Page 17 of The Puck Stops Here

‘We both were for a time, then it became all about the game. Is that going in the article?’

‘Probably.’

He grinned, flashing the infamous Carter dimples – she half expected his teeth to give a cartoon twinkle too. ‘Everyone loves a scout, right.’

‘Right.’

She held his gaze and she realised he wasn’t kidding. He was so desperate for the world to see his brother in a new light, a better light, not for his own sake, but for Blake’s. Ever the protective brother.

If Sienna wasn’t in her head, she’d truly think him Prince Charming with the golden aura. Blake on the other hand…

The images on her laptop had nothing on his presence in real life.

And the way he’d made her feel…

She could breathe fully now he wasn’t in the room. Breathe and strategise as her brain turned over at a more regular pace. Free of all that fire and passion, his blue eyes as rakish as Bella had said, and utterly brazen as they’d devoured her on the spot.

Devoured you? What aboutyoulickingyourlips?

She swallowed down the memory and focused on golden boy. He was far more contained, measured… Not too warm, not too cold. Just right.

And hell, now she sounded like goldilocks testing out her breakfast.

Though cold was the only way to go when dishing out someone’s just desserts. And her smile in return felt just that.

‘Think you can make him into a talkative one?’ She adjusted her glasses as she adjusted her attitude, dialling up the warmth as she sought to build a connection with therightbrother. ‘It’s hard to write a profile piece on the Titan Twins if one half is refusing to speak to me.’

‘Don’t take it personally.’ His grin lifted to one side. ‘He doesn’t like talking to anyone.’

‘And what about you, doyoulike talking?’

‘If it pulls his reputation back from the brink, I’m game.’

She lifted her chin, ignored the way his impassioned response warmed her through. He wasnotgood. He was bad. Veryverybad.

Even if his words made it clear that he was doing this against his will too. That it was all about saving his brother’s skin. That he cared about his brother. That he loved his brother.

Where had that kind of passion been when Sienna had poured her heart out to him?

‘Good.’

‘I can’t promise it won’t be like pulling teeth though.’

‘I have my ways,’ she said, balancing flirtation with professionalism as she remembered their audience.

He gave a choked laugh, his broad frame rumbling with the move. ‘I’m sure you do.’

‘If Blake gives you any trouble, you come to me.’ Preston Walker came up alongside them. Every bit the rich and entitled general manager she’d read about in her research on the team. ‘I’ll make sure he toes the line.’

‘I’m sure that won’t be necessary,’ she said smoothly.

‘You say that now, but knowing Blake like I do, you’ll be needing backup.’

‘That’s what I’m here for,’ Aiden assured them both. ‘You can rest easy, boss. I’ve got this.’

‘I’m sure you have, but just in case, I’ll send my details over so that you can contact me. Any time. Day or night. Anything I can do, just call. Perhaps you’d be interested in a similar article at a management level? I’ll happily clear my schedule for you if you?—’

‘I prefer to work on one article at a time,’ she hurried out, lying through her teeth. She always had more than one article on the go. She was a freelance journalist; itpaidto have multiple pieces on the go, but it was clear the GM was interested in more than the story she would write, the way his grey eyes now dipped to her chest sealing that suspicion. Awks!

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