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smile made his heart stutter. Made him remember how badass he felt when she’d smiled at him that night. “Thank you,” she said.
    She held out her hand. He took it in a firm handshake and strove to ignore the tug of lust in his stomach.
    “You won’t regret your decision,” she said.
    He wasn’t so sure. Something told him letting Elise back into his life, no matter how temporary it was supposed to be, wasn’t going to lead to anywhere good.
    …
    Just as Elise had predicted, Christian received a call an hour later from her father’s assistant requesting a meeting with him. The following afternoon, he walked into the Stampede team offices. The carpet was a deep, rich purple as befitting the team’s primary color. Surprisingly, the office wasn’t very fancy, even though it was a billion-dollar enterprise. Cubicles reigned supreme.
    He introduced himself to the receptionist at the front desk, who escorted him to the back of the office where the landscape changed. Here there were honest-to-God offices. She headed to a corner office and opened the door, waving him inside. Only Elise and her father Dale waited for him. He took a quick look around the huge office. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of downtown Dallas and the arena next door.
    Dale rose from his leather chair behind his massive oak desk and walked around to greet him. His walnut complexion and curly black hair, which he wore in a close cap around his head, matched those of his daughter. His stout figure indicated he’d continuously indulged in the food he’d become famous for making as a restaurateur before he’d bought the team.
    “Christian, I’m so glad you could join us today,” Dale said, offering his hand. Christian returned his brief handshake and nodded to Elise. She said “hello” in that sexy voice of hers that never failed to turn him on. Which he was putting out of his head right now.
    With a struggle, Christian broke eye contact and turned to her father. “When the owner of my favorite basketball team requests my presence, there’s no way I can say no,” he said. He hadn’t forgotten how to schmooze since his days in the film industry. It came back to him with startling quickness.
    Dale laughed. “You and your sister always know the exact thing to say. Can I get you some coffee or something else to drink?”
    Christian shook his head. “No, I’m fine.”
    “Please have a seat.” Dale gestured to a pair of leather armchairs in front of his desk. Christian waited for Elise to sit before taking his own seat. He tried not to notice how she was again wearing one of those skirts that molded to her curvaceous hips. Tried and failed. Maybe he should have accepted a drink after all.
    Dale walked around behind his desk and took a seat, his bearing befitting the CEO he was. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here, so let’s get to it. My first concern as the owner of this team is always the fans and making sure they understand how important they are to the organization and to the team’s success. My daughter is the team’s newest GM, and there has been some pushback on her hire. Some are concerned about her qualifications and her ability to do the job, and I want to appease them before the unrest can gain more traction.”
    Did Dale share their concerns? He certainly hadn’t denied it.
    “In an attempt to win over fans and make them feel like they are part of one big family, the league has started a series of videos on NBA.com that highlight players, coaches, and other team officials, so fans can get a firsthand look at what it’s like in the NBA. It’s a great series. While watching an episode the other day, it occurred to me that we should do an episode with Elise. Wouldn’t it be great to follow her, so fans can get more comfortable with her and see what a GM does on a daily basis? This will go a long way towards allaying their concerns.” When Dale looked at him expectantly, Christian