Hot Item by Carly Phillips Read Free Book Online
Authors: Carly Phillips
Tags: Fiction, Contemporary Women
admitted to herself now, that had been the little hope she’d held on to deep in her heart. That the great Riley Nash had some secret crush on her the same way she had on him.
Fat chance. His flirting with the flight attendants showed her that all the times he’d come on to her, it’d been an act. Just Riley Nash, football star, looking for more attention. Well, he wouldn’t receive any more special treatment from her, she decided, and after takeoff, Sophie buried herself in a book and outwardly ignored her traveling companion.
Inwardly, she was completely aware of him. Once again, it didn’t matter that her emotions were bruised or that her mind warned her to steer clear. Every feminine instinct she possessed was on high alert. Riley’s body was big and snug in the next seat and his arm constantly brushed against hers, disturbing her peace. More than once she glanced over to see if he’d noticed the sparks and heat she felt so strongly. Not a flicker of emotion showed in his expression. There was not a hint of a reaction to touching her, damn the man.
And she damned herself for wanting anything from him at all. She shut her book and closed her eyes but the simmering awareness remained, made more potent by his alluring cologne. She sighed and shifted in her seat, trying to get more comfortable.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” a female voice asked.
The flight attendant’s question was a welcome distraction. “Red wine, please,” she said.
“Another Scotch, thanks.” Riley winked at the woman who flushed pink.
“Be right back,” she promised, placing a hand on his shoulder and letting it linger before striding down the aisle.
“Oh, brother,” Sophie muttered, unable to control her reaction.
He glanced over. “What are the chances that this drink’ll take some of the starch out of your shorts?” he asked, his Southern accent coming through.
“Excuse me?”
He turned toward her, his arm leaning against hers, his amazing eyes studying her through thick lashes. “You’ve been sitting there like a prima donna from the minute I got on this flight. You haven’t said two words to me, including hello, and your pretty little nose is so high in the air I’m surprised you don’t have altitude sickness. Drop the attitude and we might have some fun on this trip.”
She opened her mouth then closed it again. She ought to be offended by his words, but she knew he had a point. She’d been a bitch from the get-go and not just because she was uptight about Spencer being gone.
She hated to admit it but she was hurt by the realization that she was nothing special to Riley Nash. And the sad fact was, if he did corner her and turn that potent sex appeal her way, she’d be a goner for sure.
She looked at his freshly shaven face and imagined how her hand would feel caressing his skin. “Do you really think my nose is cute?” she heard herself ask and almost cringed.
He chuckled, flashing one dimple in his cheek. “Cuter than your personality at the moment. Elizabeth with PMS is more pleasant than you’ve been and, trust me, that’s saying a lot.”
She swallowed. “Who’s Elizabeth?”
He paused a beat. Then another. Finally he said, “My thirteen-year-old daughter.”
Sophie breathed out a sigh, promising herself it wasn’t one of relief that he’d been referring to a daughter and not a girlfriend. She racked her brain in an attempt to remember what, if anything, she knew about Riley’s past and surprisingly she came up blank.
Like father like son, she thought. She didn’t know much about Spencer’s past, either.
Riley was her uncle’s client and her sexual nemesis and verbal sparring partner, but he was an enigma. An athlete she’d always opted to stay away from, mostly because he shattered the illusion of control she held on to. The illusion that allowed her to function without worrying about either the people she loved leaving her or the important things in her life falling
Fat chance. His flirting with the flight attendants showed her that all the times he’d come on to her, it’d been an act. Just Riley Nash, football star, looking for more attention. Well, he wouldn’t receive any more special treatment from her, she decided, and after takeoff, Sophie buried herself in a book and outwardly ignored her traveling companion.
Inwardly, she was completely aware of him. Once again, it didn’t matter that her emotions were bruised or that her mind warned her to steer clear. Every feminine instinct she possessed was on high alert. Riley’s body was big and snug in the next seat and his arm constantly brushed against hers, disturbing her peace. More than once she glanced over to see if he’d noticed the sparks and heat she felt so strongly. Not a flicker of emotion showed in his expression. There was not a hint of a reaction to touching her, damn the man.
And she damned herself for wanting anything from him at all. She shut her book and closed her eyes but the simmering awareness remained, made more potent by his alluring cologne. She sighed and shifted in her seat, trying to get more comfortable.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” a female voice asked.
The flight attendant’s question was a welcome distraction. “Red wine, please,” she said.
“Another Scotch, thanks.” Riley winked at the woman who flushed pink.
“Be right back,” she promised, placing a hand on his shoulder and letting it linger before striding down the aisle.
“Oh, brother,” Sophie muttered, unable to control her reaction.
He glanced over. “What are the chances that this drink’ll take some of the starch out of your shorts?” he asked, his Southern accent coming through.
“Excuse me?”
He turned toward her, his arm leaning against hers, his amazing eyes studying her through thick lashes. “You’ve been sitting there like a prima donna from the minute I got on this flight. You haven’t said two words to me, including hello, and your pretty little nose is so high in the air I’m surprised you don’t have altitude sickness. Drop the attitude and we might have some fun on this trip.”
She opened her mouth then closed it again. She ought to be offended by his words, but she knew he had a point. She’d been a bitch from the get-go and not just because she was uptight about Spencer being gone.
She hated to admit it but she was hurt by the realization that she was nothing special to Riley Nash. And the sad fact was, if he did corner her and turn that potent sex appeal her way, she’d be a goner for sure.
She looked at his freshly shaven face and imagined how her hand would feel caressing his skin. “Do you really think my nose is cute?” she heard herself ask and almost cringed.
He chuckled, flashing one dimple in his cheek. “Cuter than your personality at the moment. Elizabeth with PMS is more pleasant than you’ve been and, trust me, that’s saying a lot.”
She swallowed. “Who’s Elizabeth?”
He paused a beat. Then another. Finally he said, “My thirteen-year-old daughter.”
Sophie breathed out a sigh, promising herself it wasn’t one of relief that he’d been referring to a daughter and not a girlfriend. She racked her brain in an attempt to remember what, if anything, she knew about Riley’s past and surprisingly she came up blank.
Like father like son, she thought. She didn’t know much about Spencer’s past, either.
Riley was her uncle’s client and her sexual nemesis and verbal sparring partner, but he was an enigma. An athlete she’d always opted to stay away from, mostly because he shattered the illusion of control she held on to. The illusion that allowed her to function without worrying about either the people she loved leaving her or the important things in her life falling