Playing to Win

words about him needing to get to practice and her having things to do. Though she’d been vague about what those “things” were.
    Ironic, considering that was usually his behavior after sex. He normally couldn’t wait to get away. Instead, the roles had been reversed, because waking up to Savannah’s warm butt nestled against his cock had made him hard. He’d pulled her against him, figuring they could have a nice morning replay of the night before.
    Yeah, that hadn’t happened. She’d rocketed out of bed, grabbed her clothes, climbing into them while simultaneously mumblingabout how great it had been the night before, and she’d call him later. Then she’d shot out the door like a lit firecracker.
    It had been damned uncomfortable being on the other side of that fuck-’em-and-leave-’em treatment. Now he knew what it felt like.
    It didn’t feel all that good.
    He climbed out of bed, making a mental apology to all the women he’d done that to.
    But he wasn’t finished with Savannah, and if she thought that all they were going to have was one night and she was going to forget it happened, she was wrong.
    After practice, she’d been waiting for him. That’s when he’d expected the argument.
    Instead, she dragged him upstairs to the conference room and shut the door.
    “What’s up?”
    “Have a seat.”
    This was where she was going to tell him that last night had been fun, but it was only a one-time thing and couldn’t happen again. He knew this talk. Hell, he’d given it a hundred times before.
    He was already preparing his rebuttal.
    “How are you with a hammer?”
    He looked up. “What?”
    “I have you—well, us, actually—scheduled for a local home-building charity project.”
    “Uh…why?”
    “Because it’s for a worthwhile cause. Actually, several of the team members are doing it, along with coaches and staff. Saturday.”
    “And we’re doing this because…”
    She rolled her eyes. “Image, Cole.”
    “In other words, media will be there.”
    “Yes.”
    “And you think this will somehow help repair my image?”
    “It certainly won’t hurt your image to have you seen doing something for your community.”
    “I do plenty for my community.”
    She leaned back in her chair. “Really. Like what?”
    “I give to a lot of charities.”
    “Give…how?”
    “I write checks.”
    She let out an audible sigh. “That’s not visible. You need to be seen being charitable. Besides, don’t you want to get more involved and centered in your community?”
    He shrugged. “I guess.”
    She stood. “I wonder about you sometimes, Cole.”
    She headed for the door. He stood. “What the hell does that mean?”
    She turned to face him, her hand on the door handle. “It means I wonder why you’re so reluctant to get involved.”
    “Because I don’t want it to be bullshit.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Look. I understand charity. My parents taught my sister and me that it’s important to give back. I do plenty of that. I just don’t think we need to stick our faces in cameras to show how charitable we are. It seems dishonest.”
    She frowned. “So you think what the team does is dishonest? That we’re just doing this for publicity, and not actually helping?”
    “I give generously to multiple charities, but I don’t make a big deal out of it. I don’t think it’s anyone’s business.”
    “I think you confuse a publicity stunt with actual helping out. Not everything can be accomplished by writing a check, Cole. I’ll show you the difference on Saturday.”
    “Fine.”
    “Fine.”
    He watched her walk out the door and realized that the conversation hadn’t gone at all like he’d expected. She always made him feel like he was doing it wrong.
    His mother gave him that feeling, too.
    Comparing Savannah to his mother was a place he refused to go.
    And now he was going to have to build a house on Saturday. And no doubt deal with the media on his ass at the same time.
    He dragged his fingers through his hair.
    Great.
    SAVANNAH HAD A LUNCH DATE SCHEDULED WITH LIZ, who bounced in beaming, her cheeks rosy pink, a wide grin on her face as she threw her purse into the chair next to her.
    “You seem awfully happy.”
    She ordered an iced tea. “I am happy. I have a successful career and a hot man to sleep with—whenever he’s in town. Life is good.”
    Savannah pushed her irritation with Cole to the side and smiled. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this.”
    “I never thought