The Quarterback Sneak (5 page)

“Hayden, spare me the wide blue eyes.”

She brought out the big guns. Her father had
always hated to see her cry. With the cigar smoke filtering through
the air, it was easy to make the tears flow. She added a sniff for
effect. When he walked around his desk to pat her on the back, she
controlled the urge to smile. She’d won.

“It’s for your own good, Hayden.” He handed
her a tissue from his desk. “Now dry those crocodile tears.”

Wait.
What?
In frustration, she
snatched the tissue. “What about Liam? Aren’t you worried I’ll
corrupt your quarterback? The press will have a field day. I’m no
good, remember?”

“Then be better.”

Ha!
Hayden had avoided prison like a
criminal Houdini. This time would be no different. She was going to
do everything in her power to force Liam to break the engagement.
She’d find all his buttons and push each one.

But for now she’d go along with this farce
and get what belonged to her. “I’ll do it on one condition.
According to the terms of
Grand-Mère’s
will, I’m now
entitled to her engagement ring.”

“For a real engagement, not this.”

“A technicality. Ring or no deal.”

Her father released a sigh of resignation.
“I’ll go to the bank tomorrow with your future husband.”

Future husband?
She scoffed. “You
mean pretend future husband.”

“Of course.”

Their engagement wouldn’t last the week.
With his holier-than-thou beliefs, Liam would be running in the
other direction before the next game.

And she already knew the perfect offense
play.
Sex.

A
fter speaking with Hayden,
the doorman pointed Liam to her building’s bank of elevators. Ten
minutes later, he still stood frozen in front of her penthouse
door. The ring in his pocket felt like a fifty-pound barbell.

He had seriously misjudged her willingness
to go to jail. Her father said she was terrified, but too proud to
admit it. Liam had his doubts. Hayden seemed fearless.

Perhaps she thought she could walk all over
Liam with those sexy stilettos for the next few months? Pretend
they were engaged but still do whatever she wanted with whatever
guy she pleased.
Not in this lifetime.

He pounded on her door. He would make it
clear from the start that he expected her to behave. But the
instant she opened the door, he realized he might be the one who’d
have trouble behaving.

“You’re late, Liam. I was getting
worried.”

His heart halted mid-beat. Her dress
appeared to be created from liquid gold. The fabric draped across
her body, hugging every luscious curve. The hue enhanced the glow
of her tanned skin. As she smiled at him, he willed his heart to
stop pounding.

“Don’t you think that dress is a little
tight?” he asked through a clenched jaw.

The mischievous light shining in her eyes
dulled for a moment. “I’ve put on a few pounds since I bought it.
I’ll skip dessert tonight.”

“That’s not what he’d meant.”
Darn.
Had he hurt her with his unthinking remark? “You look hot. Too
hot.”

She tilted her chin with every bit of sass
that was Hayden. “Maybe we should skip dinner and I could change
into something more naughty. Would you like to help?” She turned on
her heel.

Sighing, Liam followed her inside.

“You know,” she continued, “you can still
change your mind about the engagement.”

“More like come to my senses,” he
mumbled.

“I heard that.”

“You were meant to.” At this point, what was
one more lie? “You redecorated,” he added without thinking.
Expecting to see a nightmare of pink leopard furniture and white
shag carpeting, he was shocked at the sophisticated palate of
silver and light blues. Did she change the bedroom too? His cock
itched to find out if the ceiling mirror remained.

Hayden arched an eyebrow. “Why Liam, were
you a fan of
Hayden’s Place
?”

Crap.
Watching it had been his guilty
pleasure, but he played it off by saying, “Who hasn’t seen an
episode or two.”

“And you still want to help me? Aren’t you
worried I’ll tarnish your saintly image?”

“Want to?” He shrugged. “More like have to.”
The more he thought about it, the less he liked the idea of her in
jail.

“Whatever.” Hayden looked down at her
perfectly manicured nails. “Well, do you have it?”

Liam knew exactly what
it
was, but
decided to have a little fun. “Have what?”

Putting her hands on her hips, she said,
“The ring, you idiot.”

He reached into his pocket for the obscenely
large, pink diamond ring. Stroking the case, he said, “You mean, my
precious.”

“Dork.”

“You didn’t like
The Lord of the
Rings
? That’s ground for annulment.”

“An annulment requires a wedding first.
That’s never happening with us.” She tried to snatch the case, but
he slapped her hand away. “Hey, give it.”

He raised the ring box up in the air.

“Liam!” She attempted to pull his arm down.
When that failed, she jumped several times trying to reach it.
Quite impressive with those five-inch heels.

“Liam! Come on! It belonged to my
grand-mère
.”

Feeling like a jerk, he relented and handed
over her family heirloom.

She opened the case with a reverence that
went beyond greed. Her eyes softened, and for a moment, he thought
she might cry. Suddenly, he wanted to know more about Hayden and
what made her tick. “Were you close?”

“Very. My grandparents were married sixty
years. They died within two months of each other.” She looked up at
him. “Like one couldn’t live without the other.”

Guilt licked at his conscience. Their fake
engagement was making a mockery of the sacred vows of husband and
wife. “The diamond is huge.”

“The size of the rock means nothing to me.
The person who wore it meant everything.”

For once, he didn’t detect a hint of her
usual sarcasm. “How poetic of you, Hayden. I almost feel like I
should drop down on one knee.”

Hayden made a face. “Spare me a fake
proposal.”

“As long as you act like the engagement is
real.” He stepped closer. “You may even have to kiss me.”

She tilted her head, giving him that Jessica
Rabbit look. “It will be a chore, but I suppose it’s the least I
can do, considering you’re saving me from jail.”

“The least you can do?” he scoffed. “You’re
going to regret those words.”

“Oh no, I do believe you’ll be the one full
of regret.” She handed him back the case. “I changed my mind.” She
stuck out her left hand and wiggled her fingers. “Down on your
knees, Liam. I’d like that proposal now.”

Hayden was a piece of work. If she thought
he’d kneel at her feet, she had seriously misjudged him.

“Catch!” Smiling, he tossed the ring case
high and away.

“Liam!” Without missing a beat, she dove
over the top of the couch. Like a pro, she made a one-handed
reception as she landed face down on the cushions.

“Nice,” he said more about her ass than the
catch. “Now, let’s get to dinner. It’s time the public got a look
at the happy couple.”

“You can order a glass of wine,” he said after the
waiter left with their orders. He hated when people treated his
sobriety like an egg ready to crack. He was responsible for his
decisions, for his actions. Life was full of choices. And tonight
the only temptation was Hayden’s cleavage. He thought he was doing
an admirable job of keeping his eyes level with hers.

“I can’t. It’s part of my probation.” Hayden
played with her dangling earring as she spoke.

Was it a habit of hers? Or was she flashing
the engagement ring to the whole restaurant? Their charade had been
covered in all the gossip columns today, and they were drawing
stares, which was saying something in a room full of people like
these. The rich and famous dined at ultra-exclusive LeFarge to
avoid being bothered for autographs. Liam disliked being disturbed
while eating too, but he never refused a fan.

Dinner passed amicably. Good food, and he
had to admit good company. Hayden’s wit kept him on his toes. Her
attempts to shock him amused him, but he had her number.

“That was delicious,” he said after he
finished his meal of salmon and steamed vegetables. “During the
season, I don’t eat out much. I’m pretty good in the kitchen. My
mother taught me how to cook.”

“I can’t cook.” Her shoeless foot ran along
his calf. “My skills are more about the bedroom.”

Liam reached under the table as she reached
his thigh. Massaging her foot, he grinned. “I’m pretty good there
too.”

Her eyes widened for a split second, but
then narrowed as she yanked her foot away. “Liam, I think you are
all teeth and no bite.”

“It’s all about the tongue,” he shot
back.

Hayden wiggled in her chair. Before she
could respond, the waiter delivered her cheesecake and coffee for
the both of them. Liam liked a woman who ordered dessert, but he
loved how Hayden enjoyed it, like a woman in the throes of an
orgasm. Was she doing it on purpose to drive him out of his mind?
Instead of taking a sip of coffee, he reached for the glass of
water and took a long drink.

“Hayden, take pity on me.”

“What? Is this turning you on?” Seemingly
innocent blue eyes didn’t match the naughty tone in her voice.

“I haven’t had sex in two years. A light
breeze turns me on.”

“Good to know.” She sensuously licked a
spoonful of cheesecake. “Oh yeah.” Then taking another spoonful,
she placed it in her mouth and sucked. “Mmmmm… soooo… good.”

Liam shifted in his seat, trying to broker
some room in his pants for his erection. He’d give anything to be
that spoon. Anything. Except his soul. He’d made a vow he wouldn’t
have sex again until he got married. After two years of celibacy,
one evening with Hayden should have been a piece of cake.

Cake? Cheesecake.
He shut his eyes,
but he couldn’t shut his ears, which made it so much worse. With
the tiny moans escaping her lips, he imagined her licking his cock.
Sucking on it. Swallowing it.

“Good to the last drop.” The click of the
spoon on the clean plate sounded the end of his torture.

It was going to be a long five month fake
engagement. Hayden may be on probation but Liam felt like the one
sentenced to jail.

After he paid the check and they stepped
outside, he realized the crowd of paparazzi had tripled since they
arrived. He’d warned her father about this. Liam didn’t want to
spend hours answering questions about his personal life.

“Will your engagement affect the season?”
yelled one of the paparazzi. “Is it a publicity stunt?”

Good question. Liam wouldn’t put it past the
old man. Where did Middleton think Hayden inherited her love of the
spotlight? Had her father leaked the newly engaged couple’s
whereabouts? Had Hayden?

As the shouting photographers jostled for a
better angle, Liam took her small hand and scanned the sidewalk,
plotting their escape route like he would a play on the field. He
could use a few of his linemen about now. He bulldozed a path to
the curb, using his strength and height, keeping Hayden close
behind him.

Arriving at his Hummer, he glanced over his
shoulder. Her self-satisfied smile confirmed his suspicion. He
itched to kiss that bratty grin off her face.
Okay.
If she
wanted to give people something to talk about, he’d oblige.

He whirled her into his arms ready to
scratch his annoyance away. Once their lips met in a heated clash,
he realized it wasn’t an itch at all, but an unquenchable thirst
for the taste of her and a raving hunger to feed upon her breath.
Hayden was his decadent dessert. She tasted like sin and spice and
nothing nice.