Free One More Night with You by Lisa Marie Perry Page B

kitchen. Pot cookies.”
    â€œI don’t know if anyone will bite. No one’s made up their mind about me yet.”
    â€œTo be on the level here, I haven’t made up my mind about you.”
    â€œNo?”
    â€œNo.” He strode past her to look out the door, then, leaving it open, he returned to the recesses of the room and signaled her over. “I’ve been working with the Blues for a year and I like to think I’m familiar with their...managerial style. Maybe they don’t cross the line to get things done, but they sure as hell will walk on it.”
    â€œWhat does your judgment say should be done?”
    â€œEat up the expense of a second random drug test during the season, but the Blues want to avoid midseason lineup changes. They don’t want sponsors and the media scrutinizing how our team might handle things if the player happens to be someone we depend on to win games. Now, before game one, is the time to tidy up. If these men are smart, they’ll stay clean until after the annual test. Then we could be looking at dealing with somebody who’s getting high through the season or potentially putting them in a probationary program for a few months and facing the possibility of more damn drama. So what I’m asking you is if you intend to use entrapment to bump a few high risks off my roster.”
    She pitched her bottle into a recycling bin and took the seat Whitaker had vacated. “I’m not going to go so far as to solicit drugs to anyone.”
    â€œThe guys noticed you. And the one who said that disrespectful comment to you is a new recruit, drafted as a tackle. I’ll handle him.” He relaxed in his chair, linking his fingers behind his head. “Correct me if I’m way off base here, but a lot of men are willing to take on certain personas if it means getting a beautiful woman. Tread carefully if your plan is to put it out there that you smoke or shoot, whatever. A guy who’s ruled by his dick will make you think he’s into using, too, if it gives him an edge over the rest of the pack.”
    â€œKip, I’m trained to know the difference.” She paused as he sat forward and swiped up his MGD for a swig. “You seem unconvinced.”
    â€œThis team has seen unprecedented crises. A lot of it was inherited from Alessandro Franco’s reign, but some came from our own team members. I’m over that and don’t want more of it this season.”
    â€œAnd that’s why I was hired. Tread carefully, sir, if you’re getting a look at me and see only weakness. I’m stronger than I look.” She’d need to be to complete this job, return to ODC where she belonged and, of course, keep herself out of a billionaire thug’s reach.
    Beer finished, Kip crumpled the can and pitched it. “Look, Josephine—”
    â€œCall me Joey.”
    â€œJoey. Some of the staff’s heading into Vegas for a bite. Why don’t you come with us?”
    It was an invitation into an inner circle. Not the players’, but that would come and this was progress. The Blues had not specifically asked her to put staff under suspicion, but doing so would offer her a more detailed picture.
    â€œTempting,” she said, getting up and squeezing his arm. “I’ll have to pass, though. I heard someone issue a foosball challenge. Can’t miss that.”
    â€œJesus,” he said, scratching his forehead. “They don’t stand a freaking chance.”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?”
    â€œThey’re going to fall in love with you.”
    Watching him leave, she hoped he was wrong. Gathering the hearts of men, nearly all of whom she’d venture to guess were in relationships, was not part of her agenda. Parker Brandt was the last man who’d figured he was in love with her, and their breakup had been messy to the point that they could find no friendship between them anymore.
    Besides, the