Play to Win

by Tiffany Snow

  “He’s not that bad,” I said.

  Megan snorted. “You’re the only one here who’d put up with him. Even I could only let that pretty face go so far before I’d have to slip something in his coffee.”

  I couldn’t argue with her. There were some days I wanted to slip something in Parker’s coffee.

  “So I take it Brandon’s no longer in the picture if you’re going to dinner with a smokin’ hot detective dude?” she asked.

  “His name is Ryker and no. I got dumped last night.”

  “No shit,” she said, looking completely unsurprised.

  I held up a finger. “Don’t say it.”

  “Say what?” she replied, all innocence. “You know what.”

  “You mean that I’ve been telling you for months now how you’re never going to have a decent relationship so long as you let Parker rule your every waking moment? That I keep reminding you that this is a job and not your life? That Parker doesn’t appreciate you and that I can’t for the life of me understand why you allow yourself to be at his beck and call to the point where you can’t even date? Is that what you don’t want me to say?”

  I sighed. I couldn’t be mad at Megan. Nothing she said was wrong. I knew she only said those things because she loved me and worried about me, but it was what it was. I needed this job. I liked this job, despite the demands it made on me. The pay was awesome, the benefits were great, and I liked living in Chicago. Though Megan would call me a masochist—and probably had at some point—because most of my waking hours were consumed by Parker and my job, I liked it that way.

  At my silence, Megan looked contrite. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I should just keep my mouth shut sometimes.”

  I shook my head. “No, it’s okay.” It was kind of depressing when I thought about Brandon dumping me—yet another short-lived relationship to add to my tally—so I pushed the thought aside.

  “So I texted Brian this weekend,” she said, and I was glad for the change of subject. Brian was a guy who worked in IT. He was really nice and very good-looking, but I thought he wasn’t terribly bright when it came to women.

  “And?” I asked. Megan had had a thing for Brian since the day she first met him a year ago. They’d had to work together on a project and had become good friends. “Did he text you back?”

  “Yeah, a little,” she said with a sigh. “I think I’m permanently friend-zoned, though. He doesn’t seem to get it no matter how much I flirt.”

  “Of course he doesn’t,” I said. “He’s in IT. You’d have to parade in front of him topless for him to get it.”

  She laughed. “I don’t know what it is with him. Any other guy, I’d just ask them out. But him…I don’t know.” She sighed.

  “It’s because he’s different from all the other guys you’ve dated,” I said. “You’re actually friends, which is awesome. They’re supposed to make the best husbands.”

  Now it was Megan’s turn to look slightly uncomfortable. “What was a detective doing here anyway?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “No clue,” I replied. “But I think they know each other, him and Parker. Their conversation was a bit…hostile.” A massive understatement.

  “Huh. Weird. Maybe he’ll tell you?”

  I shrugged. “No way to know. But I’ll definitely give you the gossip if he does.” I shot her a grin. Megan loved gossip.

  “You’d better.”

  After I swore to tell her all the juicy details of my date with Ryker, Megan headed back to her desk and I went to retrieve the lunch tray from Parker’s office.

  He was deeply involved in something, judging by his frown and fierce look of concentration, so I didn’t speak. His jacket had been discarded and flung onto the sofa. I picked it up and hung it on the valet in the corner closet so it wouldn’t wrinkle. Parker always kept an extra suit and a couple of extra shirts at the office. Once I’d done that, I picked up the tray he’d pushed to the side of his desk.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  I glanced at him, for a moment wondering if he was speaking to me, but he was still engrossed in the computer screen. Since there was no one else there and he wasn’t on the phone, he must have been speaking to me. It was a little odd. He didn’t usually say anything when I took away his tray or hung his jacket.

  “You’re welcome,” I murmured, since it would have been weird to just ignore him. I couldn’t help but wonder if Ryker’s biting comment earlier was why I was getting a thank-you now, which kind of took the pleasure from it. Not that I did my job for thank-yous; I did it for a paycheck. But still.

  “Could you get me the file on that new Russian firm we’ve been buying from?” Parker said. “Rogers has it, I believe.”

  I frowned, thinking. “You mean Bank ZNT?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Of course.” I headed for the door, then hesitated, glancing at Parker. He looked up.

  “Yes?” he asked.

  “I was just wondering, and it’s probably none of my business, but about the detective who was here earlier. Um, is…everything okay? Do you need anything? Something I could do…” I was rambling now so I shut up.

  Parker was looking at me in that intense way of his, which had me rethinking sticking my nose in something that was obviously private. I looked down at the tray I held, unable to meet his gaze, and uneasily shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

  “Never mind. I shouldn’t have pried,” I blurted, balancing the tray on one arm so I could pull open the door.

  “Sage,” Parker called out, stopping me. I looked back at him. “There’s nothing you can do, but I…appreciate the offer.”

  That eased my embarrassment somewhat and I gave him a fleeting smile and short nod before hurrying out of the office.

  I watched the clock much too closely that afternoon, the butterflies in my stomach getting more fluttery with each passing hour. By five forty-five, I gave up working at all and just started cleaning off my desk. I didn’t know if the butterflies were from nerves, anticipation, or both.

  What if he’d just been messing with me? The men I’d dated tended to be safe types, men who had solid white-collar jobs and worked in office buildings. I’d never in my life dated a man who knew how to shoot a gun, much less carried one on him. All my dates wore suits and ties, drove sensible cars, and didn’t own leather jackets. And none of them embodied the guy-my-mom-warned-me-about cliché quite like Ryker did.

  I must be out of my mind.

  I went to the ladies’ room to check my hair and touch up my makeup, looking myself over critically. I looked very…businesslike, I guessed. My pretty yellow heels and scarf at least dressed up the dreary white blouse and navy skirt. I had a decent body that should probably get to the gym more often, but my waist was narrow, my hips curved, and I filled out a C cup bra reasonably well.

  Digging in my purse, I added some more blush to my cheeks and reapplied my pale rose lipstick. My skin was a warm peach and in the summer I tanned to a golden brown. My dark hair went well with my deep brown eyes, though I often wished I had light eyes, which was probably why I was always attracted to men with blue eyes.

  After tucking some wayward strands of hair back into my braid, I took a deep breath. I eyed my blouse. Should I maybe undo a button? It was done all the way up with only about an inch of skin showing between the bottom edge of my scarf and the top of my blouse. I hesitated, then undid a button, then one more. I had decent cleavage, might as well show it off. And now I looked a bit more like a woman who’d get asked on a date by a cop named Ryker.

  Glancing at my watch had me scurrying out the door. It was six o’clock and I was going to be late, not that it was necessarily a bad thing. I’d rather he show up and wait than me stand downstairs waiting for a man who never arrived.

  Parker seemed to be packing up, too, when I rapped lightly on his door and stepped inside his office.

  “Anything else for today?” I asked, as was my custom to do before I left
.

  “No, I don’t think—” Parker glanced up from where he’d been adding files to his briefcase. When he caught sight of me, he stopped talking. I waited, but he didn’t continue, his gaze dropping to my chest.

  Okay, maybe cleavage wasn’t businesslike, but it wasn’t like it was eight in the morning. Technically, business hours were over. I glanced at my watch again. Crap. Six oh-five. “Um, okay, well I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I blurted. I tossed a “Have a good night” behind me as I rushed out the door.

  Grabbing my purse from my desk, I hurried to the elevator and punched the button, waiting impatiently for the car to arrive. What would I do if Ryker wasn’t there? What would I do if he was?

  I didn’t race across the lobby. Instead, I took my time and walked at my normal speed, joining the dozen or so other people exiting the building. When I hit the sidewalk, I glanced around, trying not to be too obvious that I was searching. But within seconds, my eyes found him and I froze.

  Ryker was waiting all right, his sunglasses on and arms crossed over his broad chest as he leaned against a massive black and chrome motorcycle parked at the curb. He saw me and his lips curved in a slow grin that made a warm tingle spread underneath my skin.

  I got my feet moving again and Ryker pushed himself upright as I approached, waiting until I was near to speak.

  “About time,” he teased. “I almost thought you were blowing me off.”

  “Does any woman blow you off?” I asked.

  His grin widened. “Nope.”

  I rolled my eyes, but I could admit it. Arrogance and cockiness turned me on, and Ryker had them both in spades.

  Gesturing toward the motorcycle, I said, “I hope the restaurant is within walking distance because there’s no way I’m getting on that.”

  “Ever ride a bike before?”

  “A bike, yes,” I said. “A death machine that can do ninety miles an hour with only a helmet for protection when my head hits the asphalt? No. I’m allergic to danger.”

  Ryker stepped closer, right into my personal space, and I tipped my head back to look him in the eyes. All I saw was my own reflection staring back at me. His proximity was electric, though, making my body hum as though a current ran from him into me.

  “Sweetheart, I’m as dangerous as it gets.”

  The low thrum of his voice sent my heart into triple time. My gaze drifted down from Ryker’s sunglasses to his lips, still curved in that shit-eating grin. What would it be like to be kissed by a man like him? To be swept off my feet?

  “Whaddya say, Miss Prim and Proper? Wanna take a walk on the wild side?”

  My eyes flew back up to his. “Did you just call me—” I began, indignant.

  “Yep. Now let’s get out of here. I’m starving.” Grabbing a helmet from the back of his bike, he plopped it on my head. I would have protested, but was immediately flustered when he began fastening the strap beneath my chin. His fingers brushed my skin and suddenly it was harder to breathe.

  “Well, don’t you look as cute as can be,” Ryker said once he’d finished.

  I bet. Helmets were just oh so sexy.

  He swung a leg over the bike and moved the kickstand back with his booted heel. A moment later, the engine fired up. At the noise, people nearby turned to look.

  I stood, staring dubiously from the sidewalk. As if going to dinner with Ryker hadn’t made me nervous before, the prospect of riding a motorcycle with him made me light-headed. My mother was so going to kill me.

  “C’mon,” Ryker said over the noise. “You know you want to. Don’t be a scaredy-cat.” He held out his hand to me.

  My eyes narrowed. Schoolyard taunts were for children. And that’s what I told myself as I reached out to take his hand. He tugged me forward, his mischievous smile changing to one of triumph.

  I wouldn’t have worn a skirt had I known I’d be climbing on the back of a motorcycle. For a girl whose mom had drilled into me the appropriate way a lady exits a car in a skirt, hiking my skirt up my thighs made me cringe.

  Shoving aside thoughts of what my mother would say, I quickly got on behind Ryker, letting out a squeak when he reached back and pulled me tighter against him. At least the strap of my purse was long enough to hook over my chest so it rested against my back.

  Grabbing his leather-clad shoulders, I steadied myself. I would’ve been showing the entire street the fabulous black satin and lace panties I wore if they weren’t currently pressed against Ryker as I straddled the bike. His hand drifted down my thigh to hook around the back of my knee, his calloused palm warm against my skin. I gasped at the sensation, a flash of heat and want racing through me.

  “You have to hold on like this,” Ryker explained, turning his head to talk to me. He let go of my leg to reach up, moving my hands from his shoulders to circle his chest beneath his arms. “And hold on tight.”

  I was shaking now, fear—and, yes, a tinge of excitement—making adrenaline rush fast through my veins. “Scared?” Ryker asked.

  “Do I have reason to be?” I asked rather than admit to my fear.

  I could feel him laugh, though I couldn’t hear it over the noise.

  “Trust me, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” The motor revved and I tightened my grip around him.

  Glancing at the sidewalk and people passing by, I suddenly saw Parker standing just outside the building entrance. He had an unreadable expression on his face, which wasn’t unusual, but he was staring right at Ryker and me. There was something about the set of his jaw and tension in his body that made me uneasy.

  Then the bike was moving and I lost sight of Parker as we shot down the street.

  HIGH PRAISE FOR TIFFANY SNOW

  Power Play

  “Combines a suspenseful, deceptive mystery with a fun and spirited love triangle, and pulls off both with aplomb…Any upcoming sequels are sure to be hits.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Power Play is a grand slam for me. Two rugged heroes and a heroine that sparkles, a suspense filled plot, and a romantic love triangle had me reading well into the night and I loved every page.”

  —FreshFiction.com

  “Snow sucks me into the vortex of this story, eager for more.”

  ―HeroesandHeartbreakers.com

  Playing Dirty

  “The first book in Tiffany Snow’s Risky Business series is on-the-edge-of-your-seat romance filled with a lot of suspense. Playing Dirty kicks that up about 10 notches! I loved this book even more than the first one and I didn’t think that was possible!”

  —CocktailsandBooks.com

  “An amazing read…What a way to tell a tale of a love triangle.”

  —BittenbyLoveReviews.com

  The Kathleen Turner series

  “My favorite suspense series keeps getting better. More action. More swoon. More Kade and Blane.”

  —Jennifer L. Armentrout,

  New York Times bestselling author

  “Tiffany Snow delivers a scorching read…Clear your evening for Point of No Return. You will not be able to put this book down.”

  —Melinda Leigh

  Also by Tiffany Snow

  The Risky Business Series (in order)

  Power Play

  Playing Dirty

  The Tangled Ivy Series

  In His Shadow

  Shadow of a Doubt

  Out of the Shadows

  The Kathleen Turner Series

  No Turning Back

  Turn to Me

  Turning Point

  Out of Turn

  Point of No Return

  Blane’s Turn

  Kade’s Turn

  Fall in Love with Forever Romance

  PLAY TO WIN

  by Tiffany Snow

  In the third book of bestselling author Tiffany Snow’s Risky Business series, it’s finally time for Sage to decide between two brothers-in-arms: Parker, the clean-cut, filthy-rich business magnate…or Ryker, the tough-as-nails undercover detective.

  NECESSARY RISK
/>
  by Tara Wyatt

  The first book in a hot new action-packed series from debut author Tara Wyatt, which will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann, Pamela Clare, and Julie Ann Walker.

  KISS ME IN CHRISTMAS

  by Debbie Mason

  Back in little Christmas, Colorado, Hollywood star Chloe O’Connor is still remembered as a shy, awkward schoolgirl. And there’s no one she dreads (and secretly wants) to see more than her high school crush. While Easton McBride enjoys the flirtation with this new bold and beautiful Chloe, he can’t help but wonder whether a kiss could have the power to bring back the small-town girl he first fell in love with.

  SEE YOU AT SUNSET

  by V.K. Sykes

  The newest novel from USA Today bestselling author V.K. Sykes! Deputy Sheriff Micah Lancaster has wanted Holly Tyler for as long as he can remember. Now she’s back in Seashell Bay, and the attraction still flickers between them, a promise of something more. Their desire is stronger than any undertow…and once it pulls them under, it won’t let go.

  ALONG CAME A ROGUE

  by Anna Harrington

  Major Nathaniel Grey is free to bed any woman he wants…except his best friend’s beautiful sister, Emily. But what if she’s the only woman he wants? Fans of Elizabeth Hoyt, Grace Burrowes, and Madeline Hunter will love this Regency romance.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Welcome

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three