Too Hot to Handle: A Boys of Summer Novel by Katie Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

having some fun with the game,” he insisted, grinning at the camera. “Don’t want to take things too seriously this early in the season.”
    The other players said pretty much the same, and Nikki breathed a sigh of relief. At least they hadn’t made public the reason for the joke.
    But then the reporter got to Shaun.
    “And if you think baseball is nothing but muscle, meet the new hitter for New Jersey who has more of a spiritual take on the game.”
    Chris put a microphone in front of the rookie and Shaun babbled on about his beliefs. The amusement was evident on the newsman’s face as he delivered the story, and Nikki could just see tomorrow’s headlines. Turning off the set, she sank down on the bed dejectedly in her terry-cloth robe.
    Between the wigs, the revolt at the tiki bar, and Shaun, she had set herself back weeks. The Northeast papers would have a field day with this, for the Sonics’ antics would be much more entertaining than the usual spring training news.
    Maybe John was right; maybe it was her fault. Maybe she had been too hard on them. Jake had warned her, and now she knew what he meant. She’d have to change her tactics, make the players want to go along with the program the way she had with the haircuts. But how? She’d pulled the barber idea out of her butt. How could she continue to make them want to follow her rules?
    A knock startled her out of her thoughts and she glanced up in confusion. She hadn’t ordered takeout yet, had she? There were half a dozen menus in the desk drawer, and she had been mentally deciding between King Wong’s greasy Chinese and Tony’s pizza. Tugging the belt tightly on her robe, she yanked open the door.
    Jake Baldwin stood there, a picnic basket in one hand, a rose bouquet in the other.

Chapter Seven
    “What are you doing here?” Nikki pulled the collar of her robe self-consciously around her neck and eyed the flowers suspiciously.
    He was dressed in a loose cotton shirt and khaki shorts, the blue wig now gone, and he looked exactly like what he was: a hot baseball player trying to impress a girl. The little-boy smile tantalized her as he held out the roses.
    “Thought you might be hungry. A picnic would be a lot more fun than ordering pizza and drinking hotel wine.”
    It was as if he’d read her thoughts, for ordering takeout was going to be exactly the next thing she did. “I’m sorry, but I’m busy. So if you don’t mind—”
    But he’d already walked past her and into the kitchen. After placing the basket on the counter, he began to riffle through the cabinets. He found a glass and put the flowers inside with some water, while Nikki gazed at him indignantly.
    “Look, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot.” The smile deepened. “I know you’ve had a rough day. I’ve got fried chicken, corn on the cob, and fresh strawberries for dessert. The moon’s going to be full and the beach is spectacular when the stars come out.” His eyes dared her.
    She gazed at him, fighting an internal battle, her body at war with her mind. “You know I can’t do this.”
    “Do what?” Blue eyes twinkled at her.
    “This.” She indicated the flowers, the picnic basket, and him. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean.”
    “I don’t,” he said innocently and hefted the basket. “Dinner. You have to eat, right? I assumed you didn’t know anyone here in Clearwater, and hotel rooms can start to close in on you.”
    In truth, his offer was tempting. A picnic on the beach. With Jake. She could smell something delicious emanating from the basket, and could see the wine bottle protruding from beneath a red-checkered napkin. It would be a hell of a lot better than Tony’s pizza, and yet as enticing as it sounded, it was just a little too…romantic.
    He took her silence as a no. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’ll be the guy alone on the beach having a picnic all by myself.”
    He turned and walked out the door,