On the Surface (In the Zone) by Kate Willoughby Read Free Book Online Page B

he felt an instant and surprising physical attraction. As if sensing it, she looked up at him, her eyes slightly narrowed and her lips pursed.
    “I’m fine,” he said, trying not to think about what her hands would feel like on his body, curled around his cock.
    She released his hand and he felt disappointed. “I guess you’re right. You look okay, but you should put some ice on those knuckles.” She looked up at him again, this time smiling. “Thanks for leaping to my rescue, by the way. Pretty impressive. But then again, that’s pretty much your job, right?”
    He cocked his head at her. “What do you mean?”
    “You know,” she said, making like a boxer and throwing a couple of air punches. “Fighting. Hits. Clean and unclean.”
    He chuckled. She didn’t know shit about hockey, obviously. He wondered why she was here. He sincerely hoped she wasn’t in it for the money too. “Fights are a necessary evil.”
    “Fighting is never necessary,” she said.
    “Here’s your food, miss!” the Q Burger manager called out. He came toward them carrying a cardboard box.
    “Oh, thanks a lot! Give me just a second.” Erin turned back to Tim. “I’d love to debate the merits of violence with you some more, but I have to get back. I work at Good Samaritan Hospital down the street, but call me when you get that swag.” She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down her name and number.
    As she walked away, pointing out her car to the Q Burger manager, Tim found himself really wishing he could see her ass, but it was covered up by the baggy tunic she wore.
    Damn.
    His phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number.
    “Tim Hollander?” It was a man.
    “Yes.”
    “This is James Atwater. I’m with the Barracuda PR department.”
    Tim sighed. “Wow. That was fast.”
    “What was fast?”
    “Aren’t you calling about what happened?”
    Atwater paused. “Something happened?”
    Fuck.
    Reluctantly, Tim described the scene.
    After a long pause, there was an even longer pause. Tim felt as if a guillotine blade hung above his head.
    Eventually Atwater said, “Let me call you back.”
    Tim cursed. Management was going to have his ass on a platter with a side of potatoes. The team hadn’t even started training yet and already he’d had embroiled himself in a violent scandal. Media field day didn’t even begin to describe it.
    Atwater called back. “I did not need this right now.”
    “I know. But I couldn’t let that guy get away with hassling that woman.”
    “That’s exactly the angle I’m going to push. You were coming to her rescue. Is she still there?”
    “No, she left. But she works at Good Samaritan Hospital as a nurse. Isn’t that where I’m supposed to be signing tomorrow?”
    Atwater chuckled. “It sure is. Is she in pediatrics?”
    Tim thought back on her outfit. Her top had cartoon monkeys on it. “Maybe. I don’t know.”
    “So we don’t know if we’ll see her tomorrow,” Atwater said. “Okay. Doesn’t matter. I want to get a statement from her tonight anyway. Do you think she’ll spin it the way we want?”
    This was exactly why Tim disliked PR people. They only thought about angles and benefits, and yet every club needed them, especially with news so readily available via social media. To be honest, Tim needed the guy right now.
    “I don’t want to her to spin anything,” Tim protested. “If she talks to the press, I don’t want her to say anything but the truth.”
    “That’s not what I meant. I just wanted your read on her. Do you think her version of what happened will be favorable to us?”
    Tim thought about it. “Yeah, I think so. I mean, she was in line to get my autograph, not Chastain’s. And she openly said she’d stand up for me in court, should it come to that. Do you think I’ll get sued?”
    “Your guess is as good as mine. Depends on the guy. If he’s greedy enough, he might try. He might try to milk you and the club since it was an official