Read Online Playing For Keeps by Liz Matis - Free Book Online Page B

away.
    “Ryan, we’re going down.”
    “You’re going down?” he asked with a dazed smile.
    She pounded on his chest. “No, you idiot!”

    ***
The realization of what she meant hit him like a bucket of cold Gatorade thrown on him after a big win. He immediately released her and stepped to the far side of the elevator shaking his head. “And we spent the last hour playing Go Fish.”
    Ryan tried to steady his breath as he watched Samantha straighten her clothing, effectively removing any trace of their kiss. She tugged on her shirt, which only accentuated her breasts. Never mind trying to steady his breath, he’d be happy if he could just breathe. She smoothed back her hair and his fingers itched to dive back into the long golden tresses. Samantha would try to pretend they never kissed, but he damn wel was never going to let her forget it, not when he would be replaying it in his head over and over. He was sure he would lose sleep over it.
    Ryan thought maybe one kiss would do it for him, prove that she was just another girl, prove that it was only the chase that appealed to him, but it only affirmed he wanted her more than ever, more than any other woman before her. She gave him a shy smile. Then he realized he proved something much more important. She wanted him too.
    “Nothing happened, right?” Samantha pleaded. The elevator doors slid open.
    “On the contrary, everything happened,” he said, slipping into the lobby. “I saw your ful hand.”

Chapter 6
    Ryan glanced over at his teammates mil ing around the lobby waiting to torment him. He didn’t care if he was the focus of their jibes, as long as he took the heat off Samantha.
    “Terel , how was she?” asked Burner.
    He wanted to tel the rookie it was none of his business. No, he real y wanted to pounce on him, but he ignored him instead.
    “You lucky son of a bitch!” said Todd.
    Ignoring a rookie was one thing, but disregarding the quarterback would be a bad move. “Lucky? You try getting stuck in an elevator with a nosy reporter and see how you like it,” he countered.
    “I’m sure you found something to shut her up with,” said Burner.
    Before Ryan could react, Samantha ventured out of the elevator into the fray.
    “Come on guys, you know he’s the one who never shuts up.”
    Once again looking like the cool unbiased professional, Ryan wished her hair was stil disheveled and her lips plump and ripe from his kiss. She scanned the lobby, her gaze stopped at his. A light smile lit her face, and then quickly faded as her gaze darted away.
    “Yeah, Jameson, did my man bore you to death with his old footbal stories?” asked Jake.
    Ryan almost sighed in relief as Jake tried to down play the situation.
    “I was spared by a couple of games of Go Fish,” replied Samantha.
    “Go Fish!” The guys started laughing.
    “Terel , man, you used to be my hero,” said Burner.
    “Doesn’t it count that I won?” Ryan needed to save face somehow. He turned to Samantha and waited for her to contradict him.
    “Only if you were playing Strip Poker. Get it? Poke Her,” joked Todd.
    Samantha, who quickly walked away, didn’t think it was funny and neither did Ryan but he stood his ground and threaten the quarterback, “What if I played Slap Jack al over your face?”
    “Whoa, don’t take it out on me because you ain’t getting any.”
    Inexperienced with handling jealous emotions, Ryan strode away before he did something stupid. For the first time, he realized the cost to Samantha’s reputation if they were caught. The comments, the innuendos, and the harassment. Because he’d take exception to it, he’d end up alienating the whole team. That was not the way to a championship.
    He was having the best season of his career, but he wouldn’t be satisfied unless the team won the Super Bowl. Then he could retire in one piece and concentrate on the next stage of his life. Maybe, he’d get married. Maybe even foster some kids.
    A wife. Samantha’s