Page 53 of Playing with Temptation

“Good.” A warm smile spread across Bud’s face. He looked around. “Now, where is that prime rib? I’m starving.”

Nate chuckled, his head swirling. As shaken as he’d been by Bud’s proposal about his changing role on the team, his thoughts kept returning to Kendra.

Suddenly, Bud’s suggestion didn’t seem so bad. Kendra would be angry if he interfered in her relationship with her father, but if Bud was right, it would be worth enduring her temporary ire.

After dinner with Bud, Nate drove back to his place in Memphis. Then he booked a flight to Jacksonville, Florida.

CHAPTER 18

Kendra sat on the set of another midday sports show as Nate took part in a discussion panel. This time they were in Atlanta.

It was down to two teams that would play for the championship. The absence of football action didn’t stem the tide of talking heads analyzing every facet of each remaining team and predicting how the contest would end.

Nate was a natural—funny and charming. His words insightful and his opinions thought-provoking. Initially, he’d been against doing the sports shows. Now he was in his element, loving every minute.

His smile was broad and genuine and his deep chuckle was contagious. Not to mention, the man was finer than he’d ever been.

Kendra massaged the knot in her shoulder and breathed through the heat building in her chest.

It was no use.

Flames marched down her spine, fanning the heat at her core as she tried to clear the memories of the night they’d spent in his bed.

You’re the one who rejected him. Twice.

Her anger and distrust aside, she still loved and wanted Nate. But how could she trust him again? And what about her career? He hadn’t been supportive of it then, why would things be any different now?

Nate made a funny observation that had the entire panel in stitches.

Kendra smiled. She’d missed hearing his genuine laugh. He’d spent the previous few days in Memphis while she’d been back in Pleasure Cove. They met in New York, where he did a few shows before they’d flown to Atlanta for this one. After another appearance scheduled later in the day, they’d head back to Pleasure Cove.

“How’d I do?” Nate approached her, a sheepish smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

Her eyes traveled the length of his body, draped in an expensive blue suit that enhanced his athletic build. She lifted her gaze to meet his. “You’re a natural. You’ll have a long career ahead of you as a sports analyst, if that’s what you want.”

“Think so?” He relieved her of her leather briefcase and lifted it onto his shoulder as they headed toward the door.

“Absolutely. The producers loved you. They asked if you’d like to come back and do a few shows during the off-season.”

Nate nodded thoughtfully. “That’s great, but let’s hope all of this will pay off at the negotiations table. Marcus is meeting with the team later today.”

“If they had no intention of paying you, Bud wouldn’t have asked you to mentor James Eastland.”

“I guess.” Nate’s shoulders tensed. He was obviously still unhappy about being asked to mentor a younger player. A sure sign his days with the team were numbered. “How much time until the next show?”

“A few hours. Plenty of time for you to grab a bite or go back to the hotel and get a little rest. I can meet you at the next studio, if you’d like.”

“No.” He lightly gripped her arm. “Let me take you to lunch, if you don’t have any plans.”

Kendra’s heart beat faster. Her mouth felt dry as she stared into his warm eyes. “Why? Did you want to go over the appearances scheduled for next week?”

“No, we need to talk about us. I’m sorry for my bad judgment then and for not telling you when it happened.”

She pulled away. “Nate—”

“I know you’d rather not talk about this.” He countered her objection before she could make it. “But that’s always been our problem. We’ve avoided the tough conversations. Maybe that’s because we got together so young. Maybe we weren’t mature enough to deal with all of this then. But we need to talk about it now.”

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