Unknown - driven

The defense was a simple man-to-man, and Chaney executed a perfect pick, allowing Cat to come free. Then the shooting guard took a step back off her defender, received Cat?s bullet pass, and sunk a shot from just inside the key. Pumping her fist in the air, she then swatted Cat a good one on the rump as they both ran down the court to take up their defensive positions.

Cat spared a quick glance at the play clock and, seeing four minutes proudly displayed, realized for the first time in her professional basketball career, that these were going to be the longest four minutes of her life.

She wasn?t wrong.

The Pistols took their time, slowing their game, and watching as the clock ticked down its final minutes. Try as they might, the Badgers couldn?t come up with a steal, and Cat watched in disgust as their defensive scheme broke down and an easy shot was scored.

The return charge didn?t make it to the basket, aborted by a steal. The Pistols? point guard dribbled the ball and headed back down court with the Badgers hot on her heels.

Two minutes on the clock and the crowd was nearly crazed at this point. Watching their team come back from what should have been a thrashing and then watching them work to get and keep the lead had the crowd constantly one their feet.

Cat watched as the shot was attempted and missed. The ball practically fell into her hands and the reverse was made. She headed back down court. Looking up, she saw a wall of Pistols running up on her, looking huge and hungry as they approached. Staring toward the basket, she realized she had only one option. Taking the shot, she waited as it seemed time slowed down. For her it was like a scene out of a bad sports movie. She could see, hear and feel the breath leaving her body as she willed the ball to go in.

“YES!” She took a split second to thank God or whatever Supreme Being watched out for basketball players, off after the opposition.

She knew with ten seconds left on the clock this was going to be the Pistols? last chance, and she was prepared for it. She did her job and made it impossible for their point guard to get a clean shot. She managed to hold her off for four full seconds until a pass was made to one of the forwards.

The shot went up, arcing into the air as if riding on the tails of a rainbow.

It got nearly deathly quiet in the arena, as every single eye followed the ball. Watching it approach the net, Cat heard the buzzer and prayed.

Those prayers were answered when the ball hit the rim and bounced back, striking the court and rolling harmlessly out of bounds. Her shout of victory was drowned out by the screaming of the frenzied crowd and the cheering of her teammates as they surrounded her in a happy jumble.

But the thing she noticed most was the wink and nod from the sidelines before Dylan’s attention was intercepted by the Pistols’ coach, coming to eat crow.

Sometimes, she thought, holding that small bit of praise tight to her soul, life can be good.

The celebration in the locker room turned into an impromptu party befitting the winning of a championship instead of simply triumphing in a game they had been expected to win. Still, the coaches allowed the frivolity, knowing there was a good deal of pent up energy needing to be expended, and further knowing that a release was better here than out in public where fights tended to get started.

It wasn?t until well after midnight when the group finally headed out of the locker room and through the now empty arena, ready for a well-earned night?s sleep. Cat stepped into the cool darkness of the night with Shaniqua on her left and Anya on her right. Above the sounds of their laughter, she heard a peculiar chirping noise that came up from the duffle slung over her shoulder. Unzipping the bag, she reached inside and came out with a tiny cellphone belonging to Dylan. And it was telling her that someone had called and left a message.

“Oohhh,” Chaney ribbed, making a fake grab for the phone. “Hot date tonight, Shortchange?”

“Very funny,” Cat replied, hastily hiding the phone behind her back. “It isn?t mine.”

Chaney?s eyes widened. “Ya don?t say? .” Her grin deepened into a leer. “Been holding out on us, tiny?”

Cat was thankful the darkness hid her blush as she realized that she had just opened a can of worms best left closed. “Um?listen?I gotta go back inside. There?s a message. You know?.”

“Privacy. Gotcha, Shortchange. You sure you?re gonna be alright walkin? out here by yourself?”

Cat had to smile. Ever since the attack, her teammates?and Shaniqua in particular?had taken it upon themselves to be her personal bodyguard cum escort. “Yeah, I?m sure. I?ll be fine. The coaches are still inside, so if I need to, I?ll walk out with them.”

“Alright, then. You have a good time with your?date.” A flash of white teeth, and Shaniqua was swallowed up by the darkness.

Shaking her head and laughing a little, Cat turned on her heel and jogged back into the building. She?d made it to the stands when Coach Caulley stepped out and grabbed her elbow. “Woah. Where?s the fire, Hodges?”

“Sorry Coach,” Cat replied, slightly winded. “I just?.is Coach Lambert around?”

Caulley?s eyes immediately narrowed. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all. I just need to talk to her for a minute. Do you know if she?s still here?”

“I think she went up to her office, but?.”

“Thanks!” With that, Cat took off running again. She ran through the locker room, out the back, and down the hall past the infirmary until she got to an old, less than reliable freight elevator. Jamming on the ancient button set it creakily on its way, and she drummed her fingers against the peeling paint as she waited.

“Come on! Jesus, what are the monkeys that lower the cables on strike for more bananas or something? God!”

Several minutes later, the doors slid open with a grudging sigh, and Cat stepped in, praying yet again that she wouldn?t get stuck in the damn thing.

She didn?t, and when the doors finally opened, she stepped out into another narrow hallway. Unlike the grand corporate offices, the offices in the arena were small, cramped, and dark. Cat walked down the hall humming idly to herself until she came to the door she knew was Dylan?s. It was closed, but she could see a sliver of light spilling through the bottom, so she knocked.

After the second knock, when there was no answer, she tried the door handle. It was unlocked, and with tentative force, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The office was stark, with a battered desk, computer, and chair, and very little else. It was also empty.

There was another door directly opposite her, and Cat saw light from beneath that one as well. She cleared her throat. “Um?Coach? Coach Lambert? It?s Cat. I?ve brought you back your?.”

Before Cat could finish, the second door opened, and Dylan strode out, wet from the shower she?d just taken, and completely naked save for the towel casually wrapped around her lean hips.

“?.phone?” Cat squeaked as every muscle in her body locked. Except for her heart, which seemed to beat double time. A sudden influx of hormones caused a full, head-to-toe flush to break across her body, and although her brain was sending urgent messages to her eyes, they were?thank you very much?quite content to remain where they were; on Dylan?s magnificent breasts.

Dear God, get a grip! Her brain shouted, trying to urge locked muscles into action. You?ve seen naked women before! Hell, you even showered with a whole group of them not more than a half hour ago!

Yeah, but none of those were Dylan Lambert.

The rest of her body happily agreed with this statement; her eyes most of all as they finally allowed slight movement and traced the tight, banded muscles of Dylan?s belly, then swept up and across impossibly broad shoulders and along a wonderful neck, before coming back down to their favorite targets and remaining there.