Scoring Position

V.K. Sykes

Jan 2016 · V.K. Sykes

About this ebook

 A brand new book in the USA Today Bestselling PHILADELPHIA PATRIOTS series of sexy sports romances!

Big, tough, sexy…and trouble.

As far as sports agent Kate Berlin is concerned, that describes Nick Rome perfectly. Landing the hard-charging, talented catcher as her new client is a huge coup, and Nick could catapult her small agency into the big leagues—or destroy her reputation if she screws up. Since Nick has a habit of butting heads with Patriots management, the chance for disaster is high.

Nick’s had serious agent troubles, so he’s willing to give smart and sexy Kate Berlin a try at negotiating his new and much-needed contract. The hardworking single mom is determined to manage Nick both on and off the field, clamping down on the attraction blazing between them. But nobody keeps Nick Rome under control—either on the field or in the bedroom.

Can Kate handle Nick as both her lover and her client, or will succumbing to passion destroy the professional life she’s worked so hard to achieve?

The Philadelphia Patriots Series

Fastball: A Prequel Novel

Book One: Hardball

Book Two: Bigger Than Beckham

Book Three: Curveball

Book Four: Payoff Pitch

Praise for The Philadelphia Patriots:

“This series is excellent and the 4th instalment does not disappoint. The Sykes tell a great story and for those of us that enjoy the sports aspect and the romance aspect it’s the best of both worlds…Curveball gets a GRAND SLAM – 5 Stars from SYMFB!” ~ Save Your Money for Books

“Spicy new sports romance that knocks it out of the park!”  The Kindle Romance Review on Payoff Pitch

"PAYOFF PITCH delights with likable characters and loads of realism." ~4 stars, Single Title Reviews

EXCERPT:

Kate was glad she hadn’t yet taken a drink of the Scotch since she likely would have done a spit-take. Nick Rome was nothing if not blunt. And a little intimidating, especially when he pulled his chair so close that she could feel the heat radiating off his wickedly muscular body. She’d never seen him in anything other than a baseball uniform, and then only from seats high in the ballpark stands or in photographs. But even at a distance, he was clearly one seriously hot dude. Every female in Philadelphia—maybe the whole country—knew that.

But sitting this close, Kate could even see the grain of bristle on his hard jaw and the knowing glitter in his dark gaze. In fact, he was so damn masculine and sexy he was practically giving her heart palpitations. Nick Rome might not be tall as professional athletes go—about six-one or so—but he was built like a human Freightliner. There was nothing trim or tapered or elegant about the guy. He didn’t even look super-athletic. He just looked powerful. Dominant, robust, hard as nails—those were the descriptions that slid easily into her head. From his massive shoulders through his deep chest to big, muscular thighs, Nick Rome looked more like a middle linebacker or even a military commando than a ballplayer. His hands—callused and rough catcher’s hands—were huge.

Kate couldn’t wait to find out whether his dominating physique was matched by an equally tough, take-charge personality. From his reputation, she suspected it was.

“Am I coming on too strong, too close? Do you want me to back off?” Nick asked when she didn’t respond right away.

Yeah, but no way would she admit that. “Not at all.” She gave him a sugary-sweet smile. “Are you hard of hearing? I could speak louder if you like.”

Nick laughed, a deep bass rumble that vibrated through her in all the right places. “This is just the sort of gamesmanship our jackass general manager tries to pull off on agents and players. Consider it a test you just passed.”

Kate raised her brows. “You’re saying Dembinski invades your personal space?”

When he scooted back a foot, she could finally breathe again. “No, but he might try to invade yours. The man likes his women, and you’re smoking hot, Kate, in case you haven’t noticed.”

He relaxed his awesome body into the uncomfortable looking chair, sipping his Scotch as if he’d just made a comment on the slightly chilly weather outside on this early May evening. As far as Kate was concerned, it might be a case of the pot calling the kettle black when it came to the Patriots general manager, given what she knew about Nick Rome’s rakish reputation.

“I’ll try not to wear something quite as sexy as this wild outfit for negotiations,” she said dryly. “Maybe a plastic trash bag or grubby sweats would do the trick.”

“Nah, even then you’d still look sexy.” His voice held a low, growly note that almost made her shiver.

Well, it did make her shiver, which was a bit annoying. Fun was fun, but it was time to get down to business.

Ratings and reviews

SCORING POSITION is the perfect book to banish the winter doldrums! Nick Rome, catcher for the Philadephia Patriots, just fired his agent. He wants to renegociate his contract, but the management doesn’t want to give him the money he feels he deserves, mostly because of his hot temper. His best friend and teammate, Nate Carter, knows someone: Kate Berlin, who has a small agency, but represents women and no one from baseball. When they meet, Kate and Nick know they can make a great team, as long as they can keep their mutual attraction under control; Nick doesn’t mind getting involved, but Kate is reticent. I am often a bit wary of sports romances, but it is definitely not a problem with SCORING POSITION; what a great book! I felt I was an insider attending contract negotiations, the sports environment sounds entirely genuine, and the baseball sequences are as vivid as watching them in the ballpark, or at least on a giant HDTV. The narrative flows easily; the prose is clean, uncluttered but elegant, the dialogues are spot-on: every character’s voice is their own, and the banter between the teammates is good for quite a few chuckles. SCORING POSITION is an absolute joy to read! I loved each and every character, even the not so nice ones, because they are all equally well-rounded and unique. What surprised me most is that this is the sixth instalment in the series, and I didn’t feel I missed anything! I loved the friendship between Nate and Nick; Kate is a single mother, and her son Dylan really does behave as a six-year old. Kate is nearly overwhelmed by Nick’s easy charm, and so is the reader; he is not overly arrogant, and Kate really comes off as a real person: professional, but not too perfect. V.K. Sykes’ knowledge of the game is extremely impressive, the writing is seamless, the characters believably complex, and the story is more exciting than most of the mysteries I have read recently; SCORING POSITION is a perfect game topped off by a grand slam by the home team in the ninth inning: fantastic! I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kate is a gritty, smart woman with a lot on her plate. Her plate just got a lot bigger. Nick is just the man to help her succeed in a career dominated by men but also the distraction she can't afford to have. Nick was a fun character. He was just cocky enough to aggravate and sexy enough to fantasize about. Kate held her own against the consummate playboy. I received an ARC of Scoring Position in exchange for an honest review. V.K. Sykes is a combination of sexy, smart and entertaining that always delivers a great read.