by Lucia Jordan
Okay you need to get that shit out of your head right now.
“You don’t know who I am do you?”
She arched a golden brow at him. “Should I?”
He opened his mouth as if to say something but it snapped shut. “Nope.”
A warm smile spread on his full lips. She shivered. What in the world was happening? It’s not like she’d never seen a good looking man before. Growing more frustrated by the moment, she stepped away and retrieved his file. Pulling a pen from her jacket she began to jot notes down.
“Okay, it looks like you are healing quite nicely. I’d like for you to continue your therapy two times a week for the next two weeks and I think you’ll be right as rain. I do have a few concerns with the tightness in that shoulder muscle. So I would like for you to check into some massage therapy. That you can do once a week and I think you will be just fine.” She thought about telling him about where she worked, but thought better of it. Being around Trevor Barns was going to be dangerous.
He nodded as he pulled his shirt back over his head. “I can do that.”
“Okay, see the receptionist up front and she’ll get you all set up.”
“Will you be my therapist?” he asked, his green eyes glittering with hopefulness.
“It all depends on when you set the appointments. There is a chance I have some openings, but right now, I’m pretty booked.”
He took a step closer and smiled down at her, the smell of his cologne making her head swim slightly. Sweet lord he smelled good.
“Then I’ll see you soon.”
She nodded. “And make sure you keep up with the therapy at home. It makes a difference and if you continue to show signs of improvement I can release you sooner.”
He flashed her a wide smile and gave her a wink. “You got it.”
And like that, Trevor Barns walked out of the exam room, taking all the air with him.
***
“So I hear rumors that Trevor Barns is one of your patients,” Bridget gushed.
Lacey rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her mojito. “Bridge, you know I can’t talk about my patients. I’ll lose my license.”
Bridget Anderson had become Lacey’s best friend when she first moved to Florida. They lived in the same apartment complex and bonded immediately. Bridget was an event planner for a bunch of massive corporations. While she was brilliant and observant, she really wasn’t always the brightest crayon in the box. Wait? How in the hell did she know about Trevor?
“How do you know about Trevor Barns?” Lacey asked as they were finally seated at their table.
Bridget arched a delicately manicured eyebrow at her and Lacey frowned. “What?”
“Are you seriously kidding me right now?” Bridget asked.
“Uhh, no. Because I have no idea what in the world you are talking about.”
“Trevor Barns. The. Trevor. Barns.”
Lacey’s annoyance spiked because obviously she was missing something. “Yes, I know his name, but why are you saying it like you’re about to have an orgasm?”
Bridget giggled. “That is an orgasm I would not mind to have,” she said a little too loudly. A couple of people at the nearby table gave them a dirty look.
“Would you keep your voice down,” Lacey hissed.
“Sorry,” Bridget said, clearing her throat. “Trevor Barns is only the hottest thing in baseball right now.”
“You follow baseball?”
Bridget lifted a shoulder as she sipped her martini. “Jake follows it. I swear our television only has two channels, ESPN and FOX Sports. It’s ridiculous. But anyhow. Trevor Barns is like the leading pitcher in the Major League. He carries the title of the most strikeouts in a season and is on the fast track to get into the hall of fame.”
Lacey could do nothing but stare at her friend. “I swear sometimes it’s like I don’t even know you,” she joked.
Bridget continued. “Trevor is also one of the older pitchers as well. He’s thirty seven.”
“That’s not old.”
Bridget nodded. “I thought the same thing, but when I asked Jake, he informed me that most players start in their early twenties. Trevor didn’t get his start until he was almost thirty, because some scout saw him coaching a high school team. Apparently he’d been pitching and caught the scout’s attention instead of the boys he was there to see.”
The only thing Lacey could do was stare, slack jawed, at her friend.
“What?” Bridget asked.
“You’re just like this encyclopedia of sports knowledge.”
Bridget lifted a shoulder. “Nope. It’s called google,” she said with a wink.
“You’re a hot mess,” Lacey said.
“And you love me for it!”
For the remainder of the meal the girls laughed and drank, enjoying the friendship that came so easily. However, in the back of Lacey’s mind, the only thing she could think about was Trevor Barns. Things had clicked into place and she now understood why he’d asked her if she knew who he was. Apparently he was famous. Huh. Who would have thought?
That night, after she and Bridget had staggered to their doors because of a few too many drinks, Lacey decided to do her own research on Trevor Barns.
As soon as she typed his name into the search bar, hundreds of thousands of articles, links and pictures popped up. “Good grief,” she said to her screen.
She scrolled down and found the story Bridget had told her about and much more. Trevor was from a small town in Nebraska, though it didn’t specify which town. He’d played college ball but decided he wanted to coach instead. A scout had caught wind of him and eventually signed him to the Florida Marlins AAA team. He didn’t stay in the minors for long because he was called up the following year. He pitched for the Marlins for four years before being recently traded to the Dodgers. Her eyes nearly exploded from their sockets when she saw the eight digit salary he made in a year.
“Holy. Crap,” she gasped. She scrolled through the dozens of pictures and articles of him. There were even some scantily clad images of him in a bed with nothing but a baseball cap covering his balls. Lacey snickered. But her eyes traveled over every inch of him. There was no denying that the man was sexy as hell. She looked a few more pictures, these were loaded with swimsuit models hanging on his every limb.
She snorted. Lacey most definitely was not the swimsuit model type, but she wasn’t hideous either. However, she couldn’t help but to wonder what it would be like to have Trevor look at her with those shouldering eyes and that come-hither bedroom gaze.
“Okay, time to shut it down for the night,” she muttered to her computer when her thoughts started heading into a more erotic direction. The last thing she needed was to get into another relationship. They never ended well.
As she was preparing to shut the computer down, a tiny envelope flashed in the corner, signifying that she had received a new email. She groaned. “Not tonight,” she grunted groggily as she pressed the power icon and the screen faded to black.
Deciding it better not to turn on the lights, she tugged her boots off and then collapsed on the corner of the bed. There was no hesitation as she climbed up and burrowed under the pillows. It didn’t matter that she was fully dressed. It was Friday night and she was going to do nothing but sleep the entire weekend away. The last thing she remembered before sleep claimed her was a set of piercing green eyes smiling back at her.
***
Monday morning Lacey woke up feeling fresh and recharged. It was amazing how well one could feel after practically sleeping all weekend. She was also a little excited at the thought of getting to see Trevor Barns again. Her supervisor had called and told her Saturday that she would be Mr. Barns’ therapist.
There was just something in her that wanted to see him again, and she had no idea why. Trevor had been nice, but had given no other indication that he was interested in her. She was acting like a school girl with a crush.
With a shake of her head, she grabbed he
r things and went to work. It was going to be a good day. At least, that’s what she thought!
Taking a deep breath, Lacey’s hand hovered just above the door knob leading into the physical therapy room. Trevor would be on the other side. “Get it together,” she whispered to herself.
Gathering all the nerve she had, she pushed her way into the room. “Good morning Mr. Barns,” she said brightly.
“Ah, the lovely Ms. Lacey Carson. So you’re the one that is going to be torturing me?” He arched a tawny brow at her and her heart fluttered.
“If you behave and do what I tell you, I promise I won’t torture you…much,” she volleyed back playfully. Shifting from crazy schoolgirl crush to professional mode was actually much easier than she’d expected. She no longer saw Trevor as a handsome baseball player but a client that was in need of help. Well, maybe she did just a little bit, but it wasn’t her primary focus.
He worked steadily, focusing on his exercises and stretches.
“You’re doing very well,” she praised as he curled the dumbbell up for ten more reps.
“I try,” he huffed. Sweat dotted his brow and his curly hair hung against his damp face. He was beginning to struggle. She could see it, but he refused to give in. Determination. She liked that.
“Okay, I think we can call it quits for the day,” she said, placing her hand on his injured shoulder.
“Five more,” he grunted.
“No. Trevor. I don’t want you to overdo it. You’re going to be sore as hell in the morning.” She pressed her hand over his, forcing him to stop the repetition.
He looked up at her and frowned, but she didn’t back down.
“I mean it. If you push yourself too hard it will do more harm than good. You’ve already improved by leaps and bounds, there’s no need to set yourself back.”
The look in his eyes softened as a slow smile tilted his lips. “You’re good at this.”
Lacey laughed and handed him a towel. “It’s my job.” She winked.
“Well, your job is going to help me do my job.”
“Ah yes. Must keep on track to the hall of fame?” she quipped as she placed the weight back in its station and proceeded to put away the equipment they had used.
“So you do know who I am?” he said playfully.
“Google is a marvelous thing.” She laughed. When she turned back around, Trevor had the towel slung around his neck and his hands on his hips. He was wearing a pair of satin-like basketball shorts that were slung low. The black tank top he was wearing sported a name brand logo on the left breast but that’s not what Lacey noticed. The fact that the material was stretched as tightly as it would go across his chest was what she noticed. She noticed the way his arms bulged in all the right places.
Shit. Focus.
Quickly she adverted her eyes, trying to busy herself with meaningless tasks such as folding towels or straightening the floor mats.
“So, when do I get to see you again?” he asked.
The close proximity of his voice caused Lacey to jump and whirl around. Her feet became tangled together and she pitched forward. She closed her eyes and readied for impact, but when she didn’t feel the floor she opened her eyes.
Her face was pressed against Trevor’s chest and, even though he was still slightly sweaty, he smelled amazing.
“Crap.” She gasped as she struggled to get to her feet. “I—I’m so sorry,” she stammered.
He laughed and helped her upright. “It’s okay.”
His arm was still wrapped around her waist and she was pressed rather tightly against him. Good grief he was tall. She barely reached his chin. He stared down at her and the smile from his face had faded. The look in his eye was smoldering hot and she felt her cheeks flush as her core began to throb slightly. Too close. You’re too close, her mind screamed.
“Better be careful,” he rasped. His breath smelled like mint as it tickled her cheeks. The tip of his tongue slipped out and moistened his lips, and immediately her eyes were drawn to it. Her lips were dry so, acting on impulse, she did the same. She couldn’t tear her eyes off of that sinfully beautiful mouth, and it was getting closer to hers.
As her heartrate kicked up a notch, her nipples pressed out and strained against her shirt, rubbing against the lace of her bra. She clenched the muscles between her legs together to try to slow down the aching need that seemed to be growing.
His mouth moved closer and it was like everything was in slow motion. This man, this famous man, was about to kiss her. Back away. Get out now. This is not going to end well, her mind screamed at her. She knew she needed to listen, but the only thing she could hear was the crazy drumming of her heart.
Gently his mouth pressed against hers. It was a sweet kiss and quite possibly the hottest thing she’d ever experienced in her life. Because while it may have started slow and sweet, somewhere along the way an urgent need began to develop. She had no idea who made the first move but the next thing she knew, her arms were wrapped around his neck and he was hauling her tightly against his body.
She melted against him as her fingers danced through the hair at the back of his neck. He let out a slow groan as her tongue met his in a slow duel. Moisture spread between her thighs and the need for a release was growing rapidly. His hand skimmed down her side and rested low on her hip, gently kneading and massaging. His touch was almost magical.
Reality slammed through the fog in her mind when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled away and looked at Trevor, shocked and horrified at what she’d just allowed to happen. He was a client, a patient and off limits.
She pressed her hands flat against his chest and he loosened his hold on her. She slid down the length of his body. His arousal did not go unnoticed as it pressed against her before she stepped back.
The tips of her fingers brushed her lips and her eyes grew wide. “I—I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
He was softly panting, with lips slightly swollen from their kiss. He looked just as shocked as she felt. “It’s okay,” he insisted.
She shook her head. “So, uh. Yeah, continue those exercises and I’ll see you again on Thursday.”
She didn’t give him a chance to respond before spinning on her heels and all but running to the locker room. Once out of sight, she leaned heavily against the wall. What in the hell had just happened? Had she really been without a man’s company for so long that she was reduced to a simpering puddle at the first sight of a good looking one? And that kiss. She lifted her fingers to her mouth, brushing gently against their swollenness.
She had to admit. Her experience with men was somewhat limited, and all the experiences she had with them were everything but good. In fact, it was because of those experiences that she’d fled her home town and sought refuge in Miami. Nothing like starting over in a new city with a new job and a new name.
“You have seriously got to get your crap together,” she said as she pushed away from the wall. She had three more sessions booked and then she would head over to her other job. Maybe she would even have one of the girls she worked with take care of the stress knots that seemed to be forming in the base of her neck.
Trevor watched as Lacey disappeared into the locker room. His cock twitched in his shorts, reminding him of how attracted to her he was. His manager had told him that if he could finish up his therapy, he could be pitching again by the tenth game of the season. What he didn’t expect was that his therapist would be smoking hot.
Lacey had the bluest eyes he’d ever seen in his life, and with as many ad campaigns and stuff that he’d had to do, there were a lot. He’d also noticed the soft curve of her body beneath the scrubs she wore. More than once he’d chanced a peak at her cleavage when she leaned over to help him. His mouth practically watered. She was confident in her work, but he could see just below the surface of her gaze that she was unsure.
He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was something there that screamed innocence. That was the most appealing thing for him. Sh
e wasn’t throwing herself at him. In fact, she hadn’t even known who he was, which was refreshing. It meant that any attraction that was between them was pure and untainted by who he was. It was hard to find women that were interested in him for who he was. They often saw dollar signs.
Lacey was successful and he could tell by the way she interacted with him and the others he’d seen that she truly loved her job. Not only that, but she boasted of a Midwestern accent, which reminded him of home. If he had to say anything, it was that she went out of her way to blend in or be invisible. He noticed that when he spoke to her, she often lowered her gaze or would look away. She did joke with him, but it was all light. It almost seemed as if she was scared. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, but if he’d said he regretted it, he would be lying.
He nearly lost it when she pressed her body against his. Those tight tits and that firm ass. He groaned as he swiped the sweat away from his head with the towel. Right now the only thing he wanted to do was finish what had just been started with his physical therapist. While every bone in his body was screaming for him to hurry and move things along, there was something in his mind that told him he needed to tread lightly with this one.
Lacey Carson wasn’t just another groupie or fan. She was a paradox and he found himself very much wanting to figure her out.
***
By the time Thursday rolled around, Lacey’s nerves were fried. She’d had very little sleep because every time she closed her eyes, the only thing she could see was Trevor as he kissed her. The times that she did manage to sleep, her dreams were filled with erotic pleasures that had her waking with her panties soaked and a throbbing between her thighs. She’d tried to manually ease the ache and while it did satiate the desire for a short while, it did little to slake her thirst for Trevor.
She kept telling herself how absurd she was being. There was no way she wanted him, because she’d only just met him. In fact, she’d only met him twice. Sure, one of those times he’d kissed her brainless and caused all the bones in her body to turn to rubber, but that didn’t mean anything. Did it?