Playing the Game (The Renegades) (Volume 3) by Melody Heck Gatto Page A

crazy playboy that the
press portrays. He just seemed kind. Flirty, but kind.
    Maybe there’s more to him than she thought? But why
did she care? No, it doesn’t matter what’s underneath all that.
He’s a Renegades player and I work for the Renegades. He’s just my
job .
    A soft knock on the door startled her out of her
thoughts. It was Tyler. Looking at the clock it was only eight
forty-five. Not only was he on time, but he was early. Melanie
didn’t mention that.
    “ Paige? I don’t mean to bother you,
but is Melanie around? I’m supposed to meet her at
nine.”
    “ Tyler, come on in and sit down.
Melanie had a family emergency.” She motioned to the chair on the
other side of her desk.
    Tyler took a seat on the edge of her desk.
    “ That’s not really what I meant.”
She glanced at the empty cup sitting beside her laptop. This
meeting would require more coffee. She grabbed her cup off the desk
and stood up.
    As she moved past him towards the coffee maker, she
noticed a bruise under his eye. Not thinking, she lightly touched
his cheek, examining the bruise. “Oh my, Tyler, are you okay?”
    His golden-green eyes caught hers and her fingers
tingled as she realized what she was doing. Warmth ran through her
veins and heat filled her cheeks. Quickly she pulled her hand away
and took two steps backwards. What is happening here?
    Tyler flashed her a smile before he stood up. “Do you
mind if I sit on the couch? How long do you think she’ll be?”
    “ Who?”
    “ Mel.”
    Her brain slowly processed what he was saying. For
some reason she lost all train of thought when he spoke. That would
certainly need to stop. “No, you misunderstood.” She straightened
her shoulders and cleared her throat. The only way to stop this
nonsense she was feeling was to take charge. “Melanie didn’t say
when she would be back, she wanted me to meet with you
instead.”
    “ Oh? Okay. So what did she, or you,
want to talk to me about?” Tyler flopped carelessly onto the
leather couch. Crossing one leg over the other, ankle on his knee,
he watched her.
    “ Um, would you like a cup of
coffee?” It wouldn’t hurt to be polite before they got right down
to business.
    “ No thanks, I’m good. So is this
about last night?”
    “ Well, yes.” Looking around, she
decided to sit on the edge of her desk as she sipped some
coffee.
    “ Are you really going to sit all
the way over there? I feel like we’re yelling to each other. And to
be honest, I really hate to be yelled at.” Uncrossing his legs he
sat up straighter clasping his hands together. Tyler’s face was
serious.
    Her stomach flopped. She didn’t want to sit right
next to him. She glanced around the room as her sweaty palms
grasped her mug. Her eyes fell on the chairs that sat in front of
her desk. They would work.
    She dragged one over to the edge of the couch. She
sat her almost empty mug on the end table beside the couch, and
gently slid into the chair, crossing her legs and adjusting her
skirt. “Okay, the reason we wanted to talk to you was—”
    “ Do you have any water?” Tyler
interrupted.
    She sighed. “Yes, there are bottles beside the coffee
maker.” Was he trying to annoy her? Once he sat back down she
glared at him. “Ready now?”
    She thought about how Melanie had ended up yelling at
him. Obviously that didn’t work, and then there was his comment
about hating to be yelled at. She needed to take a different
approach with him. After all, she wasn’t Melanie. She wasn’t as
close to these guys as Melanie.
    “ Tyler, of course this is about
last night. Coach Walker has a press conference this
morning.”
    “ You know this whole thing was
blown out of proportion, right?”
    “ Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. Why
don’t you tell me your side? Then I can tell you what I think.” She
wasn’t sure this was going to work. And the way he kept
half-grinning at her made her light headed. I bet if he went up
in front of the press and gave them that