Sweet Spot

She watched as Hawk’s good humor faded. He pulled up a chair next to hers, sat down and leaned toward her.

He was one of those guys who took up too much space, she thought, fighting the need to scoot back. Still, she held her ground, even though he was so close, she could see the various shades of brown, green and gold that made up his irises.

“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice low. His breath smelled minty. “Raoul is cocaptain. Every Friday the captain brings in doughnuts for the guys.”

His hands were massive, she thought, distracted by their size. Big and strong looking.

She forced her attention back on the conversation. “Then he should have paid for them.”

“He can’t,” Hawk told her, still speaking softly. “Raoul’s a good kid. He lives in foster care. Normally he holds down a job, but during training, he can’t. Our deal is I give him a few bucks for the doughnuts, but I forgot yesterday and he was too proud to ask. It’s Friday. He had to provide doughnuts. He made a bad choice. Haven’t you ever made a mistake, Nicole?”

He’d almost had her. The sad story of poor Raoul had actually touched her cynical heart. Then Hawk had dropped his voice to an intimate tone and drawn out her name in a way that really annoyed her.

“Don’t play me,” she snapped.

“I’m not—”

“And don’t treat me like I’m stupid.”

Hawk held up both hands. “I’m not—”

She cut him off with a glare.

She could just bet he was used to getting his way, especially with women. One flick of that killer smile and anyone with an X set of chromosomes melted like butter in the sun. Well, not her.

She stood, then grabbed her cane to support herself. “That kid is going down.”

Hawk sprang to his feet. “Dammit, that’s not fair.”

She pointed to the doughnuts still scattered all over the floor. “Tell it to the judge.”

Hawk moved toward her, but Raoul stepped between them. “Coach, it’s okay. I was wrong. I knew it was wrong to steal and I did it anyway. You’re always saying we have to learn to accept the consequences of our actions. This is one of them.”

The kid turned to her, then dropped his gaze to the floor. “Not having the money isn’t an excuse. I shouldn’t have done it. I was afraid of being embarrassed in front of the team.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, Ms. Keyes.”

Nicole hated that she wanted to believe him. There was something so defeated about Raoul’s posture. She told herself he could be playing her, too, that the two of them made a real great team, but somehow she sensed the kid was telling the truth. He had been embarrassed and he was sorry.

She debated what to do. While stealing was wrong, she didn’t want to punish Raoul just to get back at Mr. High and Mighty. The fact that his coach was a womanizer/possible former underwear model/jock wasn’t Raoul’s fault.

Knowing she was going to be hating herself come morning when the kid didn’t show up, she said, “I’ll make you a deal. You can work off what you stole. Be here at six tomorrow morning.”

For the first time since she’d tripped him, Raoul looked at her. Something very much like hope brightened his dark eyes. “For real?”

“Yes. But if you don’t show up, I’ll hunt you down like a dog and make you regret the day you were born. Do we have a deal?”

Raoul grinned. She sighed. Give it a couple more years and he would be just as deadly as his coach. How fair was that?

“I’ll be here,” he promised. “I’ll be early.”

“I won’t.”

Hawk turned to her. “Now can he wait for me in the truck?”

“Sure.” Although if it were up to her, Coach Hawkins could go, too. They had nothing to say to each other.

She looked at him then wanted to rub her eyes. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, but she would swear he’d just gotten better looking. Talk about annoying.

HAWK GLANCED OVER at the woman glaring at him. She reminded him of a stray cat his daughter had brought home years ago. All spit and attitude.

Nicole was sensible. He could tell from her exactly-to-the-knee skirt in dark denim, her plain T-shirt, the lack of makeup and the way she hadn’t bothered to do more with her long blond hair than pull it back in a ponytail. She wasn’t the kind of woman who impressed easily. Not that he was worried.

“Thanks,” he said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“You’re right. I didn’t. I also know I’m going to regret letting him off like that.”

There was temper in her blue eyes. She looked like she wanted to hit someone. He thought about offering—it wasn’t as if she could hurt him—but sensed she would think he was mocking her. Which he was…a little.

“You won’t. He’s a good kid. He has a lot of talent—he can go all the way.”

“You see yourself in him, don’t you?”

Hawk grinned. “Yeah.”

“That is just so typical.” She glanced at her watch. “Don’t you have to be somewhere?”

“Practice. The guys are waiting.” He pulled out his wallet. “How much do I owe you for the doughnuts?”

She frowned. “Weren’t you listening? Raoul is going to pay them off with hard labor. At least that’s my fantasy.”

“Then I still need five dozen for the team.”

Nicole looked at the women behind the counter. “Maggie, would you get the coach his doughnuts so he can get out of here.”

Hawk bent down and picked up the doughnuts on the floor. “You’re trying to get rid of me.”

“You think?”

“But I’m the best part of your day.”

“Maybe I’ll get a splinter later and that can be my highlight.”

He laughed. “You’re not easy.”

“That’s the first smart thing you’ve said.”

He put the crumpled boxes and doughnuts on one of the tables. “I’m plenty smart, Nicole.”

“Keep telling yourself that and one day it might be true.”