For that matter, Jane seemed quite captivated by the man she currently pitted off against. Much more so than any of the bachelors. Too bad, she was the star of Jane Millionaire. She’d have made a great match for Rob and might have been the one to get him past the deep wounds dug by Mandy’s repeated betrayals.
JP pulled a cigar from his pocket and chewed on the end, wishing he could light it and inhale its calming flavor.
He had no choice. He’d have to make sure whatever sparks were flying between them died a quick death by any means necessary.
Besides as Jane Millionaire, Jane was the last woman Rob needed to be hooking up with. The boy avoided the media like the plague. When Jane returned to the U.S., she’d be a damn magnet.
“Make sure all the cameras in the gym are on. Rob will erase the main camera as that’s the one he’ll expect to have been recording continuously. I want their game recorded on the other three as well. Save all the footage and bring it to me.”
“Sir?”
“No one.” He stared at the curious man. “Including Rob, is to know about this. Not a word. Understand?”
The man nodded. “Yes, sir, Mr. Scott. I’ll bring the tape to you as soon as I’m finished recording.”
JP steepled his hands, and regarded the man thoughtfully. “Excellent.”
# # #
Idiot, Rob chided himself. What had he been thinking to take up her offer? That might be the problem--he hadn’t been thinking. He’d been staring at her sassy lips, wanting to kiss the challenge from their fullness, wanting to run his hands over the toned flesh she had on display.
The woman was a walking advertisement for fitness equipment, and he’d challenged her to a game of basketball. Why? Because he’d dreamed of playing her? Of claiming the prize none of the bumbling bachelors had been man enough to take?
His midsection hardened. He didn’t have time to take a cold shower and, blast it all, he’d already taken more cold showers in the past week than any grown man should. Two today. Not that the one following his brush off of her in the exercise room had helped. Her hot, whispered words haunted his libido like a ghost on Halloween night.
I want you to kiss me.
Aw hell.
He was in trouble.
# # #
Rob managed to get his rebellious response under control without a cold shower--until he stepped into the gym and saw Jane in hip-hugging shorts and a tight T-shirt. He groaned and imagined being dunked into ice water, being back on the rough streets he’d grown up on, being married to Mandy again.
The last one worked.
His spine straightened and his resolve renewed.
“Practicing?” he called out.
“You know what they say.” She turned, grinned, then tossed the ball into the air without looking at the goal. “Practice does make perfect.”
The resounding swoosh of the ball passing through the net mocked him as he walked onto the gym floor.
“Are you sure you aren’t too tired to play?” he asked, knowing she’d had a full day, and it was close to midnight.
“Afraid you might lose?” she taunted, looking way too bright and cheery as she rebounded the ball.
“Not in this lifetime. I didn’t want you to cry that you lost because you were wiped-out.”
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“I’m a big girl. You let me worry about whether or not I’m too tired.”
She sure didn’t look like she’d been on the go the entire day. She looked energetic and sexy in her shorts, shirt and swept-up-in-a-ponytail hair. How had she gone from swimsuit model to sports jock in the fifteen minutes since he’d last seen her?
“My stamina would amaze you.”