Crossing the Line (The Baltimore Banners Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

one-on-one." AJ finally spoke up, her voice still more subdued than Alec was used to. She faced him again, some of her stubbornness coming back as he watched. "A shoot-out."
         "What?" It wasn't what Alec expected to hear. "You want a shoot-out?"
         "Well, yeah. Kinda."
         "You're kidding."
         "No, I'm not kidding. I get five chances. If I can score just once, you agree to let me do a story on you."
         "You're kidding." Alec couldn't stop his chuckle, not sure which was funnier: that she thought he'd agree, or that she thought she had a chance. "No way."
         "Why not?"
         "Because it's ridiculous, that's why."
         "Why? Are you afraid I might actually get one across the line?"
         AJ stared at him, her hands fisted on her hips, the stubborn gleam back in her eye. Alec felt his eyes drawn to the shirt pulled tight across her chest and he had an irrational urge to shake some sense into her. The urge had nothing to do with what she was proposing, which irritated him even more.
         Several of the players watched him, waiting for his answer. Alec glanced around at them then at Nathan, and saw the corner of his mouth twitch in a smile he was obviously trying not to show. He tried to think of a way to say no without looking stupid. He had nothing to worry about—there was no way AJ would be able to get a puck by him.
         So what reason could he possibly have to say no?
         Alec clenched his jaw and swore to himself.
         "Okay, you're on. And I'll do one even better. Five chances to cross the line. Do it just once, and I'm yours for a month, twenty-four/seven. How's that sound?" He readjusted his grip on the goalie stick and lowered his helmet. "Nathan, get them suited up. I don't want them getting hurt."
         "What?" AJ's voice was a squeak of disbelief. "You want to do this now?"
         He faced her before she could speak again. "Now or never sweetheart. What's it going to be?"
         "Uh..." AJ studied him for a few seconds then nodded, her lips pursed in an obvious attempt to stop herself from saying anything else. He smiled at her then faced Gerry Brown.
         "And you Mr. Brown...now or never. What's it going to be?"
         "I would certainly never—"
         "Good, just what I wanted to hear. Somebody get him out of here. And Mr. Brown, I never want to see you again. Is that clear?" Alec didn't even wait to see what the reporter would do, just turned and walked back to the ice.
         This whole thing was ridiculous. There was no way AJ would score. But if he had to play this little game to be left in peace, then he would. At least he had managed to get one of them out of his hair. With any luck, the other one would be gone in a matter of minutes as well.
         Alec ignored the weird feeling that last thought gave him as his blades hit the ice.
     
    **
     
         "Oh my God, what have I done?" AJ muttered the phrase under her breath for the hundredth time. She wanted to rub her chest but she couldn't reach it under the thick pads now covering her. She wanted to go home and curl up in a dark corner and forget about the whole thing.
         Me and my bright ideas.
         "Are you going to be okay?"
         AJ snapped her head up and looked at Ian. The poor guy had been given the job of helping her get dressed in the pads, and she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Between her nervousness and the threat of an impending migraine, she was too preoccupied to muster much sympathy for anyone else right now.
         "Yeah, I'm fine." She took a deep breath and stood, wobbling for only a second on the skates. This was not how she had imagined the bet going. When she cooked up the stupid idea, she had figured on having a few days to at least practice.
         Well, not really. If she was honest with herself, she never even imagined that Alec would agree to it. But if he had, then she would have had a few days to