Page 4 of Falling for Mr. Wright

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Buy you lunch every Friday in January? Drop off and pick up your dry cleaning for three months?”

His expression lightened a bit at that. “Nowthat’stempting. You get love, and I get pressed pants. If I agree, I’m definitely getting the better end of the deal.”

She punched his arm. “Not everyone is against being in a relationship. You should try it.” She motioned behind her. “There are a lot of pretty, single girls in the office who would die to go on a date with you.”

“Nah. I think I’ll renew my bachelor card for another year.”

“You’ll turn it in one day. So…” She pasted on what she knew was her best pretty-please smile. “Will you help me?”

He folded his arms across his chest and studied her for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

Her heart raced to a first-round victory.Yes!His answer was good enough for now. She rested her hand on the door handle. “Thank you. If there’s anyone who can help make Logan see I’m the one for him, it’s you. And trust me, Coach Wright. When he and Idoget together…” She opened the door and winked. “…Logan will feel like he won the Super Bowl.”

Satisfied with the progress she’d made, Sarah spun on her heels…and slammed straight into the other half of Team Sargan.

…

“Why will I feel like I won the Super Bowl?” Logan asked, looking from Sarah to Ryan.

“Um…er…Merry Christmas!” Sarah raised the Santa hat, a shaky, too-big smile plastered across her face.

Ryan suppressed a smirk as he watched the adorable redhead stumble over her words. She began rambling about the upcoming holiday party, asking Logan if she should purchase a ten-pound Christmas goose.

This ought to be good.Just how was she going to segue from a Christmas goose to Logan winning the Super Bowl? He should let Sarah dig her way out of this solo, but he wasn’tthatbig an asshole.

Even if shehadjust stomped on his heart.

He opened up the top drawer of his desk, pulled out a legal-size envelope, and held two tickets out to Logan. “I was going to surprise you later, but I have two VIP passes to the Jets game next week.”

That much was true. Before he’d joined Logan at NPH Designs five years ago, Ryan had worked for a firm who had renovated portions of the stadium, including the pressroom. He’d run into one of the PR directors at the gym a few days prior, and the man had hooked him up with two VIP tickets on the fifty yard line, along with seats to the fifth-quarter press conference after the game.

The person he’d wanted to invite was now the reason he wouldn’t be asking her. Sarah had never been to a professional football game. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t fantasized about her bundled up in her puffy black jacket, sipping hot chocolate, cheering on the Jets.

Of course, in his fantasy, they’d be celebrating touchdowns with his arm draped around her shoulders, and then, much later, he’d find another way to warm her up that involved far less clothing.

Ryan shut down that thought as fast as it came, feeling a prickle of sweat under his collar. He and Sarah were just friends—a fact she’d just reinforced by all but demanding he help her land Logan. What he may or may not have wanted didn’t matter.

He handed one of the tickets to Logan. “Since they’re playing the Patriots, I thought you’d enjoy meeting some of the players. I asked Sarah if she could swing by to see what your calendar was like next week before springing the tickets on you.”

She smiled. “All clear after two p.m.”

Ryan caught the grateful relief in her beautiful green eyes.

“I would have cancelled all my meetings for this,” Logan said, looking down at his ticket. “Wow. Full access. Idofeel like I’ve won the Super Bowl. Thanks, Ryan.”

“See, Ryan?” Sarah offered, smiling up at the guy like she’d won the Super Bowl herself. “I told you he’d enjoy it.”

Ryan barely suppressed his scowl.What am I, chopped liver?

“Thanks for getting a head start on the Secret Santa thing.” Logan pointed to the hat in her hands and winked. “I’ve got some ideas for mine. I hear she really likes Christmas.”

Sarah’s grin took a nosedive. It might’ve been funny if Ryan didn’t like her so much. She shoved the Santa hat at Ryan, not taking her eyes off the CEO. “Reach in,” she ordered.

“I already got mine.” He flashed the paper he’d been holding in his palm all this time.

“Right. Okay then.” She seemed lost for a moment, looking between him and Logan, before gathering herself and lifting her chin. “I’ll just go finish taking this around.”

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