Thanks to CaRiNeSs, Didi, r3456 and typegirl19 for the favorable reviews and interest. Also, thanks typegirl19 for messaging me asking for the next chapter which got me over some serious writer's block on another story as well as this one. Thanks so much for reading and please review and tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions for the story since I still am not sure where I'm going to end up with this.-

He was going to kill his manager.

Jason Walsh sighed deeply and tried to keep his hands away from the collar of his dress shirt which was buttoned all the way up and slowly choking the life out of him. He had only just walked off an airplane from Los Angeles and was quickly making his way through the airport after hunting down and collecting his luggage when his cell phone rang and his manager, Artie Sands, gushed about how he'd gotten Jason an invite to a super exclusive charity dinner that night. Jason had tried to get out of it, stating that he was exhausted and had just finished not only doing a photo shoot for one of his many sponsors but had also been a guest host for one of those annoying entertainment shows that followed celebrities around and kissed their asses, acting like their bland comments were real and exciting news.

Jason was trying to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry since his recent retirement from baseball and had to stay in the public eye. He was already a celebrity to sports fans and New Yorkers and was quickly making himself a household name. You had to take jobs you normally wouldn't just to get your face out there and Jason did not want to fade away from the limelight quite yet, not until he had the chance to host his own sports show, which was being shopped around and looked like it might be picked up nationally. For the time being he was busy with speaking engagements and doing publicity for his many sponsors.

"Walsh, these are the kind of people who own the networks that we are trying to get on. Making a good impression with the New York elite can go a long way," Artie said, sighing and speaking to him as though he were a child.

Jason didn't mind the tone since he was always whining to Artie. His manager was in his corner and was working hard towards getting Jason what he wanted, a place back into the sports world. A shoulder injury had ended a great career with the Yankees and Jason was grateful that he got to live his dream. He played longer then most but now had a new dream and Artie was his right hand man who'd help him get there.

"I know, I know. I just hate going to these things and listening to irrelevant rich people comment on how great an athlete I 'was' and then blubber about their own successes in whatever sport they played in high school or college," Jason said.

"It's annoying, I know. But if anyone can bullshit their way into someone's good graces, it's you," Artie said. "So act like you want to be there and charm the hell out of those rich old codgers."

So, here he was, dressed up in a suit, tie and dress shoes that were delivered by one of Artie's assistants that didn't quite fit right but would look great in front of a camera. He was pretty sure the tie and collar of the shirt were in cahoots and were trying to slowly choke him to death, perhaps sensing how much he hated wearing them. Pasting a fake but genuine looking smile onto his face, he'd made the rounds when he arrived, greeting and introducing himself to as many people as possible then sat down as soon as the majority of the crowd started taking their own seats. Sizing everyone up at his table, he almost groaned out load when he noticed the celebutante sitting next to him. He'd been to several of the same functions as Kimi (really, that was her name) and she could never quite accept that not only was he not interested in her, he would never be interested in her. He liked women with real boobs, real hair and real brains. Thankfully, someone else usually managed to get her attention and she would end up with a much more cooperative admirer by the end of the evening. He prayed that tonight would be the same.

Avoiding eye contact with the dreaded Kimi, he greeted everyone else at the table and settled in for what looked to be a painful evening.

Then she sat down.

The first thing he noticed about the woman was the way she sat down. She moved with purpose yet was still graceful and very feminine. She wore a simple black dress that looked expensive and highlighted skin that was so smooth it reminded him of those commercials where women would bathe in milk. He wondered if that's what she did. Thick dark hair was pulled up into one of those fancy styles that most women seemed able to do with little effort, highlighting the curve of her neck and bringing his eyes to a stubbornly set chin. He had dark, wide doe eyes and a beautiful face. She looked like she was in her early to mid twenties and seemed to know the people at the table, who he'd dubbed as the more business orientated of the group, by her warm greetings to them.

"Hi, I'm Casey Shraeger," she'd said, turning those serious dark eyes on him and holding out her hand.

Smiling, Jason took her hand gripped it carefully yet firmly. She seemed like the kind of person who appreciated a decent hand shake. He was right, about how soft her skin was. It felt even better then it looked.

"It's nice to meet you, Casey Shraeger. I'm Jason Walsh," he said.