Smooth Play (Brooklyn Monarchs 2)

Andrea chuckled. “It looks like we’re both making progress. I’ve sent out some resumes.”

“That’s great. It’s about time.”

Her laughter faded to a smile. “You sound like Faith.” She turned to look through the passenger window. “There’s nothing like pending unemployment to light a fire under your job search.”

Troy eased the car into the intersection once the traffic light turned green. “Look, I know things are hard everywhere now. But don’t say yes to your first job offer, unless it’s for a really good company. You’re a good reporter. Don’t settle.”

Andrea

stared at him, wide-eyed and speechless. A knot grew in her throat. It was difficult to swallow, difficult to breathe. “Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s the truth.” Troy studied the street. Illegally parked cars and jaywalking pedestrians further snarled the traffic flow.

“It means a lot coming from you. You used to call me the enemy.”

His grin was unrepentant. “If you weren’t a good reporter, I wouldn’t have considered you the enemy. You wouldn’t have been a threat to the team.”

Andrea laughed. “That’s a backhanded compliment. I don’t know whether to thank you or take your number out of my cell phone.”

Troy’s laughter joined hers. “We’re always going to be on different sides of the issues. Take this situation with Gerry. I’d rather the Monarchs were kept out of the story. But, if anyone’s going to cover it, I’m glad it’s you. At least that way, I know the Monarchs will get a fair shake.”

“Thank you.” Andrea sobered, still drinking in his words. They were definitely better for her confidence than the alcohol she’d been addicted to.

“But I do have a question for you.”

A glance out the windshield showed they were blocks from her apartment building. Andrea’s gaze dipped to his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. “What’s that?”

“Am I one of your redemption projects?” Troy slowed as he crossed onto her street and began searching for a space to park.

Her eyes lowered again to his hands. Did the answer matter to him that much? Andrea opened her heart. “It started that way. I understood what you were going through since I’d gone through it myself.”

Troy directed his car into an open space a few yards down the block from her apartment. “I don’t want to be someone’s special project, Andy.”

“You stopped being my special project once I got to know you.”

He put the car in park and turned to face her. “What does that mean?”

Her heart was racing. “You’re a different person away from your executive image. You’re not the arrogant, jerk executive who tries to tell me how to do my job. You’re actually a nice guy.”

Troy gave her the crooked smile that made her pulse trip. “I’ve been telling you that for years.”

Andrea thought of the players rallying around him when he lost his job. It was a reaction worthy of a respected colleague and friend. The way he’d helped convince Constance’s ex-husband to leave their apartment building showed he was a good person. And his attention to her needs when they were intimate was the sign of a caring lover.

She took a steadying breath. Still her voice was a thin whisper. “Seeing is believing. And I believe I’m falling in love with you.”

Troy’s expression cleared with surprise, knitted with confusion, then sharpened with desire. He leaned forward over the gear-shift console toward her and settled his lips against hers. Andrea leaned into him. His lips were firm but gentle as they moved over hers. There was a message in his kiss, something he was trying to convey. But she was too lost in his taste and touch to figure it out.

Andrea closed her eyes with a sigh, then breathed in to let his scent seduce her. She melted into him and parted her lips to kiss him more deeply. His touch was tender as his large, lean hand moved up her right arm to her shoulder.

She raised her hand to cup the back of his head. Andrea moaned as his tongue stroked hers. She gave chase, twining her tongue around his. She tried to move even closer. Troy’s hand slid over her shoulder, pressing her torso to his. Her heart pounded in her chest, shortening her breath. She opened her mouth wider, wanting more of him. The restless feeling inside her was growing to a painful level.

Troy raised his head, releasing her mouth. “I—” He cleared his throat.

Andrea held her breath, waiting for his words.

Troy straightened away from her. “I’ll walk with you to your apartment.”

She watched Troy get out of the car. She hustled to gather her scattered thoughts before he opened her door for her. His smile as he helped her out of the sedan and his touch on her elbow jumbled her mind again.