leg down, her hand staying on that hard wall of muscle, keeping him at a distance. “But right now, it darn sure is mine.”
“So you like to play dirty, do you?” His breath teased as it trickled along her cheek.
His fast, unaffected comment drew a glare from Katie. “You, Luke Winter,” she muttered between her teeth, trying not to think about the way his thighs were suddenly pressed to hers, “are way too full of yourself.” And his lips were way too close, as well. Sensual lips. Full lips. She snapped her attention away from his mouth, irritated at her distraction. “I’m not a groupie or even a fan. Frankly, I think you pitchers ruin the game. It’s boring. Nobody hits the ball.”
“Wait. You think baseball is boring?”
She smiled even before she got the words out. “Just pitchers.” Her hands slid from his chest and she crossed her arms in front of her, silently dismissing him.
“But you think I’m a good pitcher.”
She blinked at the odd comment. “I didn’t say that.”
“I think you did.”
She almost threw her hands in the air. “The point is—I don’t care about your pitching. I’ve dated my pro athlete.”
“Who?”
“Joey Martin.”
“The quarterback?”
“Yes.”
“Ah. I know Joey. Arrogant guy. It’s a quarterback thing. Pitchers are better. But I can see why you’re bitter.”
Exasperated, she exclaimed, “I am not bitter. And back to my point that I never quite made. I’ve dated my athlete. Got the T-shirt and don’t want another. You have nothing I want or need.” Ron groaned in frustration, though neither Luke nor Katie paid him any mind.
With a sizzling, heavy-lidded stare, Luke leaned in close. “You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart, and maybe you’ll believe it.” A shiver raced down her spine at the intense look that followed. “In my experience, people scream the loudest about the very things they are running from.”
She laughed in disbelief at the implication. “You think I’m running from you?”
His damnable silver-gray eyes overflowed with challenge. “Aren’t you?”
“If anyone is running,” she countered, poking his chest, “it’s you.”
His gaze dropped to his chest where she’d touched him and so did hers. Something happened in that split second. Tension entwined with attraction and exploded. Heat pooled low in her belly, awareness charging a path along her limbs, tightening her nipples, heart pounding in her ears. Slowly, their eyes lifted at the same instant, colliding in an electric charge of pure, red-hot attraction. It was one of those moments, one of those liquid fire moments between a man and a woman, that could turn animosity into wild, passionate sex.
“That’s enough!” Ron’s voice snapped through the air, and Katie all but jumped at the reminder of why she couldn’t have passionate anything with Luke. He was a job, a duty, a pain-in-the-backside, arrogant jerk. But still neither she nor Luke moved. They just kept staring at each other.
Ron’s hands closed down on one of each of their arms. “I said—that’s enough.”
Luke backed away, a smile tilting his way-too-hot mouth upward—the mouth Katie couldn’t stop staring at, wondering what it would feel like pressed to hers. Oh, God, she was thinking about kissing Luke Winter. Was she insane? Shaken to the core, she jerked her attention from Luke’s face, ran her hand along the edge of her hair and made her decision.
“Obviously, this isn’t going to work.” A second later, she was making fast tracks toward the door. She’d been crazy to come here, and she knew it. Ron should have known, too.
Luke’s voice mocked her from behind. “She gives up easily,” he said, evidently talking to Ron. “Why exactly did you recommend her? You thought she might actually have some balls? Guess you were wrong.”
Katie abruptly turned around, anger flashing in her brown eyes. “I cannot work effectively when it’s clear I will not have your cooperation. We can’t work together. We can’t even have a conversation together.”
Luke laughed loudly, leaving a trail of arrogant satisfaction ringing in the air. “Like I said, you give up easily.”
Katie fought for composure, enduring his mocking laughter with an internal cringe.
“Katie,” Ron said, his own exasperation apparent in the tension-etched way he said her name. “I don’t know what the hell has come over Luke, but we need you. He needs you. I need you. The entire team needs you.” He gave Luke a biting look. “Luke will behave himself. I’ll make sure of it.” He returned his attention to Katie. “Take the job.” With a pointed meaning, he added, “We both know you need it.”
Luke’s eyebrows arched sharply. Katie, in turn, shot Ron an angry look of reproach. Her financial picture was none of Luke Winter’s business, and that was exactly where this was leading.
Ron ignored her silent reprimand and spoke to Luke. “Management wants this to happen. I suggest you make it work.”
Then he waved his hand between the two of them, pointing at each. “So, to both of you, listen carefully to what I have to say. Katie, you need this job. Luke, you can take Katie or be left behind. There are plenty of young bucks dying to get your starting spot in the lineup. You might think you aren’t replaceable, but so has every other pitcher who’s ever been replaced. Both of you decide now. Are we going to make this work or not?”
Katie and Luke stared at each other, neither in a happy mood. Neither gloating any longer.
Ron continued, “I take that as acceptance from both of you. Now,” he said, crossing his arms in front of his brawny chest, “we need to sort out the logistics. No one can know who Katie really is.” Ron turned to Katie. “Luke is single, and so are you. I say you go undercover as his girlfriend.”
Her rejection was instant. “Forget it,” she spat at Ron. “That’s a deal breaker. I’m not going to pretend to be this man’s girlfriend!” She narrowed her gaze, accusation in her voice. “You planned this from the beginning. I know you, Ron. You knew I wouldn’t agree to this kind of setup, so you waited until I was here. That is low. I expected more from you.”
“Management wants this problem to appear to disappear,” Ron explained. “That means they want Luke’s extra security to be invisible. And let’s face it, our stalker doesn’t need to be alerted that someone is watching or that person might pull back before we catch them. This plan solves all of these issues.” Ron set his jaw, unaffected by her words, apparently prepared for them. “I’ll throw in an extra five thousand a week. That should cover any discomfort.”
Katie opened her mouth to reject the offer, indignant about Ron’s behavior, but forced herself to shut it again. She needed the money to get her sister out of trouble, but damn it, she didn’t want to be bought.
Then, suddenly, she realized Luke hadn’t said a word. Not one objection, not one complaint, nothing. She looked at him, a question in her mind that was most assuredly on
