After a few pictures of beat-up but happy players, I left the locker room and waited for Joel outside so he and the rest of the team could shower. He walked out wearing shorts that showed his scraped up legs, a red t-shirt molded to his chest, and his bag slung over his shoulder. I wanted to thread my fingers through his wet hair. He gave me a relieved smile when he saw me waiting outside the locker room.

Sitting his bag down, he planted his arms against the wall behind me, caging me in. "Thanks for waiting." His head dipped and he kissed me with an intensity that had my pulse soaring.

"Get a room," was shouted from one of his teammates as a group of them left the locker room. They all laughed.

I blushed, but Joel didn't look their way or acknowledge them at all. "We'll be drinking heavily tonight. Are you ready?"

"Ready?"

"You didn't stick around last week. I want you with me tonight. I just need to warn you that it gets rowdy."

"I can handle rowdy." His teammates forgotten, I went up on my toes and kissed him.

We walked to the bus hand in hand with a few other players joining us. Before the bus took off, cold beer cans from a cooler in the back were tossed to all the players. Joel captured one for me and gave a sly grin. "Tradition," he said before the countdown began.

They shouted, "Three, two, one, slam it."

As one, cans were tipped back and guzzled. I tried. The beer was horrible. Joel removed the can from my fingers and drank it down. He added my empty can to the others tossed into the center aisle as "Slam, Slam, Slam" filled the small confines of the bus.

Rowdy didn't quite cover the beginning of the celebration. It wasn't until we reached the bar that I understood the significance of the cans thrown on the bus's floor. The stomping crackle as players left the bus was pretty juvenile. They purposely smashed and kicked the cans forward as they left the bus.

Joel and I left the bus last and Joel held a plastic garbage bag while the bus driver gathered the cans. They had obviously done this before. We walked into the bar and I immediately noticed players from the other team. Pitchers of beer lined the bar along with glasses. Joel kept me close to his side and grabbed a pitcher. "Grab two glasses," he yelled as he looked around for a table. The noise was deafening, and ordering wine was out of the question. I grabbed the glasses and followed him to the table where his brother and Mike sat.

Charlie and Stub walked in and scrounged two chairs to sit with us. I hugged them both before they began guzzling beer as fast as everyone else.

One of the players, I think it was the Timberwolves' captain, jumped onto the bar and raised his glass. "To the badass Slam. All the way, motherfuckers."

I could only shake my head. An hour ago they were killing each other on the field and now the Timberwolves cheered The Slam. The tap beer was better than the canned variety and after the second one it wasn't so bad at all.

Two women walked in, one laughing loudly as they both gave obvious looks Van's way. I glanced at Van, who was watching the ladies like they were prey. Without saying a word, he got up from the table and left us. I turned to Joel.

"You okay?" He rested his hand on mine.

I smiled. "Quite okay."

"You ready to get a little more rowdy?"

I had no idea what he was talking about, just nodded my head.

"Hand me my beer when I'm upright."

I watched in shock as shy Joel stood precariously on the table. He put his hand down for the beer. "Memememememe," he kind of sang, or more like croaked out in a loud voice. It got everyone's attention and they all turned his way. I about died when he held his beer out and started singing.

"I know a bear that you all know."

The crowd shouted back, "Yogi, Yogi."

"I know a bear that you all know."

"Yogi, Yogi Bear. Yogi, Yogi Bear, Yogi, Yogi Bear." Their combined voices were deafening.

"I know a bear that you all know."

"Yogi, Yogi Bear."

Van's voice took over as Joel downed his beer and jumped off the table, "Yogi's got a little friend."

"Booboo, Booboo." I turned and saw Charlie and Stub yell-singing too.

"Yogi's got a little friend."

"Booboo, Booboo Bear, Booboo, Booboo Bear, Booboo, Booboo Bear."

Van kissed the closest woman to him and continued. "Yogi's got a little friend."

"Booboo, Booboo Bear."

I caught on to the lyrics as someone else took over another verse. The next verse was about Yogi's girlfriend, Cindy, followed by Cindy likes it on the fridge, polar, polar bear. I almost died again when the next guy sang, "Booboo likes it up the ass."

And the crowd came back with, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."

Um, I missed something in all my research. Joel put an arm around my shoulder and sang with everyone else. From Cindy being a grizzly bear because she never shaved her pubes to Yogi being a daddy bear because he didn't use a condom. I was laughing as much as singing.

I had no time to grasp how crazy rugby players and fans were because when that song ended, another began about a gang bang. Joel sang as loudly as everyone else. More beer flowed and more songs about sex filled the bar. Nothing had anything to do with rugby. I have no idea how many beers I drank, but I had one of the best times in my life.

Insane.

Rugby players and fans were insane. There was no way I could ever write about this night, it was past being obscene and halfway to indecent. The songs continued off and on for hours.

"You're a true rugby fan now," Joel said as he kept me from falling on my face, turning me to the first bus seat instead. I rested against him hoping my head would stop spinning. How he was still walking was beyond me. The man never stopped drinking even after I switched to water.

"Do rugby fans get a kiss?" I slurred followed by a hiccup.

Joel twirled his finger in my hair bringing me closer. He kissed my forehead and pressed the side of my face against his chest.

"You're going to hate me in the morning."

"No, never," I mumbled against his shirt.

Joel practically carried me into our room. I remember him trying to help me out of my clothes and then my rowdy night ended as the world went dark.

The blackout curtains didn't show the nine-thirty morning sun when I finally woke up. My splitting headache held all the memories from the night before. Joel's hand rested on my belly, and from the sound of his breathing, he was out cold.

What time did the bus leave? I thought sleepily. I pulled eleven from my fuzzy brain. I was safe. I rolled over and managed to push off the bed. The room spun a little, but I got myself upright without falling.

I heard Joel groan, "What time is it?" He pulled a pillow over his head, the rest of him deliciously naked, though there was no way I was in the mood to take advantage of it. Such a shame, I thought as I stumbled to the bathroom.

I looked down at myself and realized I wore my bra and underwear. I can't believe I slept that way. "Nine-thirty," I finally answered.

"Wake me in an hour," he said with another low groan. It was nice to know the beer affected him more than I'd thought. I made it to the bathroom, shut the door behind me, and cringed when the lightning stabbed into my brain when I switched on the light. I took some ibuprofen, brushed my teeth, and stepped into the shower. After about ten minutes, I felt better, though I needed food. Joel slept through me getting dressed and leaving the room. I had to smile. He'd surprised me with his singing the night before. I liked all facets of Joel Stelson. Hell, I needed to admit to myself that I loved everything about the man.

I took the elevator downstairs, turned the corner into the breakfast area, and came to a sudden halt. Van was the only player sitting in the room. A hotel employee was clearing the last of the food away and my stomach flip-flopped.

"You missed breakfast by ten minutes," Van said after he took his last bite of food.

"I'll go to the diner across the street." I turned as soon as I said it. I didn't want to be alone with Van.

"Hey, wait up. I'm finished here and I'll keep you company."

I turned back. "I don't think that's a good idea."

He was already sitting his empty plate on the counter with the other dirty plates. He walked over. "You still got a thing for me, Cami?"

He was such a jerk. "No."

"Then what's the problem? Come on, I'll buy."

"No, thank you. I'll buy my own food." God, I sounded like a bitch. He had the right to go wherever he wanted. I just didn't want him near me. Not alone at least. I walked out and made my way across the street. Van walked beside me and had me hustling when a car got too close.

The waitress seated us immediately. I hid behind my menu, covering my face, and examined the all-day breakfast entrées. I didn't lower the menu until the waitress came back with our coffees and took my order. She walked away with my shield and Van knew it.

"What are you going to use now?" He was fighting a grin, which just ramped up my anger.

"This is such a joke to you. I'm one of too many women who fall for your shit and now that I'm conquered, you need to rub it in. Please leave me alone."

Van's hand landed on mine. I tried to pull back, but he squeezed my fingers and pressed them into the table. "I went back for you, Cami. It's you who turned me down. Now you're with my brother. What am I supposed to think?" Van didn't stop there. "He comes after me, determined to rip my head off, almost succeeds, and all because you're in his bed now. The last thing I think this is," his hand finally released mine, "is a joke. So tell me, Miss Avesque, what am I supposed to think?"

I slowly drew my trembling fingers into my lap. Shame filled me. What could I say? My head had lowered as he spoke, but now I looked up, peering into his eyes. Eyes that appeared sincere. An expression that actually looked hurt. "You didn't wait twenty-four hours before you screwed another woman. I was a one-night stand."

The intensity in his eyes remained. "If I hadn't slept with that woman would you still be with me, Cami?"

It took a minute for me to answer, but I gave him honesty. "Yes, Van. I would. I fell a little in love with you that night. Stupid, but true." I noticed Van's eyes looking over my shoulder and without turning aroundI knew Joel stood behind me. I glanced over. Van's hurt expression a minute before didn't compare to Joel's. His eyes searched mine for a moment before he pivoted and walked away.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

What the hell had I done?