Joel tossed me his shirt, which reached my knees when I put it on. He said he needed to check out his room. I knew something was up when he opened the connecting door between rooms, from my side before walking out of my room door with his bag. He wore jeans and nothing else. There were no women in the hall or he wouldn’t have made it back to my room alive.There was a rattling noise a few moments later and Joel stuck his head between our connecting rooms.I couldn’t help laughing. “You’re sneaky.”“You’re complaining?” he asked as he carried his bag back into my room. He stopped and stood facing me.I pulled the shirt lower feeling self-conscious as he stared.“I need some rest and I’ve had enough of the guys for one day. I hope you don’t mind room service.” He walked over, hooked his arm around me, and pulled me against his chest. “I can’t believe I’ll have you beside me all night. Let’s eat then hit the shower together.” He made it perfectly clear there was more involved in showerin
With rivulets of water running down Joel’s chest, he appeared larger in the shower. Not wasting time, he turned so the water hit his back and my back pressed to his chest. While holding my hips so I couldn’t press back against his cock, he kissed and licked water from my neck and shoulder. I grumbled and wiggled, but he took his time refusing my invitation.He finally released my hips and clasped my hands, lifting them to the shower wall. His knee hooked beneath mine as he nudged my foot to the rim of the bathtub. I have no idea how much water we spilled. He’d left a condom behind the shower curtain and left me standing in that position while he put it on. I wanted to turn and watch, but stayed facing the wall. In this position, I felt vulnerable and excited all at once.My hair was now soaking wet and he moved it off my shoulders. One arm went to my belly as he pulled me back so my ass extended toward him. He used his other hand to guide his cock until I fully sheathed his entire len
Joel was a toasty presence at my back as his body spooned mine after we fell into bed. Even when he rolled over during the night his hand went to my thigh, connecting us, and I fell immediately back to sleep.As I lay on my side, his scruffy chin running over my hip woke me. It felt good and I sighed at the scratchy prickles. He pushed me to my stomach then crawled between my thighs lifting my ass. I buried my face in my arms feeling vulnerable. Joel slid his fingers between my head and arm tilting my face so he looked into my eyes. “You’re beautiful.” He released me and guided his cock into my warm center. I squeezed my internal muscles and smiled when he sucked in a quick breath. “Do that again,” he groaned.I did.His fingers slid under my hip and he found my clit. “Again.”God, it was torture and bliss all at once. I began tightening my muscles when he withdrew and loosening them when he pushed back in. I had no idea this kind of control existed. He liked it and the intensity had
The Timberwolves’ stadium was smaller, but the excitement matched that at The Slam’s home field. Red shirts were scattered here and there with a few larger groups standing out among the sea of gray. I proudly wore my red shirt, which was a bit too tight after washing it and wearing a normal bra. From the heated look Joel gave me before we left our room, he didn’t seem to mind. My feeling of discomfort had lessened slightly, but as I walked around the stadium I couldn’t help but notice men looking directly at my chest. Women actually paid for breasts the size of mine, which was mind-boggling. Another fracture occurred in my shield taking away the desire to hide my breasts. I straightened my shoulders and walked with my head up.I took the borrowed camera into the locker room and caught a few players in their undershorts. At least Joel told me that was the correct word for the skin-tight material that left nothing to the imagination. If the guys wore these when they played rugby, the sp
Joel 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.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 and the others 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
At my stricken look, Van stood up. “Stay here and eat. I’ll go talk to him,” he said with what sounded like frustration.I was too upset to answer. I should be the one going after Joel. What could I say? Nothing. I’d told Van the truth. It didn’t take away from my feelings for Joel, but there was no way to explain it. I knew both brothers intimately now. There was no comparison between the two. Joel was it for me and I’d completely fucked it up.My food arrived. My stomach was too upset to take more than a few bites. I was afraid I wouldn’t keep even that down. I paid the bill and walked across the street. I didn’t see Joel or Van, so I went to our room. Joel’s things were gone and the door between us was locked on his side. I knocked, but he didn’t answer. I had no idea if he was in there. I had fifteen minutes until the bus left. I packed my things and went downstairs.I could hear the shouts from outside before I got to the large lobby doors. Players were trying to hold both brothe
My heart thudded against my chest until I thought it would burst. Then I reminded myself a broken heart couldn’t suffer additional damage. Ted was unlucky enough to be the first person I saw when I walked onto the second floor.“Cami.” He sounded surprised. His eyes slowly scrutinized my body from head to toe and returned to my chest. “We weren’t expecting you back for another week or so.” From his expression, he wanted to bury his face between my boobs.“Are you speaking to me or my breasts?” You would think his head would snap up, but he just continued looking at my chest for at least another minute.His voice went hoarse. “Cami, I missed you.”“Since you had the balls to tell everyone we were sleeping together, I’m sure you did. Since I know that’s a lie, I can truthfully admit I didn’t miss you at all.” His face went red, which only gave me additional courage. “Please refrain from retrieving my personal phone number from HR as you threatened in your email. I would hate to have som
My assignment came on Thursday. I reported directly to Miller now and was one of three journalists working non-profit organization news. It was a huge step up, though not exactly my dream. On my own time, Miller said I could research stories that crumbled your heart and made you stand up and cheer. Through non-profit I had a greater chance of finding them. And I had a small office on the third floor.The new Cami charged forward and made friends with my two co-workers immediately. Trett and Julianne, who told me to call her JJ, were eager to get me into the fold. Saturday night I was attending a black tie dinner for the local hospital reporting on the guest speakers and fashion. Not exactly my cup of tea, but Trett was accompanying me to teach me the ropes. After work Friday, JJ accompanied me to an upscale secondhand shop for a dress.The third one I tried on was a charm. It displayed entirely too much boob, but JJ thought it was perfect.“I would give anything to have your chest. Su
I hid in Italy for three weeks. Greg came with me and kicked my ass on the court. He actually made a great practice partner. I was back to clean eating and drinking only water. It surprised me when Greg brought a bottle of wine to my room one night. “What’s this for?” I asked when he gave me one of his golly-gee smiles. Greg was cute. And, married to a lovely woman who worshipped him. “I’ve been your coach for three months now and I have no idea what makes you tick. It’s time for a come to daddy talk. Or in your case, come to coach. I figured the alcohol might make it easier.” “You’ll need more than one bottle,” I told him. He came back to my room ten minutes later with two more bottles in his hands. “Does your wife know you’re getting drunk with a slutty tennis star tonight?” I smiled to take the sting out of calling myself a slut. “She suggested it. We’ve had many long conversations about you.” “How romantic.” He poured our first glasses and tilted the edge of his glass against
I never returned to the hospital, which was entirely unfair of me. My anger at my father carried over to Brack. I was horrible. The man I loved hadn’t fully recovered and I left him at the hospital alone. Okay, he had his parents and his team. But, bottom line—I was horrible and a coward. I ignored the calls from Brack and my father. Again… coward.I needed complete control of my life. It took me two weeks to come up with a plan. During those two weeks, I hired a new coach and trained until I could barely walk. I trained with a purpose. I’d had my own money. Not just from tennis but from my mother. I’d never used it. That was the way I punished her and myself. Now, for the first time, I paid for my own coach.I liked him. I could actually smile over the fact that my father paid for Jerry all those years while the two of them hated each other. Greg, my new coach, kicked my ass. I had no idea if I had a chance this season. But, winning the Grand Slam was in my peripheral vision and not
Two days later, the doctors discontinued the medication that kept Brack in a coma. My father showed up the morning after surgery and made me go home, shower, and change clothes. Brack’s parents were staying in shifts. His mom promised she wouldn’t leave his side until I returned. I hadn’t really spoken to them. We stayed relatively quiet in Brack’s room. I whispered encouragement and told him I was there. They gave us privacy, too. That’s when I told him I loved him. Again and again, I whispered the words.My father and Senator Jacobs were cordial. Brack’s mother treated my dad like a family friend. Apparently she’d been friends with my mom. I tried not to think about the ramifications of our two families tied together through me and Brack. It was too much to take right now.Brack still had the ventilator. The doctor reviewed best and worst case scenarios with us. I refused to listen to brain damage, paralysis, learning to walk and talk again, and so on. My focus was full recovery. I
Four hours later, I was passed out against Mack’s shoulder when his cell rang. My brain registered the noise and I was pulled quickly from sleep.“Yeah,” he answered quietly. He listened for several minutes before responding. “I have her here with me. We’ll be there in a minute.” He slid his phone back in his pocket and looked at me. “He’s in recovery. It was touch and go, but he pulled through. They have him in a sedated coma. He has a stent in his skull to relieve swelling. The doctor told his parents he came to before surgery and demanded to see you. His mom wants you up there if you think you can handle it.”I was up and walking out of the emergency room before he finished, my heart pounding a hundred miles an hour. “What floor? I’m not waiting for you to waddle behind me.”Snickers came from several of the guys. “I’ve got her,” Molly said.“Second floor.”The elevator took so long I almost turned to the stairs. I’d do anything to get to him. Brack asked for me and I had to see hi
I ran toward Brack, who had fallen to the floor. There was so much blood and I tried wiping it off his face. My hands turned dark red.“You did it, baby,” he whispered before his body went completely limp.Sander and a woman who must be Molly ran into the enclosure with guns drawn. I could barely hear them. Echoed gunshots continued ringing in my ears.“Call an ambulance and please someone check on my father. He’s in the van,” I said as I held Brack’s head in my lap. Blood soaked my panties and covered my legs. Head wounds bleed, I kept saying to myself. Sander practically jumped over us and went straight to Ty’s body. He turned back when he had assured himself Ty was no longer a threat.“Where were you?” I asked softly. I didn’t want Brack to hear me yelling at his team.Sander sat down next to me and took Brack’s arm checking his pulse. “The bastard used some kind of scrambler. It took us a while to figure out the van didn’t leave the premises. We recovered the phones. Brack had a t
Kids laughed. A mother scolded a young child for attempting to go under the bar and get closer to one of the cages. Brack and I stood in the center of the primate exhibit. My phone chirped. It didn’t startle me this time; I was too numb. “Yes.”“Walk over to the primate exhibit sign and you’ll find another cell phone behind it. Exchange it for the one you’re using. Have Mr. Jacobs leave his phone behind, too.”Brack followed me to the sign and I did exactly as told. The phone was there. I picked it up and lay mine down. “He said to leave yours, too.” Brack took his from his jeans pocket and placed it beside mine. Thankfully, no one paid attention to us. I had no idea what we needed to do next. The phone in my hand vibrated. This time I clicked the call button without saying a word.“Go to your left and keep walking on the path. Did you bring my present?” I carried a bag with the dress inside so both of Brack’s arms would be free. He carried a gun in a hidden leg holster.“Yes, it’s in
The inside of my father’s home was a crime scene. We sat on the couch in the front room away from the forensic team that arrived a few minutes before. The media camped at the gates added to the growing chaos.Even knowing Ty would eventually call, I jumped when my cell phone chirped. The display read “Unknown.” My fingers trembled as I picked it up and answered, “Hello, Ty, or should I call you Leo?”His husky laugh sent goose bumps across my arms. “I told you not to call the police. You wouldn’t listen and you’ll pay for disobedience.”My voice remained steady. “It wasn’t me. You killed your mother, so what exactly did you expect? She worked for my dad for over thirty years. One plus one equals two, Leo.” Fuller and Brack told me not to push him too hard. I had to make him believe I hadn’t gone to the police, though.“My mother had cancer and it was eating away at her. I did her a favor. She didn’t walk in God’s light. By making her repent and then killing her God may show mercy.”He
My heart stopped. Dread and terror filled me. Colors danced before my eyes making it hard to see. The whoosh of blood traveling into my head made it hard to hear. I had to get control of myself. I gulped in air. “You goddamn son of a bitch. If you hurt my father I’ll kill you.”“He that blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be put to death and stoned. Remember that when you feel the pain of my hand, Olivia.”Brack startled me by gathering me close and placing his head against mine so we both listened. “Where’s my father?” I demanded.“That’s better. I have instructions for you, Olivia. You will follow them to the letter. Please bring that man with you. The one you’ve been with lately.” His voice took on an eerie quality. “If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death.” He breathed heavily and then gave a sadistic laugh. “You may choose your father or lover to pay for your sins. One shall die and the other walks away.”“But…”He lau
I don’t know what I expected love to be like. Violins playing, little cupids flying around with bow and arrows, hell maybe just cuddles in bed for hours. That wasn’t what happened the following morning. Brack paced across the carpet of my living room with his cell to his ear listening to one of his men on the other end. He cast a glance or two my way. I could tell before the call ended that he would try his non-communication shit with me again.I was right.“What’s the news?” I asked the second he lowered the phone.He came over and sat beside me. “Nothing to worry about.”I gave him my I’m-about-to-slam-you-with-a-tennis-racquet look. “Bullshit.” I was beginning to notice his tells. The fingers traveling through his hair was a sign that he didn’t want to enlighten me. I waited.He breathed out a slow and steady breath of air. “Mack didn’t see his attacker, but he heard him before he lost consciousness.”My heartbeat accelerated. “Okay. Spill it.”“Mack told Herman that most of it was