“It’s good publicity,” Sam repeated. “For you. You’re our star, Pace, and you know it.”

“It’s only good press if she spins it that way, and trust me, I haven’t made the best impression.”

“Oh for God’s sake.” Samantha sighed, the sound of female exasperation personified. “How hard is it to smile and make nice for the pretty lady?”

Harder than she could imagine.

On the mound, Danny was still trying to sell Pace to Holly. “I bet if you dated him,” the kid said, “he’d teach you how to play.”

Holly turned and gave Pace the serious once over. She didn’t look too impressed, so her next words didn’t surprise him. “I tend to date a more cerebral type.”

“I’m cerebral,” Chipper told her eagerly. “I got an eighty-one in science.”

“Do the interview, Pace,” Sam said in Pace’s ear. “It won’t kill you, I promise.” She sounded amused, and hell if he wasn’t getting a little tired of amusing females at his expense.

And dammit, he was plenty cerebral.

“I’m going now,” Sam told him. “Just be nice. Women respond to nice. She’s a tough one, I’ll give you that, but I doubt you’ve ever met a woman you couldn’t crack. Flash her that million-dollar charm and give us some good press.”

He sighed. “I always give good press.”

She laughed, but he could hear her fingers already clicking over her keyboard, as always multitasking efficiently and effectively. “Oh, and if you could not sleep with her, that would be really great.”

Sleep with her?

Fuuuuurthest thing from his mind.

Not even a possibility.

Not even a spec of possibility.

Even if her hair was suddenly catching the sunlight, looking like spun gold. And her smile, as she aimed it at the kids, wasn’t for his benefit. Hell, she wasn’t even looking at him. Nope, she wasn’t playing them to get into Pace’s good graces; she was being heartwarmingly genuine. She had some sweet curves on her for such a careful thing, too, curves that would be even nicer with less clothing.

Okay, so maybe he’d given the briefest thought to sleeping with her.

The kids were walking her farther out onto the field, fawning all over themselves to try to impress her, and she was impressed.

Or at least acting it.

She was talking to them, not down to them as so many stupid adults tended to do, but to them, in a way she hadn’t with Pace. Yeah, she was definitely much more open now, and he felt as though he was getting his first real glimpse of her as she nodded, listening to everything Chipper said. She walked with confidence and smiled with compassion.

Two of his favorite things in a woman.

Danny handed her a glove, turning her to face River, and Pace straightened. No.

Oh no.