I was ready to leave when my father stopped me.

"Wait a moment, I want you to meet someone."

I nodded, leaning against the bannister. I wanted to go back to the house, take a swim, and then have a cocktail while I looked over my work.

I'd traded heavily that day and I wanted to make sure my instincts had been right. The market was already closed for the day and so far it looked like I'd done very well.

Very, very well.

A man came into the viewing box and I tilted my head, not recognizing him. He looked like a body builder or a movie star, or one of the guys who ran security for the team sometimes. My father waved me over and I paused, wondering why he was introducing me to this guy.

I realized with a start that this was number 7. The Neanderthal. And he was staring at me with a strange look in his eyes. His bright, strangely piercing eyes.

I walked over, suddenly feeling a bit shaky on my feet.

"This is Cade Dupree. Cade, this is my daughter Camille."

His icy blue eyes were somehow warm as he smiled down at me. The man was enormous! Practically a giant. I was tiny next to him. It should have intimidated me.

But for some reason the size of him didn't bother me in the least. His sheer strength made me feel protected somehow. As if he would look out for me.

I pulled myself up straight, shaking off the absurd thought.

I barely knew the man. And I didn't need protection.

He held out his hand and I reached for it, trying to ignore the warm feeling of his big rough hand covering mine. It felt… nice. Really nice.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Dupree."

"Likewise. Call me Cade."

I hesitated. I knew he was waiting for me to give him permission to call me Camille. But I didn't.

"Welcome aboard."

He just nodded, holding my hand in his. He held on way longer than necessary, to the point of absurdity. I glanced down, seeing that my hand was completely swallowed up in his. And he still wasn't letting go.

I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. He grinned at me in a predatory way. I tugged backwards slightly and his lips opened. I felt his calloused thumb graze the inside of my palm, sending shivers through my body.

Once.

Twice.

Then he started stroking the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist.

My father was talking the whole time, not seeming to notice the exchange. I scowled at the big oaf. This was the least subtle come on I'd ever had in my life! And even with my walls up, I'd had plenty. Usually I just discouraged them with a cold glance but that seemed to have zero effect on the caveman standing in front of me.

I was outraged!

I was livid!

I was also, infuriatingly, unable to look away from the man. His eyes held mine steadily, forming a strange electrical current between us. The seconds ticked past and it seemed like we were the only two people in the world. Finally he looked away, but only long enough to smile and nod at my father, who was oblivious to what was happening. Then he looked back and began to mentally undress me. He wasn't even being subtle about it.

The way his eyes traced the edges of my breasts and waist, travelling all the way down my legs and then back up again. He even licked his lips in appreciation. I could see everything he was thinking about doing!

Worse yet, I could feel it!

The second time his eyes drifted down, he really took his time. His eyes pushed the straps of my dress over my shoulders, then unfastened my bra and savored my breasts… they slid lower, tugging at my panties…

"Cade's going to be our ambassador this year Camille."

I snapped back to attention.

"What?"

"I asked and he said yes."

"Without consulting me? I am the one who runs the Kid's Club."

My father had the good grace to look uncomfortable.

"Cade's going to be big news this year Camille. And he's got a lot of interest in children."

"For what? Eating them?"

My father glared at me. I couldn't really believe I'd said that out loud but the man had me off balance for some reason. It was his eyes. It had to be those eyes.

Cade just laughed.

"You're a fire cracker. I like that."

I yanked my hand away from him while he was distracted. I clutched it against my stomach protectively. I knew in that moment that I hated Cade Dupree. He'd just made me lose my temper. No one did that. I was unshakable.

Well, normally anyway.

I hid a frown, realizing I was going to be stuck dealing with him all year.

I could have kicked my father.

I could have screamed.

Instead, I smiled sweetly and nodded.

"I look forward to working with you Mr. Dupree."

He grinned at me.

"I'm sure you do."

I bit back a sharp reply. It was clear he thought he was winning points with me, just by standing there. Oh how I longed to wipe that smug look off his handsome face! I was sure he was used to women falling at his feet. And now that he was a professional player it was just going to get worse.

Well, he'd just met the one woman who would never bend over backwards to please him. I was not interested. Not in the least.

I picked up my bag and nodded to them.

"I'll see you at home, father. Goodbye Mr. Dupree."

He jogged after me.

"I'll walk you to your car."

"That won't be necessary."

"I don't mind."

I kept walking, ignoring the man looming over me. He actually blocked out the sun, which could come in handy on such a hot day. Maybe if I wasn't so aggravated I'd thank him for being SPF 1000. But I was way too annoyed by his presence.

I picked up my pace. After a few minutes I was breathing heavily in the humid air, a thin sheen of sweat covering my skin. I scowled, annoyed to see that his long legs carried him so much farther with hardly any effort. He looked dry as a bone too, smiling at me as if we were good friends.

Like we knew each other. Intimately. I blushed and walked a little faster.

"What do you do around here for fun anyways?"

"I don't."

"You don't have fun?"

I shook my head, trying not to let him see how angry I was getting.

"That's too bad."

I had my opening to tell him that it was not too bad and just to move on to the next woman. For some reason I said nothing. Maybe I was curious to see what outrageous thing he would say next.

"I was thinking… since we're going to be working together so closely we should get together. Let our hair down."

"We won't."

"Won't what?"

I stopped in the middle of the parking lot, trying to stare him into submission. The daft man just stood there, grinning at me like a fool.

"We won't be working together closely. A few events here and there. We don't need to be friends."

"But I want to be friends."

He stepped closer to me.

"Real good friends."

I gasped at his audacity. He was either the most brazen, or the most stupid man I had ever met in my life. Possibly both.

"Whatever you are thinking right now… That will not be happening so you can just forget it."

I started walking again. I clenched my fists as he followed me to my car. I reached into my purse, fumbling for my keys. He had me so unnerved I didn't know what to do with myself.

"But I can't forget it."

I looked up at him sharply as I found my key chain, clicking it to unlock the door. I was annoyed as he opened the door for me. Even more so when he held the door open after I'd got in. He tilted his head to the side, staring at my legs.

He made a grimace as if it was hard for him to look at them. As if my very legs caused him physical pain. A pain he was clearly enjoying.

It was over the top and ridiculous. The man was absurd. No one could be that horny.

"No ma'am, no I won't be forgetting you. I'll be thinking of you later. Quite a lot of thinking I expect. More than once, that's for damn sure."

My jaw must have dropped. Was he saying that- that he was going to-

He stopped looking at my legs long enough to wink.

Dear lord, he was. That was exactly what he was saying. He was implying that he would think of me while he… while he pleasured himself.

I wanted to tell him to go to hell. I wanted to run over his foot. I wanted to drive off and never see him again.

But I couldn't. He was too important to my dad, and quite frankly, I didn't have the heart to hurt anyone, let alone a superb athlete like Cade Dupree.

I reached out for the door and grasped it, giving him time to get out of the way.

"Goodbye Mr. Dupree."

"Goodnight Ms. Rivers."

I ignored his smirk as I slammed the door shut. But I couldn't ignore the feeling of his eyes on me as I drove away. I could still feel those eyes on me hours later as I crawled into bed.