Turn Over:A Secret Baby Sports Romance(7)

     



 

"You can write it out to Luke."

I cleared my throat. "Anything else?" I wanted to sound casual and  normal, but there was something about Luke Canton that stirred something  in my stomach.

I had only spent a combined total of two minutes in the man's company,  but I felt nervous and giddy. It wasn't something I had felt in awhile. I  was almost afraid to look up-afraid he would see what he was doing to  me.

He leaned toward me. "Depends on how much you can put on one of these pictures."

I wasn't going to blush. I refused to let him get under my skin, even  though he was blatantly flirting, and I was blatantly returning the  cues.

I used the fuchsia pen and scribbled a few lines. I added my phone number at the end, eyeing him as I handed it to him.

His eyebrows rose. "Did you think I was asking for your number?"

"Weren't you?" I challenged.

"I did pay a thousand dollars for the autograph."

My eyes widened. "A thousand dollars?"

"It's for the kids, right?"

I nodded. "Right. For the kids. But still, that's very generous."

"Yeah, that's what they say about me."

I dropped my eyes to the table. We both knew the things people said about him. It couldn't all possibly be true, could it?

"And what if I dial this number? Is it going to be a Chinese restaurant?"

I pressed my knees together under the table. It had been a rebellious  impulse to give it to him, and I was starting to question myself. Was I  really this mad at Jake? Or was I willing to flirt with Luke Canton a  little while longer?

"Try it," I suggested.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number. I bit my lip when we both heard my phone ring.

"Not a Chinese restaurant." He grinned.

"No."

He looked over his shoulder. He was the last one in line. Jake would be here any minute.

"Want to get a drink?" The way he asked it sounded as if he was asking  for so much more than a nightcap at the hotel bar. Even his words  dripped sex. Was there ever a woman who turned him down?

I nodded. God, yes. He didn't know how thirsty I was. Thirsty for  something other than schedules and order. Thirsty for a taste of  something wild. Thirsty for something dangerous. Dangerous like him.

He leaned over the table. "Here's the thing. I have to leave alone."

I looked at him, trying to read between the lines. He didn't explain what that meant.

"But, I can meet you somewhere as soon as I leave the hospital. Or." He  stopped and lowered his voice. "You could come back to my place."

The good girl knew what to do. Lexi Wilde would not have a drink with  the state's biggest womanizer. And she sure as hell wouldn't go home  with him. Everyone knew about Luke Canton. I didn't have to be a huge  football fan to know he was the kind of bad boy girls like me needed to  steer clear from. Jake wasn't completely wrong. Luke's image was the  complete opposite of mine. Our paths colliding publicly would be an  explosive disaster.

"Text me your address," I whispered.

He picked up the thousand-dollar autograph I had signed and tucked it inside his tuxedo jacket.

"Done." The wink he shot at me made something twitch between my legs. I let out a tiny whimper.

"Lex," Jake was out of breath. He ran toward us. "They need you on stage to announce the auction winners."

"Oh?" I shot Luke a disappointed look. Getting out of here wasn't going  to be easy and with the way the night was going, it was starting to look  impossible to spend a minute alone with him.

"Yes, come on." He stood impatiently between the table and Luke. "The mayor is waiting for you."

Luke started to follow us and Jake spun around. "Thank you, Mr. Canton. I can take it from here."

But Luke wasn't the kind of man Jake could push around. I recognized that about him quickly.

"I've put in quite a few bids. So I'd like to hear Miss Wilde tell me if  I'm the night's big winner." His eyes traced my lips and I felt them  part slightly in response to his heavy stare.

"Oh, well I didn't realize that," Jake stammered. Luke had him almost as flustered as he had me.         

     



 

It was impossible to ignore the effect he had on people. His frame was  imposing. His eyes a shocking green. And his body was like a Greek god.  The killer smile didn't hurt either. Standing next to him I didn't care  if he was the Pied Piper leading me down the wrong trail. I only knew I  wanted to know what was at the end of that road.

"I'll join the other donors. Excuse me."

I watched him walk out of the room as if he owned the entire hospital.  He was brash. He was confident. He was hot as hell. And holy shit, I  wanted to spend the night with him.

"Jake?"

"Hmm?" He was practically sliding me across the polished floors to get me to the stage.

"Would you be okay if I donated something to the auction? Something last minute the donors could bid on live?"

"Sure, babe. I think it's a great idea." He was clearly preoccupied  trying to get me up on stage as quickly as possible. He released my hand  at the base of the stairs.

I pecked him on the check before I took the steps. "Thank you." I  smiled. "It's really going to bring in a lot of money for the children.  And I think the fans will love it."

"Sounds good." He nodded. "A signed guitar? Some of your Alexan boots? Backstage passes for the Christmas show?"

I anchored my foot to the stair and looked at the mayor, then turned  over my shoulder to answer Jake. "I was thinking of auctioning off a  private concert." I jogged the rest of the way to the applause of the  crowd, leaving Jake with his jaw hanging open.

I looked out into the crowd, squinting through the bright lights. But  now that I knew what I was searching for he was easy to spot. There on  the sideline was Luke Canton and I hoped like hell he was here to play  ball.





7





Luke





I tugged at my neck. The collar on the tuxedo hadn't gotten any looser  as the night wore on, and I had been here longer than I intended. I  hadn't expect to stay for the entire concert, or wait in line for an  autograph. And I sure as hell hadn't planned on sticking around for a  country girl to make a fundraising speech, but here I was, doing  everything Luke Canton didn't do.

It wasn't as if I hadn't been around my share of beautiful women,  because I'd spent time with more than would fill a swimsuit catalog.  Lexi Wilde was beautiful, but there was something else about her that  got under my skin. That innocent act of hers. That sweeter than honey  voice. The way she made everyone around her feel as if they mattered  more to her than anything else in the world.

The cynical side of me told me that it was just that-an act. But I  couldn't ignore the curiosity she sparked. I didn't usually go for the  good girl.

I leaned against the wall, watching as she read off the auction items  the mayor handed to her. She seemed happy on stage. It fit her. She was a  natural performer. The purity in those baby blue eyes almost made me  forget what kind of man I was. I wondered if she had that affect on all  men.

Did they look at her and think they had a chance? Did they think she was  so sweet she could forgive their darkest secrets? Did they hear her  voice and feel it? Feel the strength she had to let a man forgive  himself? For one night, for one show did they feel like they actually  deserved to be with a woman as good as Lexi Wilde?

"All right ladies and gentlemen, I have the winner of the two pedigree  horses," Lexi announced. There was a bright smile on her face as she  swept her hair off her shoulders.

I remembered the sassy sex kitten with the V-cut dress and wondered if  she were still here in the crowd. I had thrown her number in the trash.

"Can I get a drum roll?" She paused. "And the highest bidder is Mr. Luke  Canton." The spotlight swung in my direction and the crowd clapped. I  squinted under the lights and threw a wave to the donors. What was I  going to do with horses? I guessed I finally had a use for the empty  stables at the ranch.

Lexi seemed pleased I had won. I waited while she ran through the list  of other items. The crowd was dwindling and I thought about sneaking out  the back. What was holding me here? I needed to leave. I needed to  forget that for a few songs this girl had hypnotized me like a siren. I  walked toward the table to make my payment for the horses and work out  the details on their delivery.         

     



 

Then Lexi cleared her throat and asked the drummer to give her a beat.  "Austin, you have been so generous tonight. And what you've done for  these children-well, really there aren't words to express what it means  to their families. You've touched lives. This money is going to make a  difference." She paused. "But I think we can do even better." She eyed  the crowd, smiling widely. "I want this to be the best auction event  this side of the Rio Grade. What do you say?"