Page 28 of Playing with Temptation

She lifted her chin and met his condemning gaze. “This isn’t the time to explore the past. Not with so much at stake for both of us.”

“Fine.” He gathered his plate, turning to leave.

Kendra grabbed his elbow. “That doesn’t mean we can’t sit down and have a meal together.”

“You want to keep this thing strictly business? Well, I don’t usually have shirtless midnight business meetings.” He narrowed his gaze, his tone icy.

“You give interviews in the locker room when you’re half-dressed. How is this any different?”

“You know why it’s different.” Nate put the plate down again. “What is it that you want from me, Kendra?”

She stood stunned, her mouth slack, unable to reply.

“I ask you to marry me and you walk away. Just when I think I’m finally over it, you find some way to mess with my head again. I just wanted to have a quiet late-night snack in my room. Alone. But you couldn’t let it be.” His words came in quick, angry bursts. “I kiss you. Tell you I want to be with you and Kai. You say I’m pushing too hard. But, oh, by the way, why don’t we sit down for a nice, civil business meal in our pajamas?”

Her stomach clenched and her hands shook. He was right. She was being selfish—trying to hold on to him while maintaining her distance. “I’m sorry. I don’t know exactly how to do this. I want us to be friends again. Not just because we’re working together or even because of Kai. We were friends long before we dated. I miss that.”

Nate shook his head. “After everything we’ve been through, I can’t just be friends. Maybe someday, but not tonight.”

Kendra bit her lower lip, concentrating on the superficial physical pain rather than the deep ache in her heart as he walked away.

CHAPTER 10

Nate dropped his luggage by the front door and stumbled to the couch. They’d landed in Memphis later than expected.

Good to finally be home again.

He dropped Kendra off at a nearby hotel and headed to his place.

He had plenty of room to put her up for the night. But after the night they’d shared at Wade and Greer’s guesthouse, they both agreed it would be better if she stayed at a hotel.

Nate just wanted a cold beer and a hot bath before what would surely be a grueling day.

First, there was the meeting with the team. Then he would meet with a couple of his teammates. After he made his personal amends to everyone on the list—except Tyree and Dade, who were still dodging his calls—he’d take to the podium in a press conference at the team facilities.

Nate made his way to the fridge. He tossed out a couple of suspect take-out containers, then pulled out a bottle of imported beer. He settled on the couch again when the doorbell rang.

His neighbor collected his mail when he was away, and was always a little too eager to bring over his mail and newspapers. Nate opened the door.

“Hello, Nate. Miss me?”

Stephanie Weiss—the devil herself and the cause of this entire fiasco—lifted her head, her face previously shielded by her large-brimmed hat. Her mouth curved in a sly grin.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He gritted out the words between clenched teeth.

“Got a proposal for you.” She smiled sweetly, glancing over his shoulder. “May I come in?”

“Not if your ass was on fire and I had the only bucket of water for thirty miles,” he seethed. “You’ve got five seconds before I call security to haul you out of here.”

She seemed slightly irritated by his rebuff, but mostly amused. “Fine. Then I’ll save my questions for the press conference tomorrow. Just thought you’d welcome the opportunity to sit down and explain your side of things.”

“Sit down with the devil who caused this whole shit storm? No thanks.” He crossed his arms. “Yeah, I know it was you who sent those girls to ambush me.”

She smirked. “Now that’s just unsubstantiated speculation.” Stephanie echoed the words he’d used in the press conference he had three years ago, when he’d distanced himself from her after the scandal broke.

“Is that what this is about?” He placed a hand high on the doorjamb as he leaned against the frame. “You’re still pissed because I wouldn’t help you ruin my friend’s career?”

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