Page 9 of Touchdowns and Temptations

“No.”

“This is blackmail, Noah.” I brush my hair back anxiously. “You want to pick a date that could go badly over working for Corse Sports Management? Did I get that right?”

This guy is crazy. This is stupid, I think he got hit on the head one too many times during practice.

“I'm convinced that our date won't go badly.” He sounds confident. “And so, yes. I'd rather get to know you than working with this company.”

“You're crazy!” I blurt out uncontrollably again. You want to be professional and land a big fish, but instead you just start talking. And all because he wants a date? “This is getting completely out of hand,” I add much more thoughtfully.

“Why?” he asks.

“Why?” it shoots out of me again. “None of this was planned. I wanted to prove to myself and my dad that I could do this. Instead, you ask me out on a date, and I freak out. Now please don't tell me that something hasn't gotten out of hand.”

He doesn't react and just looks at me.

“You convinced me,” he says, licking his lips as his eyes take a clearly ambiguous look at my body. The heat spreads through me again. I have to stay professional. No matter how hot I think he is.

“Noah!” I clench my hands and stare at him angrily. “I'm here as your new agent, not as dating material.”

“I like you better as dating material,” he purrs, and I roll my eyes.

“You're impossible.”

“So, our date?” he insists, putting his hands on his hips. “And then we’ll see about collaborating professionally?”

“Are you blackmailing me?” My eyebrows knit inquiringly as my fingernails dig painfully into my palms. I feel like I’m boiling.

“Maybe,” he says, winking at me. “A little. We both get what we want. I get the date and you get your client. A classic win-win situation.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I can't do that. It's unprofessional.”

Noah takes a step toward me and sighs.

“Cara,” he calls me by my first name for the first time and it sounds really nice. I look at him and, as expected, he is smiling. “Give yourself a break.”

“No,” I insist, causing him to roll his eyes. Noah walks over to my desk and leans against it. He crosses his arms over his chest.

“What's this about, Noah?” I want to know. “I'm here to work, not to flirt.”

“Too bad,” he replies. “I like flirting with you.”

I groan inwardly. He's so childish. He's probably enjoying it right now.

“I can tell,” I reply. “I want to represent you because I'm sure we'll make a good team. But we are not going on a date!”

“Come on!” Noah pushes himself off the desk and walks over to me. “It's a date, Cara. Just a dinner. What's going to happen?”

He can't be serious, can he? A lot can happen. Like me liking him even more than I already do. That could happen. Or he wants another date. He's already blackmailing me.

“No!” I insist, turning to pack my things and put them on my desk. “I'm not going out with you.”

“Too bad,” he says. “You can request my previous work from my former agent. Read it and call me when you have time.”

Irritated that he changed the subject so abruptly, I look at him. I'm tempted to ask him if this is a trick, but I don't dare. The last thing I want is to upset him again.

“See you then.” Noah nods at me again and heads for the office door.

“Oh, and Cara,” he says suddenly, turning to me. “Please send me an e-mail to let me know when it's convenient for our date. After all, it's a give and take. See you then.”

---