Hot Target

Luke’s eyebrows arched sharply. Katie, in turn, shot Ron an angry look of reproach. Her financial picture was none of Luke Winter’s business, and that was exactly where this was leading.

Ron ignored her silent reprimand and spoke to Luke. “Management wants this to happen. I suggest you make it work.”

Then he waved his hand between the two of them, pointing at each. “So, to both of you, listen carefully to what I have to say. Katie, you need this job. Luke, you can take Katie or be left behind. There are plenty of young bucks dying to get your starting spot in the lineup. You might think you aren’t replaceable, but so has every other pitcher who’s ever been replaced. Both of you decide now. Are we going to make this work or not?”

Katie and Luke stared at each other, neither in a happy mood. Neither gloating any longer.

Ron continued, “I take that as acceptance from both of you. Now,” he said, crossing his arms in front of his brawny chest, “we need to sort out the logistics. No one can know who Katie really is.” Ron turned to Katie. “Luke is single, and so are you. I say you go undercover as his girlfriend.”

Her rejection was instant. “Forget it,” she spat at Ron. “That’s a deal breaker. I’m not going to pretend to be this man’s girlfriend!” She narrowed her gaze, accusation in her voice. “You planned this from the beginning. I know you, Ron. You knew I wouldn’t agree to this kind of setup, so you waited until I was here. That is low. I expected more from you.”

“Management wants this problem to appear to disappear,” Ron explained. “That means they want Luke’s extra security to be invisible. And let’s face it, our stalker doesn’t need to be alerted that someone is watching or that person might pull back before we catch them. This plan solves all of these issues.” Ron set his jaw, unaffected by her words, apparently prepared for them. “I’ll throw in an extra five thousand a week. That should cover any discomfort.”

Katie opened her mouth to reject the offer, indignant about Ron’s behavior, but forced herself to shut it again. She needed the money to get her sister out of trouble, but damn it, she didn’t want to be bought.

Then, suddenly, she realized Luke hadn’t said a word. Not one objection, not one complaint, nothing. She looked at him, a question in her mind that was most assuredly on her face.

Why wasn’t he complaining? Why was he leaning lazily against the bar, one long leg crossed in front of the other. “Why aren’t you objecting?” she asked suspiciously.

He shrugged a broad shoulder. “I want to play ball, thus I accept my circumstances. Seems you’re the one who still has issues.”

“I have issues?” she asked in disbelief. How had this gotten turned around to her? She turned businesslike, her voice softer now by design. “I just don’t think this is the best approach.”

“I’m open to hearing a better one,” Ron said, leaning on the bar beside Luke. “You got one?”

Katie swallowed. Ron’s idea was a good one. She just didn’t like it. “Well, no, not yet.”

“So this is our best option for now?” Ron asked, with an expectant look on his face.

Damn. She was trapped. If her sister didn’t have this gambling debt, she’d refuse altogether. But what option did she have? Carrie had sharks after her. “I, um, suppose so.”

Luke challenged her then. “Then what’s the problem?”

LUKE HAD already figured out it was not in Katie’s nature to walk away from a challenge, exactly why he’d pushed her, egging her on. And for some unknown, crazy reason, the thought of her leaving kicked his ass. His plan to scare her off had only served to make him want her more.

And when she’d pulled that knee on him…the fire in her eyes, well…it had sent heat straight through his veins and right to the vicinity of her target.

It was like a white-hot rocket had settled between his thighs. He had stood before her, completely hard and wanting. Katie Lyons might be a problem, but she was a delicious one.

So now he found himself baiting her, and she was letting him. “Is there a problem, Katie?”

He watched her force a smile. And damn if she wasn’t cute as hell trying to act all tough when he could tell she really wanted to bolt. Sexy and cute? Had he ever found a woman he would call both?

Even as he was acting on his attraction to her, and challenging her to stay around, in the far corners of his mind he knew he was setting himself up to get burned again. But he couldn’t seem to help himself. He wanted to find out what made Katie tick. What made her laugh? What made her sigh?

Several tension-filled seconds passed where he could almost see her trying to form words, before she finally managed to actually do so. “No problem,” she finally said. “We’ll do it Ron’s way.” It was a weak concession, at best, but one Luke reveled in nonetheless.

Ron smiled his approval. “Good. It’s settled, then.” He glanced at Luke. “Katie will go undercover as your girlfriend. We have a week before you leave for the first series. That’ll give her time to get her crew here and in place.” Ron looked at Katie. “Luke has plenty of room for you to stay here.”

Katie had opened her mouth to voice what Luke was certain would be an objection, when Ron turned to Luke. “Katie is known for solving problems fast. She gets up close and personal with the client and smokes out the problem, like fire in a chimney. It’s amazing.”

Luke studied Ron, and then let his focus shift back to Katie. “Is that so?” To Luke’s surprise, she started blushing, and he found himself gently adding, “Good thing I have a guest bedroom next door to mine.”

She wet her lips, choosing to divert the conversation away from the bedroom next to his. “I have two of my staff members joining us tomorrow. We’ll have to discuss their cover stories rather quickly after they arrive.” She paused. “They’ll need rooms, as well.”

Luke inclined his head, forcing himself not to smile at her, diverting the conversation away from their sleeping arrangements. She had just agreed to stay around. And for some unidentifiable reason, he felt the best he had in months.

“Not a problem,” Luke told her. “Why don’t I show you to your room?”

She bit her bottom lip. “I know it’s late, but I’d like to go down a list of questions with you tonight so I can start formulating a plan of attack.” She glanced at Ron. “I’m empty-handed. I have no file. No real data to work with.”

“I’ll bring it by tomorrow,” Ron promised.

Luke wanted nothing more than to start getting to know Katie tonight, but she looked tired and more than a little uncomfortable, despite her grand efforts to appear unscathed. “Your flight was late,” he said. “And the trip from New York to Los Angeles is a long one. Why don’t we start bright and early in the morning?”

“I’d…” She seemed to reconsider what she was going to say. “That works.”

He smiled at her, a sincere, heartfelt smile. Now that she’d agreed to take the case, he needed to stop with the games. It was time to show her he wasn’t such a bad guy.

“I’ll carry your bags up for you.” Luke faced Ron. “I’d like to talk to you before you leave.”

“If you have something to say about me, say it to my face.”

Katie’s heated words drew his attention. He narrowed his gaze on her—his intention had been to question Ron about Katie. But maybe that was best done directly.

“Then let’s make a deal,” Luke said to her.

Her eyes darkened. “What kind of deal?”

Ron answered before Luke could. “You two deal,” he said. “I need to get going anyway. Unlike the two of you, age isn’t on my side. It’s eleven o’clock, and I have a meeting at seven in the morning.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Katie said quickly.

Luke laughed.

Katie fixed him in a hard stare. “What?” she demanded.

He shook his finger at her. “You don’t play by the rules.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, but her expression said she knew.

“I’m out of here,” Ron said, moving toward the door. “And for the record,” he called over his shoulder, turning back to them for a quick moment, “I won’t be the referee. Play nice together and catch a bad guy. Then we all win.”

He opened the door and disappeared.

Luke and Katie were suddenly alone, staring at each other, the air crackling with awareness. Ah, but Luke was not blind. There was a heavy dose of discomfort on Katie’s part, as well. She wanted him, but she didn’t want to want him. Whatever Joey Martin had done to her, he’d done it well.

Okay, admittedly, Luke playing the asshole on deck hadn’t helped. He’d taken a preexisting wall and inched it higher. Which really sucked because he liked her. She was real. He sensed it as surely as he did a batter about to hike a ball out of the park, sensed this with such certainty that he wouldn’t bother second-guessing himself, even though his recent track record with women was pretty flipping pathetic. If Katie hated him, it would be openly, not behind his back. If she desired him, her passion would be bold and flaming hot.