Read Online Gunslinger: A Sports Romance by Lisa Lang Blakeney - Free Book Online Page A

version of a sub?"
    "I don't know. I didn't order them," I say flatly.
    "Oh did the cute girl who walked me back here order them?"
    Ugh, this guy.
    "I. Don't. Know." I reiterate strongly.
    "I'm just asking, because I usually eat clean during the season. If I'm going to cheat, I might as well go with the good stuff."
    "I'm sure they were ordered from a reputable place."
    "An authentic Philadelphia hoagie in New York? I doubt it. But could you be a darling and hand me one of the turkey and cheese ones anyway?"
    The nerve.
    "I'm sorry but did you hear anything that I said?"
    "Something about no playing games. No interest in me as a client. Blah, blah, blah."
    "That's right. I'm not interested in taking on you or any other professional athlete as a client. Especially under these ... circumstances."
    He saunters over to the hoagie tray.  
    "Guess I'll help myself then," he says as he grabs one chunk of hoagie. Which is funny to me, because I bet he could probably eat all ten of those chunks and burn them off by dinner.  
    "Listen, Miss White. I don't think you're fully aware of what's at stake here."
    He adds some of the side fixings to his hoagie, grabs another bottle of water, and has a seat across from me this time.
    "Enlighten me then."
    "I am one of the highest paid rookies in the league. Without having been solicited, I personally called your office, talked to your boss for fifteen minutes, and then agreed to sign with Carson Financial for a year but only with the stipulation that you would be my account manager."
    I audibly gasp.  
    This guy is insane.
    "You're finally getting it now, are you?" He licks his lips after chewing a small bite of his sandwich.  
    "If you don't take me on as a client, then I'll take my business elsewhere. I certainly didn't sign here to end up with that guy you've been schoolgirl crushing on for years to manage my money. He doesn't look fun at all."
    "You are out of your mind."  
    And how does he know I've liked Jason for years?
    "That's what they tell me, darlin'."
    What should I do right now? If this Gunslinger jerk leaves the company because of me, I can certainly forget about my promotion. I may even lose my job. But if I take him on as a client, then I don't know what I'm in store for. I have no idea what he's up to. I don't play games, and I don't even pretend to know how to.  
    "What exactly do you want from me, Mr. Stevenson?"
    He uses his strong legs to roll the chair he's sitting in completely around to my side of the table then sighs heavily before speaking again.
    "You're all business aren't you? It's killing you to call me by my first name no matter how many times I ask you to. And look, you have stress lines etched across your beautiful forehead from this conversation. This isn't supposed to be a tense transaction. This is supposed to be good news. I'm the client that's going to make you a star around here. Don't you want that?"
    Of course I do, but at what cost? And what's in it for him?
    "I have to say that I'm really confused as to why you've offered me this opportunity. We had a five minute exchange in a restaurant a couple weeks ago. You don't know me."
    "You remind me of someone I once met." He grins.
    "So that's the criteria you're using to make major business decisions?"
    "There's just something about you I trust. Is that better?"
    "Wasn't your family managing your money before? You don't trust them?"
    "You're starting to hurt my feelings, Miss White. If you don't want to manage my twenty-two million just say the word."
    "I don't want to manage your twenty-two million," I say defiantly.
    "Gah!"
    Saint slams his hand down on the table in what seems like part frustration and part amusement.
    "I like you, Miss White, so I'm going to give you one more chance to answer correctly."
    "What else do I need to say for you to understand? I'm not interested."
    "What is this prejudice you have against me or is it with professional athletes in general? What jock broke your heart in