Playing for Keeps/Body Check (Rules of the Game) (15 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
Adam shook his head. "You got it bad for her." It wasn’t a question.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Quinn was not the type to reveal details of his personal life to anyone, but Adam was his best friend.
 
"Yeah, guess I do."

 
 
 
 
 
 
"The old man giving you shit?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I want to go slow because of what happened with her and Goyette, but she's afraid, you know?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Yeah, that bastard should have been booted out of the league for what he did to Mia, but I guess money talks. At least he was shipped to Toronto. They can have him."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Adam changed the subject. "You looked good in practice today. Keep that stick hand sharp and we're going to take it all."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Quinn agreed. "I feel good this year. I'm not a rookie anymore, so the pressure's off. You and Morrissey fit like a glove backing Vail's line. Good work."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Adam took a last pull of beer, then placed the bottle on the bar surface. "Mia looks gorgeous tonight."

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Don’t look too hard, Piersson, she's with me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I know that. You know that friend of hers, Elena?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
Quinn's eyebrows creased. "The chiropractor? Yeah sure I know her. Nice woman, fixed my back a while back. Got magic hands, that’s all I'll say."

 
 
 
 
 
 
They shared a laugh, then Quinn decided a little teasing of his teammate was in order. "You like her, Piersson?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
Adam, who wasn’t known as a conversationalist, shrugged. "Let you know."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Quinn laughed. "Elena's single, gorgeous, successful, what more do you want? I hear she's got the hots for you."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Rather than answer, Adam took a sip of his beer, then changed the subject. "So what's up with you and Mia?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
Quinn nodded.
 
"Sometimes I feel like a teenager when I'm with her. Shit, Adam, I'm nearly thirty years old, and I'm treading on eggshells because I don’t want her traumatized. "

 
 
 
 
 
 
"So what's your solution?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I'm promised to take it slow, but that's not working. You know I'm not a patient guy."

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Well, then, what are you doing here at the bar? Go dance with her, Bro."

 
 
 
 
 
 
Placing the empty glass on the bar surface, Quinn nodded.
 
"Sounds like a great idea."
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Telling Adam he'd see him at practice in a couple of days, Quinn made a bee line straight to Mia. He'd missed her for the short time he'd been involved in the auction.
 
Now he wanted her in his arms.
 
Hearing the music, he held out his hand and she took it, squeezed it, and he led her onto the dance floor, holding her close. She smelled like moonlight and roses, her body pressed into his, and Quinn looked into her eyes, beautiful amber orbs that locked with his.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Moving as one on the dance floor to a lazy ballad, Quinn and Mia needed no words. They just became one with the music. Holding her body close to his as they swayed, Quinn allowed her scent to drive him wild. He pulled her tighter, and closed his eyes. There was nowhere else he'd rather be, than in her arms.

***

 
 
 
 
 
 
Hours later, the dinner at an end, Mia found herself facing Quinn in the lobby of her apartment building.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I hate saying goodnight to you." He kissed her. "Don’t send me home alone, Mia."

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Quinn, don’t do this again." She kissed him back, swirling her tongue around his, her resistance breaking apart a piece at a time.

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I have to put the publicity package together for the dinner and it has to be done tonight."

 
 
 
 
 
 
He slid his palms down her breasts, teasing her nipples through her dress, making her legs turn to jelly. "You're good at persuasion, you know that?

 
 
 
 
 
 
"So you'll come home with me?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Please don’t ask me, Quinn, please."

 
 
 
 
 
 
He tried to keep his impatience in check. Reluctantly he let her go. "Ok, ok, I understand. Damn I should get an award for this," he said, his joke falling short.

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Thank you, Q."

 
 
 
 
 
 
He took her chin in his hand. "I've never waited for any woman, but I'll wait for you. I'll wait. No game tomorrow, no practice until late afternoon." He wiggled his eyebrows, making her smile.
 
"And here's a little incentive."

 
 
 
 
 
 
He kissed her eyes, nose, one cheek at a time, then her mouth. A deep crushing kiss took her breath and it was all Mia could do to walk away from him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
"Good night," she barely whispered.

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I'll be waiting for you, Mia, mine."

***

 
 
 
 
 
 
There was a package leaning against her door outside her apartment when she arrived home.
 
Ah, bless Henry's heart. She smiled, lifted it, then unlocked her door, stopped and took a breath.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Why did she send him away?
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
She brought her finger to her mouth, her lips throbbing from his crushing kisses. Her body up in flames, she was hot and sweaty, every fiber of her being wanted him, craved him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Why couldn’t she and Quinn be friends and lovers?
 
They didn’t have to get serious, and no one would get hurt.
 
His kisses and his hands made her body come alive when he touched her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
She pushed open her door, stepped into her apartment, her thoughts never straying far from him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
She could hear his velvety sexy voice, feel his seductive touch, see those blue eyes of his as they became dark with passion when he touched her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
"I'll never sleep tonight," she said out loud, and entered her bedroom. "What are you doing to me, Quinn Rafferty?"

 
 
 
 
 
 
Her body ruling out her mind, she texted her assistant, Henry Richter, thanked him for his work at the auction as she hugged the package he'd left at her door. Then asked him one more favor; would he put the publicity package together without her?
 
He texted her back and told her he'd already completed the task, had all the photos on hand from the fundraiser and auction. It would all be on her desk the next morning.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Now what?

Blood rushing through her veins as she made a decision, she slipped out of her gold dress and tall heels, removed her jewelry and underwear, then rushed into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Instead of shrugging into her jeans moments later, Mia instead opened the package, slipped the jersey she'd won at the auction over her head, stepped into sneakers, slid into a pair of black lace thongs, grabbed her lined raincoat to keep out the cold and left her apartment.

It was now or never.

She'd kept Quinn waiting long enough.

***

What possessed her to show up at Quinn's apartment at three a.m. on a cold March morning?

You know exactly why you're here.

Mia mulled the answer around in her mind, what little she had left of it, as she looked up and down the hall.
 
She knocked gently, willing her fingers to stop trembling, her heart to slow down from its incessant pounding.

Garnering second thoughts, she turned to walk away, when the door swung open and she felt herself being pulled in by a strong familiar hand, the door shutting behind her.

Suddenly assaulted by the smell of soap, heat, and Quinn, she allowed herself to be pulled into a dimly lit room.

She faced him, and that wicked smile and his blue eyes pierced the distance between them. "Hi."
 
His voice was low and purposefully seductive.

It was obvious that he'd just come from the shower, evidenced by his wet hair, several soaked strands laying messily over his forehead, which gave him a more wicked appearance.

The towel that fell low on his hips revealed the full width of his shoulders, and carved planes of his massive chest, sprinkled with damp dark hair.

She swallowed. "Hi."