by Kathy Lyons
Why, oh why did someone as smart and sexy as Gia have to make a living creating false images of people? Why did I want to shake some sense into her every time I saw her? And why was it that every time she opened her mouth, I wanted to stop her words with my lips? Answer—because I was a masochist. Because I liked hurting myself with memories of a single fantasy kiss on New Year’s Eve.
I was still lost in thinking about Gia—and our one kiss—when my sister noticed where my attention had gone. Damn it, I needed to be more careful. Normally, my sister was a smart publicist, but she got a bit irrational whenever Gia was around. And given that Sophia was already in a bad mood because her assistant had skipped town, this situation was ripe for disaster.
“Well?” Sophia demanded, interrupting the interview. “Where’s Ellie and that guy with the silly position? Jake, the shortstop.”
I winced. Good God, shortstop was one of the most vital positions in baseball, and she’d just demonstrated her ignorance of the game. Meanwhile, I watched as Gia’s face tightened. I could see she was biting back an angry retort. Unlike my sister, she knew how important Jake was to the Bobcats’ chances of winning the pennant.
“Um,” Gia said, as she smiled warmly at the redheaded interviewer. “I think it’s better if we just focus on Connor. This is his third year at the All-Star Game. He’s practically an institution, but he’s so modest, he rarely talks about himself. Why don’t you ask him about that behind-the-back catch he did last year? He’s been practicing it, just in case.”
The interviewer gave me a skeptical look, but was game. The diversion would have worked if my sister wasn’t insane when it came to Gia.
“You mean you screwed up and Ellie’s not coming,” Sophia growled. “Good God, how incompetent can you be? Connor, we’re done here,” she said, snapping her purse shut loudly. “I’ve got real publicity lined up and not this waste—”
“Sophia.” One word from me in that tone of voice was usually enough, but my sister was having a really bad day.
“—of time. Thank God, you have me and aren’t relying on the team publicist.” She sneered at the title, as if what she did was any different. “She can’t even—”
I tried again, my voice louder. “Sophia.”
It didn’t work. She was on a roll.
“—book a third-rate interview right. What a disgrace. I tell you, the team should hire me. I’d get things running the way they should be. I’m the reason Connor’s famous. I’m–”
I stood up and got in her face, a solid wall blocking her from the other people in the room. “I know it’s been a hard week, but you need to calm down.”
“—really just embarrassed by the level of her unprofessionalism.” Her volume was dropping, but her pique still came through loud and clear. “Is it a money thing? Is the team short on funds so they have to hire cut-rate staff?”
Damn it! That was not the thing to say in front of a reporter! I looked back at the redhead who was already pouncing on the dropped suggestion.
“Is that true?” the redhead asked. “Is Joe DeLuce cash-strapped? Are the Bobcats in financial trouble?”
“No,” I said, loudly and firmly. And right behind me, Gia was scrambling over to cover my sister’s gaffe.
“You have to be joking!” she laughed. “Joe DeLuce is one of the richest men in America. Ms. Hart is understandably upset at the change in plans for this interview. She was just—um…” Making up bullshit. “Trying to point out that I’m, um, modestly paid.”
I looked at Gia. Her cheeks burned crimson, but she didn’t break. I admired that. I knew better than anyone how much she’d have loved to throttle my sister, but she smiled and tap-danced as fast as she could.
“There are no financial problems,” I said firmly.
“That’s right,” Gia continued. “We’re well on the way to winning the pennant, thanks in no small part to our great catcher here. That’s the story—”
The reporter gave her a sly look. “You know I’m going to check it out. Give me the exclusive, and I’ll soften the blow.”
Well, hell. The redhead was not going to be distracted unless I did something significant.
“How would you like to see me make one of those behind-the-back catches?” It was the first thing I could think of, but it was a risk. I was about 40 percent with that catch, and that’s because I was helping one of our backup pitchers stay sober by tossing the ball around instead of heading to a bar. I hadn’t seriously been practicing the thing. And the last thing we needed was a video of me twisting around, missing easy balls.
But I’d already offered, and now the reporter’s expression turned speculative. “That would make for some good footage.”
Yeah, it was always fun to look like an idiot on camera.
Gia jumped right in. “It definitely would. And there’s still some time before the next event.” She whipped out her phone and turned to me. “How fast can you change into your jersey?” she asked.
Five minutes, but I knew she’d need longer if she wanted to pull this off. “Fifteen minutes.”
“Great I’ll text you where—”
The reporter interrupted. “And if you could arrange for me to have some one-on-one time with Joe DeLuce, I could make it worth your while.”
Gia shook her head. “I’m sorry. Joe’s schedule is fully booked.”
A lie. Joe’s schedule had openings. Meanwhile, my sister interrupted with a rude sniff.
“She can’t help you. Just call my assistant. We’ll get you what you need.”
That was a double lie, since Sophia’s assistant was MIA, but the reporter didn’t know that. And that would buy Sophia enough time to come up with a logical excuse why an interview couldn’t happen.
Meanwhile, Gia was busy on her phone, making arrangements. “Field’s busy,” she said to everyone. “But we can do it out front. I’ll get an area cordoned off.” She looked at the reporter. “Thirty minutes?”
“Works for me,” the redhead said.
Sophia released a dramatic sigh. “I guess I can make time.” Then she stomped out the door.
Oh joy.
…
To keep reading and learn more about Hard and Fast, click HERE.
And to never miss another Kathy Lyons release be sure to sign-up for her newsletter HERE.
About the Author
Kathy Lyons writes light, funny, sexy stories for Brazen. She loves the faster pace of category books and that her humor can shine through. She leaves the dark, tortured love stories to her alter ego, Jade Lee. Visit them both on the web at www.kathylyons.com or www.jadeleeauthor.com!
Discover the Locker Room Diaries series…
Hitting It
Hard and Fast
Also by Kathy Lyons…
Dream Nights with the CEO
One Night in the Spa
Two Week Seduction
The Makeover Mistake
The Player Next Door
If you love sexy romance, one-click these steamy Brazen releases…
Taking a Shot
a Montana Wolfpack novel by Taryn Leigh Taylor
Hockey star Brett Sillinger’s never been afraid of a little trouble. But when his personal life ends up in the tabloids, he knows his career is on thin ice. Luckily, a new team decides to take a chance on him. All he has to do is keep head in the game. But when Chelsea London, the owner’s daughter walks in, looking for one night of nameless, no-strings passion, well, what’s a guy to do?
Make Me Want
a Men of Gold Mountain novel by Rebecca Brooks
Abbi Haas likes them big, bad, and out of her bed the next morning. So when a smoking hot firefighter shuts down a possessive ex by pretending to be her boyfriend, she’s happy to play along—and stay for the no-strings-attached sex under the stars. But her knight with bulging biceps is also her new coworker…and their little white lie has already spread.
Playing Dirty
a Sydney Smoke Rugby novel by Amy Andrews
Sydney Smoke star recruit Kyle Leighton can’t believe the best sex of his life was just a one-night stand. He didn’t even know her name… Until she shows up at the locker room and he connects the dots. Coach has one hard and fast rule: Never, ever date (much less f*ck ten ways to Sunday) his daughter. And not only did Kyle break that rule, but he wants to break it over and over again.
Seducing Cinderella
a Fighting for Love novel by Gina L. Maxwell
Mixed martial arts fighter Reid Andrews needs to reclaim his title. Lucie Miller needs seduction lessons to catch the eye of another man. They agree to help each other, but by the end of their respective training, Reid and Lucie might just discover they’ve already found what they desire most…