Intercepting Daisy Read Online Free PDF Page B

bread and butter. The scent made his stomach growl. It wasn’t like he hadn’t eaten already today, but he’d happily down the whole thing.
    Harley pushed the bread away from her like it was contagious.
    â€œShoot,” he said.
    â€œShe told me that you made quite a speech before you had sex with her. Something to the effect that this was one night only, she shouldn’t expect to hear from you again, and you weren’t changing your mind.” She watched him pull a piece of bread out of the basket she’d pushed to his side of the table, smear some butter on it, and put half of it in his mouth. “Do the Sharks know you’re this sexually active?”
    He managed to swallow before he choked on the bread.
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œI’ve heard you’re busy.”
    He was so shocked at her comments he wasn’t sure how to respond. “As long as I’m doing my job, I don’t think they care,” he said.
    â€œIsn’t it a bit risky to engage in so many one-night stands?” she said. “Do you often forget the women you’ve slept with before?”
    â€œI don’t forget them,” he said.
    â€œIf the Sharks’ PR group’s campaigns are any indicator, they seem to believe you’re not having sex a lot. They also want other people to believe it as well.”
    He pretended like he didn’t feel the hair rising on the back of his neck and took another bite of delicious bread and whipped butter with a hint of sea salt and truffle oil. This was a bit more than a sticky situation. He eyed Harley across the table. She wasn’t making small talk; she was asking questions for a reason. And he was missing something.
    â€œWhat’s your point?”
    â€œWhy not be honest? Why are you lying to people?”
    He finished his slice of bread and hoped his entrée would arrive soon. He didn’t want to spend five more minutes with the woman across the table from him, but right now, he wasn’t interested in causing a scene in front of a hundred people who so far were ignoring him.
    â€œMost people see what they want to see,” he said. The server arrived with their entrées and asked Grant if he’d like another beer. “Not right now,” he said. “Thanks.”
    He waited until the server left and looked into Harley’s eyes. “Are you honest about yourself with everyone you meet?”
    She took a small bite of her salmon. “What about the people who’d like to get to know you as a person, not just as a football player?”
    â€œThey’re really not interested. They want an autograph or a picture with me.” His baked macaroni and cheese with a crispy panko bread crumb crust was waiting for him. “I’m used to it.”
    â€œDon’t you think it’s a little cynical?”
    â€œYou never answered my question. Are you honest about yourself with people you meet?”
    â€œOf course. Most people are—at least the ones who don’t have something to hide.”
    Despite his best efforts to remain unruffled, anger swelled inside him. He didn’t need to justify himself or his life to someone he didn’t know, but he realized he had no graceful way out of this. At the very least, he could make it quick. He caught a server’s eye and nodded. The woman quickly approached his table.
    â€œWould you please box this to go?” he said, handing his still-steaming plate to the server. He grabbed the credit card out of his wallet. “This is for the check.”
    Harley’s mouth dropped open. “You’re leaving?” she said.
    â€œYes,” he said. He gave her a nod. “Thanks for dinner.”
    â€œI guess you don’t recognize me,” she said. “I’m Harley McHugh, the new sports reporter at KIXI-TV.”
    Shit. For a minute there, he thought he’d slept with her and forgotten about it. So she was pissed because he