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“I worked at the Saints for a year or so.”
“You like baseball?” Alex asked. He released Will’s hand but Maggie noticed he kept himself between her and Will. And that he wasn’t giving anything away about what he knew about Will.
“Love it. Actually thinking of getting more involved again.”
“Wouldn’t think you’d have time now that you have your dad’s companies to run.” Alex sounded just faintly patronizing, as though Will couldn’t possibly handle even that much. Maggie hid a smile. As much as she found Alex’s “lord of all he surveyed” manner annoying, it was funny to see him turn it on someone else for a change.
Will’s smile grew a little fixed. “Oh, I’m handling things just fine, Winters. After all, those businesses have been in my family a long time. I’m not new to all this.”
Maggie bristled a little.
“Family businesses are tricky,” Alex said. “They often fall down in the third generation or so. I’ve bought a few in my time.”
“The Saints being a case in point?” Sutter said.
“There’s still a Jameson with the Saints,” Maggie said.
“Not running things though, are you?” Sutter said. “Besides, your deal isn’t approved yet, is it, Winters?”
“Merely a formality,” Alex said.
“You think you have the votes?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting,” Sutter said, glaring up at Alex. He ran a hand over his close-cropped head and peered up the hallway. “Looks like Ramona’s done with her call, I’d better go join her. We’re here with my mama. Doesn’t do to leave the ladies alone too long.” He smirked at Maggie. “But you seem to know all about that, Winters.”
Maggie narrowed her eyes at him but he nodded at Alex and moved around them both, walking rapidly toward Ramona.
Maggie blew out a breath when the two of them disappeared around the curve of the hallway. “Jerk,” she muttered.
“You got that right,” Alex said. He was frowning, his gaze, like hers, looking in the direction Sutter had taken. “Was he bugging you?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Maggie said. “He’s a jerk but he’s not an idiot. Still, thanks for coming to look for me.” She smiled at him, remembering Sutter’s face when Alex had gotten in his shot about family businesses failing in subsequent generations. Though from what she remembered of Corinne Sutter—Mama as all her children and her husband had called her—it wasn’t likely that she’d let Will ruin things. Tom used to call Corinne the power behind the throne when he’d dealt with Sutter senior. And Jack had been a lot tougher than Will. Still, the Sutters—thankfully—weren’t her problem. “Can’t imagine what Ramona’s doing hanging out with him but there’s no accounting for taste, I guess.”
“Indeed.” Alex nodded his head back toward the box. “Shall we go see if the Giants are going to pound the Steelers?”
“I think it’s the other way around,” Maggie shot back.
“You care to make a wager?”
“I don’t think I can afford your stakes.”
“Who said I was talking about money?” He reached out and pulled out his phone with a wicked grin. “Why don’t I text you some ideas?”
Chapter Twelve
The drive back from the stadium seemed to take forever. Alex had sent her several text messages throughout the game that had had her blushing and trying not to squirm in her seat. And now, here in the darkness and closeness of the car, she was trying to make up her mind whether to be smart or whether to indulge what her body wanted her to do.
Sleep with Alex Winters.
Sleep with her boss.
Sleep with the man who’d taken over her life.
She’d kissed him, touched him, let him touch her, yes, but somehow she’d managed to keep him at arm’s length, in her head. But letting him into her bed—letting him into her body—would mean that she couldn’t do that any longer. She didn’t think he was a “one great night of sex and kick him back out of bed” sort of guy. The fact that she was even contemplating doing this meant that he had a pull that was stronger than that.
Plus, she was in serious danger of just plain liking the man. She liked the way his brain worked, liked working with him. She liked the way he treated her and liked the way he’d come to find her tonight and had sent Will Sutter on his way. Sure, she’d been perfectly capable of doing that herself but it was nice to feel like someone was in her corner.
