers gathered around Hector and Charlee: onlookers who may very well be thinking the same thing he suspected both Walter and Charlee thought—that maybe he wasn’t cut out for the U.S. team or even the school team. It’d been common knowledge that whoever made the U.S. team would be automatically invited to play for the ESU team.
Walter was on his own. Right now, Hector was on a mission. There was something more important he needed to focus on now. Obviously, Charlee was up to something. Hector was going to figure it out one way or another.
And then, she played her new move. It was bold, nothing like the quiet play that had led up to this position. Kowalewski’s knight had passively retreated here, but this was a challenge, a pawn pushed up the last file on the board, like a bomb going Ka-boom on his king’s pawn shield.
Hector couldn’t help but smirk. Was she getting nervous? Sure she’d taken out the pawns in front of his king, but it was such a gamble. He could just fend off her attack and then slowly squeeze out a win in the endgame.
The next move proved she was panicking because she sacrificed her queen for a pawn. Hector smirked again as he took her queen and set it aside with a sympathetic shrug. She wouldn’t even look at him now. Hector watched her serious expression, more than amused at how she made her next move so quickly.
“Check,” she said in the most nonchalant manner possible, meeting his eyes with a smug smile.