by Kira Blakely
“Which part?”
“Working with me.”
Jackson gave her a wicked smile. “I am hoping it comes with perks.”
“Oh, you.” She gave him a little slap on the arm and laughed. “I am sure it will, but not in the lab because, you know, conditions.’
He roared with laughter. “Okay, so we might have to build a room for unclean conditions.”
Their laughter drifted toward the ceiling. Jackson ran a hand across her hair in a long, soothing gesture. He said, “For real, I want this. I want to do the work with you. I know by this time next year you will have made enough strides to get a new grant, and by then I will probably have gotten solid ground under the idea that I have in there. I don’t want to sell it off to rich pharmaceutical companies any more than you do, so that will never happen, and the good news is I am already rich, so they can’t tempt me like that, and you do not care about money.”
“Jackson, the good news is that if you donate the money, the university only gets to keep part of the revenue. You would get the bigger portion. It is how investing works, you know.”
He looked surprised. “Okay then. I don’t care about that though.”
“I know.” She did know, and it was why she loved him. “I have to ask: why was Robert so impressed by the sale of your video game?’
He laughed. “You really don’t know?’
“No.”
“Because I sold it for close to a billion dollars.’
A billion…with a B? Her brain froze. She choked. She could not even find air to breathe. He added, “Oh, and it had four games already operational that went with the sale, so there was that.”
“Oh…um…uh…well then.”
Jackson laughed loudly. “You see now why I don’t mind putting five mil into this?”
“Yes, but…” Her lips were numb. “But you don’t act like a guy with that kind of money.”
He gave her a broad smile. “And I never will.”
“Thank God,” she said.
Their mouths met again. Hope let go, surrendering to the man who believed in her and who made her believe in herself.
EPILOGUE
CLARA SAID, “Thanks again for getting Jackson to sign on with me as a client.”
“Oh, I did not get him to do anything. He was yelled at by Dawson until he gave in and decided to do something besides have a pile of money sitting in the bank where he could lose it due to all sorts of things.”
Clara chuckled. “I will take it however I got it.” Her face darkened as she surveyed Dawson’s apartment and the men inside it. “Oh, shit. Please tell me that is not Stephen coming in the door.”
Hope asked, “The guy you hate so much?”
“The very same. Oh, no! he’s coming over here!” Clara tried to duck behind her, but Hope said, “Oh no, you don’t,” and shoved her back in front of her and right into the path of Stephen.
Stephen caught Clara just as she stumbled. Hope grinned and ducked away before Clara could shoot her a look that could kill her.
Jackson asked, “What are you laughing at?”
“I was just thinking that not so long ago I was right in the same place I am now, and I was thinking you were an arrogant jerk that I absolutely did not want to talk to and how things change.” Her eyes went to Clara and Stephen. “And how they don’t.”
“So you still don’t want to talk to me?” There was a teasing note in Jackson’s voice as he pulled her close and held her tightly.
“I will never stop talking to you. Oh look, there’s Ashton and Laura!”
They headed toward the arriving couple just as Lexie and Dawson stepped toward them. As they went, Hope found herself being nothing but grateful for a night she had taken a chance and talked to man she had been sure was the last guy she would ever want to talk to, and wondering just what would happen if Clara would let her guard down long enough to talk to Stephen who so clearly wanted her.
Limited Time
Caught Off Guard
*Amazon Top 200 Best-seller, 4.3 stars, 170 reviews!*
Winning is just what I do!
Playmaker.
Panty scorcher.
The shit.
All names that apply to me. Yeah, I’m cocky. It’s hard not be when you’re an NFL star and – let’s be real – look and play like me.
Everything in my life was running smooth until this fiery redhead wanders into the road, almost killing us both.
She had the nerve to call me a jack ass. But damn, she’s smoking hot when she’s mad.
I need to focus. I don’t have time to hang around and argue with her. I’m late. I hastily make my getaway, trying to get her off my mind. I’m finding this hard in more ways than one.
Then our paths cross again. She’s at my football game that I was late for because of her. Unfortunately, she’s not there to see me. She’s with one of my teammates, and he’s no friend of mine.
Chapter One
Sean
I’m infamous for knocking girls off their feet, but I’d never literally ran their asses over with my truck, the way I almost did with this one.
For the record, I did not mean to almost hit her with my truck. I wasn’t on a mission to kill her. She just flew right across the road! She wasn’t watching where she was going because she was chasing after this huge dog. If it weren’t for my quick reflexes, she’d have ended up like a squished bug on my windshield.
I rolled the windows down and put my head out as I glared at her.
“Watch where you’re going!” I yelled.
Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped, probably surprised that I would actually yell at her. Well, what did she expect? An apology?
Hell, no.
“Excuse me, asshole, but maybe you should learn how to drive!” she yelled back, stomping toward my truck. I raised one eyebrow and got out of my truck. What the hell is with this chick?
“You’re the one who doesn’t know how to cross the road!” I retorted.
“You’re the one who’s speeding!” she snapped back, and my brows furrowed.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, not knowing what she meant.
She stopped right in front of me and looked up at my face, her green eyes blazing with anger.
“Last time I checked, the sign said the speed limit was 30, not 130,” she hissed. I glanced at the speed limit and, sure enough, she was right. I was speeding. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t in the wrong, either.
Years of practice in keeping my face looking perpetually pissed off during games helped me keep my cool, but the lush quality of her voice as she spoke seeped into my ears and made the hairs on my arms stand up.
If I was less of a badass, I would’ve shaken from head to toe.
I put my head down so my lips brushed the shell of her ear, and I smirked when she stiffened.
“Well, last time I checked, you had to look to your left and right before crossing the road,” I whispered back, my breath caressing her neck and the side of her face. My smirk grew bigger as I watched her shiver from it.
“You almost hit a dog because of your speeding!” she cried.
“You said the operative word, lady. Almost. I ‘almost’ hit him. Which means I didn’t,” I said smugly. Her eyes widened comically, and she raised her arms wide.
“Oh, wow! ‘Operative,’ huh? Big word for a dumb jock,” she fired back.
“Not that it’s any of your business, lady, but I did well in college,” I responded, scowling. “Look, I’m sorry I almost ran you and your dog over, but this wouldn’t have happened if you crossed the damn road properly.”
“Excuse me?” she said, looking at me like I’d said something completely unbelievable.
She glared at me and then…
“Oh, fuck!” I yelled.
She had stomped on my toe with her foot! I felt the sharp, intense pain shooting from my pinky toe all the way to my neck, and I leaned onto my truck for support as I cradled my poor foot.
“Why the hell did you have to do that?” I screamed at her.
“Because you deserved it!” she yelled back.
“What the fuck, lady?!” I growled under my breath. “No way am I sticking around here.” I’d had enough of this crazy fest for one day. I got back into my truck and slammed my foot to the pedal and sped off, not bothering to turn around as I heard her call out. I was already late enough for the pre-game warmup as it was, and I was not about to risk any other part of my limbs for her to injure. What the fuck had she wanted me to do?!
It was too bad, though. She was kind of hot in a tomboy sort of way. Her hair was tied back in a messy braid, but the sun hit her locks in a way that made her pretty little red head shine. Her cute mouth was in a constant scowl.
I saw my phone light up from the corner of my eye, and I cursed. It was probably my coach calling again, wanting to know where the hell I was. I had asked Evan to cover for me, but I guess he finally got fed up with me as well and decided not to be a bro today. Bastard.
Granted, I understood why he was mad. We did party kind of hard last night, and I vaguely remembered him warning me that I should not push my luck and see if I could score a threesome with those two girls I saw eyeing me at the bar. But after being friends for so many years, he should’ve realized that words like that only sounded like a dare to me.
It only took sixteen minutes to get them to take me back to their apartment, and we had fun all night long. I woke up this morning and damn it, seeing both women on either side of me naked made me so hard I had to have them again for a repeat performance.
That was an hour and a half ago. I was so focused on making all of us come that by the time we finished, I moved like my ass was on fire, paranoid that I’d be late for warm up. I finished showering and hightailed it out of there in record time. I could’ve made it on time… if it hadn’t been for Miss Batshit Crazy and her dog.
My phone lit up again and I sighed, picking it up. I winced, bracing myself for some yelling before putting the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” I said hesitantly.
“Where the hell are you, boy?!” Coach Finnegan screamed from the other end. I yanked my phone away from my ear as I quickly racked my brain for a good enough reason to placate him.
“I’m sorry, Coach. The traffic was te–”
He cut me off. “Traffic? Don’t give me that bullshit, West! John already told me about your night out at the bar, and so help me, boy, if you come to this field nursing a hangover, I will have you running wind sprints till you barf out your insides! Get your ass over here now!” he yelled before ending the call.
I flipped my phone back to the passenger seat, annoyed because if it weren’t for that little issue with the woman earlier, I’d probably be at the football field by now. The day would’ve been perfect if she hadn’t crossed the road and ruined it.
“If I ever see that girl again, it will be too soon,” I grumbled to myself.
Chapter Two
Charlie
To: Parker
Your wide receiver = TOTAL DOUCHEBAG
I’ll be late for your game, have to do something important ASAP.
Will make it up to you. Sorry.
I hit SEND and shoved my phone back into my bag. I knew Parker was going to be disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to watch him play the whole game, but I had to take care of this big fella first and take him back to the vet.
I placed my hand on his neck and he whimpered slightly, leaning into my touch as he gazed at me with big, golden eyes.
“I told you not to run off. Now look what happened,” I said softly.
My initial plan was to pick the dog up and pile him into that speeding truck, but when I looked up it was already gone, speeding away from his responsibility toward almost killing me and this dog.
I petted his stomach and back once more, getting him relaxed enough before I carefully placed both of my hands underneath his body and picked him up, my breath coming out in huge puffs as I struggled to carry him and walk back to the vet.
I had watched football so many times now, especially Parker’s team, and I knew each player’s face and position. It pained me to admit it now, but Sean West was one of my favorites. He was an extremely skilled player, and he came across as cocky most of the time, but I had justified it by telling myself that he had a right to be cocky since he had the skills to prove it. But I had never thought he’d be such an asshole in real life.
Parker had complained to me once or twice about Sean West, but I always thought he was exaggerating, especially since Parker and Sean had a sort of rivalry going on between them. What had happened today confirmed that Parker was right, though. He really was a jerk of epic proportions.
I felt so ashamed now, too, because I couldn’t believe that my biggest football crush ever wasn’t as beautiful inside as he was hot as hell on the outside. His dark brown hair, turquoise eyes, luscious lips, and tanned complexion served as a mask for the ugly personality underneath.
The dog whimpered again and I cooed at him, trying to make him feel better.
“We’re almost there, big guy, just hang on,” I told him.
***
“Well, there really was nothing to worry about, Charlie. He’s just a little dehydrated. A little rest and some food will fix him right up in no time,” the veterinarian explained.
I sighed in relief and scratched the dog’s head, grinning as I watched his tail wag happily.
“I’m glad he’s okay,” I said.
“Care to tell me what happened when he escaped from here?” she asked, and I shook my head.
“It’s a long story. One that I’m not too keen on remembering. What matters is he’s going to be okay now,” I replied. “So, when is his owner picking him up?”
The vet shook her head, her eyes drooping sadly. “Unfortunately, he has no owner. Diana brought him here because she saw him rummaging through the trash for food, and she feared he might have worms.”
“Well, then what are we supposed to do?” I asked worriedly.
The vet clinic had a policy to turn over all dogs that owners didn’t come to pick after a set period of time over to the pound, and I knew what happened to most of them that didn’t get adopted.
“He’s not going to survive there,” I whispered, and the vet nodded.
Black labs like this dog ate a lot, and as much as I’d like to adopt him, I didn’t have the space or the money to take care of him. But I couldn’t leave him here.
“Hey, what’s that limo doing outside the clinic?” the vet asked.
I tilted my head, not knowing what she was talking about and turned around. Sure enough, there was a black limousine right outside the clinic. I stood on my toes to peer down at the license plate, and I felt my stomach plummet as I recognized it.
I didn’t think they’d find me so soon.
“Who do you think it is?” the vet asked.
“It’s my father,” I grumbled. Her eyes widened but before she could ask me anything else, I walked out the door and glared at the car, waiting for my father to come out and give his latest spiel in getting me to come with him.
I wasn’t surprised when it was the driver who got out and bowed.
“Miss Charlotte,” he greeted me.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He is in an important meeting and ordered me to take you to the estate as soon as possible,” he answered.
“And I said not in a million years am I going there. What makes him think this day is gonna be different?” I asked in annoyance.
It was too late to ask me to be with him now after all my mother and I had gone through before she died. My father had seduced my mom while she was working as a maid in his parents’ household, and when his parents found out, they kicked her out. My mother had to work three jobs just to support herself when she found out she was pregnant with me. I could still remember my mother’s crying face when she begged my father’s family to take me in because sh
e was dying and she didn’t want me to be alone. But all they did was laugh and cast her out, and my mom died a miserable death.
My good-for-nothing father did nothing but watch it all happen.
It wasn’t fair to be treated that way when the only crime my mother committed was to fall in love with a man who was way out of her league. My father had whisked her off with flowery words and promises, and by the time she finally knew the truth – that he was about to marry someone else – it was too late and she was already pregnant with me.
My mother had worked hard to support both of us, and when she died and I didn’t know what to do but go and ask them for help, they did the same thing they did to us all those years ago. They threw me out.
And now, for some reason, they wanted me to be with them like nothing ever happened? Fat chance.
I was about to walk back inside the clinic when the driver said solemnly, “He suffered from a heart attack a few days ago.”
That stopped me in my tracks.
“Miss Charlotte, the doctors think that the stress of running the company is finally getting to him. They suggested–”
I cut him off, glaring at him. “Oh, that he wants me to take his place? To be the solution to his problem?” I cried. Where was he when I was suffering? And now that they had a problem, they wanted me to just accept the responsibility as if nothing had ever happened?
“Please, Miss Charlotte. At least come to the estate first and hear it all from Mr. Jameson himself,” the driver said, bowing to me once more.
I sighed heavily, unsure what to do. I still hated them for what they did, but at the same time I wanted to know what my father had to say and why he was so adamant that I see him. I glanced back toward the shop and, as if he knew I was looking at him, the black lab wagged his tail excitedly.
A lightbulb flashed in my head.
“Fine. Take me to him.” The driver’s eyes lit up, and he bowed gratefully again. “But,” I added, holding my forefinger up in front of me, “I have one condition.”