He tipped his head to one side, studying her with too much intense scrutiny for her comfort.

"You need to know that any woman I've ever been with knows the score and agrees to play by my rules."

She swallowed hard and decided to face the consequences. "Is that why you didn't close the deal last night? Because I was too drunk to agree to your rules, whatever they are?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped closer to the bed. "You remember it all, huh?"

She nodded. "Just like I'm now sure youremember New Year's Eve."

He exhaled hard and shut his eyes.

She was struck by the thick fringe of lashes, so sexy on a man. She also realized she was right. He did recall kissing her and had been avoiding and ignoring the fact ever since. Because he didn't find her attractive and didn't want to admit his mistake in the sobering light of day?

Whatever the reason, whatever his feelings toward her, she had to know and put this crazy attraction behind her once and for all.

"Look," he said, sitting down by her side.

She ignored the rocking movement his big body caused and forced a steady gaze.

"You and I couldn't be more different," he explained.

She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "And you have so much in common with the other women in your life."

To her shock, he burst out laughing. "Touché". Reaching out, he tenderly stroked her cheek. "You're better than the rest of them," he said gruffly. "You deserve more than I could ever give. Especially while I'm still focused on keeping this career of mine alive."

The intimate gesture and honest words took her off guard and her heart did a funny leap in her chest. And she finally understood. When it came to women, Damian lived by what he considered a gentleman's code. Get involved with easy women and don't worry about the damage left behind.

She didn't consider herself better than anyone else, but he was right about one thing. She wasn't the kind of woman up for a no-strings affair. Especially not when the dynamic was already complicated by emotion, the way it was for her.

"I understand" she said, letting him off the hook.

He shook his head. "I don't think you do. I have three sisters. If anyone spiked their drink intending to take advantage of them, I'd string them up by their-" He cut himself off. "Well, you get the picture. I wasn't about to take advantage of you."

But had he wanted to? They had broached sensitive topics this morning. She wasn't ready to touch that one. "I appreciate you looking out for me. You didn't just take care of me last night but you protected my business by calling Sophie."

"It was the right thing to do." He shifted on the bed, obviously uncomfortable with her gratitude.

For Damian, chivalry was inbred. Just because he'd come to her aid when she needed him, it didn't mean his views on women, relationships or her had changed, and she cautioned herself against softening her heart.

An awkward silence surrounded them and Micki struggled for something to say when a loud banging on the door sounded.

Damian was startled by the interruption but grateful, too. He hadn't expected such a private, intimate conversation between them. He also hadn't anticipated the warm feelings as he'd watched over her last night, then had seen her struggle to face her actions-and call him on his.

The knocking on the door continued and Damian glanced at Micki. "Any idea who it could be?”

She shook her head, then shut her eyes tight against what must still be pain. "I have no idea," she said.

The banging grew louder. "Micki Jordan, open the door or I'll kick it open myself!" a familiar voice yelled.

"Oh God, it's Uncle Yank." Micki groaned and wiggled back under the covers, pulling the blankets over her head. "He's going to kill me," she said in a muffled voice.

Damian cursed. More like Yank was going to murder the man in Micki's room.

He headed for the door, drew a deep breath and let her uncle inside. "Hi, Yank."

"What the hell are you doing in here? Never mind, I don't want to know. I do want an answer to who's responsible for this." He shoved a newspaper beneath Damian's nose.

The press. Damian had pushed Micki past the flashing bulbs last night without pausing or stopping. For her sake he'd hoped they hadn't gotten a good shot of her face and he thought the two of them had made a semi-decent getaway.

Obviously not. And though they were both used to the media, he as an athlete, she as a publicist, Micki certainly wouldn't have ever expected to be photographed in such a compromising position. And she didn't deserve to be. Or to have her hard-earned reputation in the business world trashed.

Damian recognized the New York daily and pulled the paper out of the older man's hand. On opening the page, he groaned at the full-color shot of himself carrying a half-dressed Micki out of Lacie's Lounge, Tampa's most notorious strip joint.

"Shit.”

Yank slammed the door shut behind him. "Now what do you have to say for yourself, big shot?"

"Hey, keep it down," Micki said from across the room.

"Get up, young lady, and explain this. What the devil are you doing with your dress hiked down, the twins on display and this clown carrying you out of a strip club?"

Micki pulled the covers off her head and faced her uncle. "Damian saved me from being even more of an idiot," she said, defending him at her own expense.

Everything this woman said or did surprised him. She'd been blindsided, given alcohol she hadn't asked for, and Damian never should have let her set foot in Lacie's in the first place.

"Let me see the paper," Micki demanded.

He didn't see any point in arguing. Reluctantly, Damian walked over and held out the news.

She took in the picture and her skin turned paler, if such a thing were possible. “Those are my twins."

Yank let out a disgusted sound. "Since you're obviously hungover now and you normally don't drink, what gives?”

She pushed her curls off her face. "A lot of it's still fuzzy but Carter spiked my drinks and I couldn't taste the added alcohol because of the spicy food." She shut her eyes, obviously trying to remember more.

Damian found himself touched by her fragile vulnerability, making him want to protect her even more.

"I'm going to rip his nuts off," her uncle growled, breaking any tender moment Damian had been experiencing.

"Get in line," Damian muttered.

"If Atkins represented him, Carter would be dog shit. Unfortunately he's a Cambias client," he said, referring to one of the newer, younger, money-hungry agents.

Damian knew both Yank and Atkins Associates were losing clients to men like Cambias. The older players possessed agent loyalty but the younger ones, like Carter, only cared about contracts, perks and cold, hard cash.

"Eventually he'll bury himself." Micki rose from her bed, glanced down at her T-shirt and shot Damian a questioning glance.

He wasn't about to explain how he'd undressed her and changed her clothes. A smart girl would figure it out on her own.

Her cheeks stained red in embarrassment. Nothing wrong with her intelligence, he thought wryly. Her modesty was another unique aspect to her personality, since most women he'd been with willingly bared their assets.

Ignoring him, Micki turned to her uncle. "How's this story playing in New York? Because we've got to spin it somehow."

"Well, the AP's got ahold of it. With Fuller's injury just a month shy of the postseason, his carrying you out of there has the reporters speculatin' that he'll be back on the field in no time. He's being portrayed as a hero."

"That's just great," she said, frustrated.

Damian said nothing, knowing it wasn't the best time to pat himself on the back for gaining positive media exposure at her expense.

"I need to issue a statement." She paced the floor, mentally planning her next move.

"The hell you do. You need to lay low!" Yank countered.

She strode up to her uncle, no longer the fragile, defenseless woman Damian had protected last night "I’m an adult and I’m responsible for my actions. I made this mess, I'll get myself out of it" Micki paused in thought. 'Though for the sake of the agency, I do agree I should keep my face-and twins-out of the papers."

"Attagirl," Yank said.

"After I issue some sort of explanation."

Damian admired her guts. Not many men he knew would willingly get into the old man's face. Their family dynamic obviously consisted of love and respect, both things Damian had grown up with and appreciated.

"I hate to take sides-" Damian began.

“Then don't," Micki said.

"Unless it's mine," Yank added.

Damian suppressed a grin. "I think your uncle's got a point. You ought to take time off before going back to New York or issuing any kind of statement. By then the media will have found other bait"

She pursed those lips he wanted to kiss again.

"I don't run away from problems," she insisted.

"But like you said, it's in the best interest of the agency.” Yank was obviously hitting on the one thing he thought would change her mind. "And Sophie said to remind you that anything you say will only come out sounding defensive, so take a breath and suck this one up."

Micki shook her head, her displeasure apparent "I want everyone to know that the Hot Zone publicists don't run away. That'll kill our business for sure." Shoulders back, chin at a determined tilt, she stomped away from her uncle. She headed for the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Yank turned toward Damian. The lines around his eyes seemed more pronounced, his expression more concerned than he'd let on in front of his niece. "She'll calm down. Now tell me how the press knew where the team was hanging out."

The same question had been lingering in the back of Damian's mind since he'd seen the photograph. "The paparazzi knows which clubs the Renegades frequent. Lacie's isn't one of them. I have no idea how they found out."

But Damian's mind was already working all the angles and possibilities. Who besides his teammates knew about their spur-of-the-moment decision to hit Lacie's? There were the cab drivers and any waiters and waitresses from the hotel bar who'd beard them talking, but a trip to Lacie's wasn't much of a scoop and so Damian couldn't fathom anyone having any interest in calling the press. There was no money to be made in a story about where the team, was going clubbing.

Unless the person who’d leaked the information hadn't want the money but rather the possibility of an ugly expose-but still, there had been no guarantee they would even have a story to tell.

Damian shook his head. Who had an agenda? There was Carter, who'd spiked Micki's drink and hated Damian's guts, and Carole, who was probably pissed off enough at Damian to want to cause trouble. But those two had been together and had probably been keeping each other too busy to think about Damian, at least until this morning. He didn't discount them completely but he didn't want to give Yank an unfounded target for his anger.

Damian glanced at the older man and shrugged. "I can't imagine who'd snitch."

Yank snorted. "Micki needs to get away until this blows over," he said, his mind shifting gears.

On this Damian agreed. "Got any ideas?"

The other man rubbed his hand over his wiry beard. "She won't go willingly which means she'll need someone to take her away in secret." He pinned Damian with a determined gaze. "And you can't play ball anyway."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Yeah well, it's true. That wrist needs some rest"

"I still need to be with the team," Damian countered.

"Under ordinary circumstances, you would. But this ain't ordinary. You need to take care of Micki. You also need to have that wrist looked at by the best.So I covered your ass at the camp today. I had Sophie tell Gordon and Coach Donovan you were seeing a rehab specialist privately so you could return sooner than anticipated. That's true by the way. I found some hotshot who'll fly in tomorrow and take a look. I already put your test results in his hands."

Damian wasn't sure whether to thank Yank for me help and the positive spin with the team, or to strangle him for interfering and dragging him further into Micki's life.

"No thanks necessary," Yank said. "I was just doing my job. Now you're going to do yours. You got that big resort off the Florida Keys courtesy of that twenty-million-dollar contract I negotiated for you. I suggest you use it to help my niece get some R & R."