Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

Roper grinned. “You can let it out. It’s ridiculous, I know. But at my mother’s insistence, I gave him the franchise money and he promptly passed it on to a guy who ran away with the cash. Last my detective heard, he was sunning himself in Mexico, avoiding extradition for embezzlement. Meanwhile there were a lot of disappointed, broke future Condom Kings he’d bilked out of large amounts of cash.”

“So you’d like to help him but can’t because he’s stubborn and invests in pipe dreams. Meanwhile you feel guilty that you won’t help him anymore because he’s still your family.”

He gave her a quick nod. She’d nailed his dilemma perfectly, he thought, not all that surprised at her insight. But he was uncomfortable with how well she understood him. He stirred the vegetables and poured them into a bowl, covering it with foil to keep warm while he cooked the chicken.

Eventually the silence got to him. “So there you have the story of my life. How about you? Any brothers or sisters to tell tales about?”

She shook her head. “I’m an only child.”

“Lucky you.” A few more preparatory steps and he served the food, dividing up the meal and putting it on their plates.

She sat down at the table to eat. “I wouldn’t say I was lucky. It was pretty lonely growing up by myself.”

He tipped his head to one side. “I never looked at it that way.” He’d had Ben to fight with and toss a ball to. And he’d had Sabrina trailing after him with doting eyes.

“That’s because right now you have issues with your brother.”

“Here’s the thing.” He set two full glasses of water on the table. “I love my family, but everyone needs something from me. They pull at me from every direction and like you said, I feel guilty not responding on the minute.”

“Because you always have before.”

“Exactly.” He placed his hand on the top of his chair. “Now, how about some champagne? It is New Year’s Eve.”

She crinkled her nose in that cute way she had whenever she wasn’t sure she wanted to do something. “Maybe just one glass.”

He obliged, pulling a bottle from the fridge, popping the cork, pouring and finally sitting down beside her at the table. “A toast,” he said, raising his glass.

She raised hers, as well.

“To…new friends,” he said. He hadn’t known how much he needed someone like Amy in his life until tonight. She was special.

A warm smile tilted her lips. “To new friends,” she said, a gleam in her eyes as she touched her glass against his and took a sip.

“Good?”

She nodded. “Excellent. Now, you were saying that everyone in your family needs something from you. Care to elaborate beyond Ben?”

He lifted his fork and tasted his meal. “Mmm. Care to compliment the cook first?”

Laughing, she took a bite and paused.

And paused. And paused so long he nearly fell off the edge of his chair waiting for her opinion.

“This is unbelievably good!” she said at last with a smile on her face that bordered on orgasmic.

All he could imagine was putting that same expression on her face in a more intimate setting. But somehow, he managed to clear his throat and continue their discussion. “Thank you,” he said, ridiculously thrilled that he’d pleased her palate.

He loved to cook and often did so to relieve tension when he had home games or just to help himself relax during the off-season. And he’d needed one helluva a lot of relaxing lately.

“Well? You were saying about your family?” Amy prodded without shame.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re like a pit bull when you get your teeth into something?” he asked. She didn’t reply, merely continued eating and waiting, knowing he’d have to answer eventually. “Oh, all right. I’ll tell you, but I’ll probably put you to sleep with my family saga.”

She shook her head. “Try me.”

He shrugged. “Mom’s an actress, or at least she was until she aged beyond the point where cosmetic surgery enabled her to take youthful roles.”

“Would I know of her?” Amy asked.