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His expression grew serious “So what is this favor, anyway?”
“Oh, no I’ until you have a full stoo”
He grunted but didn’t offer any argument His stomach was too important
He reached for the remote and flipped on the TV A few seconds later, the sports recap was on, and he settled back against the couch
The pizza didn’t take long—thanks to the bistro right around the corner offering delivery service Soon the decadent smells of a completely loaded pizza filled her apartrowled in anticipation She eyed the gooey dripping cheese and griht to her hips Then again, that’s what the treadmill was for
She dropped the box on the coffee table in front of Noah, not bothering with plates He eyed theakin to bliss
She waited until he’d grabbed the first piece before she carefully took a slice and nibbled on the end It was, in a word, sheer heaven She leaned back and waited for Noah to down the first slice When he was on his second, he turned and said around a mouthful of pizza, “So what’s this favor you need?”
She sat forward, putting half the slice down on a napkin
“I have this client…well he’s a client I want to land Evan Reese”
Noah stopped chewing “The guy who sells athletic wear?”
She nodded “Yeah He fired his last agency and has yet to sign with a new one I want him Maddox Communications wants him”
“Okay So where do I fit into the picture?”
For a moment her nerve deserted her, and then she mentally slapped herself upside the head In her profession there was no room for the spineless She hadn’t worked her way into the confidence of Brock Maddox acting like a jellyfish
“I want you to agree to front his new line of athletic wear”
Noah blinked then he frowned, and finally he put down his half-eaten slice For a moment he was quiet
She waited, fully expecting him to say no or to launch into all the reasons why he didn’t take endorsement
deals She knew thes Instead he studied her carefully, his gaze sliding over her features as though he was reaching right into her head and pulling out her every thought
He wouldn’t ask why hiht after than any other professional athlete mainly because of his refusal to take endorse companies, it made them all the more determined to be the first to lure Noah Hart to their brand
She could beg She could hurry through a prepared explanation as to why she needed hi to wheedle and cajole
Noah was still frowning as he studied her “This is important to you”
She nodded “Evan is a big client My boss is trusting et him with or without you, but you’d be the nail in his coffin Plus it would be huge for you Reese will pay a lot to have you be the spokesman for his sportswear”
Noah sighed “I wish you’d just quit this job You don’t have to work, and you know it You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone, Cece Certainly not to your fah money to support you It would make Dad happy if you didn’t have such a stressful job He’s convinced you’ll have an ulcer before you’re thirty”
She smiled faintly “I am thirty”
He shot her an impatient look
“Look, Noah, would you quit baseball just because your brothers h money to support you?
They do, you know”
A derisive, strangling sound rose from his throat He licked his lips as if to rid himself of a really bad taste
“It’s different”
“I know, I know You’re a ust “Noah, I love you dearly
You’re the best brother a girl could ask for But you’re a chauvinist to your toes”
He huffed but didn’t dispute her accusation Then his expression grew thoughtful again “I assume you’ve done your research on this man and his company”
Celia nodded before he’d even finished On the surface, Noah looked and acted laissez-faire He had all the appearances of a golden-boy jock whose only concern ht be fast cars and faster women But beneath that illusion lay a man who had a deep social conscience
His refusal of endorseained hiarded him incredulously as a fool to pass on the opportunity toto part with their dollars for his endorsement But the simple fact was that Noah did meticulous research on all the corporations that approached him, and so far none had passed muster with him
“E-mail it all toto listen to his offer”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek “Thanks, Noah You’re the best”
“I don’t suppose you’ll be so grateful that you’ll volunteer to clean my apartment?”
She snorted and picked up her slice of pizza again “Put it this way I’d rather quit my job and let you and Adam support me than clean your place”
He winced “Well, damn No need to be so mean about it”
“Poor baby Oh, hey, I need one more favor”
His eyes narrowed, and he glared at her “You just turn downlady and you insult me in the process and then have the cheek to want another favor?”
“How about I find you a replace service? Then both of us are happy”
He got a hopeful puppy dog look that would probably make mush of most women Thankfully she was his sister and completely immune to any adorableness on his part
“Okay, you find me someone to clear a path in my apartment and whatever this other favor of yours is I’ll do it”
“Wow—and you don’t even knohat it is”
“Should tell you how desperate I am,” he muttered
She laughed and punched him in the arm “All I need are two very cushy seats behind ho Evan Hopefully”
“Anyone ever tell you how expensive you are?”
“Hey, wait a second Ato convince me to quit my job so you could support me”
His expression went fro to serious with one blink “I just worry about you, Cece That’s all