She shook her head. Big mistake, she realized immediately when the room began to swim. "Long Island ked teas? Impossible. I don't drink alcohol." To prove him wrong, she took a final sip from the second glass, but between the way she'd killed her taste buds with the hot food and the complete fuzziness wrapped around her brain, she couldn't tell what she was drinking.

"I ordered a regular iced tea," she insisted.

"I asked them to spice it up for you a bit. And I made sure you got another one when you finished the first, doll." Carter wedged his lean body between her chair and Roper's and placed an arm around her shoulder.

When Micki had begun her transformation, attracting a man like Carter had never been on her agenda. She shook him off, annoyed. "Watch what you call me or you'll find my fist in your mouth," she said, disliking the man even more than her initial impression had warranted.

"Anyone want to hit Lacie's?" Joe Caruso asked.

Roper slid his chair back and rose from his seat. "Hell, yeah. I'm not gonna waste a night off."

The rest of the guys were equally enthusiastic, ready to head off to their next stop.

"What's Lacie's?" Micki stood along with them and immediately grabbed the back of her chair in order to steady herself. "Whoa," she said, laughing. Giggling really, but she hated to admit that the alcohol had dulled her inhibitions that much.

"Easy," Roper said.

"I got her." Carter remained by her side, trying again to slip his arm around her waist. "I like my women feisty."

"I'm not your woman." She jabbed him in the side. "And I like my personal space."

"You heard the lady. Back off," a masculine voice said, coming to her defense.

Damian. Oh hell, Micki thought.

Carter scowled at his captain but surprisingly he listened, keeping his mouth shut before he turned and walked away.

Micki glanced at Damian who'd unexpectedly joined them. In faded jeans and a black silk T-shirt that clung to his gorgeous body and defined his muscles and physique, he looked sexy as hell.

On a good, sober day it would take all of Micki's energy to hide her desire for the man. On a drunken night she didn't stand a chance. Better to get away fast.She took one step and tripped, falling toward him. Roper caught her first. Embarrassed, she steadied herself and as she did, she got her first look at the bimbo on Damian's arm. Even in the Florida humidity, she sported silky smooth hair, perfect makeup and impossibly large boobs.

Micki tried to swallow but thanks to the unrequested alcohol, her mouth had grown dry.

"So, where are you off to?" Damian asked.

“Lacie's." The word fell from Micki's lips before she could stop it.

He let loose a loud laugh. The woman beside him stared at Micki with a pitying expression and chuckled as well. It wasn't just a laugh at Micki's expense, but one with a perfect lilt no man could resist.

"What's so funny?" Micki asked, defensively.

"Someone needs to look after her," the big-breasted woman said about Micki as if she were a child in need of a babysitter.

"Quiet," Damian said when he took in Micki's glassy eyes and heard her slurred speech. He would never have pegged her for a drinker, but separated from her uncle and sisters, who knew?

Still, Lacie's? He'd bet his entire savings that Micki was clueless about their destination.

"You didn't tell her?" he asked his teammates.

"Tell me what?"

His companion squeezed his arm. "Excuse me, sweetie, but I need the little girls' room" she said, obviously bored by Micki and a conversation that didn't revolve around her.

To Damian's relief, Carole, the legal secretary he called whenever he was in town, excused herself.

He'd seen her on and off during spring training and again over a month ago. By then his interest had already died out. She'd been distracted as well, as if she'd already mentally moved on. He hadn't intended to call her again, but between his injury and Carter's mouth on the flight over, Damian had needed a diversion and had picked up the phone. Now he wished he hadn't. With Micki here, he was definitely sorry he hadn't just joined up with the team instead.

From the moment he'd seen Micki's reaction to Carole, the flicker of surprise followed by dismay in her expressive face, he'd felt an unfamiliar pang of guilt and self-loathing. Micki managed to work his emotions as well as his sisters did, which merely pissed him off and reminded him of all the reasons Micki wasn't good for him when he needed to focus on his career plan.

A plan he'd been working on successfully for years. He'd party with the team tonight and when he still showed up first for the camp stint tomorrow, he'd prove to everyone that not even an injury could get him down. End result, nobody would wonder whether age was catching up with Damian Fuller, nor would they worry too much about whether this injury would sideline him from the postseason and the playoffs. They would merely speculate on how soon he'd manage to return.

But where Micki was concerned, Damian was torn. As much as he resented Micki's emotional pull, he also desired to let things play out between them. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. Man, he thought, if he ever let himself get tangled up with Micki Jordan, she'd tie him up in knots so tight he'd never get them undone.

For all his mixed emotions about this attraction, Damian knew he had no choice but to follow his cardinal rule: There'd be no screwing around with Micki no matter how much he desired her, and the best way to keep that vow was to distance himself.

"Lacie's is a strip club," he said to Micki. "And I can't see you hanging out at a place like that." He figured she'd blush and make a quick getaway.

Instead she stepped around Roper and faced Damian head-on, treating him to a shocking sight he hadn't noticed before. Micki wasn't Micki, at least not in appearance. Instead of her buttoned-up shirt and dark pants, she was dressed in a bright pink strapless sundress, exposing bronzed skin and sexy thin tan lines that made a man want to devour her. Starting at her shoulders, he imagined licking her soft flesh, heading downward until he discovered just where those tan lines led. With a groan, Damian shifted to accommodate the growing ache in his pants.

"Are you saying I don't belong in that club?" Indignant, Micki perched her hands on her hips, thrusting her breasts out "That I can't compete with the other women there? Is that what's making you laugh at the thought of my going to a strip club?" she asked.

He blinked, sensing there was a wealth of information in that statement. Obviously he'd touched a nerve. Knowing women as he did, he also realized anything he said now could get him into trouble.

In this case, trouble was a good thing if it kept her away from him. "Micki, I'm sure you can hold your own anywhere you go," he said in a deliberately placating tone he often used to tick off his sisters.

"Even among naked women?" Micki blushed red, but to her credit she didn't run away.

He figured he had the alcohol to thank for her lack of inhibition and muttered a curse. Meanwhile his teammates looked on in amusement at their exchange.

"Hey, if you can handle yourself with these guys, you can handle yourself anywhere," he said as if he didn't believe his own words.

"Because I'm one of them? Good old Micki, one of the guys," she spat, the disdain in her voice clear.

Now, where had that come from? He hardly viewed her as one of the team, but he wasn't about to alter the impression she believed he had of her when it suited his purpose of creating distance.

"If you say so," he muttered instead.

She nailed him with a vicious glare. "Come on, let's get going," she said to the rest of the men.

Damian shot Roper a warning look. Do not take her to a strip club.

Before Roper or Damian could react, the rest of the guys seemed to take her up on her suggestion and, with Micki in tow, headed toward the exit

"Oh hell." He started after them, pulling Carter aside on his way.

He and the rookie had an obvious hate-thing going, but as the captain, Damian had done his best only to pick on the kid for real mistakes, and there'd been plenty.

Now Damian needed Carter's help. As long as Carole was on his arm, Micki wouldn't listen to a word Damian had to say. He needed to rid himself of Carole and he had to do it fast because he didn't trust anyone else to watch out for a drunken Micki except himself.

"How 'bout a peace gesture," Damian offered the rookie.

Carter shrugged. "Sorry, man but I don't really give a crap whether or not we get along." His cocky demeanor and smirk told Damian he meant what he said.

Okay, so he wasn't going to do this the easy way. "Well I'm going to do you a favor despite your sorry-ass attitude. Instead of the strip club, how about you take my date out?"

"You serious?" The young kid's eyes narrowed in thought, probably at the idea of Carole's huge, surgery-induced breasts.

"Deadly serious."

The difference between Carole and Micki beyond the obvious was that Carole knew the score. Yeah, she'd be pissed at Damian for pawning her of on Carter, but she'd get over it. It wasn't like they were exclusive; she dated other guys when Damian was out of town, which was most of the time. Not to mention that he'd had to coax her to go out with him tonight. He'd wondered if she was waiting for someone else to call.

Damian wouldn't hear from her after this stunt nor would he call her next time he was in town. No loss for either of them, really. Moving on was long overdue. Yeah, Damian wanted to look out for her feelings, but she could handle being passed off to Carter. Weighing who needed him more, Carole or Micki, there was no contest.Besides, Carole would probably enjoy Carter, who'd give her the kind of good time she was looking for.

Damian dug into his pocket and peeled off a couple of hundreds. "I'll even pay for your dinner and drinks”

From the corner of his eye, Damian saw Carole looking around for him in the bar while the guys were loading into cabs. "Well?”

Carter shrugged. "Why not? She looks like a good time and the little publicist turned out to be a prude even after I plied her with alcohol."

Damian clenched his jaw. He had no time now to deal with Carter and what he'd done to Micki, but he definitely would later.

An eager Carter snatched the bills and swaggered toward Carole while Damian caught the last cab with his teammates. Damian didn't miss the irony. He was headed for Lacie's Lounge, a strip joint he used to frequent in his younger days, so he could watch out for a woman destined to be his downfall in his declining years.

Once at the club, Damian thought things would get worse, but he was wrong. Micki sat quietly by Roper, taking in the women gyrating around the poles on stage. She hadn't ordered a drink, which Damian took as a good sign and he relaxed in his seat.

For the first time, he noticed the tight bond between Micki and Roper. Was there a thing between them he didn't know about? Damian's gut twisted in uncomfortable knots.

Suddenly the music shifted. The beat picked up. The women on stage altered their movements to the more sensual and seductive rhythm. Micki rose from her seat, mesmerized.

Damian started to stand, too, but Roper put a hand on his arm. "Let her go.”

Damian glanced at the other man.

"She needs this," his teammate explained.

The words were cryptic yet sincere. Damian lowered himself back into his seat, wary and uncomfortable.

As if aware he was staring, Micki turned and met his gaze. Their eyes held. The music pulsed around them in an erotic beat, increasing the awareness simmering between them that he still didn't understand. She was the opposite of everything he normally desired and yet…

She broke the connection as she slowly gravitated toward the stage, seemingly fascinated by the women and their moves. Or maybe it was their skimpy clothing she wanted a better look at. Either way, she made her way forward, staggering a little as she walked.

Damian clenched his fists but forced himself to trust Roper's judgment. Since Micki had been subdued since they'd entered Lacie's, Damian didn't see any harm in letting her watch from up close.

One minute Micki had been watching the women spinning onstage and the next minute she was up and striding closer. She knew she was drunk. She also knew that something about these uninhibited women fascinated her. What made them so bold? So daring? What caused the other women to strut and flaunt their assets while Micki withdrew into herself?