Read Online Too Hot to Handle: A Boys of Summer Novel by Katie Rose - Free Book Online Page A

and the music of the insects wasn’t enough to soothe her ragged nerves. Her body, aroused for the first time in a long time by a man, was as tightly wound as a spool of thread.
    Her eyes fell on the flowers and she frowned. If he wasn’t interested, why all the attention, the roses, and the romantic picnic on the beach? A mortified possibility came to her. Maybe he just wanted to know he could. Maybe he’d had so many women to choose from that it was all just a game.
    She grew more embarrassed by the moment, but then reality returned. A man didn’t kiss a woman the way he’d kissed her unless he wanted her. And she remembered how hard and hot he was when he held her close. That wasn’t something any man could fake. Not even Jake.
    More confused than ever, she dropped the curtain and made her way to bed. She had to get some sleep. She’d spoken truthfully when she said she didn’t know what to expect in New Jersey, and she needed a clear head to deal with whatever the team sent her way.
    And whatever else Jake had in store.

Chapter Nine
    When she arrived at the ball field the next morning, Nikki saw a group of sullen players reluctantly jogging the bases. The others were taking extra batting practice, while the pitchers worked closely with the coach.
    Pete,
she thought gratefully. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but he showed how meaningless that proverb was. The older man was encouraging his team and supporting her, promising them that the discipline and additional work would help them win. She’d gotten lucky with him as the head coach. At least she wasn’t fighting everyone.
    Fetching a cup of coffee, she walked slowly toward the offices, hiding a yawn. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before; the room seemed too hot, too close, and her body was tense from lack of release. She’d lain awake for hours, staring into the darkness of the hotel room, tossing and turning and trying to ignore the green light of the digital clock. She tried reading, then watching TV; nothing helped. Her body craved a man, and Jake was the one she wanted.
    The printer, she noticed, was out of paper, and the admin was nowhere to be seen. Venturing to the closet in her office for a new ream, she opened the door and a deluge of baseballs tumbled onto the floor.
    There must have been hundreds of them. Nikki stared in stunned silence as the white orbs bounced and rolled in every possible direction. She tried to close the door, but they continued to pour onto the floor like a keg of Morton’s salt until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the shelves were empty except for office supplies.
    Chagrined, she realized this was another communication from the team. Jake had been right when he told her that just because she was a woman, she wasn’t protected from their practical jokes.
    Standing ankle-deep in baseballs, she got the message.
    She had just started cleaning up the mess when Jake walked in. His lazy smile turned into a grin as he surveyed her on her hands and knees, scooping up the evasive orbs.
    “Don’t say a word,” she warned, surprised by the awareness she felt in her body upon seeing him. Her pulse quickened and she became self-conscious of her position. “I haven’t had my coffee yet. It could definitely get ugly.”
    “Need some help?” The note of sympathy in his voice was masked by barely restrained laughter.
    “No.” Straightening, she gestured to her surroundings. Her office looked like a ball pit in a children’s playground. “I know you have to maintain a relationship with the team. It’s not going to do you any good for them to see you consorting with the enemy.”
    “They’re just acting out.” Jake shrugged and began to assist in her efforts whether she wanted him to or not. “It will blow over.”
    Fetching a box from the closet, she scooped up as many balls as she could and tossed them inside. “I do believe things will change once they see some results. Have you