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He knew guys who treated football like any other job They put in the hours, gave their all, and then they went home for dinner with their wives and children They didn't waste tiroupies They earned their money with quiet power

But he knew there wasn't any point in trying to change her mind about professional athletes, or about hio

Plus, he had to aduys he knew Even, at the start of his career, himself

He ran his fingers through his hair "Okay then, I'll play the highly stereotyped version of myself"

He gave her a hard, hungry look

"A kiss fro for my entire life, baby Co under that short skirt"

She pushed her thighs together, a nearly iht have missed if he weren't so attuned to her Or, more precisely, how much he wanted her

"That's better," she said "We'll skip the kiss and get straight to working on your reaction"

He wasn't going to let her get aith that "Not realistic enough I thought role-playing only worked if everyone gave themselves over to their characters?"

Her expression said it all He was right She was going to have to kiss hiht" way to behave around overzealous fans

"Fine," she snapped, and then a feeet ain into Wonder-Babe She slid next to hih Was it pathetic that he actually started sweating? Just because he could feel her leg through his jeans?

Yes It was

She threaded her hands through his hair and pulled his head down to hers But at the last second, she looked up into his eyes In an instant, Wonder-Babe disappeared, leaving Julie behind

It was that last-second pause that almost did him in He wanted her Now He wanted to take her mouth, could practically taste her

Tentatively, she pressed her lips to his A h him

It nearly killed hied, hardly able to believe that he was actually praying, please don't let her stop

Ty had never been completely certain if any of his prayers on the field had really been answered before, or if he'd just pulled a clutch play out of his ass at the last an to explore the contours of his ue came out to taste the corner where his upper and lower lip met, he became a believer in the power of prayer

Her breath was soft and sweet and he didn't want tothat would mess up this perfect s of his stubble One of her hands moved from his hair to his cheek to his neck; then she rubbed her thumb over the hollow beneath his collarbone, then found that skin with her lips

A groan nearly escaped his lungs, but soain she found his ue ca into him

He couldn't keep froe of taking control of the situation, she stopped kissing hi him with her mouth and hands

She wouldn't meet his eyes

"On the contrary, Ty, I don't think I need to teach you anything at all" She sounded like she was going to choke "You did very well"

If he could have gotten words out of his own constricted lungs, he would have At long last, heme?"

Her eyes entleman Good job"

"Do you have any idea how rowled "And not because of soroupie"

She shook her head, tried to pick up her briefcase, then watched in horror as it slipped froers and slid beneath his coffee table

"I can't do this," she whispered and he wasn't sure if he was listening in on her private thoughts or if she'd meant to speak aloud

All Ty could think as he stared at her was I have wanted you every single day, every minute, every second since the last time I saw you

Was that true? Did he really think that? Oh shit He did Now that she was sitting here, right in front of him, now that she'd kissed him, he knew the truth

If she kne he really felt she'd hold her power over hie it into his heart to exact the retribution she felt she deserved