High Heat (Hard Hitters #1) by Linda Morris Read Free Book Online

executive gave you to soften you up right before he delivered the sucker punch. The Marlins general manager had sung his praises for fifteen minutes before telling him he didn’t plan to renew his contract. “I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
    Paul exhaled. “She’s my sister, Tom. I’ve got to be honest with you. Your track record with women sucks.” He put down his beer and leaned forward, all business. He wore a pair of khakis and a button-down plaid shirt, the kind of thing a suit wore when he was trying not to look like a suit.
    Tom shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t help himself. “I can’t help wondering if all this concern is on behalf of your sister. Has she said something about me?” He couldn’t keep the hopeful note out of his voice, and Paul briefly passed his hands in front of his eyes.
    “No, and I want to keep it that way. I remember the way she used to follow you around when she was a teenager.”
    Tom scoffed. “That was a long time ago. I can assure you she doesn’t do that now.” She wasn’t a skinny teenager anymore either, but a grown woman, which made her more dangerous. “She can handle herself.” She had one hell of a sharp tongue when she wanted to. Weird thing was, he kinda liked it.
    “I want you to know that she’s not some reality star who has a revolving door on her bed. You get involved with her, she’s going to notice when you’re gone. You’ll be gone soon, Tom. You know it as well as I do.”
    Tom couldn’t argue with that. His shoulders slumped. What was he even arguing for? Everything Paul said was true. Who could blame him? Sarah was his sister. He was looking out for her like a brother should. Tom didn’t have any siblings, but if he had a little sister, he damn sure wouldn’t want someone like him sniffing around her.
    Still, that hard little nugget of pride in his chest wouldn’t ease up. It was a lot easier to appreciate a brother’s protective instincts when you weren’t the one being warned away. “Look, I’m not going to go after your sister or anything.” The stiff set of Paul’s shoulders eased. “But she’s an adult, and so am I. She doesn’t have to ask your permission for anything. That’s the best I can do.”
    Paul nodded slowly. “I guess that’ll have to do. I wouldn’t want to have to kick your ass if you did hurt her.”
    Tom snorted. “You could try.”
    Paul grinned and then glanced at his watch. “It’s late. I’d better be getting home. Susan’ll be worried.”
    “Don’t be a stranger, okay? Come over anytime. I’ll be here.”
    “I’ll do that.”
    Tom walked him to the door. On the porch, Paul stopped and turned to him. “Out of curiosity, what’s Christina Caputo really like? She’s hot, man.” A wistful note crept into his voice.
    “She’s a reality star with a revolving door on her bed,” Tom said. “She’s got no hidden depths, man.” He laughed ruefully. “We had that in common, I guess.”
    He had never felt more like his father than he did in that moment. Not a pleasant feeling.
    Paul nodded and walked away, not answering. As he watched Paul walk to his car, he wondered which of them was more pathetic: the playboy athlete who couldn’t be trusted around a good girl, or the suit who envied him so.

Chapter Five
    A week later, Sarah cracked open a peanut and leaned back in her seat. It was a beautiful night for a ball game: clear, warm, and not too muggy. A mosquito buzzed her ear once in a while, but other than that, she was in paradise. Paul had given her a standing invitation to watch games with him in the executive’s box, but she liked to be close to the action and out in the open air.
    Tom had made his second start tonight and was doing well, although he wasn’t on cruise control like he’d been his first game. In the third inning, he’d given up a two-run homer on a fastball that got away from him. He’d pulled his hat over his face and screamed into it. That brought Reedy trotting out from