Free In the Red Zone by Crista McHugh Page B

face as he closed her door and stepped back. Even in silence, he drove his point home. He wanted her.
    Her pulse quickened, and she drove away before she lost all common sense and invited him back to her place for what would most certainly be a night of orgasmic sex. But would the pleasure be worth the pain that would follow?
    No, it was better to be safe. He was trying to stay on her good side, and she needed to stay on his, especially if he followed through on his offer. Launching headfirst into a purely physical relationship with him would leave her breathless, but in the end, they’d have to go their separate ways. Romeo would add another notch on his headboard while she’d go back to being the responsible adult she had to be for both Savannah and the foundation.
    It just wasn’t worth the risk.
    But that still didn’t keep her from lying awake in her cold, lonely bed and replaying how good it had felt to be in his arms.

Chapter Seven
     
    Kiana watched Savannah on the nanny cam as her daughter teetered across the floor and climbed onto her unicorn rocking horse. Madison, her nanny, cheered as the twenty-month-old moved back and forth without assistance.
    At her desk, Kiana clapped and cheered, wishing she could be there to witness it in person instead of on a computer screen. Her daughter never ceased to amaze her. Every day brought something new. And she hoped Savannah would one day grow up to be a confident young woman who knew the value of her own self-worth.
    But in order to teach her that, I need to demonstrate it for her .
    Which meant back to work. If she could turn this foundation into a success, she’d be one step closer to becoming the role model she wanted to be for her daughter.
    She clicked off the nanny cam and opened a spreadsheet. The first page contained the costs of the gala, all in the red. But the second sheet made her smile. It showed that the number of tickets sold had more than tripled since they’d placed the ad with Frank’s picture last Sunday. Not bad for two weeks’ worth of work, especially considering the large spike that had occurred since she’d gone to the game with him ten days ago.
    Of course, she hadn’t heard a peep from him since then, either. He’d said he needed a few days to round up some items for the auction, but his silence raised all kinds of doubts. Like, had she scared him away by mentioning her history with Malcolm? Or had her reaction to him touching the back of her neck made him question getting involved with a basket case like her?
    She lowered her head to her desk and heaved a heavy sigh. As much as she wanted to keep things professional, he’d managed to get under her skin. That last kiss just sealed the deal. And ten lonely nights had done nothing to ease the ache of desire that flared every time she replayed it.
    Focus, girl. You have more important things to worry about than him .
    She lifted her head and smoothed her hair back just a split second before she heard the low rumble of a man’s voice outside her office. She glanced at her screen to make sure the nanny cam window was closed.
    Sherita’s high-pitched laughter filled the office when Frank opened the door. He wore his usual flirtatious grin and laughed back. “Just think about it,” he said before turning his attention to Kiana. “Good morning, lovely lady.”
    “Do you ever lay off the charm?” she asked, rising from her chair.
    “Nope. It’s encoded in my DNA.” He winked and held out a file folder. “I just wanted to stop by and show you my progress.”
    She took the folder and opened it. The first page was a spreadsheet listing the items donated by Frank’s team members. The second page listed items from the Hawks, including a signed jersey from Doug Boutry. The rest of the pages were pictures of the items.
    Her throat choked up as she went through them. “Frank, this is amazing!”
    “It’s just the start.” He sat down at the desk and took over her mouse. “I’ve talked