Hot Number (Hot Zone 2)

Damian pulled the Jeep to the curb outside the grocery store. Micki hopped out and went in ahead of him. She wanted to help out by buying some of the food and wanted to give him some space. She shopped quickly, picking some of her favorite staple items, assuming she'd be here for a couple of days before heading home to New York.

She rounded the aisle near the register when she heard Damian's voice.

"How are you doing, Pops?" he asked.

"Good, good. Summer's generally rough, what with the snowbirds sticking clo

se to home, but we're getting by."

"Glad to hear it. How's the missus?"

The man named Pops made a snorting noise. "How do you think? Giving me a hard time over nothing which means she's the same and just fine."

Damian laughed, a sexy sound that rippled along Micki's nerve endings. "I'll take that to mean you're misbehaving. Smoking, drinking, giving her reason to worry."

"She's not happy unless she's nagging."

"And you love her." Damian's voice held a warmth she'd only heard when he'd spoken of his family.

"Tell her and I strangle you. How's the wrist?" Pops asked. "I saw the game. That was a fantastic catch. Made me damn proud to know you."

Damian slapped the older man on the back. "Thanks. The wrist will be just fine and I'll be playing in October" he promised.

Micki whispered a silent prayer he was right. Not because of the bonus clause negotiated by her uncle that promised Damian big money if the Renegades made each successive play-off, but because he so obviously loved the game.

"Eavesdropping?" Damian had silently come up beside her.

She yelped and dropped the container of yogurt she was holding. "No," she lied, caught in the act. "I was just checking the expiration date."

"Uh-huh." A disbelieving grin tipped his lips.

She studied him, noticing a more relaxed expression on his face. Less tension, fewer stress lines. "You seem to be in a better mood."

He shrugged. "Appearances can be deceiving. I’m still trying to figure you out."

"I had you so confused it affected your mood? I'm flattered." She couldn't help but grin.

"Don't be. You're a female, hence you were put on this earth to perplex men."

Micki was oddly flattered by his comment. After all, he'd called her a female and she'd worked hard for him to notice her in that way.

She glanced at her half-full cart. "I've gotten what I need for the next few days." She kept her eyes focused on him, watching for his reaction.

"Next few days?" His gaze darted to hers. "When did that happen?"

She attempted a casual shrug. "You and my uncle thought I should stay here until the scandal blew over. I decided you both had a valid point"

"The hell you did. For some reason I can't begin to understand, you decided you want to stay. What we think has nothing to do with it."

So he already knew her that well, did he? Telling him the truth wouldn't hurt. "I decided I'd be a fool to leave paradise too soon." She just didn't intend to define paradise, which wasn't just this island but anywhere Damian Fuller happened to be.

"I might buy that excuse if you hadn't been champing at the bit to leave here, if not today then first thing tomorrow. What changed?"

"Everything." She shot him a big smile. "So did you pick up what you needed or do you have to do more shopping?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"I have to shop," he said through gritted teeth.

"Okay I'll just wait upfront." She started to push her cart forward but he stuck a foot out, stopping her.