“It went fine. We’re coming up on a game against Detroit and they’re tough. We’ve got a couple of our key players injured, so we needed to talk strategy and replacements.”

“You guys want a beer or wine?” Carolina asked from the bar.

“Beer for me, thanks,” Trick said as he followed Stella toward the living room.

“Obviously it’s a game you all really want to win.”

“They’ve kicked our asses the last few meetings,” Drew said, taking two beers from Carolina and handing one off to Trick. “Injuries or not, we intend to take them down this time.”

Stella grabbed her water from the coffee table and took a long swallow. “When’s the game?”

“Monday night.”

“Home game, right?”

Trick nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’ll definitely be there to cheer you on.”

“I can make it, too,” Carolina said.

“Are you sure?” Drew had taken up a spot on the arm of the sofa, and smoothed his hand over her hair. “I know you’re in crunch mode.”

Carolina tilted her head back to look up at Drew and smiled. “This is an important game for you. I wouldn’t miss it.”

Drew leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. “Thanks, babe. That means a lot.”

“You two should get a room.”

“We have one. Or two. Right here, as a matter of fact,” Drew said with a wide grin.

Stella stood. “That’s my cue to leave.”

Carolina laughed. “It was not.”

“I’ve got to go anyway. I still need a hot bath or my muscles will cramp up on me.”

“I’ll go with you.” Trick took a few deep swallows of his beer.

“You do not have to leave. Drew was just kidding, you know,” Carolina said.

Drew slipped his arm around Carolina. “Was I?”

Carolina rolled her eyes. “You’re a terrible host.”

He laughed. “Hey, Lina’s right. I was just joking.”

“Oh, I know, but I’ll head out with Stella anyway.”

“And I really do need to be on my way.” Stella got up and put her empty water glass in the dishwasher.

Trick tossed his beer bottle in the recycle bin while she went to get her coat.

“We can catch up on the strategy at the next practice,” Trick said to Drew. “Give us both some time to digest it all.”

“Agreed,” Drew said, slapping Trick on the back. “See you an hour earlier, maybe?”

Trick nodded. “That’s a plan.”

Stella turned to Carolina and hugged her. “Thanks for spending time with me tonight. I’ll see you at the game Monday night?”

“Of course.”

Stella and Trick rode down the elevator together, Trick being surprisingly quiet. At least until they got outside.

“Share a cab with me?” he asked.

“Sure.”

Trick hailed a taxi, which fortunately didn’t take long since she really didn’t want to stand at the curb and shiver in the cold. They climbed inside and Trick gave the cab his address.

“My apartment is closer,” she said.

He turned to her. “But how can you take a nice hot bath at my place if I drop you off at yours?”

“You’re assuming I want to take a bath at your place.”

“I am. There’s still time to give the driver your address.”

She could say no, but she didn’t want to. “Your place is fine.”

“I knew you couldn’t resist me.”

She leaned against him. “You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? When in actuality, your tub is bigger and it has jets.”

He put his arm around her. “Damn, Stell. I feel so used.”

Her lips curved. She really, really liked this man.

And the warning bells clanged loudly in her head.

Chapter Seven

Once at his apartment, Trick wasted no time in heading to his bathroom. He wasn’t joking about getting Stella relaxed. He’d seen her pointing her toes and wincing in just the short period of time he’d been at Drew and Carolina’s place, and knew a hot bath was just the thing she needed.

“You should get naked,” he said as she leaned against the doorway to his bathroom.

“Is that the line you use on all your women?”

“First, no. Second, I don’t have women. I have you.”

She gave him an unfathomable look. “You do have me—for tonight.”