Holiday Games (A Play-By-Play Novella) (12 page)

All those years she’d fought so hard to become just as successful as her male counterparts in the sports world. She’d won that battle, but she’d never thought she’d have the man of her dreams.

She’d made so many mistakes along the way, and she’d almost lost Gavin. But he’d been there for her when she’d needed him the most, and he’d seen through all her bullshit and had wanted her anyway. She’d be forever grateful to him for busting through her walls and getting to her heart.

They spent some time sitting together around the Christmas tree, enjoying the quiet of the house and the twinkling lights.

“It’s been a perfect day,” Gavin said.

“A rough start to it, yet a happy one.”

“You ready for bed?” he asked.

She nodded, and they turned off the lights and started up the stairs.

“You’re off the hook now, you know,” she said as they got into the bedroom.

He frowned. “Huh?”

“Well, now that I’m pregnant, I won’t be after you to have sex with me every day.”

“So now that you’ve used me for my baby-making abilities, you’re casting me aside like a used condom?”

She laughed. “Yeah, it was good while it lasted, but we’re through.”

He picked her up and set her on the bed. “Nice try, Elizabeth.” He loomed over her and tugged at her pants. “But I’m nowhere near through with you.”

She reached for him to pull him against her. “And that’s why I love you, Gavin.”

Because she knew no matter how long they were together, every time would be as fresh, new and exciting as the first time.

And the best was yet to come.

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed a reunion with the Riley family in
Holiday Games
. The next Play-by-Play book,
Melting the Ice
, will be released in February 2014.

In
Melting the Ice
, Carolina Preston is on the cusp of career success. She’s launching her own fashion line, and she needs a strong advertising campaign, along with some high profile models. She has her brother, race car driver Gray, on board. When Gray suggests his best friend and hockey player, Drew Hogan, Carolina balks. She and Drew shared a sexy, romantic past in college, and she’d prefer to leave the past where it is. But Drew accepts, and suddenly he’s very much present in her life again, dredging up old feelings and desires she thought long buried.

Drew knows he hurt Carolina all those years ago, and he’s determined to make amends, not only by participating in her fashion line, but by showing her that he’s not the callous boy he once was. Now he’s a man, a fact Carolina is all too aware of as they spend days—and nights—together. But can she put the pain of the past aside and give Drew a shot at what could be an incredible future?

In addition, the debut of my new Hope contemporary romance series is releasing in January 2014 with
Hope Flames
.

Emma Burnett has struggled with a difficult past that delayed her education and the launch of her professional life. But now she’s finally starting up her own veterinary practice, and it’s the only thing on her mind.

Until smoking hot cop Luke McCormack enters her clinic one night with his injured police dog. There’s chemistry between Emma and Luke, but Emma tries her best to deny her feelings. She’s gone down that road before, and it ended in disaster. She won’t ever let a man get in the way of her wants and needs again.

Luke is very attracted to the sweet, gentle Emma, but a bad marriage turned him off any romantic entanglements. He only dates casually these days, at least, until he meets Emma. Then there’s nothing casual about their relationship.

When Emma’s clinic is broken into and a string of burglaries put her front and center as a witness, Luke’s protective instincts kick in, and he realizes Emma matters more than he thought. And with Emma’s feelings for Luke growing stronger each day, she must decide whether to risk her heart once again.

Happy reading!

Jaci

Keep reading for a preview of the latest book in the Play-by-Play series from Jaci Burton

MELTING THE ICE

Available February 2014 from Berkley

Carolina Preston’s pencil glided over the paper like an Olympic figure skater performing an arabesque. Light, easy strokes, the effort behind the task not showing as she created her art, because it was all in her head. But soon, elegant lines appeared, shapes forming on the blank canvas as what she’d visualized became a flowing, sleeveless silk top, followed by a sequined mini. She added a cropped leather jacket to mix hard with soft, sketched in some killer high heels to complete the look, then paused to peruse the finished product, so out of breath her heart pounded.

Nice. Not perfect yet, but as she took a sip of chai tea, she cocked her head to the side and made a few adjustments to the sketch, exhilarated to create her own line of clothing.

It had taken several years of working for someone else, of feeling like a prisoner, unable to stretch her wings. But finally, this fashion season—she was going to fly.

As she worked on her next design, the figure morphed into a man. Tall, lean, his hands slid into his pockets as he modeled a pair of slacks and a body-hugging shirt. No jacket necessary as the clothes would speak for the body.

She loved menswear, and it would be part of her signature line. She could already picture it on the runway, worn by some chiseled model with raven-dark hair, steely gray eyes and—

No. She wasn’t going to go there. She stood, stretched her back, and looked out the window of her Manhattan apartment. For November, it was ridiculously warm. She should take a walk before the weather changed.

Her cell rang and she smiled as her brother’s name came up.

“Hi, Gray.”

“Hey, we’re in town. Are you busy?”

“Extremely. I’m so glad you called. Come on over. I’d love to see you and Evelyn.”

She spent the next hour picking up the disaster in her apartment. She had drawings strewn around her work space, so she picked up as much as she could in there, then closed the door and concentrated on the living area. When the buzzer sounded, she let them in.

She threw her arms around her brother and squeezed him tight.

“You look great,” she said to him, then hugged Gray’s fiancée, Evelyn.

“Have you two been celebrating Gray’s win in the championship?”

Her brother didn’t even try to fight his grin. “Overly celebrating, I think.”

“It was a big turnaround from how he ended up last year,” Evelyn said as they took a seat in Carolina’s living room. “I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

“She’s just happy I didn’t crash into a wall.”

“Or go flying through the air, like last year.”

Carolina nodded. “Yes. I think you took at least five years off my life on that crash last year.”

“No injuries this year. We raced clean and won a lot, including the championship. Even better, bringing Alex on the team this year was the best move I could have made. He and Donny both ended up in the top twelve. I couldn’t ask for more.”

The pride in his voice was evident. Her brother had made a success out of Preston Racing.

“You’re doing so well,” Carolina said. “You must be thrilled.”

“I never thought it would turn out like this. When I started out, I just wanted to race.”

“I don’t know about that. You’ve always had ambition. And now you have Evelyn at your side, and she’s as ambitious as you. Maybe even more.”

Evelyn laughed. “That’s so true.”

“And how about you?” Carolina asked. “Staying busy with my dad?”

Evelyn smiled. “Incredibly. Living the dream here. And so is your father. He’s doing a remarkable job as the vice president of the United States, just as I knew he would.”

Carolina loved that Evelyn was so dedicated to her father. And so in love with her brother. “How’s the separation working out for the two of you?”

Evelyn’s gaze shifted to Gray. “Actually, much better than I ever thought it would. We make time for each other, no matter how difficult it is.”

“It helps that Dad lets us use the family private jet a lot,” Gray said with a smile.

“I’m glad you two reconciled.”

“Me, too,” Gray said. “Speaking of, will you be coming to Washington for Thanksgiving this week?”

Carolina blew out a breath, thinking about everything she had to do to get ready for Fashion Week in February. The event was the biggest opportunity for designers to show off their lines, and something Carolina had spent the last year getting ready for. “I don’t know. I have so much to do now that I’ve plunged into designing this line. And not a lot of time to do it before Fashion Week. It’s kind of mind-boggling.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Evelyn said. “I want to know everything, and I want to see it all.”

“Not much to see right now, I’m afraid. I’ve got a few things in production, but I’m still trying to decide what’s going to go into the line and what’s not, and selecting models.”

“Can you tell us the focus?” Evelyn asked.

“Right now I’m concentrating on mainly casual fashion for both men and women. I want to keep it along the lines of my own style. Fussy has never worked for me, and I don’t think it works for the average woman or man, and that’s who I want to clothe. I like movement and ease, and the way clothes make a person look and feel.”

She stared out the window, her mind whirling with the possibilities. “With a man, his body has always intrigued me.” She turned her attention to Gray. “Since you’ve played baseball and you race cars, I’ve watched you over the years. It’s helped me gain a keen understanding of movement.”

Gray laughed. “So, I’ve been your study guide for men’s fashion.”

Her lips curved. “Sort of. I’ve studied all types of men in various fields. Sometimes I’ll just go outside and sit on a park bench and watch men go by. But I keep going back to the sports angle. Surprisingly, I watch a lot of sports.”

“Why is that surprising?” Evelyn asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I just surprised myself. At first I did it to watch the angles. All the sports are different, but the way a man moves is always the same. I think a man’s body is inherently sexy, and I want to showcase that in my fashion, especially from a sports angle, because I believe that will appeal to a lot of men.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Gray said. “So where are you on your models?”

She looked at him. “Well . . . if I could get you, that would be a definite plus.”

He laughed. “You want me to model for you.”

“Sure. You’d be perfect. You’re popular, and that will have a certain appeal.”

Gray wrinkled his nose.

Evelyn leaned back against the sofa. “Oh, this should be fun.”

“I also have a couple models on hold on the female side, but I need a few more guys, and I want to plug in to the sports angle.”

“Okay, I could see how that would work.”

Carolina grinned. “Great. So you’ll do it?”

“I’ll walk the runway for you if it’s just a onetime thing.”

“It will be.”

Gray nodded. “You could also ask Drew.”

Just hearing his name caused Carolina’s pulse to jump. For precisely that reason—and about a hundred others, she said, “No.”

“Why not? He plays here in New York, so he’d be the perfect sports figure to tap into. You’d have access to him, and you already know him.”

“Gray’s right. Drew would be ideal,” Evelyn said. “He’s good-looking, sexy, and immensely popular. He has a huge fan base. I can’t think of anyone who would be better to help launch your line.”

The problem was, neither could Carolina. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

But Gray was already pulling out his phone. She tried to think of reasons to have Gray stop the call. But apparently Drew had already answered.

“Hey, guess where I am?” He laughed. “No, not at a strip club.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“I’m at Carolina’s apartment in Manhattan.” Gray lifted his gaze to hers. “No, she’s not saying bad things about you. Not yet, anyway. We’re actually talking about her new fashion line and your name came up. She wanted to know if you’d be interested in being a model for her.”

No, she did not want him to be a model for her. Anyone but Drew. In fact, he was the last person she wanted in her head, or to see in person. He’d distract her in so many ways.

“You are? Great. Why don’t you come over?” Gray shot her an innocent smile, then gave Drew Carolina’s address. “We’ll see you soon, buddy.”

He hung up. “He laughed and said he’d model, but only if you promise he doesn’t have to go naked.”

She rolled her eyes and tried not to think about Drew showing up. “How about something to drink?”

She headed to the bar and fixed everyone cocktails. She sure needed one. By the time she served the drinks, her door bell sounded, so she went over to the door and buzzed Drew up.

When he knocked, she opened the door, abruptly wondering if her hair was combed and how long ago it had been that she’d put her makeup on.

And immediately felt ridiculous for even thinking those things. Why would she even care?

Suddenly, there he was, looking cool and casual in faded jeans that hugged his muscular legs, his light jacket hiding what she knew to be a spectacular torso.

“Hello, Drew.”

He smiled at her. “Hi, gorgeous.” He kissed her cheek before she could create distance. “You look stunning, as always.”

She swallowed, her heart picking up a fast rhythm she had no hope of tamping down. “Thank you. Won’t you come in?”

“Hey,” Gray said as he came into the foyer. “I’m glad we got a chance to meet up before Evelyn and I have to leave the city.”

They shook hands. “Me, too,” Drew said. “Congratulations on the championship. You kicked serious ass, especially on that last race.”

“Thanks.”

Drew took a seat.

“Can I fix you something to drink, Drew?”

He smiled up at Carolina. “A beer would be great, if you have one.”

She went to the bar and grabbed a beer out of the fridge at the bar, then brought it back to him.

“Thanks. So tell me about your fashion design. What’s going on?”

She took a seat in the chair across from him. “I left the designer I was working with and I’m starting my own line.”

His brows rose. “Big move for you.”

“Yes. But I felt if I didn’t make the move now, while I had all this inspiration, I might never do it.”

His gaze never wavered from hers. “Yeah? So tell me what’s inspiring you, Lina.”

His nickname for her never failed to make butterflies dance in her stomach. Or infuriate her, reminding her the way that nickname sailed from his lips that one night they’d spent together. That one and only night, before he’d walked out of her life as if she’d never existed. As if what they’d shared had never meant anything.

Because it hadn’t. Not to Drew, anyway.

But that was a long time ago, and she was a lot smarter now. She gave him a cursory overview, telling him much the same thing she’d told Gray and Evelyn.

“So . . . clothes. Sounds fun. And you want me to model some of those for you?”

“Yes. Sort of. But you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. I’m sure you’re busy with hockey season gearing up. I can find someone else.”

His lips curved into a smile that made her pulse dance. “Trying to get rid of me before we even get started?”

“No. I’m just giving you an out if you want one. Not a lot of sports figures enjoy modeling clothes. And this would require print ads, as well as runway.”

He took a long swallow of beer, then shrugged. “I’m game. I figure I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me a thing, Drew.”

“Then I’ll do it for the fun. And hey, if your fashion stuff is successful, it’ll draw attention to me and to the team, and that’s good for hockey, right?”

“That’s the way I’m looking at it, too,” Gray said.

“Speaking of exposure,” Evelyn said, standing, “The vice president has a meeting I need to be present for. We need to get going.”

Carolina laughed. “Give Dad a hug for me and tell him I’ll see him soon.”

She walked Gray and Evelyn to the door. “Thanks for stopping by. I’m sorry we couldn’t spend more time together.”

“We’ll see you at Christmas, for sure,” Gray said, giving her a pointed look that told her he wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Right?”

“Definitely. I should have a lot more work done by then, and I’ll need to take a breather. I promise not to miss Christmas.”

After hugging them both, she shut the door and headed back into the living room.

“Well, thanks for agreeing to help me out.” She hoped he saw that as a sign that their meeting was over.

Drew stood. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No. I’ve had a busy day.”

“Then let me take you out to eat.”

“I have an even busier night ahead of me. There’s a lot to do to get this line ready, and not nearly enough hours in the day.”

“Then we’ll order pizza. Or chinese. I’m hungry.”

Obviously, he wasn’t grabbing a clue that she was trying to get rid of him. “Fine. We’ll have something to eat. Then you need to leave.”

“Sure.”

And she’d count every second until Drew was out the door, because having him in her apartment was disconcerting.

She had no idea why she’d allowed this, when he was the one man she didn’t want to see or spend any time with. Instead, he was sprawled on her living room sofa, his long, lean body looking incongruous on her short, white designer sofa.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her phone.

“Chinese or pizza?”

“Either one is fine with me. I’m just hungry.”

She punched in the number of her favorite take-out chinese place and called in an order. They delivered faster than the pizza place, so she’d get Drew out of her apartment that much sooner.

She went back into the living room to find him outside on her balcony. She poured a refill on her wine and wandered out there. It was cool outside, but not unbearable. He was looking out over Central Park.

“Nice place, Lina.”

Cringing at his use of the nickname, she stepped up beside him. “I love it here.”

“I can see why.”

“Where do you live?”

“I’ve got a place over on the Upper West Side.”

She turned to face him. “I didn’t know you lived here.”

He gave her a smile. “I do play here, remember?”