Chapter Ten
Jason closed thecondo door and flicked the hall light switch on to avoid tripping over boxes still piled from his moving day over a week ago. He dumped his suitcase in the hall, at the base of the stairs then stumbled into the living room and onto the soft easy chair in the corner. Thank God it was a semi-furnished condo. He had left his furniture in storage in New Jersey.
He’d forgotten how long and difficult road trips were. Getting in at three in the morning. Trying to catch a few hours’ sleep before heading back to the stadium for the game. Struggling to adjust to time zone changes. Trying to forget the fiasco that was his first road trip in a year. And it was only a six-game stint for him.
He let his head fall back against the cushion of the chair, absently rubbing his aching shoulder and groaned. Was he fooling himself? Would his shoulder ever let him play again? Would the fans ever stop booing? Would his teammates ever accept him? Icing after every game was a panacea at best, not a long-term solution. And he wasn’t hitting, thanks to the old injury.
The questions swirled in his head, chasing elusive sleep farther and farther away. Exhaustion settled in his muscles and bones, sinking his body into the chair until he almost became a part of the furniture. It molded to his body, enveloping him in a welcoming warmth.
At least one thing didn’t hate him.
A knock at his door startled him out of the fog of sleep. What the hell? It was three in the morning. Who would be on his doorstep? As soon as the question entered his mind, the answer also presented itself.
He flung open the door to see Stacia on the stoop, her suitcase in hand. She swept into the foyer, dragging her designer bag behind her. She glanced around the dimly lit room at the boxes stacked haphazardly around. She turned and arched an eyebrow.
“I see you’ve settled in nicely.”
“I’ve been busy.” He brushed past her, ignoring the tightening in his lower belly, the rising arousal that was harder to resist in the middle of the night when she stood there looking tousled and sleepy after their flight home with the team. Or after a night of satisfying sex. He shoved that thought from his brain and willed his body to obey for once. “What do you want, Stacia? Checking up on me? It’s not like I had time to pick up a hooker or anything between the stadium and here.”
She followed him into the kitchen, the scent of her perfume teasing his senses, taunting his body with memories.
He opened the fridge and grabbed a water from the shelf, stalling for time. “There’s no one here. Feel free to check around.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You were barely ten minutes ahead of me. Of course no one is here.” She perched on a barstool. “That’s not whyI’mhere. I’m supposed to be stuck to you like glue, don’t you remember?”
Irritation skated along his raw nerve endings. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“It appears that you do. Did you think this was just for the road?”
He stalked to the sink, and stared out the small window. She stroked her hand on his back between his shoulder blades, stroking downward gently, almost imperceptibly. He shuddered, fighting the urge to press her against the wall, kiss her breath away and slam into her, bringing them both to a screaming completion. She curved her hand around his shoulder and tugged him gently.
“Ignoring me won’t make me go away. I’m here for the long haul.”
He whirled around. “I’ve heard those words before. You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe them.” He pushed past her again, struggling for control. “It’s not wise to be here tonight, Stacia. Not tonight. Go home. We’ll deal with this in the light of day.”
She stepped closer, head tilted up to gaze into his eyes. Again, she brushed his arm and he flinched. She frowned at his reaction, confusion in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
The tension snapped and he grabbed her, a hand curving down her spine to her backside to press her fully against him, his other hand tangling in her hair to tilt her head back for his bruising kiss. He shifted her more comfortably against his hardening cock and his lips gentled on hers, teasing, coaxing her response. His tongue stroked her lips, dipping inside for a fleeting touch then back out. She struggled to pull her arms free, but he trapped them with his and held her in place, helpless against his sensual assault.
She moaned into his mouth, and softened against him. He released her, steadying her before stepping away. She looked up at him dazed and aroused. Before she could come to her sense, he guided her down the hall to the front door. The cool night air caressed his heated skin.
“Go home, Stacia.” He closed the door firmly, only to meet the resistance of her foot.
“I don’t think so.”
*
Decisions made atthree in the morning rarely stood up to the cold harsh light of day, yet here she was standing outside Jason’s door, pushing her way into his condo, his life, his bed. Pushing against a man who professed to not want her but kissed her like he was a dying man and she was the key to life. It was intoxicating and sucked her in against her will, but she was powerless to resist. She was drawn to him but she couldn’t understand what he had that ensnared her so thoroughly, getting her to change her business policies, and get more involved than ever before.
Stacia quivered in the cool early morning chill, sizzling hot from the inside with sexual heat and anger. How dare he close the door in her face? She had barely wedged her foot in the door, almost destroying her nine hundred dollar shoes in the process, another bill she’d lay at Jason Friar’s door when this was over. She wedged her shoulders through the opening and forced her way into the small foyer of the condominium. Scowling, Jason closed the door behind her and leaned against it, arms crossed.
“I don’t have time for this, Stacia. I have to be at the stadium early in the afternoon and I barely got any sleep the last few nights.”
“I didn’t hear any complaining.” She swept into the living room and tossed her bag on the couch. “I’ll sleep here since I doubt your spare room has any sheets.”
“I have a spare room?” He glanced up the stairs.
She sighed. “You really need to be more observant. If I run out to the car for my bag, will you lock the door behind me?”