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do this. It’ll be good PR for you and it helps me.”
    He widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. He was getting ready to negotiate. She could see that a mile away.
    “No,” she said to head him off.
    “What?”
    “No. I’m not negotiating.” She had to force back her smile at his annoyed scowl.
    “Damn,” he mumbled. “You’re better than my mother.”
    “If you’re looking for one of those, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
    “God, no.”
    The disgust that crossed his face was too funny not to laugh this time. She let a chuckle roll out, the mood changing that quickly when he joined her.
    “Trust me,” he said around his low laughter. “I do not want you to be my mother.”
    “Good to know.” She gestured toward the paper he was still holding. “So will you do that for me?”
    “Tell me who screwed you over.”
    It wasn’t in her to badmouth her clients, but it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out who it was. It wasn’t like her client list was a secret. “Grenick. But,” she interjected when he opened his mouth to speak. “It doesn’t matter. This is a free opportunity for excellent PR. Go make something out of it.”
    He studied the paper before shoving it into his pocket. “What am I supposed to do?”
    God, she could kiss him. The relief of not having to deal with that crisis was enormous. Plus her sister would owe her when a Glaciers’s player showed up with a car full of gifts. “It’s a youth center for low-income kids. Just talk to the kids about hockey and how you made it to the pros. Maybe play a little floor hockey with them, that kind of thing.”
    “That’s it?” He looked skeptical.
    “Yeah. No cameras or big publicity on this one. Just a nice little community event.”
    He scoffed. “No wonder Grenick bailed.”
    Vanessa bit her lip to keep from commenting. The Glaciers’s defenseman’s desire for the spotlight was well-known. But then, that was exactly why Grenick had hired her.
    She debated on telling him the rest but decided he’d find out anyway. “It’s kind of a favor too for my little sister. Vivian runs the center.”
    “Oh?”
    “Don’t even think about hitting on her.” Her momma bear came out quickly. She’d practically raised Liv and there was no way Vanessa was letting any athlete near her. They were all playboys with a woman in every city. It didn’t matter if they were married. They all cheated at some point. It was practically part of the pro-athlete code of conduct.
    “Do you have a really low opinion of athletes in general?” He scowled. “Or is it just me?”
    “I live and breathe sports and athletes all day. I know too much about both to trust either.”
    He moved closer to her, his height causing her to look up, but she wasn’t stepping back. His blue eyes seemed darker as they peered into her. “Is that why? Because I’m a professional athlete?”
    “Why what?” The deep scent of his cologne was playing havoc on her thoughts, which was stupid.
    “Why you won’t be my Mistress?”
    She could lie, but why? “It’s one of the reasons.”
    “I can’t change what I do, but that doesn’t mean I’m like everyone else.”
    It was her turn to scoff. “Right. So you mean to tell me you’ve never fucked a puck bunny? Never accepted the offer of the dozens of jersey chasers in every city who are willing to do whatever you want just so they can say they slept with an athlete?”
    He looked away.
    “That’s what I thought.” She turned back to her desk, the confirmation stinging more than it should.
    “Oh, come on.” He groaned. “You said never. I’ve been playing hockey my whole life. I’ve been in the pros since I was twenty-three. I’m single. There’s no way any male could turn down all the tail begging to be had.”
    She shook her head and started placing folders in her bag. “I’m not one of those naive women you’re used to.”
    He released a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I