title: No Competition
author: Campbell, Marilyn
description: Casey Jones Hardin didn't recognize the cute blonde shooting pool in his billiard hall. But he did recognize trouble when he saw it. From the woman's cocky attitude, Case knew she was no amateur. And from her tight jeans and t-shirt, he could see she had the perfect curves to throw off the game of even the steadiest pro. Who was she?
  
  Joey Thornton was twelve years old the first time she met "Hard-Case" Hardin in the back room of the pool hall in her parents owned. To a chubby girl with pigtails and braces, the man seemed like Prince Charming with a pool stick. He didn't seem to care that she'd sneaked into the smoky male sanctuary. In fact, he treated her like a princess. When the wide-eyed Joey taught him her secret 9-ball trick, he agreed that he owed her a favor.
  
  A lot of things had changed in the thirteen years since Joey had met Hard-Case. The awkward girl with braces had become a blond beauty, and Case had done his best to leave the world of competitive pool behind. But Joey had never forgotten that brief interlude with the tall, dark, legendary shooter. He owed her a favor. And now, thirteen years later, she'd come to collect.