Playing for Love

by Mel Curtis

  Evan sighed, making Amber realize she’d lost.

  Then recessed lights from above illuminated the bed. Evan stalked to the nightstand and yanked open the drawer. Expecting a box of condoms, Amber was surprised when he produced a small flashlight and directed it into her eyes.

  Amber blinked, but didn’t see stars. “I’m not as fragile as you think I am.”

  Evan tossed the flashlight back into the drawer and withdrew a condom that complemented his wicked grin. “You mean you’re not as tough as you think you are.”

  Amber was afraid he was right.

  Chapter 36

  L.A. Happenings by Lyle Lincoln

  …The Flash was no match for the Lakers. Staples Center was filled nearly to capacity and Jack Nicholson courtside. The Flash played as if they were doomed from the start. If that wasn’t enough to disappoint fans, they missed the real action in Jack Gordon’s sky box after the game. Lucky for the Flash that action happened off the court (so no formal penalty will be filed) and it looks like two key players for Houston will be sidelined with injuries for Friday’s game.

  …If Evan Oliver is getting life coaching from the Dooley Foundation (which never acknowledges their client list), you can bet he’s getting more than motivational game affirmations. There are rumors that this generation of Rules takes a more hands on approach to bringing everyday joy to your life.

  “Are you kidding me?”

  Amber’s voice revived Evan from a deep sleep that he’d needed to recover from their late night and early morning activities. Each time before they’d fooled around he’d made sure to ice down her bruise (and suffered her icing his eye, too) and checked to make sure her eyes dilated normally. Amber was fine. He, on the other hand, wasn’t.

  He’d told Amber in the gray hours before dawn about being shot by his father and rebuilding his NBA dream from scratch. She’d told him about how much she enjoyed investing in people’s dreams. Evan thought Amber was naïve, going through life in her Tinkerbell slippers believing she could help people.

  But being with Amber was unlike anything he’d experienced with other women. When Evan was inside of Amber, he wanted to stay there. When he couldn’t hold back any longer and plunged to a deep completion, Evan wanted to keep her near, fitting her body next to him. He couldn’t explain it, but he couldn’t fight it either. This need for her was instinctual, like his reaction to Jack Gordon trash talking her.

  “You got benched in the second half?” Amber huffed. “You might have considered telling me.”

  Evan didn’t want to think about yesterday. He opened his eyes (one of them fully) to see Amber sitting up in bed next to him – thankfully naked, her hair tousled like a woman satisfied – the remote in her hand outstretched as she thumbed up the volume on the T.V.

  “Wait ‘til you get a look at this, Joe,” the ESPN announcer said. Evan didn’t bother looking. He was too busy tracing Amber’s curves with his eyes and planning what to do with her next. “After the game Oliver charges up to his owner’s sky box and they exchange blows.”

  Evan did look at the television then, in time to see Jack’s fist connect with his face. He had to hand it to Jack Gordon, the guy gave as good as he got.

  “Oh, my God.” Amber’s voice cracked as she scrambled out of bed and started picking up scattered articles of her clothing. “I thought you got that black eye from the game. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Evan shut off the television and the sportscasters laughing at his expense. “You’re making too much of this.” It was the wrong thing to say, but Evan’s body always woke up before his brain.

  “I’m CEO of the Dooley Foundation. I’m supposed to be having a positive impact on your life.” Turning her back on him, Amber stepped into a lime green thong. Evan went hard. “Where’s my purse? Jack’s probably calling to fire me right now.”

  Evan barely kept himself from saying, “Good.” Amber’s assignment was keeping him from a great sex life. They should be enjoying Sunday morning and each other.

  “Come back to bed,” he said placatingly, watching Amber load her beauties into a matching lime green halter bra. “You can’t let what other people say control you.”

  Amber jerked her dress on. “And you don’t seem to realize that sometimes you have to obey the rules.”

  “Why bother? If you play by the rules, you lose.”

  She snatched up her shoes, but didn’t put them on. “The only one who ever controlled you was your father.” Amber hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands. When she lifted her head there was a determined expression on her face, as if she was steeling herself. “You’ve been on a team most of your life. What’s your problem with this one?”

  “I don’t do teams. Not anymore.”

  “Then go back to streetball. Even I can tell you love it.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Meaning you won’t,” she huffed. “You need to suck up this seventh grader mentality you have that the world is your enemy and play. You can’t slug somebody every time you get upset, especially your boss.”

  Evan stared at his swollen right knuckles. He never hit anyone with his shooting hand. “He deserved it.”

  Amber waited for Evan to explain, exploding when he didn’t. “Spoken like a thirteen year old who thinks the world’s out to get him. What are you afraid of?”

  Her words struck a painful chord and temporarily muted Evan.

  “You’re going to end up a lonely man like those comic book heroes of yours,” Amber said, sticking her nose in the air and walking out.

  Not that she could go far. Evan had driven her here last night. He flopped back on the bed. He’d give Amber a few minutes to stew and then he’d get dressed and drive her home. She wouldn’t stay mad at him long. That was what Evan liked about Amber. She was passionate and opinionated, not afraid to speak her mind to him. But she was also forgiving.

  The outer garage door opened. Maybe Amber was going to ride his bicycle the thirteen miles to her house in that short halter dress and heels. This he had to see.

  Evan stepped into a pair of basketball shorts and padded out to the living room, intending to toss a remark at Amber before she went out and did something foolish.

  The Ferrari’s engine roared to life.

  Evan sprinted to the door to the garage, flung it open and ran into the empty space normally occupied by his Ferrari. With a squeal of tires, Amber sped down the driveway like a woman who’d be perfectly content to wreck a car just to prove what an idiot she thought the man she’d spent the night with was.

  For the span of a heartbeat Evan worried about Amber on the winding roads that led into Beverly Hills proper.

  Then he noticed the shutterbugs camped out at the front gate. One of his neighbors stopped to survey the scene as she walked her Pomeranian, glancing at Amber’s disappearing taillights and then at Evan. Just what Evan wanted – witnesses to Amber’s emasculation of him.

  Yeah, she’d cut him off at the balls, stranding him in his own home. All because she was upset that Evan hadn’t shared his Rock-Em-Sock-Em Robot episode with Jack. Since when did sleeping with someone entitle them to full disclosure? Amber Rule was infuriating.

  Evan waved to his audience and strolled back into the garage as if Amber had taken the Ferrari with his blessing.

  He’d made too many mistakes in the past twenty four hours. It was time to cut the crap out of his life and do what he’d set out to do two and a half weeks ago – win.

  Chapter 37

  L.A. Happenings by Lyle Lincoln

  … There’s buzz that Evan Oliver has been spending his nights breaking the Rules. I wouldn’t want to put credence into unsupported rumors, but hunkalicious was seen leaving Amber Rule’s neighborhood early Saturday morning and she was spotted making a hasty exit from his house Sunday. Could a lover’s spat affect his game? We’ll see in two days.

  “You’re fired.”

  The air left Amber’s lungs in a whoosh. Monday morning had dawned and along wit
h it her worst nightmare. First Lyle’s column, then a huge hoard of paparazzi outside her door and now, “Jack?”

  “You made Evan Oliver into more of an asshole than he already was,” the owner of the Flash snapped.

  In the next office a squeaky chair was pushed back. Mr. Jiggles barked. Blue darted into her office, closing the door before Mr. Jiggles could latch onto his ankles.

  “Jack Gordon?” he whispered.

  Amber nodded.

  Blue came around the desk and put his head near her ear and the receiver. Cora peered through the glass pane next to the closed door. Her Chanel pale pink ruffled blouse and gray skirt fit her perfectly. It was hard to believe, but Amber had to face facts, Cora probably wouldn’t have screwed up like this. Her half-sister didn’t have a heart.

  “Evan Oliver is uncontrollable,” Jack went on.

  “He and the team are just starting to gel,” Amber defended Evan.

  Blue scribbled wildly on Amber’s blotter.

  “Whatever you did to him or with him – ”

  Amber gasped. Way to give herself away.

  “I need it undone,” Jack went on. “Now. Today. Before we leave on this road trip tomorrow. So, you’re out.”

  “But I didn’t – ”

  Blue raised a warning hand, silencing her.

  She ignored him. “I mean I can’t – ”

  Blue’s hands shook from side to side in a universal stop gesture.

  Jack went silent on the other end of the line. She could tell he was still there by the heavy breathing in the receiver, as if he was fuming and barely holding back.

  Blue pointed to the blotter. Tell him you’ll take care of it!!!

  She couldn’t. There had to be a forty-eight hour rule where you could fall out of love as easily as you washed the scent of a man off your skin. But she was still in the infancy of heartbreak. How had she fallen in love so fast and so hard with Evan? He was too proud, too obstinate, too wounded to ever fall in love with Amber. She’d known who Evan was before she took the plunge and made love with him, sealing the deal with her heart. She’d known the risks to her business. Amber had no excuses and no one to blame but herself for thinking her attraction was just about sex. If only she didn’t need Jack Gordon’s business so desperately.

  “Tell him,” Blue urged in a low voice.

  Amber shook her head.

  “Give me the phone.” Blue reached for the receiver.

  “I’ll take care of it, Jack. Not to worry.” Amber batted Blue’s hands away.

  “Tell him this is all part of the process,” Blue said softly.

  “It’s all part of the process,” Amber parroted.

  “Relationships take time.”

  “Relationships take time.” Oh, God. Blue was going off on his dating tangent again.

  “Oliver will come out stronger and more fulfilled.”

  “Evan will be stronger and more – ”

  “That idiot brother of yours is telling you what to say, isn’t he?” Jack demanded.

  “Yes.” Amber made a cutting motion across her throat. “But we’ll put Evan back to normal.”

  “I don’t want normal!” Jack erupted again. “I want him to obey.” And then he hung up.

  Amber did likewise in slow motion.

  Blue got in her face. “I saw the Happenings columns, but I didn’t believe it. We had an agreement, Amber. No sleeping with clients.”

  “I didn’t…” Amber started to deny it, but hell’s bells. “I didn’t mean to.”

  At the door, Cora started laughing.

  Amber’s cheeks heated.

  “Call him,” Blue commanded, handing Amber the phone.

  “Jack?”

  “No. Oliver.”

  Amber’s cheeks were burning now. “And say what?” She’d said all there was to say Sunday morning. “Tell him that I love him? Evan Oliver doesn’t need anyone, remember?”

  “Did anyone ever tell you that you have crappy timing?”

  Amber held up her hands in hopeless acknowledgement.

  “We need that contract.” Blue paced the length of her office, then spun and pointed at Amber. “We’ve got one last shot.”

  Perhaps now wasn’t a good time to tell Blue she’d stolen Evan’s car yesterday. She’d driven it to Panache, had it valet parked during their brunch, texted Evan the information and retrieved her Mercedes. Amber sighed. “I’m afraid the damage is done.”

  Blue studied her. “Fine. It’s time to face facts. Oliver’s in the Majors and you’re a Little Leaguer.” Blue glanced over his shoulder toward Cora. “We’ll pinch hit.”

  “Don’t you dare invite Cora in on this.”

  “What would you rather I do? Let the retainer fee slip away?”

  “And take on the burden of generating her million in sales?” Amber picked up the ever growing stack of pink phone messages. “I’d rather replace the Flash with these then partner with the Wicked Witch of West Hollywood.”

  “Be realistic,” Blue said. “We need to pull together or we’ll all go down. The decision is yours, Madame CEO. What’s it going to be?”

  “We had no lunches with you gone, Amber Rule.” The tall Korean somberly patted Amber on the head at LAX Tuesday morning. “And only the one practice of Chaos last week. You must tell Evan Oliver what Chaos means to us.”

  “I will,” Amber agreed weakly knowing she’d do no such thing. Her recovery from love meant going cold turkey without Evan. She watched Ren amble into the private plane airport entrance. The team was flying up to Oakland to play the Warriors and then on to Houston. Amber wished she could go back to a time when she’d barely known Evan. Instead she was torn apart inside, keeping one eye out for the paparazzi and one for Evan.

  “You didn’t have to come with me, Amber,” Cora said sullenly.

  “I’ve got to introduce you to Evan.” She’d made a deal with Jack yesterday. Cora was going on the road with the Flash. Part of Amber hoped that Evan would show a small trace of loyalty and reject Cora. “And Blue had to meet a client.”

  “Mrs. Tiegler?” Cora laughed. “She’s been a client of Daddy’s forever. She doesn’t need coaching. She just needs to get laid.” Cora fluffed her long brown hair.

  “By any chance does Mrs. Tiegler have big feet and a love of gaudy shoes?”

  Cora’s eyes widened. “You’ve met her?”

  “Not in person.” Amber hoped Blue wasn’t giving the aging actress what she wanted, because the ick factor of both father and son sleeping with a woman was too disgusting to think about. She turned her attention back to the parking lot and the colossal men unfolding themselves from their vehicles. Why couldn’t Amber have fallen in love with one of them?

  “Is that him?” Cora fidgeted, smoothing her short black skirt as she nodded toward Antoine Watson, sporting a dark suit and a sexy swagger.

  “No.” Amber couldn’t believe there was someone in L.A. who didn’t check out the myriad of gossip columns and photos.

  “Too bad. This one looks like he’s doing well.” Cora twinkled as the man walked by. “Playing well, I mean.”

  Amber sighed. She’d always known Cora would marry for money, especially now when her meal ticket was at risk.

  Jack Gordon pulled up in a mud-splattered white truck with a dented front fender. He got out and put a sports coat over a black T-shirt and dark blue jeans.

  Cora stood very still.

  “Jack.” Amber greeted the Flash’s owner, trying not to stare too long at his bruised jaw. “This is my sister, Cora. She’s going to be helping with Evan.”

  Jack gave Cora a clinical once over and moved on without shaking either Rule’s hand. On a positive note, he hadn’t banned them from the trip.

  “Have you met before?” Amber asked.

  “No. Never. Well, maybe just once.” Cora bit her lip, staring after the Flash’s owner. “He doesn’t seem to remember.”

  Had Cora slept with Jack Gordon?

  “Don’t say another word.” I
t seemed Dooley’s blood ran deep in all of them. The Rules had a problem keeping their hands to themselves.

  Tires squealed on the far side of the parking lot. A sleek, red Ferrari purred around a curve and then leapt forward into a parking space.

  Amber had to remind herself to breathe. “That’s him.”

  They both stared as Evan unfolded himself from the car. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a blue striped button down. One lock of his dark hair fell over his slightly swollen, colorful eye as he caught sight of Amber.

  With one look he made Amber feel beautiful. Since she’d known him she’d been shedding layers, bringing out her curves. Standing next to Cora in a green knee length skirt and clingy ivory sweater, Amber realized her unveiling had all been for Evan.

  “I can see why Blue needed me.” Cora smoothed her skirt and wet her lips. “He looks like a handful.”

  Amber held back her jealous retort and braced herself for Evan’s backlash. She did regret taking his car…sort of. Amber would have enjoyed driving it if she hadn’t been trying so hard not to cry. She’d saved that breakdown for the privacy of her Beverly Hills bedroom.

  Evan stopped five feet away from them and stared at Cora, his eye a rainbow of colors. “Ladies.”

  Amber made the introductions.

  “Wow. The Dooley Foundation must aim to please,” Evan said icily. “First a redhead and now a brunette. Too bad I prefer blonds.”

  An image of Mimi Sorbet wrung Amber’s heart. “Since you and I seem to be having some challenges…”

  Evan laughed. Amber wanted to collapse, but she held her head high.

  “I’m your new life coach,” Cora chirped uncharacteristically, making Amber realize her sister, who always appeared so cool and collected, was nervous.