Kate Hoffmann - The Sexy Devil

He glanced down at the front of his shirt, then groaned. “Oh, man. I knew I shouldn’t have had that fourth hot dog.”

“Don’t worry,” Max said. “We’ll pick up something for you to wear on the way.”

“Right,” he said. “We can do that?”

“Are you ladies interested in meeting some of the players, too?” Max asked.

“I think we’ll wait here,” Angela said.

Max bent close and kissed her, lingering for a long moment, before drawing away. “We won’t be long. If you want anything, just pick up that phone over there and order it.”

“There’s plenty to eat here already,” Angela said, nodding at the luxurious buffet set up along the wall. “Did you pay for all that food?”

Max shook his head. “Nope. One of my buddies on the team took care of it. My contract is up at the end of this season. I’ll be a free agent and I think he wants me to come play in Chicago.”

“You’d leave the Devil Rays?”

“Who knows? They might just release me if I can’t come back from the injury. It might be fun to play in my hometown. At least for a year or two.” He kissed her again. “Oh, and the team is called the Rays. They changed the name a few years ago.”

“Oh.” Angela frowned. “So there’s no devil in it anymore?”

“Nope, just the Rays.”

After he and Will left, she went back to sit beside Ceci. “I’m going to have to change the title of Chapter Five. He’s not a Devil Ray anymore. He’s just a-Ray.”

“I don’t think it makes much difference, do you? I mean, no one is supposed to know his identity anyway. And he is a sexy devil, that’s for sure.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Are you really going to write about him, Angie? I think you’re losing your objectivity. You wanted to take him off the site a minute ago.”

She sighed softly. “I know. But despite his behavior here in Chicago, he has been the typical smooth operator. Then again, maybe he’s the exception to the rule. Maybe he can change.” She sighed. “The only way I can see to move forward with the book is to focus on the person he was before we met at the bar. Who’s to say that he wouldn’t have gone home with a different girl that night and broken her heart?” Angela reached for her beer and took a sip.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do. He just told me he’s considering moving back to Chicago to play. His contract is up at the end of this season.”

“Really? So, there’s a chance you could be together for a lot longer than you anticipated.”

“No,” she said. “I’m not going to start planning a future with him. This could all be over tomorrow. I’m not making any decisions about the site or the book or Max Morgan today. Or tomorrow.”

“I hope it’s not over tomorrow,” Ceci said, crawling over Angela. She stood in front of the buffet. “I like being around famous people. They eat for free. They drink for free. They sit in luxury boxes and drive in fancy European sedans with tinted windows.”

“I can see how fame would be addictive. Life is so easy when you have money and connections.”

“Admit it, Angie. You must have imagined what it would be like to have a future with this guy. What girl wouldn’t? He’s gorgeous, rich, and really nice. If you’re not thinking of snatching him up, then you are in serious denial.”

“No, I haven’t. I can’t. And I won’t. I’m not some silly teenager anymore. I understand the realities of relationships and what’s going on here is simple infatuation. We’re in that phase when we’re both perfect for each other. But that will wear off. I know it will.” She held up her hand when Ceci opened her mouth. “And don’t go all karmic on me.”

“The reality is, this guy really likes you. The way he looks at you is proof. He treats you like a princess. When he opened your car door for you, I thought Will was going to hurt himself hurrying to open my door for me. What guy in this day and age has decent manners?”

“He can have manners and still be a creep.”

“Will you just give him a chance? Don’t always be looking for faults. He might not be perfect for those other women, but he might be perfect for you.” Ceci sighed. “Now, come over here and help me eat some of this food. We can’t just leave it here. Do you think they have take-out containers?”

Angela got out of her seat and joined Ceci in front of the table. “I’m starving. I didn’t want to act like I was too impressed by all this, so I didn’t eat much.” She paused, then groaned. “Ceci, what am I doing here? I want to hate him. I should hate him. But I can’t. I feel like I’m drowning here.”

Ceci nodded. “Yeah. I can see how you’d have a hard time resisting him.” She popped an éclair in her mouth and considered her next words as she chewed. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe he is the exception to the rule. And maybe he’s been waiting for you his whole life.”

Angela rubbed her forehead. “I can’t think about this now. I need chocolate. Are those éclairs?” She reached out and grabbed one, then took a bite of the custard-filled pastry. “Oh, my God. This is so good. We have to take these home. Find something to wrap them in, Ceci. I can put them in my bag.”

For the next fifteen minutes, Angela and Ceci worked their way through the buffet, tasting every item at least twice. They kept an eye on the door, ready to scamper back to their seats if the boys came back. The cream puffs and éclairs and a few brownies were safely hidden in Angela’s bag, carefully wrapped in a linen napkin, and the sushi rolls were nearly gone when Max and Will walked back in.

Will looked like a kid who’d just spent the day in a candy store. He showed them the baseball he’d gotten autographed and was telling Ceci about everyone he’d met, while Max stepped behind Angela and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

“Sure.” She turned around and faced him, then dropped a kiss on his lips. “Thank you for today. They both had a great time.”

“How about you?”

“Me, too,” she said.

“Good. Then I guess our first date has been a success. I’m batting.200 so far.” He rested his hands on her hips. “I thought we could get some dinner. What about you two? Are you hungry?” he called, looking over her shoulder.

“Sure,” Will said. “I could eat.”

“No,” Ceci said. “We have a previous commitment. We’re going to have to take a rain check on dinner.”

“Rain check?” Will frowned. “We don’t have anything going on.”

“Yes, we do,” Ceci insisted. “We have that thing at that place. You know. I told you about it last week.”

“You told me we didn’t have anything going on today and-” He stopped short, realizing what Ceci was trying to do. “Oh, right. That thing. Now I remember.” Will gave Max an apologetic shrug. “Yeah, we can’t miss that thing.”

“I thought you were going to tell me you had to take your mother-or was it your brother-shopping,” Max said. “There’s no reason for excuses. We’d love to have you come to dinner with us, right Angela?” He turned to look at her and for a second she couldn’t speak. This was another moment! She was looking at Max, watching him treat her friends with such warmth and kindness and she was having a moment.

She swallowed hard. “We’d love to have you come with us,” she said softly, trying to keep the emotion from tightening her throat. “I know you’re not doing anything, Ceci, so don’t bother making a fuss.”

“No,” Will said. “We’ll do dinner another time. Our treat. Besides, I should check in at work. Unlike the rest of you, I have a boss who doesn’t take kindly to afternoons off.”