“Yes?”

“Are you Cat Hodges?”

“I am.”

“Could, um?” The girl glanced at Dylan who sat with an indulgent smile. “Could I get your autograph?”

“Sure,” Cat smiled and took the pen and napkin the girl hesitantly offered. “What’s your name?”

“Amanda, but everyone calls me Mandy.”

Cat smiled and autographed the napkin, folding the pen around it and handing it back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mandy. Are you a basketball fan?”

“I love to watch you play. You’re really good. Especially for someone who’s so short.”

Dylan couldn’t hold back the laugh that bubbled up, but she tried to cover it by feigning a cough behind her fist.

Many turned to Dylan and ground her toe into the carpet. “Are you someone?”

Now it was Cat’s turn to laugh, which she did as she sipped from her water.

“No, I’m nobody important.”

“Okay.” Mandy turned back to cat and offered her small hand to the player. “Thank you very much.”

Cat took the young girl’s hand and shook it very seriously. “You’re very welcome.”

Both women watched as the girl all but ran back across the room to where her family sat, proudly showing off her autograph. The girl’s mother looked up and silently thanked Cat. Cat nodded and returned her attention to Dylan.

“What was that all about? What do you mean `you’re no one’?”

“To her,” Dylan gestured across the room, “I’m not. She’s not even a Badger’s fan. She’s a Cat Hodges fan. You’ve begun charming the new generation of basketball fans.”

“But still?”

“Cat, when you were growing up and thinking that you wanted to play, who inspired you?”

“You did, you know that.”

“Right, and someday when little Mandy hopes to make that first draft pick, she’ll think of you and how you inspired her to her dreams. It’s not a bad thing Cat.”

“See I just don’t put myself in the same class as you.”

“Maybe, it’s time you started.” Dylan smiled and sipped her wine as she watched Cat consider her words. “You’re a great player and you have the ability to have your name in the record books. It will take time, but I’m sure in a few years you’ll find that you won’t be able to walk down the street without getting hit up for an autograph.”

“Right.”

“I’m serious, but you know what?”

“What?”

“That’s as much talking about work as I want to do. I want to enjoy dinner, have a couple of drinks then take a moonlight walk on the beach.”

“Oh such a romantic you are.”

“I know.” Dylan skewered a mushroom on her fork and popped it in her mouth.

They walked down the beach, with their arms wrapped around each other’s waist. Cat had to keep changing step to keep up with Dylan’s longer stride. It actually turned into a bit of a game when Dylan intentionally changed her stride.

“Be good,” Cat chastised playfully, giving the tall woman a playful slap to the stomach.

“It’s fun to watch you jump.”

“Heathen.”

Cat tightened her hold on Dylan as they continued down the beach. They reached an outcropping of rocks and Dylan pulled Cat behind them to remove them from view. She titled Cat’s head up so they were looking in each other’s eyes. For Dylan the night was perfect. The air warm, the moon bright and there was something on her mind.

“I want to ask you something?”

“The answer is yes,” Cat answered somewhat breathlessly, it was a common occurrence when she looked into Dylan’s eyes.

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”

“I don’t care.”

Dylan chuckled, leaning down to kiss Cat tenderly. “Now be good and listen to my question.”

“Yes ma’am.” Cat nodded soberly, but the smile playing on her lips gave her seriousness away.

“After the season is over, would you like to move in with me?”

“What?”

“After the season is over?”

“I heard you, but?Dylan are you sure?”

“I am very sure. I’ve thought about it a lot. I remember how I felt when we had that problem over the shoot. I hated it. I hated being without you. I love you Catherine, I want to share my life with you.”

“What about Horace?”

“Well, I didn’t think we’d be sending out engraved announcements,” she grinned, running her thumb over Cat’s lips. “But I’ll deal with Horace. Don’t worry. And as long as we’re discreet, everything will be fine. But before you answer I really want you to think it over.

It will mean both of us changing the way we live and I want to make sure you’re ready to do that.”

“It hasn’t been that long since I was living at home.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You’re just now getting a real taste of freedom and I don’t want to take that away from you. There is a huge difference between seeing someone on a regular basis and living with them.”

“I know that.”

“Then before you answer, think about it.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good.”

There was no hesitation between them as they made love, they had learned each other’s bodies and took great delight in each other. Dylan had learned quickly that Catherine was responsive to a light and gentle touch most of the time, but Cat knew almost instinctively that Dylan preferred something a little more `aggressive’.

There was never a moment that they didn’t delight in each other’s passions and make the effort to satisfy each other completely.

Cat curled up in front of Dylan, feeling the taller woman spoon tightly against her back. Cat’s pulse was pounding and rushing in her ears and as she caught her breath she felt her body finally

relaxed. She smiled a satisfied little smile as she listened to Dylan’s breathing even out as well.

“We should eat something.” Cat mumbled, feeling sleepy but a bit hungry at the same time.

“Thanks, I’m full.” Dylan teased, earning a chuckle from the body in front of her that caused them both to shake from the laugher. She pulled Cat’s hair back and placed a kiss to a pink ear. “We can order something in.”

“Chinese?”

“I suppose so. What is this thing you have for Chinese food after we make love?”

“I have no idea.”

“Have you always been this way?”

“No, just with you.”

Another kiss and Dylan rolled over, switching on the lamp next to the bed. Opening the draw in the nightstand she removed a blue tri-fold menu, which she handed over to her lover.

“This hotel thinks of everything don’t they?”

“Nothing but the best.” Dylan retrieved a glass of mineral water she had brought into the bedroom several hours ago and took a healthy drink.

“Little dehydrated?” Cat giggled as she perused the menu.

“Just a little. I think juice is in order,” Dylan sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched, causing her spine to pop in several places. “Care for something?”

Cat looked at her lover with a leer and wriggled her brows.

“I mean from the kitchen you little smart ass.”

“Oh well, if you’re going to limit my options, apple juice if you please.”

“When you order could you?”

Cat held up her hand. “Got it, one veggie special with extra tofu.”

Cat rolled for the phone and picked up the receiver but didn’t dial until she had watched Dylan’s nude form disappear from the bedroom.

“I would really enjoy waking up to her every morning.” Cat sighed as she waited for the restaurant to pick up.

Dylan took Cat?s bag out of the trunk, handing it off to the player with a grin. “Thanks for a wonderful weekend.”

Cat smiled, completely charmed by her lover. “Do you want to come in?”

“Nothing I?d like better, but I have to go home to get ready for a meeting.”

“Horace?”

“Horace and a few other of his cronies. They?re going to give me better ideas on how to handle the team.” She smirked, knowing she would hear only half of what they said, remember a quarter of that and care about even less. “No big deal. It?s my bimonthly dog and pony show.”

“They don?t pay you enough for putting up with that bullshit.”

“Tell me. If I didn?t love what I do, I swear I?d go teach high school ball somewhere.”

“Well,” Cat sighed, feeling truly sorry for her partner. “Try not to let him get to you.”

“Oh don?t worry, Sweetheart. The last person in the world that?s going to get to me is Horace. Why don?t we have dinner tonight?”

“Sounds great. Let me cook for you. Come back around seven and we?ll have a quiet night in.”

“Perfect.” Dylan leaned over, giving the blonde a kiss on the cheek. “See you tonight.”

Dylan didn?t even bother to drop her bag at her house before heading over to Horace?s office. She hated these meetings, but they were part of her contract and nothing short of death was acceptable for missing them.

Locking her car and setting the alarm, Dylan noticed that the parking lot was empty of cars belonging to the other Horace idiots who regularly attended these meetings. “Oh this can?t be good,” she mumbled under hear breath, heading into the building.

Exiting the elevator, Dylan took a deep breath before heading into the office. She hated this shit. She hated Horace and she hated the hoops he made her and the team jump through.

She knew in her heart that the only reason she didn?t tell him to take his job and shove it where a basketball won?t bounce is because of Cat and the other players who worked so damn hard to bring the Badgers out of near last place and put them in the playoffs. She knew that without her as a buffer a lot of women on the team would be having huge problems with the owner.

Horace knew that not all women who played professional basketball were lesbians, but that didn?t stop him from assuming that deep down they really wanted to be. The only one he had confirmation on was Cat and he already wanted to make her life miserable. The more she thought about him the madder she got and by the time she actually made it to the reception area it was all she could do to keep from shaking.