The Elliotts: Mixing Business with Pleasure. Brenda Jackson

For HomeStyle …”

      “You’re welcome,” he said. “Now you owe me.”

      Five

       You owe me.

      Erika’s heart stuttered and she felt her mouth go bone-dry. “Uh, owe you?”

      “Yep,” he said with a sexy grin playing around the edges of his mouth. “Payback’s hell. I want you to play volleyball on Saturday afternoon.”

      The lascivious thought racing through Erika’s mind came to a dead stop. “Volleyball? Excuse me?”

      He shrugged. “I know you have athletic ability and you’re tall. The family holds a friendly little game where employees from the magazines play each other. We need another woman on the Pulse team. We’re only allowed one nonfamily stand-in and I have a hard time finding a female with the right height.”

      Erika didn’t know whether to be amused, insulted or peeved. “Is this why you took Tia and me for hot chocolate and promised her that story? That was pretty low.”

      “Two minutes ago it was brilliant and generous.”

      “That was before I found out you wanted payment.”

      “It’s not that bad a payment. Think about it. What’s the worst that can happen? You sit on a bench for the afternoon.”

      “Why would I be sitting on a bench?”

      “Well, you’d be an alternate, of course,” he said.

      “Excuse me? I played volleyball in college.”

      “That’s why I chose you.”

      “To sit on the bench?”

      “The guys get a little bloodthirsty,” he explained. “It’s all in fun, but I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

      She shook her head. “So I’m supposed to be the token nonplaying female? If the rest of the female members of your family knew this, they would fry you,” Erika said. “Can you imagine what Finola and Bridget would say?”

      “Bridget’s on Finola’s team, so I can’t ask her. It puts me in a bad spot. Besides it’s Snap against Pulse this time.” He sighed. “Do you remember Athena Wain-right?”

      Erika vaguely remembered the extremely tall, middle-aged copy editor for Pulse. “Yes, why?”

      “She moved to Idaho. I need a backup player and I’m surrounded by pygmies.”

      She studied him, seeing the exasperation mar his handsome face. “I don’t remember your being this competitive with your family.”

      His green gaze turned dark with an edge of sensuality. “When you and I were involved, I didn’t want to waste time talking about volleyball games with my family.”

      Erika felt a quick rush of heat and resisted the urge to lower her window for a cold breeze. “One condition,” she told him.

      “What is it?”

      “You let me play during the first fifteen minutes. If I don’t pass muster, then you can put me on the bench.”

      He paused, then nodded. “Deal,” he said.

      “Any news on your attorney’s return from his honeymoon?”

      “Still out of town,” he said. “I’ll let you know when he gets back.” The driver pulled in front of Erika’s brownstone. “Let me walk you to your door.”

      “Absolutely not,” she said, grabbing her purse and unlocking her door.

      “You don’t trust me?” he asked.

      Erika didn’t answer because the truth was she didn’t know who she mistrusted more in a situation that put her in close quarters with Gannon—him or herself.

      Gannon put Erika in for all three games. His uncle Daniel and cousin Cullen were clearly out for blood.

      Erika spiked the ball just over the net, squeezing out another point for Pulse.

      Gannon’s brother Tag caught his breath. “Good thing you got Erika. It looks like Daniel and Cullen brought in a relative of the Jolly Green Giant,” he said of Margo, the six-foot-four-inch woman playing on the opposite team. “What did they say her position at Snap is?”

      “Temp,” Gannon retorted, wiping the perspiration from his face. “If she worked there over a week, I’d be surprised.”

      “I repeat—good thing you got Erika since Charlie hurt his ankle.”

      “Yes, it is. My serve,” he said, catching the ball as Cullen tossed it to him. The only downside of having Erika on his team was that his gaze and attention frequently dropped to the movement of her tight rear end. It had been tough to keep his eye on the ball when she offered such a tempting view. He knew what she looked like naked. What she felt like. The knowledge brought out primal instincts that didn’t have anything to do with volleyball.

      Cullen shook the edge of his T-shirt against his chest. “Seems to me Erika isn’t officially working for Pulse yet, Gannon. I could have sworn I saw her headed for the fifteenth floor instead of the twentieth floor.”

      “You’re just scared,” Gannon said, tossing the ball above his head and hitting it hard and fast over the net.

      His uncle Daniel smacked it back, directly in Erika’s direction. Another woman would have ducked, but not Erika. She hit the ball with her head. Tag rushed forward and sent it across the net.

      Cullen spiked the return, but Erika set it up again, this time with her fists. Gannon spiked it just inside the boundary.

      Daniel groaned, then chuckled. “Gannon, you act like we’re competing for the position of CEO.”

      “We’re not?” Gannon said to his uncle and sent another hard serve over the net. Five minutes later Erika won the last point.

      “All right!” Tag gave Gannon a high five and turned to Erika. “You saved our butts.”

      “That’s an exaggeration,” she said with a breathless smile. “But you’re welcome. I’m glad I played one-on-one last week with the teenager I’ve been mentoring or I might have faded after the second game.”

      “Not you,” Gannon said, lifting his hand to hers for a high five, then closing his hand around hers for just a moment. Erika’s cheeks were pink and her face glowed from exertion. Her curly hair strained to be loosened from the elastic band that kept it from her face. The way she looked now reminded him of how she’d looked when he’d taken her to bed that first time. “How do you manage to look good even when you’re sweaty?” he asked in a low voice.

      The color of her cheeks deepened and she pulled her hand from his. “Nice try, but you owe me now,” she told him quietly.

      Gannon wondered what she meant and made a mental note to ask her later.

      “Gotta run,” Margo said. “Sorry about the loss, Mr. Elliott,” she said to Daniel.

      “Not your fault. I hate to admit it, but I think they wanted it more. Thanks for coming. Hey, Erika,” Daniel called. “I’m sure we could find a place for a woman with your talents at Snap.”

      Gannon felt a quick kick of irritation. “Butt out,” he said, stepping in front of Erika.

      “Whoa,” Cullen returned with a wide grin. “Territorial? You think she can get your father into the CEO office?”

      “Who’s eating Pulse’s dust right now?” Gannon asked, playfully egging on his cousin.

      “This was volleyball, wasn’t it?” Erika asked. “You are family, aren’t you?”

      “Yes to both,” Daniel said. “But