Authors: Katie McCoy
E
than
– in his infinite wisdom – arranged for dinners with the charities. His top choice was our first, at an old steakhouse in Downtown LA, The Palm.
“You’re better in informal situations,” he explained, as our driver took us towards the restaurant, despite my suggestion that we walk. No one walked in LA, the manager at the hotel front desk explained. Something I should probably start getting used to. I made another mental note to start researching cars. I pictured Nicole in the passenger seat of a convertible, her blonde hair loose and sexy. Something fast. Very fast. And red.
“Should I take that as an insult?” I joked, even though I much preferred this method of meeting than the way we had done with the first set of charities, stuck in a stuffy boardroom. Sharing ideas over steak and lobster was definitely my kind of meeting.
Ethan shrugged, but instead of returning his attention to his phone, he cast me a quizzical look. “You’re really sure about staying in Los Angeles?”
“I am,” I told him. “Why? Don’t you like it here?” I then realized I had assumed he would relocate with me, help me with the charity. I hadn’t even thought to ask him what his plan was. “You know I want you to stick around as my manager, though if you want to go back to London…”
“No.” He suddenly was fidgeting with his phone, which was very unusual for him. “I can definitely see the charm here…”
I then remembered that I had left him at the bar last night with Nicole’s friend. I reached over and smacked him on the shoulder.
“Did you get laid last night?”
He went red. “What? No!”
Bugger. “Why not? Didn’t you like Nicole’s friend? What was her name?”
“Maya.” Ethan was still very red, but then his eyes narrowed. “We actually talked about you. And Nicole. And what the bloody hell is going on between the two of you.”
I raised my hands. “Nothing is ‘going on’ between the two of us,” I insisted. “We’re having incredibly good sex. I believe people do that once in while. You might give it a shot.”
“Wanker,” Ethan muttered, but his focus didn’t waver. “It’s not like you to stay interested in someone this long.”
“This long?” Now I was offended. “I am capable of entertaining women for longer than a single evening.”
“Capable, sure, but when was the last time you wanted to?” Ethan reminded me. “I can’t remember the last time you went on a second date.”
“First of all,” I corrected. “What Nicole and I are doing is not dating. It’s sex. Just sex. And I have been with women for more than one evening.”
“Oh yeah?” Ethan stared me down. “Name one. In the last year.”
“Well, there was—” I did my best to recall the women I had slept with in the last year. Surely there had been some that I saw a second time. Shannon? No, only once after that night in the pub. Miranda? No, just that one time after the game in Sydney.
Shit. Was Ethan right? Had I broken an unknown streak with my repeat performance last night? And what did it mean? No. It meant nothing. It meant that Nicole was really fucking hot and I enjoyed fucking her and wanted to do it more than once. That’s all it meant. Nothing more.
“There’s no shame in liking someone,” Ethan told me. “I believe people do that once in while. You might give it a shot.”
T
he martinis were cold
, the steak was hot, the conversation was good. By the end of the evening, I was feeling pretty good about the possibility of working with For Foster Kids, the charity that Ethan had chosen. Like the others, they were interested in a commitment to fundraising and promotional support, but they also seemed to expect a hands-on approach, which was exactly what I wanted to do.
“We do a suitcase fundraiser every year,” Gloria, the Executive Director was saying. She was a no-nonsense kind of woman, her gray hair pulled back in a bun. Nonplussed by the expensive restaurant, she had pulled out the most recent budget for the charity, setting it on the table next to our deserts.
“Suitcases?” I looked around the table, but everyone – including Ethan – was nodding with understanding.
“Most of these kids get moved around at a moments notice,” Gloria explained. “They often don’t have much that they take with them and they usually don’t have anything to put it in. A lot of them are forced to put their belongings in trash bags to take it from place to place. It can be a humiliating experience. So one of our major initiatives is to provide kids in foster care with their own suitcases.”
I was stunned. I glanced over at Ethan, who was picking at his cheesecake.
“We also do our best to help foster kids with college applications and scholarships,” Gloria continued. “We are committed in their future and a lot of our staff joins us after graduating college. Part of the reason we are so successful is that our money goes to programs that have been proven to work.”
“Sounds great.” I leaned back in my chair, processing the information I had been given. I had a feeling when Ethan gave me the information about the charity that this was the one I wanted to partner with. All the research I had done, combined with everything that Gloria was saying, just reinforced that. This was what I wanted to do. This is where I could do the most good. Make a difference.
“There are a lot of kids in this country that go unnoticed,” Gloria said. “It’s our job to help as many of them as we can. It’s a job we take very seriously. And we expect everyone associated with the charity to take it just as seriously.”
“Of course.” I nodded eagerly.
“If you want to work with us, you’ll need to be properly vetted.” She pointed a fork in my direction. “And I won’t lie. Some people are very uncomfortable with your reputation in the press.”
My stomach dropped.
Ethan immediately jumped in to defend me. “Those papers love to exaggerate the truth. Twist the facts.”
“Fair enough,” Gloria conceded. “But if you want to be a part of this charity – a substantial one – we need to make sure that you’re more trustworthy than you appear in the tabloids.”
Bugger.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the table, but Gloria’s gaze never wavered. She was passionate about this program and I admired that. I respected that. But I wasn’t going to let her leave this dinner thinking I was the guy that she had read about in the papers. Especially since it hadn’t actually been me in most of those articles. And definitely none of the ones since we had arrived in Los Angeles. I had managed to keep my extracurricular activities out of the press my entire visit by laying low and there was no way in hell I was going to put Nicole through that kind of publicity.
“I understand your reservations,” I told her. “But I also want you to know that I care passionately about the things your charity stands for. Programs like yours are the reason my best friend is in my life. And he’s one of the best people I know. The kind of person who tells me I’m being a wanker every time my face ends up in the tabloids.” I glanced over at Ethan, who gave me a small grin. “Because he’s right. And that’s not the kind of person I’m interested in being. I want to be someone who is going to do right by your charity. Who is going to fully commit to helping you raise money to get kids backpacks and get them into college and help them with getting jobs after they graduate, or raising money to help emancipated youths get a car to start their life.” I tried to remember all the things they had listed on their website. From the way that Gloria’s eyebrows went up, I could tell that she was surprised I had done research.
“I want to help,” I told her and everyone else at the table. “And I hope you’ll let me.”
N
either Ethan
nor I said anything on the cab ride back to the hotel. When we were dropped off at the lobby, I thought of heading to the bar to see Nicole, but it was late. She had probably gone home by now. And I was exhausted by the possibility of being rejected by For Foster Kids. Not that they had rejected me outright. They just needed me to prove myself. To stay out of the papers. To show that I was more than my Play Maker moniker. I could only hope that the damage that had been done hadn’t been irreversible. When we left, Gloria had shaken my hand and told me that they would get back to me. That they would think about what I said. I knew I couldn’t charm my way into this charity, but I hoped that I had at least shown them that I cared. That I would be willing to do whatever they wanted to help.
More and more I was starting to hate the position that Rick had put me in. Not that I could blame him completely. Yeah, a lot of the pictures had been of him and his girlfriends, but I was no innocent victim. At least half of the tabloid photos had been of me with the various women I had been seeing.
Ethan clasped me on the shoulder.
“We’ll prove them wrong, mate,” he said confidently.
“Thanks,” I gave him a smile, even though I was no longer sure I’d be able to escape a reputation I had done little to deserve.
I
got
into the elevator feeling like shite. Even the knowledge that I had a full bar and hot shower waiting for me upstairs didn’t make me feel any better about the situation. I was starting to see how shortsighted I had been to let my image get co-opted by someone like Rick. I had been stupid and young, thinking only with my cock. Not like I was such an upstanding citizen now. Ethan’s comment about my complete lack of commitment stung more than it should.
But he was right – I was getting older and had no significant relationships under my belt. In the real world, I was pretty sure that was considered a big red flag. And though I knew my fame would still follow me around for a few years – if not longer – after I retired, I needed to really consider the fact that I was going to be participating in the real world again. Not like I was going to get married or procreate or anything so extreme, but a relationship? Someone who was excited to see me at the end of the day? Someone I could share dinners and breakfasts with? Share my bed with? Well, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.
Of course, I was thinking of one particular person in all of those scenarios. The very person that seemed as uninterested in commitment as I had been. But, damn, waking up to Nicole each morning? Her hair mussed and lips whispering naughty things? My cock immediately sprung to life.
I was quickly reminded of how eager she had been to leave after our last encounter, which was a much needed dash of cold water. Figures. The perfect one night stand shows up just as I’m ready to try the whole dating thing. Just my fucking luck.
I got off at my floor, ready to pour myself a glass of whiskey and put on the telly. The last thing I expected to see when I turned the corner towards my room was the woman I had just been fantasizing about heading in my direction.
I had never seen her in anything but her uniform before, and while I appreciated the tiny black vest and tight black pants, I was definitely a fan of her well-worn jeans and simple white shirt, the v-neck just low enough to give me an enticing glance at her perfect cleavage. God, I loved her tits.
She spotted me and her cheeks went pink. I could tell she was chewing a piece of gum, like usual. I found that strangely hot. My cock got even harder. She was gorgeous.
“Hi.” I tried to sound casual, but I was incredibly curious about why she was here. Had my luck tonight taken a turn for the better?
“Hi,” She bit her lip. “I was just, uh, well—”
I had never seen her speechless, or even nervous before. It was kind of adorable. I realized I was really glad to see her.
“I wanted to thank you for the cognac,” she finally managed. “And return your key.” She thrust the keycard at me.
Oh. I tried not to let my disappointment show as I took the card, and her hand as well. There was that spark again. I saw in her eyes that she had felt it. She didn’t want to leave. So I didn’t let go. I loved the feel of her small hand in mine. She didn’t pull away. I took that as a sign.
“That’s awfully kind of you,” I told her, my fingers brushing the inside of her wrist. I noticed her pupils dilated. Bingo. “Is there any way I can thank you?”
She blew a bubble, her curious nervousness beginning to melt away. I felt her pulse speed up, and then a slow smile spread across her lips.
“Actually,” she said, removing her gum and tossing it in a hallway trashcan. Instantly the nervous Nicole was gone and the sexy, take-charge Nicole that I knew was standing in her place. I realized I liked both of them. Though, I was pretty eager to see where take-charge Nicole would take us. “Now that you mention it, I could use a drink.”
I grinned at her. “Why don’t you come with me?” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively at her. “I think I have just the thing to wet your whistle.”
“I bet you do.” She gave me an appreciative look and let me lead her back to the end of the hall where my room was.
We were barely past the threshold before her mouth was on mine, her hands attacking my shirt. I was starting to become addicted to the taste of her, the sharp peppermint of her gum and the sweetness that was all her. I kissed her back, but this time I wanted to go slow. I grabbed her wrists and held them at her sides, slanting my lips against hers, doing my best to take my time, my tongue seeking hers.
At first she seemed resistant, rising up on her toes in an attempt to intensify the kiss, but it didn’t take long for her to follow my lead, sinking into the languid kiss. I released her wrists, my own hands sliding up to cup her face, fingers tangling in her hair.
Her hands were still clutching my shirt, trapped between our bodies as I pulled her flush against me, my cock pressing against her belly. My brain might be hoping to take its time, but the rest of me – especially everything below the waist – was eager to get us naked. And from the way that Nicole moaned and undulated her hips against mine, I could tell she was just as eager.
But I wanted to savor her. The last two times I had been left wanting – never feeling like I could get enough of her. I wasn’t going to let that happen again. Each time I thought it was my last chance, I had gotten lucky. For whatever reason, she came back. And tonight, I had almost missed her. I had to take advantage of what I had. Who knew how long my luck would last with her?
I eased back from the kiss, resting my forehead against hers. Both of us were breathing heavily, the front of my shirt trapped between her fingers.
“How about that drink?” I managed, my voice hoarse.
“I’d rather wet my whistle another way.” Nicole came up on her toes and nipped at my ear.
Fuck. This was not going to be easy. She seemed intent on making this about sex and only sex. I found that I was becoming interested in other parts of her. That I wanted to get to know her.
Reluctantly, I untangled myself from her grasp. “Well, I need a drink,” I turned and headed towards the bar, my entire body humming with desire.
“Oh,” I could hear the confusion in her voice. I turned to see her, looking a little lost in the enormous suite. Her hair was mussed, her lips red and she reached down and began to fumble with her bag. “Maybe I should go.” I suddenly saw the vulnerability all over her face.
Shite. “No!” I reached out and grabbed her arm before she could head to the door.
“I shouldn’t have come,” she said, her head tilted away from me, hair blocking her face.
“I’m glad you did,” I told her. “Look, I’m sorry,” I let go of her arm and ran a hand through my hair. “I just wanted to slow things down a bit. Take our time, you know?”
She glanced up at me and I could see exhaustion mixed in with the nervousness.
“Would that be ok?” I asked, really not wanting her to leave.
Nicole took a deep breath and seemed to make some sort of decision. “Yeah, that would be ok.” She gave me a small smile. “I’m sorry.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “It’s just been a long day.”
Suddenly her stomach grumbled. Loudly. She clasped a hand over it.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, noting that she did look a little paler than usual.
She shook her head, but her stomach disagreed and growled even louder. She sighed. “I guess I am,” she confessed. “I haven’t eaten much today.”
“I can fix that,” I told her, pleased to be able to do something. “Let me order us some food.”
She shook her head. “No, no, I should probably head home anyways. I can get something on the way there.”
“Are you sure?” I grabbed the room service menu from the table. “I’m pretty hungry myself.” It was a total lie – I had eaten enough steak and lobster to last me a week, but if getting her to stay meant eating more, I would happily indulge in another meal. “Besides, I’ve been hearing pretty good things about the waffles here,” I said, winking at her.
I held my breath as she stood there, bag in hand. Slowly, she lowered it to the floor and came over to me, peering over my shoulder at the menu.
“I guess a small appetizer or something would be ok,” she conceded, but I held the menu away from her.
“Why don’t you let me order?” I offered. “I’ve been wanting to try out the room service here. It would actually be a huge favor to me.”
She gave me a look that said she was totally aware I was bullshitting her, but in the end relinquished the menu to me.
“You could also do me another favor.” I gave her one of my most charming grins.
“Oh yeah?” She crossed her arms.
“Well, the hotel has left a whole bunch of fancy bath things for me. But I don’t take baths.” All true. “But I’d hate to let all those gifts go to waste. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in trying out the bath while we wait for the food,” I offered, even though I knew that the bath supplies just came standard with the room and would be reused if I didn’t use them.
From the way she narrowed her eyes at me, I could tell Nicole knew that as well, but I could sense she was so tired that while she might have immediately said no to my offer another night, she was seriously considering it now.
“Would you be joining me in this bath?” she finally asked, raising an eyebrow.
The thought of her, covered in suds and nothing more, definitely gave me some extremely x-rated ideas, but I had a feeling that taking her up on that offer would bring the evening to an end much sooner then I was hoping.
“I thought I’d let you try it out on your own first,” I said. “Maybe I’ll join you another time.”
I let that offer of future encounters hang in the air between us.
Nicole blinked at me. But she quickly recovered, giving me a saucy smile. “You’ll see if I let you,” she teased and before I could respond, had whipped off her white shirt and tossed it at me. It was quickly followed by her jeans, but I barely had a chance to register the black lace of her bra and thong before she was gone, the bathroom door closing behind her.
The paper-thin fabric smelled of her perfume and my cock hardened behind my zipper. I groaned as I tried to focus on the room service menu, when all I could think about was the woman on the other side of the door, who would soon be wearing nothing more than a few bubbles.
Part of me thought of joining her. The lift of her eyebrow had clearly indicated an invitation, and I had no doubt she would welcome me with open, wet, perfect, glistening arms. I shook my head, keeping my attention on the task at hand. Savor the evening. There’s no rush.