To Win Her Heart (Players)

by Mackenzie Crowne

  “What about Tuck and the rest of the family? Are you really willing to risk their friendship over a plan you think is nuts?” She jacked up her chin. “Because I have other options, you know. Lots of guys would be willing to help me out.”

  A sardonic smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “No doubt Craig would be first in a long line, but then, you didn’t go to another guy. You came to me.”

  He had a point. The jerk. “And you refused.”

  “I changed my mind.” He propped his hands on his hips and held her gaze. “I’ll deal with Tuck and the family, but if we’re going to do this, I have a few terms.”

  Terms? What kind of terms? She narrowed her eyes. “Like?”

  “If we’re moving in together, we’ll be staying at my place. I have a business to run and a match to train for.”

  Relief loosened her spine. Now that was a term she could get behind. With a little luck, she and Max would eventually end up lovers for real, but in the meantime, fooling Aurora and Dan while sharing her condo would be next to impossible. Her pulse picked up and left her short of breath. “I can work with that.”

  “Second. I’m not your father, but neither am I some random guy you picked up off the street. I’ve been around enough to understand Ryan’s security concerns, so if you’re thinking I’ll stand by and let you run off, half-cocked without anyone to keep the crazies at bay, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

  He held up his hand when she started to object. “You’ll have the space you’re desperate for, but if you leave the condo or fight center, Dan or I go with you.”

  She frowned. His terms didn’t sound at all like what she had in mind.

  “I mean it, Squirt. You said it yourself. I’m the perfect choice because your father will trust me to keep you safe. I can’t do that if I’m not with you. I’m risking his and Tuck’s friendship by agreeing to this plan. I won’t do that just so you can shop alone.”

  She didn’t want him to risk his friendships at all but geez, was she escaping one cage for another? Fierce with conviction, his eyes had the power to make her legs weak, and her frustration fizzled under anticipation. Cage, my ass! If Max was trapped in there with her, she’d gladly throw away the key. This was her chance to win his heart. Spend all her free time with him? Hell, yeah. She could definitely handle that.

  “Done.” Her curt nod confirmed her agreement.

  Suspicion replaced the conviction in his eyes and a sexy wrinkle creased his brow. She nearly smiled. Poor Max. He’d just delivered the means to make her dreams come true. Her sexy cage fighter had no idea what he was in for.

  He shook his head and his lips twisted as if what he was about to say left a bad taste in his mouth. “Lastly, I won’t have the paparazzi on my doorstep. If they become an issue, I’ll call a halt to the whole thing.”

  Some of her excitement faded. “That’s unfair. I can’t control the press.”

  He sighed, and she wondered if he’d changed his mind when his shoulders slumped. “I don’t expect you to. Sorry. I don’t have a lot of patience when it comes to the press.”

  No surprise there. Max was nothing if not loyal to his friends, and having grown up together, Max and Gracie Malone were as close as friends could be. Jessi had been busy building her career at the time, but as Tuck’s friend, the press’s interest in Jake’s custody battle with Gracie had come up with regularity at family gatherings. Matters only got worse when Gracie’s connection to Tom Walden was consequently revealed. The press had initially crucified the retired, and very married, quarterback with the discovery of his love child.

  As with all scandals, the furor over both stories eventually faded, but for those at the center of the storm, the bitter taste remained. Like Gracie, Jake, and Tom, and Tuck for that matter, Max had distrusted the press ever since.

  Jessi rested a hand on the bunched muscles of his forearm. “I understand and don’t blame you.” She dropped her hand to her side. “I can’t promise they won’t be a problem at some point, but I’ll do whatever possible to minimize any contact.”

  He studied her in silence for a long moment then, with a dip of his chin, he held out his hand. “Then we have a deal.”

  Chapter 5

  “Breathe, Jessi. They’re your family, not a firing squad.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Jessi stopped with her hand on the doorknob of Tuck’s Long Island home and shot Max a smirk over one shoulder. “If they freak out and decide to lock me in the basement, you’ll be free to walk out the door with a whistle on your lips.”

  “And a couple black eyes.” His dimples made an appearance and his eyes twinkled with mirth.

  Less than six hours had passed since they’d shaken hands in her studio, and the speed with which he’d put her plan into motion left her dizzy. As bold as can be, he’d wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her into the control room. “Congratulate us, Dan,” he announced. “We’re in love.” The comically stunned look on her driver’s face, as he scrambled to his feet and followed them to the car, was priceless. Aurora had been no less shocked when they’d arrived at Jessi’s condo so Max could help her pack. An hour later, her things were ensconced in his spare bedroom, but to the world, they were living together.

  No doubt Dan had already filed a full report. Her father would be in attendance for tonight’s family dinner, and if Tuck and the others had yet to hear of her and Max’s new relationship status, it wouldn’t be long. Yet, instead of the reservations she expected, Max acted as if he was actually looking forward to the coming confrontation.

  She frowned and turned back to the door. “Why are you so calm? I’m about to pee my pants.”

  His low chuckle skittered over her tightly stretched nerves as he stepped closer to her back. He dipped his head to bring his mouth close to her ear. “First rule of battle, Squirt. Never let the enemy see you sweat.”

  The chilly January evening wasn’t responsible for her shiver. His big body surrounded hers, and she had to fight the competing urges to turn and burrow into his arms…or run like hell. A rough sigh lifted her shoulders. “Yeah, but these people aren’t the enemy. They’re my family, for heaven’s sake.” Her stare bored into the wooden door inches from her nose. “I’m about to tell my family a gargantuan lie.” With a groan, she dropped her head back. It bumped his shoulder. She straightened immediately and scrunched her eyes closed. “Oh, Lord, why the hell didn’t that inconvenient truth dawn on me before now?”

  He didn’t give her a chance to answer her own question. Covering her hand with his, he twisted the knob. The door opened with a quiet snick. Her eyes popped open, and she bit her lip against a guilty whimper. At the far end of the open floor plan, the kitchen teemed with familiar faces, several of whom looked their way. Tuck’s dirty blond brows arched to his hairline as his gaze zeroed in on her and Max.

  “Too late now. It’s show time.” Max’s deep whisper tickled her ear. Before she could respond, he used the hand on her lower back to turn her until she faced him.

  As he lowered his head toward hers, she slapped a hand to his chest. “What are you doing?” The shocked demand came out in a quiet squeak. Her stiffened arm did her little good. He drew her closer.

  “Making sure your plan works.”

  Her world tumbled as he covered her mouth with his. Stunned pleasure liquefied her limbs. With her fingers clenched in the soft material of his sweater, she held on for dear life. The animal heat of his body swirled around her and seeped into her tingling skin as his mouth introduced her to his taste and scent. Spicy man and power. An intoxicating combination.

  No simple peck on the lips, this. His tongue swept the seam of her mouth. Helpless to resist, she complied. Opening her lips to welcome him inside, she savored the rich combination of heat and silk as his tongue tangled with hers in a sensual dance. A willing moan gurgled in her throat, and she squirmed in giddy delight as he pulled her tight against the muscular frame that had starred in countless of her
fantasies over the years.

  Good. So good.

  If his plan was to put on a show for the family, he did one hell of a bang-up job. Talk about an Oscar worthy performance. She willingly stepped into the role of supporting actress.

  The chiseled contours of his competitor’s body molded to her curves, squashing her breasts to the muscled plains of his chest. Her back arched over his strong arm, and he deepened the kiss, bending her to his will and devouring her mouth in a thrilling claiming. Pleasure danced with elation as the bulge of his swelling erection pressed against her lower belly.

  A kaleidoscope of color swirled behind her closed eyelids. Tongues of white-hot flame licked through her, all racing toward a common destination. She squeezed her legs together as waves of pleasure suddenly pulsed between her thighs.

  Oh dear God. Don’t do it. Don’t you dare have an orgasm in your cousin’s foyer. With your family watching! Horror doused her like the splash of an icy puddle on a wintery Manhattan street.

  She squirmed in his arms, unclenching her fingers to press against his chest, and he slowly straightened and broke the kiss. Her eyes popped open. Breathing heavily, she stared into his darkened gaze, but how was she to read what she saw there with her head spinning and her pulse racing?

  “Oh, Max. You always did have incredible timing.”

  Yanked from the sensual vortex, Jessi turned her head and winced as she met the anxious gaze of Gracie Malone across the distance. Beside her, with his large hands slapped over the giggling Malone twins’ eyes, her husband, Jake, twisted his lips as he fought a grin. To Jake’s left, V, his lifelong friend and publicist, bared her teeth in a smile. CC stood with her mouth open in a comical “Oh.” Tuck scowled.

  The rest of her family stared at them with varying degrees of shock and humor. Her cousin, Tim, started to laugh. Unable to avoid doing so any longer, she glanced at her father. Expecting condemnation, she was surprised by the steady speculation in his eyes.

  “I see Dan spoke the truth.” More statement than question, her father directed the comment at Max.

  Jessi swallowed a groan and untangled herself from Max’s hold. “Dad, I—”

  Max stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned to look at him, but his gaze was locked on her father.

  “With all due respect, sir, your daughter and I have had feelings for one another for a while.”

  Tuck started to cough. CC pounded him on the back. Jessi shot him a glare.

  Max ignored them all. “We’ve decided it’s time to explore those feelings and see where they lead. We came here tonight to tell everyone because we didn’t want to sneak around behind your backs.”

  Jessi stared at Max’s hard profile. Despite his tough-guy looks, he tended toward carefree and charming. Sure, when bluntness was called for, he had no problem delivering a stinging rebuke, but she’d never known him to be dishonest, with anyone. Yet, he’d made his declaration sound like the honest to God truth.

  His intent gaze swept the room, and she held her breath. “If any of you have a problem with that, take it up with me.”

  Her breath came out in a whoosh at his blatant dare. Oh, Lord. Here we go.

  Tuck rolled his shoulders, but CC’s hand to his arm stopped whatever he might have said. Her father shocked the hell out of Jessi by holding up a hand and dipping his chin in a slight nod. A long moment passed as everyone stared in stunned silence.

  “Well, then. Is anyone else hungry?” Gracie’s falsely jovial voice pierced the absolute quiet, and she shot Max a strained smile. “Because this preggo is starving.”

  “Ditto.” CC snapped into action, patting her rounded belly, and turning to her husband. “Fire up the grill, Tuck. Your son needs sustenance.”

  The dual prenatal demands shattered the palsy that had fallen over the room, and everyone began speaking at once. Jessi spent the next ten minutes fielding teasing questions from CC, Gracie, V, and her cousin, Patty, as Max disappeared outside with Tuck.

  After the display she and Max put on, she expected her father to march her upstairs to demand answers, but he’d apparently assigned the task to Tim. Her cousin cornered her in the kitchen the moment he got the chance.

  Big and blond, he resembled Tuck in more than just looks. Like his older brother, he could be a smart ass, but he also had his serious side. The problem was, she was never sure which Tim would show up.

  “You sure know how to make an entrance, Jess.”

  Okay, she’d be dealing with the smart ass tonight. She jacked up her chin and batted her lashes. “It’s a gift.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “In the meantime, how am I supposed to handle things for you if I don’t know what’s happening?”

  Her gaze locked on his in an even stare. “You manage my career, cousin. Not my personal life.”

  He tipped his beer bottle to his lips with a shrug. “In this case, it’s kind of the same thing.”

  “No, it isn’t, and I’m telling you right now, my relationship with Max is off limits, so butt out.”

  He actually looked hurt, and she sighed. As her manager, Tim had more reason to stay on her case than anyone else in the family, yet when it came to her life off the stage, he didn’t hover like the rest of them. In fact, he ran interference more often than not.

  She rested a hand on his arm and squeezed. “I’m sorry, but you know what I mean.”

  “Unfortunately, I do, but this is different. If the press gets wind you’re involved with a man, any man, it’ll have everything to do with your career. Unless you plan to keep Max hidden from the media?”

  Her gaze slid to the closed back door. “I’d be wasting my time. Max isn’t the type of man who blends into the background.”

  Tim’s grunt drew her gaze.

  “From that kiss, I’d say he has no intention of trying.”

  Since there was no way she could hide the blush heating her cheeks, she didn’t bother with an attempt. She jammed an elbow in his side. “Shut up.”

  He laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Call me tomorrow and we’ll work out a press release.”

  “Um. About that.” She peeked up at him with a grimace. “Max has a little bit of an issue with the press, and….”

  “And?”

  “I sort of…moved into his place this afternoon.”

  Surprise lit his deep blue eyes and his teeth flashed in a grin. He glanced around, then dipped his head close to hers. “Good for you.” His voice dropped to a serious whisper. “It’s your life, Jess. Don’t let the family or anyone else keep you from grabbing hold of what makes you happy.”

  His typical, unconditional support made love bubble in her heart, but her smile was wry. “Easier said than done. This thing between me and Max is complicated.”

  “The important things in life usually are.” He straightened and gave her shoulders a squeeze. “I’ll talk to Max about the release. We’ll keep it as low key as possible, but we’re going to have to say something. In the meantime, do me a favor?”

  “What’s that?”

  “The next time you and Max decide to melt each other’s circuits, do it in private. If the public witnesses the steam coming off the two of you, we’ll have a circus on our hands.”

  * * * *

  “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Max stiffened at the quietly spoken accusation and dragged his gaze from his view into the kitchen through the window where Jessi blushed under the bombardment of questions. He faced Tuck and stifled a wince at his friend’s narrow-eyed stare.

  Damn it, only a few hours into this ill-advised farce and he’d already made a tactical error. Kissing Jessi may have been the most efficient way to stop her doubts in their tracks, but like all bad ideas, it hadn’t been thought through. He eyed the three-inch prongs of the barbeque fork in Tuck’s hand. So far, the lethal looking utensil wasn’t buried in his chest. Max hoped to keep it that way.

  He heaved an u
ncomfortable sigh. “So do I.”

  Tuck flicked a quick glance toward the house. “What happened to the imaginary romance idea?”

  “Nothing. The plan hasn’t changed.”

  Nostrils flaring in a snort, Tuck winged a challenging brow. “There was nothing imaginary about that kiss, buddy. You looked like you were giving her a tonsillectomy with your tongue.”

  Guilt prickled at the base of Max’s spine. He hadn’t intended to take the kiss so far, but his intentions were derailed the moment Jessi melted against him. Midnight fantasies were nothing compared to the reality of holding her in his arms. With her curves pressed close, there had been no room for concerns over the nine-year age span between them or their avid audience. The cold hard fact was, seduced by her sultry sex flavor exploding in his mouth, his body didn’t give a flying fuck who her family was.

  He could only imagine what Tuck and the others saw. He’d been in the grip of an elemental need to stake a claim and to hell with the consequences. Thank God Jessi had come to her senses because he’d lost his, and nothing good would come of letting her believe their time together was anything other than a means to an end. He wasn’t the man for her and the sooner he convinced her of that, the better. Unfortunately, spending the next few weeks with the taste and feel of her lingering in his mind would only make the task at hand more difficult.

  “It was meant to look convincing. She was having second thoughts.” He hated the defensiveness of his tone, but it couldn’t be helped. He’d fucked up and knew it. “Would you prefer I’d let her call a halt to her plan and strike out on her own?”

  Tuck jabbed the fork at one of several thick steaks sizzling on the grill, his voice a rumble of frustration. “I’d prefer none of this was necessary, but you know my cousin. That kiss is going to give her ideas.”

  Which was exactly why Max never should have touched her. He scraped at the label on his bottle with his thumbnail. “Ideas she’ll have to forget.”

  Tuck laughed deep in his throat. “Yeah, good luck with that. This is Jessi we’re talking about. She’s had the hots for you since the day the two of you met and has finally come up with a plan to reel you in. Face it, pal, when she gets an idea in her head, she doesn’t let go without a fight.”