Page 43 of Playing with Temptation

“I know, but Vi has a point. You’re my client, and I don’t… I mean… I’ve never gotten involved with a client before. It’s unprofessional and completely unacceptable. I violated our agreement, and I’m sorry. If you want to fire me, I’ll understand. Just stick to the plan and execute it. You’ll be fine.”

Nate waited patiently, his arms folded, until she was finished. “Why would I want to fire you?”

Her heart raced as she forced her eyes to meet his. “Because this can’t happen again. That may make things awkward between us, and I don’t blame you for not—”

“Look, I’m sorry about Vi busting in here like that. Whether or not we work together…sleep together…it’s none of Vi’s business or anyone else’s.”

Kendra ran her fingers through her hair. “You know she’s going to tell Marcus and probably your parents. God, your entire family will know by morning.”

Nate shrugged. “What difference does that make? Doesn’t change how I feel. I’m not sorry about what happened between us. Neither are you.” He cupped her cheek.

For a moment, she settled into his palm before logic kicked in.

This is how the whole thing started.

She shook her head and took a step back. “We can’t. I’m sorry.”

Nate sighed. “Fine, but I’m not firing you. Awkward or not, I expect you to fulfill your end of the contract.”

Kendra stood straight and cleared her throat. “Of course.”

“And I don’t see any reason we can’t sit down like two rational adults and have dinner together.”

Kendra held her breath, the muscles in her back and shoulders tense. Sitting down to a meal and pretending everything was okay, when what she really wanted was to let Nate take her back to his bed, would be torturous. But he’d gone through all the trouble of making her favorite meal.

“On one condition.”

Nate raised a brow as he put salad greens into two bowls. “And that is?”

“We can talk about the campaign, your career, Kai, the weather…anything but us or what happened here tonight. It was a lapse in judgment. I just want to get past it.”

Nate shrugged. “Fine.”

His tone said anything but fine. Still, he’d agreed to her terms.

Kendra released a breath and nodded. They could get through this. Get things back on track. She would deliver the results she promised, then things would go back to the way they were.

She’d be miserable, missing him and regretting the day she walked out of his life.

CHAPTER 14

Nate straightened his tie and inhaled. They’d be live on the air for his first television appearance since the video went viral in five…four…three…two…one…

He pressed his lips into a smile as he gave his attention to the host of the show. He’d always considered John Chase to be a blowhard who knew incredibly little about the sports he reported on.

Being a guest on the John Chase show wouldn’t have been his first choice. But as Kendra pointed out, it was one of the most-watched daytime shows on the major sports network. The ratings were through the roof. Most important, Kendra felt John was fair and that he’d keep his word and not discuss the video.

That remained to be seen. There was something in the guy’s eyes that Nate didn’t trust.

Then again, when did he trust any reporter?

John welcomed Nate to the panel, then began the discussion. Nate followed the rhythm of the panel’s conversation about the stellar numbers the Ontario Badgers wide receiver Dean Carson was putting up in the play-offs after his recovery from an ACL injury nearly a year earlier. The same injury he’d sustained three years ago.

John seemed to sense his hesitance. He asked Nate a pointed question. Within a few minutes, Nate was so engrossed in the conversation, he stopped thinking incessantly about the camera, the millions of viewers in the audience and whether John Chase would ask about the video. Instead, he recounted his own comeback from an ACL tear and praised Dean Carson for his play-off performance.

He settled into easy banter with John and the other two members of the panel—both retired pro football players he admired and respected. Once he relaxed and focused on the topic, his eight minutes on the segment went by quickly.

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