But Lisa had helped him to see the pleasures he was pursuing weren’t really doing jack shit to honor the dream—not his and not Manuel’s, either.
But he wasn’t ready to tell her any of that yet. He’d put off this meeting so long that by now, he only had one message for Lisa and it required no speaking.
As they reached the fourth floor, Javier tugged her from the elevator and toward his room at the end of the hall. He had a suite that overlooked the Ohio River where he planned to explore this attraction to his trainer in thorough detail.
“Javier.” She slowed to a stop beside him as he pulled out a room key.
He peered down the corridor over her head and saw no reporters. They would most likely think he was on the penthouse level anyhow, but the team travel secretary had been helpful in protecting his privacy by securing a room on another floor. Hell, who was he kidding? The team liked hiding him away from the press so he couldn’t say anything to cause an uproar.
“I think we got rid of them,” he assured her, opening the door to his rooms and ushering her inside.
“I quit the job,” she confided, stopping short in the tiny foyer near a slotted bench for removing shoes. “I’m not taking any more contract work for the Flames.”
That gave him pause.
“Did I chase you away after all?” He’d been trying to do exactly that when they’d first met since he hadn’t wanted the team to tell him how to run his workouts.
But just those few hours spent alone with her had been enough to make him realize he didn’t want to do anything to hurt her. He’d get the job back for her if she needed it.
He studied her under the dull light from an overhead fixture, her blond hair gathered in a loose knot at the back of her head with a few pieces slipping free around her ears and neck. She wore a deep blue sleeveless dress that hugged her subtle curves and showcased what a knockout she was. He still couldn’t see any makeup on her face save a deep berry stain on her lips. What would they taste like when he finally cashed in on the heat between them?
“No man steers me where I don’t want to go,” she reminded him, tilting her chin at him with a flash of the bravado she possessed in spades. “I just sensed an impending conflict of interest.”
Still, he promised himself he’d look into it to make sure she’d be okay financially without the job. He had the feeling the Flames paycheck was fairly generous. He wanted to make sure she was safe. Taken care of.
And oh, man, he was in deep with this woman, and he hadn’t even kissed her. By now, he realized he was falling for her in spite of his best efforts, so why deprive them both of what they wanted—needed—so badly?
“Really?” His eyes wandered down the lines of her body, enjoying the knowledge that soon his hands and his mouth would do the same. “That’s odd, because I see our interests aligning quite nicely.”
He reached for her, but she sidestepped him with lightning-quick reflexes, moving past him into the room where a bed awaited them. Crisp white sheets had already been turned down.
“If you think that, why have you been dodging me?” She planted her hands on her hips.
He half wondered if she could elude him a second time, now that he was expecting her tricky moves. He admired her athleticism even as he was tempted to test it. This was one chase he would enjoy.
“Looks like you’re the one dodging me.” He stepped toward her again, but this time, he faked left and moved right, intercepting her neatly. He caught an arm full of silk dress and warm woman. “Or at least, you’re trying to.”
Squeezing her waist, he reeled her close. The quick move had dislodged a tortoiseshell pin holding her hair in place, and the mass listed precariously to one side until he popped the pin free.
Fragrant locks fell loose as she fixed him with her gaze.
“I’m just trying to figure you out.” She splayed both hands on his chest, maintaining a certain amount of distance even as he could see her pulse hammer faster along the vein at her throat.
“And?” He bent close to kiss that throbbing spot at her neck. Her skin smelled like coconut lotion and tasted even better.
“I’ve got you pegged for a thrill seeker in the bedroom as much as you are outside of it.” She arched a pale eyebrow, as if daring him to argue the point.
His heart rate ramped up even faster than hers.
“I think you see what you want because you’re a bit of a risk taker yourself.” He hadn’t forgotten her expression when she came down from the jump on her kite board. “Did you come here tonight looking for a few new thrills?”
She bit her lip, deliberately coy as her gaze slid down and away. Long, dark lashes fanned her cheek as she pretended to mull over the question.
“I don’t know about that…”
Ah, this was too rich.
He’d just decided he shouldn’t push the envelope so often with his need to live on the edge—and he’d reached that conclusion because of her. Yet here she was, teasing him into temptation.
But maybe this was the better place to seek his thrills. With a woman who was in his life for more than just the fame and the money that came with his career.
“You wicked woman,” he chastised her, leaning close to nip her ear. “I might have to teach you a lesson first. It’s called, Be Careful What You Wish For.”
“You don’t scare me, Velasquez.” Her fingers slid down the front of his shirt, popping buttons easily as she went. “Did I mention that I only went into athletic training to bolster my passion for the martial arts?”
“I can’t wait to find out if you’re telling me the truth or if you’re just messing with me.” With this woman, he wouldn’t be surprised either way, and he liked that about her. She was tough and unpredictable, grounded and sexy and forthright. Plus, she was making him hot as hell, pulling his shirt tails out to skim her hands along his waist. “But I’m not going to put that claim to the test right now when I’m most interested in seeing you lose a little of that edge of yours.”
He traced the shoulder strap of her dress with one finger, taking a more subtle path to undressing her. When he passed her collarbone, she stilled. At the vee above her breasts, her eyes closed for a long moment.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She swayed on her feet. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips.
“I’m talking about making you hot and breathless and sweetly compliant with everything I want.” He parted the fabric of her dress, shifting it off her shoulders until he had to unzip the side to free it the rest of the way. “But first, I’m going to give you a taste of your own medicine.”
Her grip tightened on the front placket of his unbuttoned shirt, her hands fisting the cotton as she steadied herself.
“I thought we were thrill seeking?” She didn’t sound terribly worried, but the flash of disappointment in her expression amused him mightily.
“You’d be surprised.” Tugging her dress down and off, he exposed a navy lace bra and matching panties threaded with a sky-blue ribbon.
A decidedly feminine choice for a woman who liked to appear so no-nonsense on the outside.
“Well?” she asked, sliding a finger under one bra strap as if to continue the unveiling.
He caught the errant finger and pulled her hand, tugging her toward the bed.
“I need some time to appreciate this much of you before I undress the rest.” He laid her on the bed and she went willingly enough until he tried to turn her onto her stomach. At her questioning look, he smoothed a palm along her back. “But first I thought I’d give you a little physical therapy so you can see what you put me through that day in the training room.”
“That’s the taste of my own medicine?” She propped herself on one elbow, one knee drawn up. With her Bond-girl platinum hair cascading down to the bed, she made a jaw-dropping visual. “You want to massage me?”