True enough, but the thought of a trainer or someone doing such a thing without a player’s permission was galling.

“Ask me what you really want to know, Holly.”

“Could it happen? Honestly?”

“Honestly? In a billion-dollar sport, where more than just bank accounts are on the line? When it’s also reputations and traditions and egos? Anything could happen.”

“I’ve read that something like one out of ten professional athletes use steroids or stimulants.”

“Right, but that’s all sports combined—wrestling, football, track and field . . . Look,” he said. “Athletes, both professional and amateur, have an incredible amount of pressure put on them to perform, and perform well. Add to that the fact that there’s a limited amount of time for them to do their best work and gain success before ego or injury sets in. So if there’s a shortcut to that success, someone’s always going to be willing to take it.”

“Even if it’s risking their career.”

“But,” he said, “you have to take into account that historically speaking, it’s only been recently that enhancers and the like have come into play as the bad guy.”

“So what are you saying? That it’s okay for the public and the industry to put this kind of pressure on the athletes, that it’s okay for the athletes to respond by using drugs to enhance their bodies and performances?”

“Actually,” he said calmly, “I’m just saying you can’t believe everything you read.”

“One out of ten . . .” she murmured, brain whirling. “That would mean that statistically speaking, at least two members of the Heat are using.”

At that, some of the affection and amusement went out of his eyes. “It doesn’t work like that, Holly.”

“No?”

He sighed, set down his beer, and stood up, pulling some cash from his wallet and dropping it on the bar.

“Well.” She sighed. “I’ve certainly got the knack of pissing people off tonight.”

“We’ve got an early flight, that’s all. Time to hit the sack.”

When he was gone, she stood up, too. And ran smack into Gage.

“Where are you off to?” he asked. As tall and built as his players, he could be charming as hell when he chose. Though he was smiling, this wasn’t one of those times. His eyes were troubled.

“As Ty just pointed out to me,” she said, “we have an early flight. I’m going to bed.”

“Alone?”

“Excuse me?”

He appeared to wrestle with himself, then grimaced and muttered, “What the hell,” before swiping a hand down his face and meeting her gaze once again. “Let me walk you to your room.”

“Are you coming onto me, Gage?”

“What?” He looked so horrified she almost felt sorry for him. “No!”

“Okay, that leaves babysitting. I don’t need babysitting.”

“Just tell me that you’re not going to Pace’s room.”