by Cari Quinn
Shayne looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Hot dog with all the fixings.”
“We are at a baseball game.” Christian laughed, picked up the phone to place their order.
“Exactly,” Shayne said as she ducked into the bathroom and closed the door.
“I like her. Oh, hi. Yeah.” Christian made their order while Frankie worked her way back over to watch the action on the field. Xavier smacked his fist into his glove and watched the pitch. It crossed the plate. The batter swung and the bat made contact. The ball flew into right field and landed in the awaiting mitt. The next batter sent two balls foul then swung too low, missing the ball completely. Two outs.
One more and she could breathe.
She’d attended a lot of ballgames, but never felt the intense pressure she did since adorning the jersey of her husband.
Her husband.
She loved that term. Christian stepped to her side and they cheered when the final out drove the teams back to their dugouts.
“I’m glad you love him.” Frankie jumped at the sound of Shayne’s voice. “It’s obvious he loves you, too.”
“Do you have someone special in your life?”
“Yes, but not it’s what you think.”
Okay, that wasn’t cryptic at all.
“I’m feelin’ a little out of place between you two.” Christian pointed down to his blank gray t-shirt. “I should probably get a Rockets shirt, huh?”
“Sure,” Shayne said while Frankie asked, “Are you gonna put Xavier on your back, too?”
Christian shook his head. “Hell, no. I’m thinking just a plain Rockets shirt. Shayne, wanna take a spin around the concourse?”
She looked at Frankie. “Do you mind?”
“No. Have fun.” Left all alone, she sat down and watched the game, watched Xavier play. Her heart hurt knowing this would be the final game of his career. He had talent. And damn, he looked sexy as hell in those pants of his.
She wondered if she could talk him into wearing those pants while she wore the jersey. Between them they’d have a whole uniform. Oh, yeah, she liked that idea.
* * *
Life didn’t get much better. Xavier stood in the outfield, completely at home. He belonged here. At least he had. His damned shoulder, it seemed, had other ideas.
Much like the game where he’d injured his shoulder, they were two outs away from victory. Another pitch, another strike or another caught fly ball and his career would be over.
He should be miserable knowing the final out meant an end to his career. However, he couldn’t bring himself to find even a moment of sadness or a twinge of regret. He shot a glance up to the skybox and his heart jumped. Frankie stood next to Shayne, both of them wearing his name, their name, on their backs.
He hoped Shayne allowed him in her life. He’d missed her, and hadn’t realized how much until he’d seen her again. She was the only family he had left. Well, that wasn’t exactly true now, was it?
Christian stepped up next to Frankie and Xavier smiled. Sonofabitch. He supposed he’d gained a brother in the bargain.
The pitch flew down the pipe. Xavier watched, his eyes narrowed, focused. The batter took a swing. No contact. The ball landed with a thud in the catcher’s mitt and the crowd went nuts.
Xavier looked up to see his girls jump up and snare each other in a victory hug. Christian pumped his arms in the air. Xavier smiled and shook his head. Sometimes life really did catch a guy off guard, slap him upside the head.
As Xavier exited the diamond for the last time as the Rockets’ left fielder, he hopped over the foul line and his heart jumped. He would have to contend with the media. They’d have questions about his shoulder and the end of his career. Damn vultures would want to know all the ins and outs, hows and whys of his departure from the game.
No use prolonging the inevitable. He hurried down to the press room, his cleats click-clacking on the tiled floor, and took a seat. Frankie entered the room and took the seat next to him. Coach flanked his other side.
Questions asked, answers given. Frankie fielded most of them since they had to do with his injury. Coach announced Santiago would be his replacement. No shocker there.
“Final question,” Coach told the crowd.
Xavier shook his head as the questioner stepped forward. She smiled at him and he knew his private life was about to go public.
“Jane Pierce, KKLV.”
“We all know who you are, Jane.” Xavier rolled his eyes.
“A little bird told me you’ve recently been married.”
Frankie’s gasp said she didn’t see Jane’s pronouncement coming. Her wide blue eyes sought his and she grabbed his hand under the table. His amusement matched her surprise and he just couldn’t resist.
He pushed away from the table and stood, taking Frankie with him. She stumbled into him before steadying herself. She blushed and Xavier grinned. He wrapped an arm around her waist. Her eyes went saucer. He pressed his lips to hers and she sighed, unresisting. Their quick kiss conveyed the passion he held for his wife. And he loved showing her off.
“Ladies and gentleman,” he told the crowd, holding out Frankie’s left hand, “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Dr. Frances Xavier. All other questions can be answered by Jane Pierce, since she had a front row seat at the wedding.” Jane’s mouth fell open and Xavier winked. “Little bird, my ass.”
With Frankie’s hand held tightly in his, he walked away from the media, away from the game, away from everything he’d thought mattered … and he couldn’t have cared less.
One lone woman with her stubborn ability to love him for exactly who he was, flaws and all, had changed his world.
Life really did throw a guy curve balls.
And good things really did come out of left field.
The End
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Deadlines & Diamonds Series
Fade to Black (Rich & Kate)
IN IT TO WIN IT (Grayson & Jane)
High Pressure – Spring 2015 (Colt & Molly)
OUT OF LEFT FIELD (Xavier & Frankie)
LUCKY 13 (Ricky & Shayne)
Hard Break (Ian & Kayla)
WHEN AT FIRST – Summer 2015 (Mason & Lucie)
SAFE AT HOME – Winter 2015 (Dominic Kane)
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About the Author
Emmy-Nominated Journalist turned Bestselling Contemporary Romance Author, Morgan Kearns writes the Deadlines & Diamonds series. Fans worldwide love her sexy baseball players and sensual journalists.
If not glued to her laptop, Morgan can be found with her nose stuck in a book or cheering for her own little athletes. She lives in Northern Arizona with her amazing family and her English Bulldog, Gus.
Should’ve Known Better
Cassandra Carr
‡
Should’ve Known Better
Sarah Jenkins, a math geek and hockey fanatic, is thrilled when the NHL hires her as an adviser for the Buffalo Storm. She gets to marry her two loves in this perfect job.
Sebastian St. Amant is a young hockey player looking to make the jump from the minors to the big leagues. His lifelong dream is within reach, but he needs to convince the Storm’s management and coaches he’s ready.
When Sarah and Sebastian meet, sparks immediately fly. Both want to succeed, but neither can ignore the growing attraction and a relationship is out of the question—Sarah’s an influential staff member and Sebastian’s a player, not to mention over ten years her junior.
But the impossible becomes the necessary when they can no longer fight their attraction. As everything crashes around them, the strength of their relationship is tested. Will it weather the storm, or should they have known better?
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the a
uthor’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
SHOULD’VE KNOWN BETTER © 2015 by Cassandra Carr previously released through another publisher
Published by C-Squared Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or C-Squared Publishing.
Contact Information:
[email protected]
Book Cover Design by Selestiele Designs
Image of Scott Nova COPYRIGHT Regal Rebel Photography
Trademark Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
NHL and Stanley Cup: National Hockey League
Cornell University: Cornell University Educational Corp.
GQ: Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.
AHL: American Hockey League
Honda Civic: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Ford: Ford Motor Company
Kodak: Eastman Kodak Company
Kyle and South Park: Comedy Partners Viacom International Inc
Tim Bits: T.H.D. Donut (Delaware), Inc.
University of Rochester: University of Rochester Education Corp
NHLPA: National Hockey League Players’ Association
Lexus: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha TA Toyota Motor Corp
“November Rain” and “Welcome to the Jungle”: Guns N’ Roses
iPod and iTunes: Apple Inc. Corp.
“We are the Champions” and “Another One Bites the Dust”: Queen
“Enter Sandman”: Metallica
“Eye of the Tiger”: Survivor
Tupperware: Dart Industries
Hustler: LFP IP, LLC
Praise for Cassandra Carr
~*~
Talk to Me
“Ms. Carr wove the sexual tension and interludes so seamlessly into the story that they were not just delicious but also necessary.… Readers will easily relate to the theme and be cheering the characters on as they discover love in a place neither thought they would.”
~The Romance Reviews
~*~
Collision (Buckin’ Bull Riders, Book 2)
“I was hooked into this story from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down.… This book engaged my emotions throughout as I wanted to laugh, cry, and even got mad at the characters.”
~The Romance Studio
~*~
Momentum (Buckin’ Bull Riders, Book 3)
“I absolutely love this series and this book is a great addition to it, even though I couldn’t figure out how Ms. Carr was going to make me fall in love with an Italian cowboy, she not only did but did it well.”
~Night Owl Reviews
~*~
Master Class
“The writing was fresh and fun and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Ms. Carr did not drag out the story, you knew and understood what all the characters were feeling and thinking without it being over-done. It was a story that was perfectly written and perfectly told.”
~Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
~*~
See the Light
“I became emotionally invested through the author’s eyes as I read page after page, cheering for the happy ending that I so desperately wanted.”
~The Jeep Diva
~*~
Service Ace (Close Contact anthology)
“Fun short and sexy sports tale, with some sports lingo but mostly all the hot intensity. Cassandra Carr never seems to disappoint me!”
~For the Love of Reading
~*~
Loaded Question
“Ms. Carr did a phenomenal job of bringing these characters to life in a very short story and giving the reader a heat level that is scorching while never compromising the plot or message of the story.”
~Sizzling Hot Book Review
Dedication
To my mother, who urged me to send this to publishers way back in 2008
To Scott, for being a kick-ass cover model and a friend
To Noelle, for creating a great cover to honor the book of my heart
and
Most of all to Michele, for believing in the story and making it the best it could be
Chapter One
Sarah Jenkins scooted to the edge of the SUV’s driver seat as she stared at the hulking home of the NHL’s Buffalo Storm. The August sunshine was only partially to blame for the bead of sweat running down the side of her neck. After wiping her damp palms on her skirt, she slid out of the car and hit the alarm remote. Turning, she bounced off a hard object and stumbled backward from the force of the impact with an involuntary grunt.
The immoveable object was a man, and what a man he was. He had a body like granite, with chiseled features, and was casually attired in shorts and a T-shirt clinging for dear life to his arms and chest. The guy could’ve been a sculpture.
Yum.
“Are you all right?”
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears due to the fight or flight reaction from their collision paired with the pure, inexplicable rush of lust he evoked. “I’m, um…” Sarah cleared her throat.
Talk, you idiot.
“I’m fine.”
Her cheeks flamed as she ducked her head. Was this what scientists meant when they said women were attracted to men they sensed had the strongest DNA? Between his killer body, light green eyes, and sexily tousled head of hair, he looked like he’d just jumped out of a cologne ad in GQ. As far as she could see, his DNA was damn near perfect.
It was hard to miss the long, thorough once-over he was giving her, leaving her hot and feverish—a reaction she couldn’t attribute purely to the blazing heat or her frazzled nerves. Their gazes collided and he stared at her with a glimmer of male interest.
She wasn’t sure why he’d be interested in her. He was gorgeous, and she was, well, a nerd, for want of a better word.
Her attention was drawn to full lips that would’ve looked feminine on other men, but there was nothing feminine or soft about this man. Hard, sinewy muscles stretched over his arms, legs, and torso, but despite his size, he was leanly muscled rather than bulky. He reminded her of a panther readying to strike, and her breathing kicked up another notch.
Sarah shook her head to clear it. She had a new job to focus on right now and that was the only thing that was important. It had to be. She couldn’t afford to screw this chance up.
“After you.” He stepped back and motioned for her to pass.
His voice had a hint of an accent. French-Canadian, perhaps? It rolled over her like a gentle breeze. What woman could resist an accent like that?
“Thank you. And I’m sorry about running into you.”
“I’m not.” He gave a one-sided, incredibly hot smile.
She needed to get into the building before she did something stupid like offer herself to him as a human buffet. The man turned and walked away and Sarah cursed her shaky legs as she headed into the arena, which also housed the Storm’s front office, where she’d be meeting with Jon Duncan, the team’s head coach, and Keith Calhoun, the general manager.
After spending years honing her skills in mathematical analysis as a postdoctoral fellow in Cornell’s Center for Applied Mathematics, or CAM for short, she’d landed her dream job as a competitive analysis consultant for the Storm, a team she’d followed for years. The position combined her loves of hockey and math to provide the absolute perfect fit for her.
The only problem? The NHL, not the team, had hired her to give the impression they were making an effort to help keep the Storm afloat while the organization searched for a new buyer. The previous ones had just been convicted of embezzlement and tax evasion.
Nibbling at her nails, she exited the elevator then glanced around for a moment to get her bearings before approaching the double set of glass doors etched w
ith the Storm logo, a hurricane with the team’s name being swept up in it. Now that she was here and thrust into Keith’s and Jon’s faces whether they liked it or not, she had to prove her worth.
Karen, Keith’s secretary, showed Sarah into his office. It was spacious and well-appointed with a big mahogany desk standing sentry in front of a wall of windows. A small conference table surrounded by six chairs sat to the side.
Standing and extending his hand, Keith said, “You must be Sarah. Nice to meet you in person. This is Jon.”
She shook his hand then turned her attention to Jon, who also stood. He nodded but didn’t offer a smile. He was a stocky man with a barrel chest and intimidating as hell. She’d seen some of his press conferences and he didn’t mince words. If she did her job well, hopefully she’d never incur his wrath.
Keith motioned toward the leather-bound guest chair. “Have a seat.”
She did, sinking into the buttery leather. Oh man, it’s more comfortable than my bed. If she wasn’t so nervous, she’d definitely enjoy the luxurious piece of furniture more, but even with her stomach doing flip-flops, she still had to resist the urge to run her fingers along the arms of the chair. Forcing herself to sit up straight, she folded her hands in her lap.
Jon and Keith sat, and Jon twisted to face her. “As you can imagine, even after our phone conversation, I’m way past skeptical about what you can bring to the table. We already have a video analysis consultant to study our competition. However,” he glanced at Keith, “it doesn’t appear we have a choice but to work together, so we might as well try not to get in each other’s way.”
She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. “I don’t blame you for being skeptical, but I think my background in math will nicely supplement your current video analysis work.”