Page 33 of Match Point

His serve went a bit wild and came close to hitting her. She dodged and returned the shot. The power in her body as her feet left the ground was a thing of beauty.

He had no time to reflect, only to react to the back-and-forth. Each time the ball struck his racket, exhilaration ensued until with great effort on her part, the ball whizzed by his ear and hit the chain-link fence that surrounded the court.

“Hot damn, I can’t wait to review the tapes on this one. Well done, both of you,” Tucker called from the sidelines.

He’d been wearing his braces most of the day and exhaustion lined his face. This couldn’t be easy for him and Leo debated whether he’d done the right thing by Sorcha by hiring Tucker. From the little time Leo had known him, he was everything Sorcha said and more. He deserved a chance, not pity or doubt. If the man said he was up for the challenge, Leo would support him. It wasn’t every day a man met a true hero.

His father had been one as well. Brave men who risked life and limb to protect others.

Except his father hadn’t survived.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sorcha lowered herself into the river and lay her head back, the cold water sending shivers up and down her spine. Her workouts with Leo had intensified and the week flew by. He was much better than he gave himself credit for, and his skills on the tennis court were developing at a rapid pace. She liked the way he tested her abilities and pushed her to succeed.

Not since her father’s illness and subsequent death had she been as on-point.

“Don’t float away. I won’t be able to stop you.” Tucker warned, submerging into the pond beside her, his face contorted in a grimace.

“I’ll try not to. How are you holding up?” She was asking a lot of Tucker. Ever since she’d caught the news about the bombing and that the person who’d stopped the terrorist from hurting more people was Tucker, she’d worried about his health.

He’d made remarkable progress from then to now, but it wasn’t hard to see the daily pain he was in.

“I’m fine. Standing on the sidelines isn’t the most taxing thing I’ve ever done. While I appreciate your concern, I don’t need coddling.” He said it with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

The call of a chickadee sounded, and an answering warble followed. “I never in a million years thought I’d be icing my body in a creek in the middle of nowhere.”

“You and me both. Nor did I ever picture us practicing on a converted tennis court and me as your coach. You could have anyone in the world, yet you chose me. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the chance.”

“You won a silver in the Olympics; I think you’re qualified. You were always a great coach, Dad said.” She shrugged her shoulders, holding back the emotion. Resting her head back, the water soaked her hair. “I needed a friend as well as a coach. That last woman was awful, and she drank like a fish. Not to mention the fact her boyfriend cornered me in the elevator and stuck his tongue down my throat.”

“Bastard,” Tucker sneered, shaking his head. “She’s Nina’s coach now.”

Sorcha twisted her neck, her cheek touching the water. She winced at the chill. “Does everybody have the Wi-Fi password but me?”

Tucker chuckled and treaded water, his knees floating toward the surface. “I’m your coach, it’s my prerogative. Besides, I don’t want you distracted by Nina. So what if she’s younger and ranks higher? I mean—“

She splashed water at him, narrowing her eyes in mock outrage. “She’s. A. Bitch. Pure and simple, but as much I dislike her, I don’t wish the boyfriend on her.”

“Nor can you let your imagined insecurities override your game. You allowed her to get into your head because you’re playing in your head. The exception is when you’re playing against Leo.”

“Leo’s been playing tennis for less than a week and while I have to give him props, he’s still very raw.” Sorcha feathered her fingers through the water, the gentle stretch a welcome boon to her sore hands.

“It’s not his skills that are the catalyst, it’s the complement of your skills to his lack thereof. In essence, you’re getting out of your head and into your opponent’s. I’ve seen you adjust your swing to keep the ball in play instead of nailing the point. If you can apply the same process to Nina Garcia, you can anticipate her next move before she can.”

Sorcha kept her gaze averted, glad for the coolness of the water. She’d made those adjustments because she wanted to keep Leo on the court with her. Pathetic, but she liked working out with him. He brought out the beast and the best in her despite being annoying.

And cute.

And sexy.

And charming.

And off-limits.

“Hey, you two,” Leo said, walking to the bank in a pair of jeans and a black tank top. The caps of his shoulders were well-defined, the tattoo dark against his skin. She licked dry lips and forced a grin.

“Hey. Grams wanted me to come grab you for dinner.”

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