Scoring

“I give you a rubdown tonight and you quit tomorrow.”

“Who knows? Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. I haven’t decided.”

She stared at him for a moment. “Fine. Get your shirt off and get on the table. But next time, you tell me you want treatment before I get everything all cleaned up.”

“Sure thing. You’ll be happy to know you’ve got me thinking, by the way.”

Becka snapped a cover over the table, then opened the metal door of the supplies cupboard to get to the massage oils inside. He wanted a rubdown, fine, she’d give him a rubdown and send him on his way, just like she did all the players. She snatched a clean towel off the linen shelves, then swung around.

And the shock went through her entire system. Mace stood with his shirt off, looking at her inquiringly. For an instant, everything stopped while she stared at the corrugated muscles of his belly, trying to remember how to breathe.

As a physical therapist, she had studied the human body exhaustively. She had been around athletes of various levels for years, both clothed and unclothed, but nothing had prepared her for the way Mace Duvall looked with his shirt off. Flat ridges of muscle defined his abs and pecs. The taut, cannonball lines of his shoulders and arms spoke of power and control, of energy coiled into muscle built by effort and determination. The sun had darkened his skin, bleaching the light dusting of hair that ran in a suggestive trail down his belly to disappear in the waistband of his jeans.

He gave her an amused look. “Face up or face down?”

“Huh?” she said blankly.

“You want me face up or face down?”

Her brain simply refused to work. “Uh, where do you want me to work on you?”

His grin widened. “You really want me to answer that?”

Becka flushed, unable to keep her own eyes from straying to follow his gaze. “On the table, Duvall, or I’m out of here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said smartly and laid down, folding his hands under his chin.

She took her time moving to the head of the table, trying to compose herself. Trying to convince herself that touching him would be just like touching any other patient she’d ever had. Becka squeezed the massage oil on her hands and rubbed them together for a moment. As friction heated the oil, the scent of citrus wove into the air around her. She took a deep breath to clear her head, then lowered her hands to his shoulders, hesitating for just a moment before she touched his bare skin.

The warmth surprised her. It was as though he was stoked by some inner fire. She caught her breath for an instant and pressed downward, sliding her hands from his shoulders to the small of his back in one smooth motion. Her palms registered the texture of his skin, the cords of muscle that lay beneath. He was hard and rugged, smooth and streamlined, powerful, all hardened sinew and coiled strength.

Her practiced hands searched for knots, working to release the pockets of tension from muscles that had been asked to do too much that day. His broad back tapered to a narrow waist, a small patch of soft hair nestled at the very base. Now using pressure, now using deep strokes, she worked at him.

Time seemed to stop as she sank into the mesmerizing sensation of flesh against flesh. Smooth skin over bone and sinew, his body beckoned her to keep touching as she worked the tension from his back and shoulders, pushing on the hard muscles in the lumbar spine where his back dipped low just before rising to the tight, hard curve of his ass.

Becka moved to the side of the table, down by his waist, and ran the heels of her hands up the lines of muscle on either side of his backbone. Again and again she repeated the movement, now using her thumbs, now using her palms, coaxing every bit of tension from the muscles.

She stretched out over his body, her fingers curling over the edge of his shoulders, the skin of her forearms resting lightly on his back.

And suddenly, her mind filled with the vivid image of them naked together, her bare skin pressed against his, his hands tormenting her until she was hot and mindless.

She jerked upright, pulling her hands away as though they’d been burned. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

Mace turned his head to look at her inquiringly.

Becka licked her lips. “Okay, that’s it, you’re done,” she said, backing away. Then she glanced at the clock and gave a heartfelt curse. “How did it get to be midnight?” She wiped her hands and tossed the towel into the hamper.

Mace pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the table. “I thought it seemed like it went on for a while.” He stood and stretched. “Guess you lost track of time.”

“Get dressed so we can get out of here. I have to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to move.” Becka crossed to her desk, fishing her purse from the bottom drawer. She didn’t want to look at him standing there with his shirt off. She definitely didn’t want to remember what it had felt like to touch that body. Quickly, she snatched her keys, then rose and turned.

And found herself face to face with him.

He topped her by about eight inches, which left her looking at his clavicle. She dragged her eyes up from the hard planes of his chest, only to find herself drowning in his eyes.

“I dreamed about you last night,” he said softly, his drawl whispering over her skin and along her bones. “I’m trying to figure out why that is.” He touched his hand to the side of her face, running his fingertips down her cheek and tracing them into the open collar of her polo shirt. She shivered. Her purse dropped from nerveless fingers with a soft thud.

“I’m thinking it’s because of your mouth,” he said, staring at her. “I’m thinking it was because I was wondering what it might be like if I did this—” he dipped his head to take a light nip at her lower lip, sliding a hand around her waist to draw her nearer. “Or if I did this—” he brushed her lips with the tip of his tongue, featherlight, tempting them to part as her breath shuddered out. “Or maybe I should just do this,” he whispered, and he closed his mouth over hers in a hard, urgent kiss that sent her spinning into passion, unable to think, only to feel.

Hot and demanding, his mouth made no pretense of gentleness. The rough scrape of his beard was a sharp counterpoint to the silk of his tongue, to the teeth that scraped at her lips. His body was hard against her, the insistent pressure of his desire sending little shudders through her.

The heat overwhelmed her. His hands ran down her back, molding her to him. Though she might have satisfied her need to touch others through massage, she’d been starved for the feel of a man’s hands on her body. Need flooded through her, had her almost whimpering for more.

Long minutes passed as they dove into one another, mouths locked, hands roving. The soft release of breath punctuated the silence. Becka ran her fingers across his cheek and into his hair, even as Mace made a sound low in his throat and pulled her closer.

Mace had kissed her out of curiosity and desire. He’d no idea that kissing her would be like a fist in his gut, robbing him of air, making his head whirl, leaving him weak. Her mouth was a ripe, red fruit, tempting him to devour. It was too much, he thought dimly as he feasted on her lips, but he was powerless to stop himself.

The lithe, taut feel of her against him sent his system into overdrive and he made a small growl of satisfaction. For nearly an hour he’d lain on the table, feeling the stroke of her hands driving him mad, using all his control to keep from rolling over and pulling her to him, knowing it was too soon to touch her. Now, he needed to stop, but he couldn’t resist tasting her just a little more deeply.

Mace’s fingers slid down to the waistband of Becka’s shorts, tugging her shirt loose so he could touch the smooth, silky skin of her back.

Becka sighed against him. The sudden surge of wanting overwhelmed her. Sensation vibrated through her, making her excruciatingly conscious of every atom of her body. She needed his hands on her everywhere, needed him to release her from the tension that was stringing her tight. It wrenched a moan from her and she moved to wrap her arms around his back. Her car keys slipped from her fingers to hit the floor with a jangle.

She jumped at the noise. Sanity came rushing back. What was she doing? Tumbling for him, just like every other woman he’d ever met? He wanted to know what she was like in bed, he’d said so, and he’d been halfway there. She pulled out of his arms and sucked in a long breath.

“Oh no, we’re not done yet.” Mace reached for her again, his eyes darkened to the shade of old amber.

“Yes we are.” Becka put a hand on his chest. True, it trembled a bit, and she had to fight the urge to stroke him, but at least she was making a stand. Even though all she wanted to do was wrench his clothes off and… “I hope you’ve satisfied your curiosity, Duvall. From now on, hands off.”

“On work time, sure.”

“All the time,” she retorted, tucking her shirttail back in. “Let me be really clear about this. I’m not interested in being part of your parade.” She looked him up and down. “You’ve been around the block a few too many times for me. Now if you’ll get your clothes on, I need to get home.”

Mace slipped his shirt on. Becka picked up her purse and keys and started to walk out the door. Swiftly, he reached out an arm and pulled her in close against him.

“Now let me be clear about something. There is no parade of women, I don’t give a damn what people say. My life is my own, not what the media makes it. As for you and I—”

“There is no you and I.” Becka pressed her hands against his chest and glared at him. “And if you think I’m going to sleep with you—”

Wicked amusement filled his eyes and he brought his mouth down to ravage hers until he felt her arms weaken and heard her soft sigh. Then he raised his head. “It’s not a matter of if, darlin’,” he said, staring into her dazed green eyes. “It’s a matter of when.”

And he walked out the door without another look.

5

THERE WAS NO DOUBT about it, moving sucked.

Becka took a deep breath and began lugging a box of pots and pans up the dark, narrow stairwell that led to her new apartment. Feeling blindly for each step, she concentrated on using her chin to stabilize the trio of stainless steel mixing bowls and plastic dish rack that she’d balanced on top of the box.