Hot Number (Hot Zone 2)

The rest of the guys called out their orders and the waitress left to fill them. A minute later, Ricky Carter excused himself and sidled up to the waitress, obviously flirting as the woman worked.

Micki ignored him and made small talk with the players who took turns coming by and getting to know the publicist for the Renegades. By the time the waitress returned with their drinks, almost all of the team was present and accounted for-except for Damian.

Her uncle had let her know about his wrist injury and extended stay on the DL, asking Micki to keep an eye on him while she was in Florida. Uncle Yank worried about Damian's frame of mind and Micki understood. His absence told her he'd either wanted time alone or he'd found comfort elsewhere. She wasn't sure she wanted to know with whom and she knew better than to ask and call attention to any interest she had in Damian Fuller.

Instead she focused on food. The waitress arrived a second time carrying buffalo wings and nachos with jalapeno peppers. Since Micki hadn't eaten anything except airline food all day, she indulged immediately.

Next to the jalapeno nachos, the wings were the spiciest things she'd ever eaten and she burned her tongue badly. Her mouth was on fire and before she knew it, she'd finished her whole large iced tea in an effort to cool it off. Nothing worked and eventually her tongue grew numb.

"Hey, Roper-" As she looked around the table for her friend, who she thought was sitting next to her, the guys appeared blurry and a sudden rush of dizziness assaulted her. She blinked and put a hand on the nearest arm.

"What's wrong?" John asked.

"Oh, you are sitting there."

"Have been all night. What's wrong?" he asked again, narrowing his gaze. "You don't look so hot."

"What a rude thing to say to the woman paid to make you look good." Was it her imagination or was her speech slurred? She tried to move her lips but they felt rubbery. "Actually I'm not feeling like myself." If she didn't know better, she'd think she was drunk.

"I'd think not after

consuming two Long Island iced teas in the span of ten minutes," Carter said.

She shook her head. Big mistake, she realized immediately when the room began to swim. "Long Island ked teas? Impossible. I don't drink alcohol." To prove him wrong, she took a final sip from the second glass, but between the way she'd killed her taste buds with the hot food and the complete fuzziness wrapped around her brain, she couldn't tell what she was drinking.

"I ordered a regular iced tea," she insisted.

"I asked them to spice it up for you a bit. And I made sure you got another one when you finished the first, doll." Carter wedged his lean body between her chair and Roper's and placed an arm around her shoulder.

When Micki had begun her transformation, attracting a man like Carter had never been on her agenda. She shook him off, annoyed. "Watch what you call me or you'll find my fist in your mouth," she said, disliking the man even more than her initial impression had warranted.

"Anyone want to hit Lacie's?" Joe Caruso asked.

Roper slid his chair back and rose from his seat. "Hell, yeah. I'm not gonna waste a night off."

The rest of the guys were equally enthusiastic, ready to head off to their next stop.

"What's Lacie's?" Micki stood along with them and immediately grabbed the back of her chair in order to steady herself. "Whoa," she said, laughing. Giggling really, but she hated to admit that the alcohol had dulled her inhibitions that much.

"Easy," Roper said.

"I got her." Carter remained by her side, trying again to slip his arm around her waist. "I like my women feisty."

"I'm not your woman." She jabbed him in the side. "And I like my personal space."

"You heard the lady. Back off," a masculine voice said, coming to her defense.

Damian. Oh hell, Micki thought.

Carter scowled at his captain but surprisingly he listened, keeping his mouth shut before he turned and walked away.

Micki glanced at Damian who'd unexpectedly joined them. In faded jeans and a black silk T-shirt that clung to his gorgeous body and defined his muscles and physique, he looked sexy as hell.

On a good, sober day it would take all of Micki's energy to hide her desire for the man. On a drunken night she didn't stand a chance. Better to get away fast.She took one step and tripped, falling toward him. Roper caught her first. Embarrassed, she steadied herself and as she did, she got her first look at the bimbo on Damian's arm. Even in the Florida humidity, she sported silky smooth hair, perfect makeup and impossibly large boobs.

Micki tried to swallow but thanks to the unrequested alcohol, her mouth had grown dry.

"So, where are you off to?" Damian asked.