Do Me Baby (The Beaumont Series) (6 page)

He nodded. “That’s what the docs said last season.”

He had gone over it a thousand times in his head. Maybe he should have passed the ball to their center. Maybe he should have just tried to shoot it at the three-point line, but instead he’d decided to take it to the hole and show the team that even after ten years he still had it. And look where that had gotten him.

Now the team was playing without him and it was nearing the end of the playoffs. If they could get past the Celtics, then it would be either them or the New York Knicks to compete against the Miami Heat before heading to the finals. If only he could be back playing to make sure it happened. He hadn’t been voted MVP three years in a row because of his good looks. It was all about his skill and being a team player. And he was certain his team needed him.

Debra touched his arm, putting her fingers right on his wrist, and it was like getting touched by a branding iron. He felt the heat generating from every one of her fingers.

“The season isn’t over yet. Are you seeing a physical therapist?” she asked gently

He nodded. “Yep, three times a week. I’m even practicing drills with the team.”

He was disappointed when she returned her hand to her lap. “But he still won’t let you participate in the playoffs, right?”

“Right.” He swallowed and looked down onto the dance floor.

“So you’re pissed.”

She’d summed it up perfectly. He was angry about getting hurt. Angry he couldn’t play. So angry he was glad for the cruise so he didn’t have to practice or be seen sitting out on the bench again at Saturday’s game. For a moment he allowed his frustrations at being on the bench, away from the action, pound through him. He wasn’t supposed to be sitting out at this point in his career. “Yep, I’m pissed.”

“Healing takes time,” she said firmly. “I used to play softball and injured my rotator cuff. I was out my entire senior year of college. You’re healing, and that’s a good thing.”

He lowered his plate onto the chair beside him. “I know,” he said, trying to keep his tone leveled. “Patience has never been my strongest suit.”

“There’s a shocker… You’re a Beaumont.”

“True.” He smiled at her teasing. “The thing is,” he began slowly, without looking at her. “I’m thirty-two. I don’t have a lot of years left in the NBA. Injuries aren’t good when your contract’s up at the end of the year.”

She nodded and he could tell she was starting to understand what he was worried about.

Being replaced.

“You just gotta have faith. That’s what got me where I am today. Without faith, I would have nothing.”

“Good advice,” Rance replied. He made the mistake of meeting her beautiful smile, and when their eyes collided something flared inside his chest. Heat. Lust. He wasn’t quite sure what, but he braced himself and quickly looked away.

Goodness! What in the world was it about Rance that threw her heart into a sprint with a single look?
Damn you, Bianca!
Debra screamed inwardly. She was seriously reconsidering the continuation of their friendship after this latest stunt. She had to admit that there had been times when she’d thrown Bianca to the wolves. She remembered insisting that she double date with a dude who had a shoe fetish. He had spent the entire evening staring down at her heels. But nothing Debra had ever done to Bianca had come close to the agony of being stranded onboard a cruise ship for an entire weekend with a man who was so fine he made her want to strip off her clothes and cry, “Do Me, Baby!”

The deejay was rocking the mike again and whatever the song was, he had everybody jumping out of their seats and moving to the lower deck.

“You know how to wobble?” Rance asked her over the yelling of the crowd.

Debra arched a brow. “Wobble?” she shook her head.

He stood. “C’mon. I’ll show you.” Rance started walking down to the deck and didn’t bother to look over his shoulder until he’d reached the floor. Then he yelled, “Deb, c’mon.”

Deb?? She couldn’t resist a grin. It was something about the way he said it that made them seem like two long-lost friends.

She nibbled nervously on her bottom lip. There was no way she could go out there and make a fool of herself in front of all those people who were standing around watching. But there was something about the way Rance looked at her, encouraging her to participate, that had her rising and moving down to the floor.

“Okay, you better not laugh at me,” she warned as she moved beside him.

“Don’t worry. Just follow my lead.”

She felt into step and watched him rock his body to the left and then to the right, mimicking the others. She fumbled a couple of times, but after the third pass she could at least follow along, although she was sure she lacked the skills of the two women standing in front of her who looked like they knew every dance move there was.

“See, it wasn’t as difficult as you thought,” Rance said with a wink.

Jesus, he was sexy! She wanted to pull him close and see if his mouth was as sweet as it looked.

She smiled and relaxed her hips and realized she was having too much fun. As soon as the song ended fans surrounded Rance, and Debra decided it was as good a time as any to disappear to their cabin.

Chapter 6

Rance stuck around on the deck long enough to take a few pictures and sign autographs before he was finally able to excuse himself and go in search of Debra. Somehow, when he hadn’t been looking, she had slipped away.

As he walked down a flight of stairs he thought about his cabin mate. She didn’t seem the least bit interested in his fame, and he liked that. In fact, she intrigued him. He didn’t know what it was, exactly. Her lush body or her uninterested attitude. Either way, he wanted to get to know her better. After all, they were sharing a cabin, so they might as well enjoy the short time together. He slid the key in the door and stepped into the room. He was immediately disappointed at not finding her sitting across the bed. He was getting ready to take a seat on the couch when movement outside the window caught his attention. Walking over to the door he pushed it open and stepped out onto the glass-encased balcony.

“Hi,” Debra said with barely a glance.

“Hey, you,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

“Look at that view,” Debra breathed as she gestured out at the rolling waves of the Atlantic.

He was looking at the view, all right. Only it was the view he wanted to see: her shapely round ass bent over the railing as Debra gazed out onto the water. Rance forced himself to look away. Especially since he wasn’t looking to start anything. Even something temporary. They were roommates. Fighting the raging in his loins, Rance figured it would just make things too complicated.

“Ooh! Look at those ships!” she cried. Standing just a few feet away, Rance was itching to move right up behind her, wrap his arms around her waist and draw her against him.

“Very nice,” he said, but he didn’t mean the ships. He could visit the naval shipyard any time. But this view… it was too arousing to ignore.

Debra tilted her head and looked over at him. Her eyes were sparkling. “You’re not even looking.”

“Yes, I am,” he answered without hesitation.

“Whatever,” she mumbled. Unable to contain a straight face, she laughed with pleasure. “Men! You’re all alike.”

Rance laughed and discovered he liked being close to her, even though he’d just told himself to leave her alone. Truthfully, he like everything he’d discovered about her so far. Her beauty and thick succulent body were only two of her attributes. Debra spoke her mind. She had an infectious laugh and was willing to try new things, like dancing, even though she didn’t have much rhythm. In a nutshell, Debra was sexy as hell.

“What do you mean we’re all alike?”

She gave him a side glance and replied, “I was watching you out of the corner of my eye, staring at my ass.”

“Seriously?” he replied, struggling to keep a straight face. “You got me confused with some other brotha…”

“Whatever,” she said with a frown, pointing upward toward the top level. “Go back to the Promenade Deck and stare at all the women you want. I’m sure they won’t mind the attention.”

Laughing, he rested his elbows on the rail and replied, “The view down here is better.”

Rance was speaking the truth, but Debra looked down at the water as if she was embarrassed. It wasn’t false modesty, he realized. She really was uncomfortable with the attention.

“Hey,” he said playfully, bumping her shoulder with his. “I love everything I see.”

She twisted to face him and said, “Thank you. Although, I could lose a few pounds.”

“I think you look great.”

Debra shook her head, then swung around so she was facing him as she spoke. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those full-figured women with self-esteem issues.
 
I know I’m beautiful and sexy.”

“I know that’s right,” Rance mumbled under his breath.

“But I also know there’s plenty of room for improvement..” She laughed. “Being around cupcakes all day ain’t good for a sista’s figure.”

He arched his brows and answered in kind. “You don’t see me complaining.”

His gaze was torn between watching her curves and gazing into those mesmerizing eyes of hers. Her body won. The way the cover-up shaped her butt captured his attention. “You’re just thick as hell,” he murmured.

She blushed openly then giggled. “I’m glad you like my cupcake ass and hips.”

“I don’t know why you’re so hard on yourself. All that matters is that you’re healthy.” He’d dated dozens of actresses and models who obsessed endlessly about imperfections in their appearance. He’d always believed you were who you were. In his case, he was an athletic, so his body and staying in shape was critical for his career. But once he hung up the jersey for good he was planning to stay in shape, in moderation, while allowing his body to age gracefully.

“I could help you come up with an exercise program,” he offered. “Just some simple cardio, maybe some light weights. Nothing strenuous.”

She studied him, obviously thinking. In the end she released a heavy sigh. “I’d like that.”

“Although a cruise is the wrong time to start thinking about fitness. Not with all the food they have around here.”

“You’re right about that,” she said with a shake of her head, sending her mass of curls bobbing around her head. The smile slipped from his lips, and all he could do was just stare into those beautiful gold-green eyes.

“What?” she finally said.

In that instance he knew there was no point in denying it. He wanted her. Now he just had to find a way to convince her. The throbbing at his loins affirmed his decision. He had to have her. It would be nothing more than a weekend fling, but he planned to do whatever it took to make that happen, or he’d never be able to get the desire to see those green eyes staring up at him while he made love to her out of his system. Unfortunately, convincing her wasn’t going to be easy.

“Rance…,” he heard her say. “What’s wrong?” her eyes had narrowed with concern.

“What’s wrong is that I want to kiss you right now.”

She took a step back. “It’s not a good idea to start something with your roommate,” he growled in response.

“And besides,” she rushed on. “We’re stuck with each other until Sunday, with no place to go. Getting involved could be disastrous.”

He moved in close and replied, “It could also be good. Damn good between us.”

Reaching out, Rance stroked her cheek. God, she was so pretty. Her eyes were green, huge, her skin soft, and her lips were parted and almost waiting…

Before it was too late, it was time to be honest. “I’m not looking for happily ever after.”

“Good, because neither am I,” she said and swallowed

But even as she said it, her body seemed to say something else. What? He wasn’t sure. Which was why he just wasn’t into relationships. Weekend flings, casual dating, but nothing more. Relationships were just too complicated. That’s why he was upfront and kept it real. Otherwise things got crazy.

And then there were the lies… not to mention the games. In his career, he had to be careful. There were so many women out there trying to get a piece of what he had and who would stop at nothing to get it. He’d been played enough times as a rookie. Now he was old enough to know better. But this woman… There was something about Debra that was different, and he wanted to find out everything he could about her.

“Debra, to be honest, there’s something about you that intrigues me. Even when you’re tryna blow a brotha off.”

“I’d put that down to ego,” she teased.

“Probably,” he heard himself admit. “I’ll be honest. I’m used to women falling at my feet.”

“Really? I would have never guessed.” She laughed, drawing a grin from him. “So then, you don’t know for sure if you like me.”

“Oh, don’t get it twisted. I like everything I see.” His eyes perused her face and landed down at her chest.

Debra crossed her arms over her breasts and gave him a look that said she wasn’t convinced. “Don’t
you
get it twisted. I’m a beautiful woman. Any man would be lucky to have me. That’s if I was interested in a relationship. And I’m not.”

“Neither am I,” he replied. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy each other’s company for the duration of the cruise.”

There was a guarded look in her eyes again, as if she was about to say something. What? He wasn’t sure. Debra was a hard woman to read. But it almost looked like fear. It was odd to see that expression on her face, because she seemed so in control of herself. He was pleased to see there was a different side to her. This one was more vulnerable. But as quickly as he saw it, it was gone and the blank look returned.

“I’m sure there are plenty of women who’d jump at the chance to have a weekend fling with an NBA player.”

“The only woman I want to make love to this weekend is you.”

Dammit! He hadn’t planned to be so bold. But there was something about her that made him want to be totally honest and upfront. No lines, no beating around the bush, just straight to the point.

“I didn’t expect you to be that honest,” Debra finally said, pushing away from the rail and taking a seat on one of the padded arm chairs. “You can have any woman you want. Why me?”

“I didn’t think you’d noticed,” he said, and flashed her a silly grin, trying to soften the mood and bring back that wonderful relaxed feeling that had been there when he’d first stepped out onto the balcony.

“What’s not to notice? You had every woman on this ship swooning since the second you stepped out onto the deck. Hell, even the men were falling over themselves trying to get five seconds of Dr. Dribble’s time,” she said with a slight edge to her voice.

He held his palms up in defense. “That’s my job. I’m a ballplayer first. Besides my family, everything else comes second in my life.”

“Including relationships?”

“Like I told you, I don’t do relationships.”

“Just weekend flings,” she mused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He shrugged. “And what’s wrong with that? Enjoying each other’s company. No pressures. No promises.”

“And after the weekend we both go our separate way.”

Rance wasn’t sure why he hesitated. There had been a time in his life when all he’d cared about was himself. Other than his family and the Sixers, no one else had mattered. But his injury had changed that. The fans, people he didn’t even know, had reached out and had been willing to help, wishing him well and offering words of inspiration. And he realized he was surrounded by people who mattered, because without them he was nobody.

“Yep. No strings attached. But it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” He didn’t have many friends. “You’re close to my cousins, so any friend of theirs is a friend of mine.”

Rance watched as she crossed her legs, drawing his eyes to her thick thighs. “I’ll have to think about it. I’ve been so focused on the bakery I just haven’t had much time to think about men and dating.”

He had to scratch his head. How could someone not think about sex? “I was under the impression women had needs as well.”

She shook her head and blushed again. “We do. Or rather, I do. I guess at this point in my life I have different priorities. You’re all about basketball and I’m focused on my cupcakes.”

“Do you ever thinking about anything other than work?”

“Sure I do. I think about how to make more money,” she added with a chuckle. “My business is too new to take a break. If I do, another bakery will move into Sheraton Beach and put me out of business.”

He nodded, clearly understanding where she was coming from. “The same way I feel about being on the bench. Everyone suddenly notices the rookie and my name is barely mentioned anymore.”

“Exactly.”

“How about when I get back home you come to Philadelphia and visit me?” he suggested. He had this strong desire to see her again, even though the weekend had just begun. It was crazy and made absolutely no sense at all.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I want to see you again.” He wanted to get to know her. “We’re supposed to be working on me becoming your new BFF, remember?”

She tossed her head back with laughter. Damn, he loved that musical sound.