High Octane by Lisa Renée Jones Page A

day.”
    â€œYour luck was my loss,” Calista said. “I wish I had a little luck so I could talk you into speaking at my event.” She waved off the comment, silently letting Sabrina know she wasn’t pressuring her. “Back to the extreme sport otherwise known as Ryan Walker. I’m pretty sure you can come up with some exhilarating activities with that man that do not include skydiving. Don’t let him talk you into it.” A slow smile slid onto her lips. “He’s hot, girl, and he looks at you like he wants to gobble you right up.”
    â€œNo,” Sabrina said dismissively, and then because shecouldn’t help herself, leaned forward and asked softly, “He does?”
    â€œOh, yeah,” Calista assured her. “What a way to leave the political white collars behind in style. And honey, with a man like that all to yourself, I don’t blame you for wanting to protect your privacy.”
    Sabrina bit her lip. “This isn’t about Ryan.”
    Calista offered a coy look of her own. “Maybe not,” she said. “But I wouldn’t blame you if it was.” She reached into her purse and slid a card to the table. “Listen, the paper is only a few blocks from my office. We should have lunch. A real lunch, no politics. Just friends.”
    The two of them would never manage “no politics,” which was why Sabrina accepted the card and said nothing but, “Thank you. That would be nice.”
    â€œTranslation,” Calista said knowingly, “no, thanks.”
    â€œIt’s not you,” Sabrina said. In fact, she felt she quite clicked with Calista. And that was the problem. “I really need a clean break from politics, and you’re clearly immersed in that world.”
    â€œI’m not going to talk you into speaking, am I?”
    â€œNo,” Sabrina agreed. “You’re not.”
    Calista pursed her lips. “I respect that, but I’m still hoping you’ll change your mind.”
    It wasn’t long until Ryan returned and did what appeared to come naturally—got right to the point. “So, Calista. How about calling Marco and telling him to give Sabrina her interview?”
    â€œOf course,” Calista agreed. “I never meant to have this be some sort of quid pro quo. If Marco made it seem otherwise, I’ll happily kick his backside.”
    Ah, sibling love, Sabrina thought, with wistful amusement. She’d never experienced it, but often thought a friend for life who she could always count on would be a joy.
    â€œThen you won’t mind calling Marco now, I assume,” Ryan commented. It wasn’t a question.
    Calista shook her head and glanced at Sabrina. “Did I mention I never jumped out of that plane? He pushed me.”
    â€œI encouraged you,” Ryan corrected, and gave Sabrina a sideways mischievous look that said the word push might be the most accurate.
    Calista scoffed and retrieved her cell from her purse. “I felt a distinct push. Like now. Only this time I don’t mind. I’m calling Marco.”
    Several minutes later, Sabrina had not only bypassed Marco’s manager and set a time for her phone interview with Marco, but also one with his lead mechanic. She was on the way to her six-week exposé. Now, she just needed Frank’s thumbs-up.
    Sabrina and Ryan said their goodbyes to Calista and laughed their way across the parking lot. “Tell me you didn’t really push Calista out of the plane?”
    â€œNudged is more like it,” Ryan said, yanking open the door to his shiny blue Dodge Ram. “Marco had just told me we’d go by your place if there was time before his flight. I made sure we had time.”
    His hands settled on her waist, and she stepped onto the ledge to climb inside the truck when a moment of spontaneity hit her. She turned and faced him, her hand resting on his chest, their bodies so very