Dare to Tempt - Carly Phillips Page 0,8
cliché but they know the deal before we go out. I’m not interested in a relationship.”
She wondered why he didn’t want romantic entanglements, but it wasn’t part of her job description to ask. “I’d still like the names of the most recent women you’ve been with.”
He rambled them off, then braced his hands on the table and stood. “And I’m finished for the day. There’s not enough coffee for this shit.”
He rose, walking to the counter and putting his coffee cup in the sink.
She gathered her things and rose to her feet. She’d peppered him with enough questions and had sufficient information to begin digging into the people he surrounded himself with. “I’ll let you get back to your day and I’ll be in touch.”
“Sounds good.” He turned, folding his arms across that golden muscular chest. “Thank you, Evie,” he said gruffly.
She nodded, understanding the depth of meaning behind the words. “I’ll work as quickly as I can. I know the appeal is going to come down fast.”
“Yeah. It is.” His tone told her which way he thought the decision would go.
A few steps ahead of her, he walked her to the entryway and opened the door, when she saw what looked like dark marks on the upper part of his back and shoulder.
“What’s this?” she asked, coming up behind him and touching his skin, her body immediately reacting to his heat and masculine scent. “It looks like adhesive,” she said, her voice husky. She rubbed at the marks, and some residue came off on the pads of her fingers.
“Probably remnants from the pain patch my trainer gave me. Now that I’m suspended, he said he’d meet me at his private office, not at the stadium,” he said, his upper torso shuddering at her touch.
He turned slowly, placing one hand on the doorframe, blocking her in with his body, her nipples puckering at his warmth and closeness.
“If you didn’t notice last night, you affect me, Evie. A lot. And if you keep touching me, I’m going to want to taste you again. So, if you want to have any hope of keeping this a purely professional, fake relationship, step back.”
She swallowed hard, her mouth going dry at his sexually honest words, and she did as he suggested. She stepped back.
“Umm … what are the chances you still have the patch?” she asked, her voice raspy as she brought them back to business. “I’d like to have it tested. See if there’s anything in the medication that shouldn’t be.”
Surprise flickered in his expression. “As a matter of fact, it’s in the garbage upstairs. Hang on and I’ll be right back.”
He headed upstairs and she leaned against the doorframe he’d used earlier, closed her eyes, and groaned. She’d thought this assignment would be easy. Help Damon find out who’d targeted him and set him up. Sure, she knew she was attracted to him, but she’d never thought the feeling was mutual.
There was a part of her that resented the fact that he liked this Evie, the one who dressed for a part, not the woman she was beneath the makeup, spiral hair, and heels. Another part of her reminded herself it didn’t matter which Evie he liked because he didn’t do relationships and she’d sworn off men.
Knowing how badly her judgment sucked with the opposite sex, she knew better than to let herself fall for the playboy who’d already made his lack of intentions with any woman clear.
* * *
After Evie left, he didn’t have much to do. He couldn’t work out, not with the way his head felt. Instead he decided to sit outside and get some sun. He changed into a pair of shorts and headed out back. He settled on one of the recliner chairs in his fenced-in yard, free from paparazzi unless they were hanging from the trees above, and let out a groan.
Trying to relax when his world was in upheaval wasn’t easy, but he managed to do some deep breathing exercises he’d learned and calmed down, dozing beneath the hot sun.
The sound of his cell ringing woke him, and he grabbed for the phone, unsure how much time had passed. “Yeah. Hello.” He answered without checking the screen because the sun’s glare prevented him from seeing who was calling.
“Hello?”
“Damon!” Bri’s voice sounded in his ear. “Have you seen social media?”
“No. Been napping and I can’t see out here. I’ll go inside. What’s going on?” He swung his legs over the side of the lounge.
“You and Evie