Book excerpt: When his wife walked out on him, Al "Trunk" Mahoney's plans for the family he'd never had went up in smoke. A top-ranked defenseman in the NFL, Trunk's success on the gridiron didn't translate to the rest of his life. Hooking up with women was easy for the sexy lineman, but Trunk's secret closed the door to marriage. Would the happiness he yearned for always be just beyond his reach? Beautiful Carla Ricci, bar owner and independent woman had her choice of men. A love-'em and leave-'em lady, she'd made a decision that ruled out 99.9% of men for marriage. She didn't care. Then Trunk Mahoney came along. Carla resolved to remain true to herself. Could her willpower hold indefinitely, or would she settle for an affair that would break her heart?