Love of the Game Read Online Free Page B

ineffective. Flirting is ineffective for your treatment, and it makes me uncomfortable. Let’s stick to the topic. Your constant drive to succeed is causing problems, and I suspect not only at work, but in your personal life as well.”
    Damn! Her perception was uncanny. His last relationship—albeit not a serious one—had broken up because of all the time he spent working out.
    â€œLady,” he said. “You don’t know me at all.”
    She looked at him with such pity it made him mad. “Who’s Dylan?”
    He slapped a hand over his heart, over the tattoo, even though his T-shirt hid it from her prying eyes. “Let’s get something straight. You don’t get to ask me about that. Ever.”
    â€œHe was very important to you.” Her eyes were sad, but she wasn’t taking it personally.
    Axel was not going to talk about Dylan. He made a verbal U-turn, switchback. “So the heartless, rusted Tin Man. That’s me in your book?”
    She paused, nodded, her head gliding loose and smooth. “Balance. You need balance in your life. That’s what I’m saying. You’ve hit the wall.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œNow comes rest. Or you could run after TrumanBeck and tell him you changed your mind about the surgery. It’s your choice. I have no vested interest in the outcome. In fact, if you went through with the surgery, it would get me off the hook.”
    â€œYou didn’t seem to have much trouble putting yourself on the hook in the first place,” he pointed out.
    â€œI have to speak up when I see something that needs speaking up about.”
    â€œYou’re the crunchy granola type.”
    Amusement lit her eyes. “I strive for peace, harmony, and balance in all things.”
    â€œSo then you go and rock the boat with management? Contradictory.”
    â€œSome things are more important than peace, harmony, and balance.”
    â€œWhat things?”
    â€œPrinciples. I couldn’t let them bulldoze you into something that you were obviously on the fence about. Sometimes, you have to put up a fight.”
    His muscles tensed. “Why am I the battle you’ve chosen to take on? You don’t owe me anything.”
    She took a deep breath in segmented parts, filling her belly first, then her mid-chest, finally the tops of her lungs. Strong. In charge. Her breasts rose brilliantly, swelling with air, alive with it. He’d never been fascinated with anyone’s breathing before, but now he was.
    â€œBecause you’re on the verge of crashing and burning,” she said.
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYou know it too. Deep down. That’s why you put off the surgery. And it’s why I offered my opinion.”
    â€œYou didn’t offer it, Sphinx. I pulled it out of you.”
    â€œYou took my advice.”
    They stood there staring at each other and he had the most overwhelming urge to kiss her.
    Kiss her hard. Kiss her long. Kiss her deep. Kiss her until both of them were hot and sweaty and panting for air.
    She must have seen the desire in his eyes because for the first time, she looked uncertain and stepped back.
    That move made him want to close the gap she’d created, span the distance, rub the corner of her wide, peach-hued lips with his thumb, and coax out a smile. But he wouldn’t. If she was going to be his therapist, he would keep his hands to himself.
    â€œThis place is impressive.” She dodged his gaze by glancing up at the domed ceiling that let in a flood of sunshine. “State-of-the-art facility. Cutting-edge equipment. Highly trained therapists. It’s adding to your sense of failure.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œYou’re thinking, hey, I’ve got the best of everything to heal and I’m not healing, what’s wrong with me?”
    â€œBusted.” He laughed even though it wasn’t funny. “So what are we going to do about that?”
    â€œTake you away