Playing to Win

thinking about it?”
    He shrugged. “We spend a lot of time together. We obviously…like each other a lot. We’re compatible.”
    Her stomach fell. No declaration of love. They liked each other. They were compatible. For all he’d just said, he could have been advertising for a roommate. Or a pet. “I see.”
    He shifted to face her. “What’s wrong?”
    She slid out of bed and grabbed her robe. “Nothing. I’m just tired. And I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow. You should probably go.”
    He got out of bed, too, and came over to her. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Peaches.”
    She backed away. “Really, Cole. I’m tired and I need to get some sleep.”
    “It’s what I said. About us moving in together. You’re freaked out.”
    “No. I’m tired. Really, you need to go.”
    “I want to stay tonight.”
    “No.”
    He studied her for a minute, then nodded. “Okay.”
    He grabbed his clothes and got dressed. She followed him out to the living room and walked him to the door. He turned to her.
    “You want to talk about this? If you don’t like the idea of us moving in together, that’s fine. We can keep things as they were.”
    Right. Where they were friends and compatible. She fought back the tears. “I really need to get some sleep.”
    “So we’ll talk tomorrow.”
    “Sure.”
    He leaned in to give her a kiss, and she turned away. His lips brushed her jaw.
    She saw the confusion and hurt on his face, but she couldn’t deal with his issues right now. Not when she was minutes away from falling apart.
    “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
    She nodded and held the door. “Sure. Good night.”
    The tears began to spill before she had the door completely shut.
    Stupid. She was never girlie, never cried over stuff like this. She’d never cried over a man, because no man had ever meant anything to her.
    Until now.
    He’d asked her to move in with him. That was a huge step. So he hadn’t gotten all romantic and said he loved her. Big deal.
    But it was a big deal.
    Maybe to someone else the words didn’t mean anything. But she was in love with him. And if he didn’t feel the same way, there was no point in taking this any further. Otherwise she’d only end up feeling more hurt than she felt right now.
    And this hurt a whole hell of a lot.



TWENTY-ONE

    SAVANNAH WOULD HAVE MUCH PREFERRED AVOIDANCE. Avoidance of any personal problem was always her best solution.
    Unfortunately, she had a meeting with the GM of the Traders that morning, and of course the team had practice.
    Which didn’t mean she’d have to run into Cole. In fact, she was adept at not running into people she didn’t want to run into. So after her meeting, she was on her way out and the team was still on the field.
    “Hey, girl, what are you doing here?”
    Elizabeth. Damn.
    She pasted on her brightest smile.
    “Hi. I had a meeting with McNee.”
    “Oh. Fun for you, I’ll bet.”
    “Always. Well, I’ve got to go.”
    Liz frowned. “Do you have another meeting?”
    “Uh, actually, no I don’t.”
    “Great. Let’s go get some coffee. And maybe a muffin or a scone. I’m starving. I had an early meeting this morning and didn’t have a chance to have breakfast.” She linked her arm with Savannah’s and led her down the hall. “Gavin’s in town for a stretch of home games and I traded food for sex. Can you blame me?”
    “Not in the least.” Maybe some breakfast and conversation would take her mind off Cole. And at least she could get out of this building and away from him.
    They went to a nearby coffeehouse. Savannah ordered a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. Liz decided on a scone.
    “I’m sure you’re happy to have Gavin in town,” Savannah said.
    Liz popped a piece of scone in her mouth, chewed, moaned, then swallowed. “I’m just glad to have Gavin.” She grinned. “I don’t get him often enough during the season, which, by the way, lasts too damn long. A hundred and sixty-two games? What fucking idiot thought that one up?”
    Savannah laughed. “Either someone without a wife or someone with a wife he couldn’t stand.”
    “Amen to that. Poor Gavin. He probably hates home stretches. I wear him out.”
    “I seriously doubt he hates that part.”
    “Okay, you’re right. He doesn’t hate it. And speaking of sex, how are things with you and my oh-so-hot client?”
    Her heart clenched. She shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”
    Liz frowned. “Uh-oh. What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing’s wrong.” She