Flirt with Fire: Flirt with Me Series, #3

By Amy Manemann

In Flirt with Fire…

When event coordinator, Liza Daley, finds herself dumped right before Christmas, she begins to question her life choices. A trip to a bed and breakfast outside of town might be the trick to clear her head and focus. Unfortunately, her solitude is interrupted by the one man who has consumed her every waking thought for the past year.

Baseball catcher, Nolan Collins, has wanted Liza Daley from the moment they met. Out of respect, he's kept his distance, but it's nearly killed him to see her settling for a man who isn't good enough for her. Liza deserves to be loved and cherished, and the longer he waits, the more he realizes he wants to be the man to deliver it.

While the snow continues to fall, and temperatures drop, Nolan and Liza flirt with fire as things heat up inside the B&B. Nolan knows that it's now or never to show Liza that there are more things to life than what she's let herself settle on, like finally taking a chance on love.

The Flirt with Me Series: This series or three books was previously released as fan fiction in Melissa Foster's Remington World. With permission from Melissa Foster, the story and characters remain the same with new titles and covers. Flirt with Fire was previously published as Catching up with Love in 2017. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amy Manemann
• Release date: Dec 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386248606

Book preview

Chapter 1

Elegantly dressed guests crowded into the spacious penthouse apartment, a classic rendition of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas playing softly on a speaker overhead. Sharply dressed waiters mingled through the crowd, their trays laden with finger foods and flutes of champagne. With Christmas just around the corner, everyone was in the holiday spirit. Everyone, that is, except him .

Leaning against a wall in the corner of the room, Nolan Collins lifted a champagne flute to his lips, grimacing as the bubbling liquid slid down his throat. He never cared much for the stuff, was more of a beer kind of guy.

Go and play nice. Sage advice from his business manager, Bernie Pringle, when Nolan had balked at attending the team Christmas party. He wasn’t in the mood to play nice with anyone, not since baseball season ended.

A starting catcher for the New York Marlins, Nolan’s life revolved around baseball, and when he wasn’t on the field, he was in the training room getting ready for next season. His best friend and Marlins baseball pitcher, Evan Ahrens, liked to give him shit about being too invested in the game. For years he’d just brushed it off as a joke, though more and more lately Nolan was beginning to wonder if perhaps he shouldn’t be looking at what came next.

At twenty eight years old he was still in the prime of his career. Hell, there were catchers who were still grounding balls in their forties, but Nolan knew there was only so much a person’s body could take before time and age started to wear it down. It was a sobering thought, and not one he liked to consider, which is why he spent several hours a day in the training center keeping his muscles in top form.

The infectious laughter of his date drifted over the holiday music, and Nolan found himself studying the leggy brunette. Monique Arlys, one of New York’s top fashion models, was gorgeous and looked even better on his arm. He was pretty damn lucky, or so his teammates told him. Lately, however, he wasn’t feeling it.

They’d been dating on and off for the past two months. Never one for being a one woman man, he’d made it more than clear things weren’t moving into the serious arena, had even gone out of his way to be seen on dates with other women, but the tabloids were still dubbing them this season’s hottest couple.

For Monique, it was the icing on the cake in an otherwise successful career. She loved the attention and thrived on it whenever they were out in public. For Nolan, he was weary of the entire affair and more than ready to be done with it altogether. Monique was sweet, but she was calculating. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe she harbored any true feelings for him other than the social status he could gain her. There was a time in his life when an empty relationship wouldn’t have bothered him. These days, however, Nolan found himself looking for something more.

Hiding in the corner? Seriously, Man. Evan Ahrens crowded Nolan’s space, blue eyes crinkled at the corners in silent laughter.

Just casing the joint, making sure no one bothers my hot date. Speaking of hot dates, where’s your gorgeous fiancée this evening? She didn’t let you come alone, did she?

Evan’s face lit up at the mention of his publicist and fiancée, Mia Scott. When Evan pulled a stunt that put him in hot water with the Marlins’ board of directors, Mia was hired to update his image. The two ended up falling in love, and Evan had only just recently proposed. Last Nolan heard, plans had been set for a Spring wedding.

It was because of their whirlwind relationship that Nolan started taking a harder look at his own life. Evan had been a confirmed bachelor and loved to play the field just as much as Nolan, but when his friend met Mia, everything had changed.

Liza caught her just inside the door and asked for her help with something. She should be coming though.

Eliza Daley was just Liza to her friends. A painful tightening in his groin made Nolan shift his stance. Jesus, just thinking her name gave him a hard on. His hand tightened on the champagne flute. He really needed to get a grip. As if on cue, the familiar figure of Marlins’ event coordinator weaved her way through the crowded room, snagging his eye. He had a feeling she might be in charge of the party tonight, which was the only reason he’d allowed himself to be talked into coming. Why he was torturing himself with something he couldn’t have was beyond him. But oh what sweet torture it was.

Nolan wasn’t the type of guy to let himself be ruled by his emotions. That is, until Liza began working at the stadium. In one meeting, the sassy mouthed blonde had him tied up in so many knots he couldn’t decide if he was coming or going. Not that it would have done him any good.

At six foot three, with blonde hair and hazel eyes, Nolan was used to women seeking him out, not the other way around. Liza was different. Minus the fact that she already had a boyfriend, a minor status detail Nolan was certain he could change if he really wanted to, she actually went out of her way to avoid him at all costs, making it perfectly clear that in no uncertain terms would she ever go out with a player like him.

A player like him, he scoffed, downing the rest of his champagne and dropping the empty flute on the table next to him. She didn’t even know him. What the hell was she basing her opinion on, the local tabloids? Despite the fact that he was dating Monique, Liza’s words still managed to burn a hole in his gut.

Liza. Damn it. Of course, Evan would have to bring her up. Nolan gritted his teeth. How long you guys planning on staying? I was going to head out here in a few.

Evan scowled. Dude, really? You’ve been here what, ten minutes?

More like twenty. Twenty minutes too long if you asked him.

Exactly. Why don’t you grab another fru-fru drink and go play nice with your date while we wait for Mia. There’s something she wanted to talk to you about.

Nolan winced. Evan and Mia were two of his closest friends, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for them, the exception being listening to Mia ramble on about the expectations of the best man for their wedding. He’d been honored Evan had chosen him, though had he known all the headaches involved he would have gladly paid for them to elope.

Yeah, I got her messages. He raked a hand through his hair. What’s with that, anyway? Can’t she just send me an itinerary like a normal person?

A sheepish look crossed Evan’s face. Nolan’s stomach tightened. He knew that look. It was the look Evan got when something was seriously going to piss Nolan off.

Ev? What’s the deal?

Nolan! It’s so nice to see you! Mia interrupted brightly, rising on tip toe to press a kiss to Nolan’s shaved cheek.

Nolan returned the embrace, but his greeting died on his lips when his gaze landed on a nervous Liza standing a few steps behind Mia. She wore a pair of simple black slacks and a long sleeved, deep red silky shirt that brought out the rosiness of her cheeks. She wrung her hands together nervously, looking as if she was ready to bolt at any second.

His eyes swept over her flawless skin, committing every detail to memory, before meeting her cornflower blue eyes again. Her lips were parted slightly, and her cheeks flushed even brighter under his scrutiny. God he wanted her. The thought came unbidden, leaving him slightly bemused. Since their first meeting he’d had a thing for the precocious blonde. He just couldn’t seem to get her out of his head.

Mia, you look lovely as ever.

He barely registered what he was saying, his gaze still locked on Liza. It had been two months since he’d last seen her, and the time apart had done little to lessen his desire for her. He was utterly and totally screwed.

Mia laughed, sliding into Evan’s waiting arms. Since you haven’t even looked at me, I’ll take that as a compliment.

A bit unnerved by Mia’s perceptiveness, Nolan dragged his gaze away from Liza. Wow, didn’t that make him feel like a jackass. He flashed a grin, hoping to cover for his lack of finesse.

There isn’t a man in this room who hasn’t noticed how lovely you look. Trust me. Nolan’s grin widened when Evan shot him a hot glare. He knew how much his friend loved being reminded that men liked to ogle his fiancée. Evan had a bit of a protective streak in him.

Thanks for the reminder.