“You made it,” Cedric called as he started toward her.
“Just in time,” Payton said, her heart pumping faster as he approached. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve been swamped today.”
“Hey, when you’re making me money, you can take as long as you want.” He turned and called to another woman wearing a headset. “Georgia, this is my agent, Payton Mosely. Georgia is the director,” Cedric explained.
Georgia shook her hand, then bellowed, “Okay, people, let’s get in position. Even though they were a half hour late in turning over the studio, they still want us out on time. You know what that means, right?” She directed her question at Cedric.
“That I don’t have many chances for mistakes,” he answered. “I guess it’s a good thing I only have two lines.” Cedric turned back to her. “This won’t take long,” he said, giving Payton a wink that set her stomach aflutter.
“Where’s Alana?” Georgia called.
“I’m here,” came a voice from behind the partition. Seconds later, a model-thin woman with mile-long legs, gorgeous, chestnut hair and a face worthy of a thousand magazine covers, appeared, wearing a silk robe that stopped midthigh and belted loosely at her waist.
Payton’s stomach tanked. No one had mentioned a female counterpart when she’d discussed the specifics of the commercial shoot. A disturbing quake of uneasiness swept through her as she watched the woman sidle up to Cedric and intertwine her arm with his.
“Sorry,” the actress said in a voice that sounded like someone who’d just finished the New York Marathon in record time. “We can get started.”
Georgia’s call for action was the start of the most tortuous forty-five minutes Payton had experienced in a long time.
Even though Cedric delivered his two lines flawlessly, Georgia continued to find fault in the lighting, in Cedric’s stance, in the tiny streaks of shaving cream left on his face when the actress swiped at his jaw with the razor.
And through every take, Payton had to suffer through Alana running her red-tipped nails along Cedric’s washboard abs and whispering playfully in his ear. Every grin he turned on the gorgeous actress caused a painful ache to twist through Payton’s gut.
She found her eyes zeroing in on Cedric’s chest in all its naked glory. His body was magnificently sculpted. It was a by-product of the job, she supposed, but Payton had seen enough ballplayers on television to know that not all of them put as much work into their physiques. Those chiseled pectorals and biceps that looked like smooth boulders came from more than just your normal workout. Cedric put in the extra effort, and Soft Touch Shaving Cream’s target audience—along with the world’s entire female population—were among the lucky benefactors of all that hard work.
Not to mention Alana, who seemed to be striving for an Oscar in the Best Flirting by a Half-Naked Woman category. Payton had to fight the urge to break the actress’s finger when she swiped a bit of lingering white foam from Cedric’s cheek. They both laughed at something he had said, and the sinking feeling in Payton’s stomach reached a new, painful level.
This is Cedric Reeves, she reminded herself.
Over the course of the past couple of weeks, her mind had managed to rub a shiny coat over Cedric’s tarnished playboy reputation, but as she watched him openly flirt with Alana, thoughts of other women he’d been linked to in the past bombarded her. How could she possibly think there could ever be anything between herself and Cedric, especially when he had his pick of some of the most beautiful women in the world at his fingertips?
Payton quickly reined in the feelings of insecurity that had begun to surface. She may not be Vogue cover material, but she wasn’t in the running for MAD magazine, either. The fact that Cedric was used to fashion model types worked in her favor. She could stop obsessing over this ridiculous attraction to him, and get back to focusing on Mosely Sports Management.
Despite her mental pep talk, Payton couldn’t deny the ache in her chest as she witnessed the easy rapport between Cedric and Alana. Falling for him would be akin to diving headfirst into a pool of heartache.
When the director called cut for the seventh time, numerous groans floated around the studio, with Cedric’s being one of the loudest. He looked over at Payton and made a choking gesture with his hands, but then he smiled at her and Payton’s chest grew tight.
It was just a smile, she told herself. She would ignore it the same way she tried to ignore everything else about the way he affected her. But it was becoming more difficult by the day. Ever since that incident in the laundromat when she’d been so close to giving in to her desire, Payton had had a hard time picturing Cedric as just a client.
He was a man. And it had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to feel anything for one of those.
The director started take number eight, and Payton could practically hear the prayers in everyone’s mind that this one would be the one. Cedric once again delivered his lines flawlessly and Alana played the part of sexy girlfriend to perfection. Less than two minutes after it had begun, the take was over.
“That’s a wrap,” Georgia called out. Applause resounded around the studio.
Payton was hoping to make a quick escape, but as soon as the production assistant finished wiping the excess shaving cream from his face, Cedric started toward her. She braced herself for the onslaught of desire she knew would hit with his close proximity.
“So, you think I’m ready for the big screen, or what?” Cedric asked, his smile stretching from one ear to the other.
“Not sure how Hollywood will keep you out,” Payton remarked with sufficient sarcasm.
“Spoken like a true agent. Tell your client any lie he needs to hear to make him happy.”
“Weren’t you the one who said I needed to stroke your ego? Just granting my client’s wish.”
He leaned in a few inches and in a low, husky voice, said, “Not all of them.”
A pool of need stirred deep within Payton’s belly. Her usual knack for witty comebacks deserted her, leaving her with nothing to shield the desire she knew was evident in her own eyes. All the reasons she should guard her heart against feelings for Cedric were shoved aside, making room for one undeniable fact: she wanted him.
He took a step closer, standing so near she could feel the heat radiating from his naked skin.
“You can tell me ‘no’ all you want, Payton. But I don’t believe you mean it for a second. Let this be fair warning, I plan to wear you down until you say yes.”
With that he backed away, leaving her breathless, her thoughts racing a million miles per second. His warning rang in her ears, conjuring all manner of erotic images. She could imagine the methods Cedric might use to wear her down.
And, God help her, she wanted him to use every single one.
Why was this attraction so hard to fight? With everything that was at stake, controlling any wayward feelings toward her client should have been the least of her worries. Yet thoughts of Cedric occupied most of her time. She could only presume that after today, visions of his glistening chest would stake their claim right in the middle of her dreams as well.
“Ms. Mosely.” It was Tammy, the production assistant. “They’re telling us we need to clear out. If you want to wait for Mr. Reeves there are several seating areas on the third floor’s lobby. I can have him meet you there.”
“That sounds perfect,” Payton answered. “Thanks for your help today.”
“Are you kidding? I got to work with a practically naked Cedric Reeves. Don’t tell Georgia I said so, but I would have worked this shoot for free.”
Payton laughed. She knew exactly how Tammy felt.
She had a quarter of a million dollars’ payday coming her way from Morrison Products. It seemed almost criminal to collect on something she’d taken such pleasure in.
The image of Alana running her hands up and down Cedric’s chest quickly doused all those pleasurable thoughts.
She left the studio and headed for the third floor. As she low
ered herself into a plush chair tucked into a corner of the well-appointed third-floor lobby area, Payton couldn’t help but wish Daniel McNamara would call her back with his offer to make her a partner. Practicing law didn’t seem like such a bad idea at the moment. At the very least it would help solve the quandary she faced regarding her feelings toward Cedric.
And it could very well save her from a broken heart.
Payton kept her eyes on the elevators as she answered emails and looked over appointments in her BlackBerry. She had been waiting just under twenty minutes when Cedric stepped out of one of the elevators. He was instantly approached by two men in business suits who shook his hand and patted him on the back.
Payton walked toward him but kept her distance, giving him space to spend time with his fans. As he signed an autograph, he caught her eyes across the lobby and the edge of his lips tipped up in a smile. It sent a shiver down Payton’s spine. Her fingers clutched the handle of the black bag she held in front of her. She had to release some of this pent-up energy soon or she would burst.
After a full five minutes of signing autographs and talking football, Cedric made his way to where she was standing,
“Thanks for waiting,” he greeted.
“We have a meeting,” she answered. “We still need to go over the agenda for Saturday’s mini-camp.”
“Is that the only reason you waited?” he asked, his voice decidedly lower, more seductive.
Payton looked away, then looked back at him. “Cedric, why are you doing this? Why are you deliberately trying to mess up something that is working so well for both of us?” Especially when he’d just spent the better part of an hour flirting with the actress during the commercial shoot.
“Is that what you think I’m doing? Trying to mess things up? I guess I’m not as good at this as I thought I was.”
“You know what I mean,” Payton said.
“I hear the words, but I don’t think they’re what you mean, Payton. You wouldn’t look at me the way you do if this was really all about business for you.”
“Okay. Fine.” She held up a hand up. “I find you attractive. There. I’ll admit that much. I’ll even go so far as to say that if things were different, if you were not my client, I’d be tempted to…” She tried to find the right word.
“Throw me on the floor and ravish me?” Cedric asked.
She shot him a dirty look. “I was going to say explore this…whatever it is that’s going on here.”
“So you do acknowledge that there is definitely something between us.”
“Neither of us is blind, Cedric.”
He took a step closer, his voice, when he spoke, bordered on pleading. “So why are you denying us when we both want it? Stop fighting this, Payton.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, needing to create some kind of physical barrier between them.
“Listen up because I’m not going to explain this to you again,” she said. “As long as you are my client, nothing can happen between us. And don’t try firing me. You signed a contract. I’m your agent until the end of the free-agency period. So, until then…”
Payton couldn’t make herself finish the sentence, which was more telling than anything she’d said so far. Just the thought of being near Cedric week after week and having to deny herself was sheer agony.
But she would do it. She must do it.
If she wanted to be taken seriously in this male-dominated industry, she couldn’t let a girly thing like feelings get in the way. She’d already proven she could land a client and score a major endorsement deal. It was more than ninety percent of the men who’d taken the NFL Players Association’s Certification Exam with her could boast. But if she were standing in a room full of men and someone was asked to point out the sports agents, Payton knew she’d be the last one picked.
She’d worked too hard and had sacrificed too much to get to this point in her career. She would not allow something as frivolous as lust to derail her well-laid plans. It was not going to get in the way.
No matter how much it killed her.
Cedric studied his agent across the table as he idly stabbed his fork into the potato salad that had come with his roast beef sandwich. She was all business right now, but Cedric had caught the look in her eyes as she’d stood against the wall observing the commercial shoot. The actress he’d been paired with had thought he was flirting with her, but every flex of his muscles had been with a single purpose in mind—to drive Payton out of her mind with wanting. Maybe then she could feel a small bit of the anguish he’d been mired in for the past few weeks.
He couldn’t go on this way much longer. Despite the praise he’d received from the director today, Cedric wasn’t much of an actor, and pretending that being around Payton wasn’t driving him crazy with need required Academy Award-winning acting ability.
“Did any of the other players confirm they would be there to help with the camp?” she asked him as she scribbled notes onto a notepad.
“I forced a couple of the rookies to take part,” he answered, dropping the fork and pushing his half-eaten sandwich aside.
“Intimidating rookies was not what I had in mind when I asked you to recruit volunteers,” Payton said.
“They expect the rest of the team to push them around. It’s a rite of passage,” he said. “Jared said he’d help out, too. And Torrian will try to make it.”
“Awesome,” she said. Her eyes softened with her smile and it took everything Cedric had within him to stay on his side of the table.
Payton was the first to break eye contact. Cedric couldn’t have looked away from those deep brown eyes even at the threat of gunpoint. She took a sip from her diet soda and returned her attention to the array of papers occupying the small deli table they’d commandeered nearly an hour ago.
“Let’s go over the itinerary once more,” she continued, all business once again. “You’re going to spend the first half hour explaining a bit about the rules and history of the game, then the kids will break up into groups to run practice drills.”
Cedric nodded in response.
“Then it’s lunch, provided by none other than your favorite pizzeria.”
“Oh, goody. I’ve been dying for more pizza from Gianni’s,” he deadpanned, earning a laugh from her. Cedric savored the sound. It was the first uninhibited response from her since their little confrontation after the commercial shoot. By some unspoken agreement their earlier skirmish had been tabled, but the basis of it continued to peck away at Cedric’s brain.
They were two consenting adults. Why should it matter that she was his agent? Why should it matter what anyone else thought?
But he knew the way the world worked, and he knew exactly what people would think if he and Payton became romantically involved. Payton was right; she would lose all credibility as an agent. An even more disturbing thought was the potential for other ballplayers to think if they signed with Mosely Sports Management they would get a little something extra as part of the deal.
Cedric’s hands balled into fists. He was ready to commit bodily harm just at the thought of another player thinking about Payton in that way. But he knew how those guys’ minds worked. Hell, he was one of those guys. That was the first thing he’d thought when she’d approached him. He could not expect her to jeopardize her reputation.
But what if they were extra discreet…?
“Cedric?”
“What?” He had no idea what she’d said.
“I asked if it’s okay for both girls and boys to participate in the same touch football game, or should we separate them by gender?”
“It’ll be flag football,” he answered. “No tackling.”
“Great.” She nodded. “The director said nearly all of the kids have returned their permission slips, so it looks like we’ll have about thirty participants on Saturday.”
“And you’re going to be there?” he asked.
“In the afternoon. I’m having one of my signature coffeehouse meetin
gs Saturday morning.” She paused, a small grin creating a dimple Cedric had never noticed before. “It’s with Electronic Sports Gaming,” she said, her eyes lighting up.
“What?” Cedric nearly bolted out of his chair. ES Gaming was one of the hottest video game companies around. “Are you serious?”
“Don’t get too excited. We’re not talking the cover of NFL Hardball but I am hoping to get you a spot as one of the video game’s premier running backs. If we’re lucky, you may get to do your own voice-over in the game.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”
“Because I’ve just set up the meeting with them. As I said, don’t get too excited yet. This is still very early.”
Cedric leaned back in his chair and shook his head at the hand fate had dealt him. He’d been given exactly what he’d asked for in an agent, and now half the time he wished he could fire her so he could have her for himself.
“I’ve been sitting here trying to convince myself that you’re not all that good of an agent just so I could justify dropping you. But you’re a damn good agent.”
“Thank you,” she said, though her forlorn expression told him she wished things could be different as well.
This was torture. Pure and simple.
They shouldn’t have to choose between one or the other. They shouldn’t have to worry about what other people would say, dammit. But they did. And at this point in his career Cedric knew he needed Payton, the agent, even more than he needed Payton, the potential bed partner.
“So,” he said. “You’re speaking to ES Gaming on Saturday. What else do you have lined up?”
She ticked off several clothing lines, a sports drink and a car dealership, all of which she’d learned about from her web of online connections. It struck Cedric once again how different Payton was from Gus Houseman. Gus hadn’t been willing to even talk endorsements, claiming it was never the right time. Cedric now realized it had never been the right time for Gus. He’d always been low on Gus’s totem pole, coming second to his former agent’s list of clients who all pulled high eight-figure salaries. Gus hadn’t been concerned with furthering Cedric’s career.
I'll Catch You (Kimani Romance) Page 8
