Hot Item (Hot Zone 3)

Although she was more than used to her uncle’s shenanigans, Riley was not. He didn’t deserve the unwanted publicity or the crimp this could put in his social life. She ignored the slicing pain in her heart at the thought of him with another woman and concentrated instead on what was fair and right. No matter how good her uncle’s intentions, no matter how noble his motives, he stirred up trouble and someone other than him usually took the brunt of the fallout. Riley didn’t need the upheaval in his life. Sophie had left a message on his cell phone, calling to apologize.

“I’d like a cake in the shape of two hearts,” she told the woman.

Gen took notes. “Pink hard coating?” she asked.

Imagining the look on her uncle’s face when he saw the girly cake, Sophie nodded. “Bright pink.”

“Wording?” Gen asked, glancing at Cindy.

Obviously the other woman thought Sophie shouldn’t choose the wording on her own cake.

Sophie gritted her teeth.

“How about It took you long enough?” Cindy suggested lightly.

Sophie grinned. “Two hearts as one,” she said, the words suddenly coming to her.

No matter how often they bickered, no two people loved each other more and no two people deserved each other quite as much as Uncle Yank and Lola. As Cindy rightly said, they’d waited for this happiness long enough.

Gen wrote up the order and tallied the bill. Sophie paid with her credit card. “Thanks for everything,” she said to Gen.

“My pleasure. It will be delivered as promised on Saturday evening.” The other woman smiled. “So this is really a wedding cake for you, isn’t it?” she asked, trying again for inside information that didn’t exist.

Sophie gave up. Ever since her uncle’s retraction, everywhere she went, people asked when she was getting married. They complimented her on snagging such a hot bachelor, and they all refused to believe the truth: that she and Riley were not a couple.

In time, everyone would see it was true.

LIFTING WEIGHTS was Riley’s way of blowing off steam. That he needed to stay in shape during the off season was an added bonus. Right now he had to vent angry, frustrated energy or else he’d explode, he thought as he tied his sneaker laces, ready for a workout.

“Sophie called you to apologize?” Mike asked from his seat on the bench in the locker room.

Riley nodded. “For her uncle publicly linking us together. For the fact that—and I’m quoting here—her uncle’s display must be cramping my fucking social life.” Riley kicked at the floor.

“You added the word fucking,” Mike said.

Riley nodded. “Sophie Jordan wouldn’t curse like that, especially not when leaving a message. Just like Sophie Jordan wouldn’t step out of her comfortable controlled world to take a chance on what might be the greatest thing that ever happened to her.” His voice rose to a fevered pitch. “That being me,” Riley said, in case Mike wasn’t paying attention.

His teammates in the locker room turned and stared.

“Man, you’ve got it bad. Does she know?” Mike asked.

“Are you kidding?”

Already finished with his workout, Mike rose and began stripping down for a shower. “Hell no, I’m not kidding. Does Sophie know you’re in love with her? Did you ever tell her?”

Riley paused. Had he? Had he ever said the words aloud? Or had he turned on the charm and hoped she’d figure out what he was trying to convey? Just as he’d hoped she’d know that the other women he’d flirted with before meant nothing to him while she was the real deal.

“I’ve been treating her like she was a mind reader,” Riley muttered.

Mike grinned. “I’m loving this. The ladies’ man needs help.” He let out a whoop of laughter.

“I’m so glad you find my

life amusing.”

Mike wrapped a towel around his waist and started for the showers. He took three steps and turned. “Did I help get your head on straight?”

Riley nodded.