Taryn Leigh Taylor - Playing Dirty

Brett’s gaze turned imploring. “You coming?”

The tough-guy ambivalence was ruined by the quaver in his voice.

“Give me a minute. I’ll be right out.”

The kid glanced over at Lainey, then back at Coop. His nod was resigned, and he turned to leave.

“Rookie.” Cooper held out his hand.

Brett frowned, but dug into the pocket of his jeans. “I bet you that you couldn’t pick up the girl of my choosing with a lame pickup line. You didn’t say I couldn’t know her,” he muttered, slapping the stack of fifties into Cooper’s hand before heading for the doors.

He focused his attention back on the badass who surveyed him with stormy blue eyes.

“So you’re Sillinger’s sister?”

“Half sister,” she countered, hard and fast. “We’re not close.”

Cooper smiled at the distinction. “Well, you’d be surprised how well he knows you, despite that fact.”

She tipped her chin in the direction of the wad of cash in his hand. The fact that her stance relaxed and she uncrossed her arms was not lost on him.

“You bet him you could pick me up with a bad line?”

“He bet me I couldn’t pick you up with a bad line.”

“Either way, you lost.”

Coop stood. He thought for a second she was going to take a step back, but she held her ground. He was impressed. “There’s still time to make us both winners.”

That startled a cynical laugh from her. “Anyone ever tell you how goddamn cocky you are?”

His grin was wolfish. “A few people.”

Lainey rolled her eyes, but all the disdain in the world couldn’t hide the slight flush that crept up her neck at her own word choice.

He reached out and grabbed her wrist, turning her palm up. Her eyes widened as he stroked his thumb against the vertical surgical scar there. Her pulse fluttered beneath his thumb, and before she recovered enough to pull away, he placed the two-hundred and fifty bucks in her hand and let her go.

“What’s this for?”

Cooper shrugged as he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. “Consider it my way of making amends for being stupid enough to believe your brother when he told me he was twenty-one.”

Then he thumbed toward the table by the window. “Besides, it might come in handy when they post all those photos they were snapping to social media, in case the liquor board sees you had an underage hockey player in your bar. Take care, gorgeous.”

Cooper made a point of not looking back as he walked out.

* * *

“WHAT THE FUCK were you thinking?”

Cooper winced at the volume of his agent’s outrage. He glanced over at the clock beside his king-size bed. One in the morning. Further proof that Golden didn’t give a shit about anyone but himself.

“Did you forget how much Lone Wolf Brewery pays you to drink the bottled piss they are trying to pass off to the world as beer? Because let me assure you, the answer is ‘a lot,’ Mead.”

“I know.”

“Oh, you know? Then why the hell is the internet full of pictures of you, in a bar, holding a goddamn highball glass full of not–Lone Wolf beer?”

Cooper pinched the bridge of his nose, reminding himself that Jared Golden had contributed a lot of zeroes to his bank account and that hanging up was not in his best interest. “I didn’t drink it.”

“Oh, well, great. Then everything’s fine. I’ll just explain that to the guys at Lone Wolf. Don’t worry! Mead didn’t actually jeopardize his multimillion-dollar contract with you guys by flagrantly disregarding the exclusivity clause in his contract—he didn’t swallow!”

Cooper ran a weary hand across his face. Jared Golden in full panic mode was a lot to take. “I get photographed in clubs all the time. Holding their beer. I’m living up to the deal.”

“Jesus Christ, Coop! You used to get photographed in clubs all the time. Since you went to Portland, you’ve been MIA.”

“I’ve been a hockey player. We’re getting ready for a championship run here. I have responsibilities to the team.”

“You have responsibilities to your corporate sponsors, too! Lone Wolf isn’t the only company we’re on thin ice with. I spent all day convincing PWR Athletics that you’re still the best brand ambassador their money can buy! But I need you on board, Mead. I need you to be seen out and about, and wearing their goddamn T-shirts! You’re already behind on media appearances for them, and don’t think they haven’t noticed. You’re on their radar now, and they’re going to nail you for every breach of protocol they can find so they can put you out to pasture.”

“I’m thirty-two!” The words burst out before he could stop them. Cooper was well aware he was getting up there in the world of sports, but it still rankled. And he was good at hockey—great even. He made sure of it. Which was why he’d devoted more time to training and less time to the gossip blogs lately.

“Exactly. You know the average retirement age for hockey players? Twenty-eight. We need to make money while you’re still a viable commodity! Before they dismiss you and start turning to the new generation. But you need to do your part.”

“If you want viable, then I gotta get some sleep. I’ve got practice tomorrow.”

“I’m serious, dude. You need to keep your eye on the prize.”

“I’ll try not to let us down,” Cooper said drily.

“Don’t be an asshole. You hired me to make you money. And so far, I’ve fulfilled my part of the bargain. But if you want me to convince another gravy train to pull into the station, you’re going to have to do your part. You’ve only got a few good years left.”

Like he didn’t know it.

Thirty minutes later, Cooper sat in his GranTurismo S in a deserted parking lot, questioning his sanity.

After he’d hung up with Golden, he’d lain there on his king-size mattress, staring up at the twelve-foot ceilings of his new condo and feeling sorry for himself before he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to get out. But when he’d rolled out of bed and pulled on some jeans and a black T-shirt, he’d had no intention of winding up back here.

Of course, when he’d pulled on his black leather jacket and double-checked his hair in the mirror before grabbing his keys, there’d been no doubt The Drunken Sportsman would be his destination.

Now that he was actually there—and judging by the lack of cars, he was the only one—he was rethinking the entire trip. There were a lot of reasons to go back home, but only one to stay. A very compelling reason with long black hair, an intriguingly sharp tongue and an ass that wouldn’t quit.

Mind made up, Cooper levered himself out of the matte black Maserati and headed for the door. His security system beeped as he armed it before stowing his keys in his pocket.

Bells on the door jingled as he pushed into the old bar. It smelled like spilled beer and desperation, which he found oddly comforting tonight. Misery loved company, he supposed.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Lainey was standing in almost the same spot she’d been when they’d talked earlier, but this time she was hunched over the counter and there was a big textbook open almost to the midpoint on the counter in front of her and a yellow highlighter in her right hand.

“You talk to all your customers that way?” he asked, gesturing to the deserted tables. “In other news, I think I figured out why your bar is empty.” Cooper shrugged out of his coat without breaking stride.

She cocked an eyebrow as he approached, recapping the highlighter and stowing it in her apron. Obviously expecting a showdown, she braced her palms on the counter in front of her, on either side of the book. The stance, along with his height, gave him a tantalizing view of her cleavage.