Hot Item (Hot Zone 3)
Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around and found herself face-to-face with Steve Harris, the man who’d sent her the flowers, chocolate and both bottles from the bar. Bottles she’d turned down. And he didn’t appear too pleased with her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RILEY WAS PISSED OFF. Sophie had deliberately ignored him, and Mike, hoping to work the jealousy angle in Riley’s favor, had hooked them up with two gorgeous women at the bar. Mike had taken off with one of them in a cab, assuming Riley would do the same, but Riley’s interest wasn’t there. Not one iota.
There’d been no point in going home with her when he wouldn’t have been able to get it up. He didn’t want to be with any woman other than Sophie and to pretend otherwise just to soothe his ego had been a damn stupid move.
They’d had to walk a long way to find an empty taxi, but eventually he’d hailed her a cab and sent her on her way alone. Then he headed back to the sports bar. No sooner had he turned the corner where Quarters was located than he heard the sound of Sophie’s voice.
“What part of no don’t you understand?” she asked, her voice rising.
A guy Riley didn’t recognize stood too close, invading her personal space. Riley hadn’t liked it when he’d seen her with Roper, a baseball player he knew by sight not acquaintance, and he liked this even less. He stepped closer so he could hear the conversation.
“Come on. I saw the interview on TV. You’re single and available. How many guys bother to find out where you buy your favorite chocolates? Quit playing hard-to-get.” The jerk placed a hand on her arm, which Sophie promptly shrugged off.
Riley stiffened.
“Back off,” she warned the guy in an angry tone, one tinged with fear.
“Are you trying to tell me you like it rough?” the guy asked.
“She doesn’t, but apparently you do.” Riley had had enough and he lunged forward, shoving the guy away from Sophie with enough force to make him stumble backward on the sidewalk.
“Hey! Mind your own business,” the guy said, pulling himself together.
“She is my business.”
The other man shot him a disbelieving look. “That’s not what her uncle said on television and it’s not what it looked like in the bar.”
“But it is what I’m telling you and unless you want me to smash your face into that building over there, I suggest you take my word for it.” Riley took another menacing step forward, knowing his adrenaline was pumping and his body primed for a fight.
“Riley, no!” Sophie grabbed his arm and held on tight.
Only her panicked voice kept him from taking a swing.
“Okay, okay.” Sophie’s attacker backed off first. “She’s probably not worth much in the sack anyway,” he said, stepping away.
Riley waited until the man had disappeared around the corner before facing Sophie. “You okay?”
Her cheeks were flushed pink, her blue eyes flashing with a mixture of emotion. “I am too worth something in bed,” she muttered.
Riley burst out laughing, then reached to run his hands up and down her arms. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She no
dded. “I’m fine.” But she swayed slightly, making her words a lie.
“You’re dizzy.”
“Light-headed. There’s a difference. Dizziness is usually vertiginous. You know, vertigo, the sensation of spinning like a top. I’m just light-headed and unsteady on my feet—” She suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing, focused on his face. “What’s with the smile?” she asked.
“You’re just so predictable. If a situation makes you uncomfortable, you reach for the safety of an explanation. That’s all.”
“First I’m not worth much in bed and then I’m predictable?” Her voice rose, trembling with what he guessed was a release of the fear she’d experienced.
He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “The first is untrue. I can vouch for how good you are firsthand.”
He inhaled and his body hardened at the familiar, intoxicating scent. He reminded himself she needed reassurance, not another come-on, but he almost lost it when a purr of contentment escaped from her throat.