Page 8 of Hot Stuff
“I can.” I push to my feet, preparing to go in search of Tanya. “Remember that PI? Kristina Bancroft isn’t the only person I had him investigate.”
I leave him to think about that while I go to find Tanya. She’s probably in her office, which is where I left the bags of merchandise I want Walker to model.
I’d been so pissed when my car had gotten caught in traffic and I knew I’d be late. I had planned time to talk to Walker before the shoot.
I smile at the memory of Walker dropping his pants, the cocky smirk on his face forced until Tanya had all but swallowed her tongue and his smile turned genuine.
If I’d known what I’d walk in on when I finally got here, I wouldn’t have wasted the energy on anger and frustration.
Speaking of frustration.
I haven’t been sexually attracted to a man in months. I can’t even remember the last time I had sex. Maybe last year? The reality is I’ve had far more exciting things going on in my life.
And this morning was the reward for months, hell years, of hard work and planning, of out maneuvering and playing the old-boy network that believes professional hockey is a men-only world.
Today, as the CEO of KAW, I signed a deal with the National Hockey League that will bring, not only a national professional sport, but much needed jobs and community to my beloved hometown.
It has been a hard road so far and I have no doubt it will only get harder.
Once word gets out about the franchise details, I expect backlash. From where the team will be located, to the people running the organization, to the employees, I fully expect to have to defend every choice, every decision.
But it doesn’t matter. It will be more than worth it when we hit the end of our first season as winners.
I have no plans to allow this team to fail. I’ll make sure they have everything they need to succeed.
By the time we take to the ice the first time, the players, coaching staff, supporting staff, the front office, all their families, will be one big family, a community set on one goal and one goal only.
Winning.
Finding Tanya where I expect, I grab the bags of Rogue merchandise and say, “I’ll head out and get Walker in the first of what I want photographed.”
“Ah, is he…”
I laugh at Tanya’s flustered response. “Yes. He’s covered.”
“Oh.”
I can’t tell if she’s happy about that or not. I also can’t decide if I’m upset by the thought of her being disappointed she won’t see him half naked again.
That’s something I’ll have to ponder later. Right now, I want to get this shoot over with so Walker and I can head to my hotel and hash out the rest of the details so we can get his contract altered if needed and his signature on the bottom of it.
I have no doubt he’ll sign.
The man needs us as much as we need him, and I plan to make sure we both get exactly what we need.
Time slips away as we get through all the gear I want to take photos of Walker wearing. He’s a feast for the eyes, clothed or not, and regardless of his recent injury and shift from elite athlete to elite athlete coach, he has the body to make our sportswear look good.
And who says you have to be a professional athlete to wear our clothes?
No one. This new line might be in our high performance collection designed for elite athletes but Rogue has collections of clothing for the everyday man—or woman—too.
Our women’s line is what started the business. It’s what we’ve built our empire on. It’s our foundation. And it’s given us the ability to see our dreams come true.
Walker is in the final outfit, a pair of ankle length compression pants and a matching long sleeve shirt. He might be clothed from neck to ankle but there is nothing left to the imagination here.
Every inch of him is on display.
Every mound of muscle, every dip of manly flesh is right there. I know these particular garments are meant to be worn beneath other clothes but damn, I’m going to have to have a word with the girls.
