The thought was unfiltered. He didn’t even question it. It was true. She was his. And he would do everything to prove that to her.
“Well, what would you suggest?” To his credit Bill at least had the forethought to concede she may have a plan.
“Mary-Ann has suggested to you before to get an outside PR firm.” Jill folded her arms. “A spin-doctor. But don’t let the media get ahead of you. And trying to deflect attention to the players personal lives does not help the Thunder’s brand right now. Trust me.”
Jill glanced in Tyler’s direction. He was sure that last comment was aimed at him.
“I will make a few calls,” Bill said.
Jill nodded and stalked off. Tyler’s gaze followed her. Watching her in her element was eye opening. Gone was the flustered drama queen he saw the day before. She was composed and really knew her stuff. He was so turned on he followed her through the doors from the private room.
Chapter 9
Jill
Jill closed the dessert menu and handed it back to the waiter. “I’ll have the chocolate mousse with whipped cream. Thank you.”
She had to admit, Tyler knew how to woo a woman. He’d taken her to The Parlor, an upscale restaurant in Sandton. She’d declined a main course, opting rather for a starter and dessert as soon as she’d seen the traditional chocolate mousse on the menu. She never had a big appetite, but she loved decadent food.
“Make that two.” Tyler smiled at her and winked. “And another mineral water for me. You want anything more to drink.”
Jill shook her head. She was only halfway through her glass of white wine. “I’m good, thanks.”
She loved the way he was always respectful of everyone he came into contact with. And it wasn’t just because he was in the limelight. He had a genuine interest in others’ well-being. The way he handled the press that morning. Not giving them anything, and yet never losing his composure. The way he had worried about his mother at the hospital. All of it, was just a part of who he was.
The waiter nodded and walked off. She looked around the restaurant, one of the few in the city, she hadn’t known of. It was her job to know about the possible venues for events for Johannesburg’s upper society.
As one would expect, the lighting was subtle, with black table lines and bright flat floral arrangements on each table. The tables were arranged in a half moon around a small dance floor. The band wasn’t loud, adding to the atmosphere with soft, slow, melodies. A few couples were dancing close. It was ideal for a date.
When he’d shown up at her place earlier with flowers, she’d been thrown by how good he looked in his dress pants and blue shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to just below the elbow, the top button undone. He had even shaved, and she wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or not. She’d loved the feel of his scruff on her body, but it seemed a shame to hide that jawline.
Of course, Jill had taken Tracey’s advice and worn the turquoise halter dress with the deep V neckline and the silver strappy sandals. The dress was backless and when Tyler had rested his hand on the bare skin of her back as they walked into the restaurant, desire had rushed through her and not left.
Her eyes found his. “I’m impressed.” She leaned her chin on her hand. “I didn’t even know this place existed.”
“It only opened about six months ago.” He leaned back, resting his forearms on the table. “It’s quiet and not normally busy.”
“Not your normal first date hangout, then?” She couldn’t resist. Yeah, she knew he left a trail of women behind him, and it didn’t bother her. It wasn’t like she was exactly innocent.
He shot her a crooked smile. “I thought we’ve established that I don’t date much.”
Lifting an eyebrow, Jill blinked her eyes at him. “So what? You pick up girls at a club and just take them to your home.”
She scrunched her face at him, eliciting a deep rumble of laughter.
“Night club, bar, sometimes the women who hang around after a game.” He ran a hand through his hair. Something she noticed he did when he was embarrassed. “I really don’t want to be having this conversation with you.”
No, she supposed neither did she. They could be a little more cliché and stick to safer topics. “Tell me about your job. Obviously, there is more to it than ninety minutes of scrum-huddles and ball-kicking.”
“You’re forgetting the tackles and the butt slaps.” The teasing tone suggested she’d hit more comfortable territory.
“Aah, yes.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure I understand that.”
“I wanted to ask you about my sister.” No expression on his face, or anything else to indicate his mood. Even his tone had remained light. “You know more than you’re letting on.”
There was no point in denying it. She did know more. Jill gestured her hand back and forth. “If we’re going to do this, it cannot affect the others. I am Tracey’s friend. She tells me things she doesn’t want others to know. I won’t break that confidence. No matter what happens between us.”
“Fair enough.” His mouth was a grim line, but he nodded. “You will let me know if there is something I can do, right.”
“Of course.” Jill nodded. “But I promise, there is nothing you can do. And thinking you can pick a fight with the man who knocked her up won’t help either.”
Tyler shrugged and looked over at the dance floor. The song had just changed, and few couples were making their way back to their tables while others stood to go and dance.
“You want to dance?”
She looked over at the other couples cozying up together as Bryan Adams’ “Have you ever loved a woman” played. It had been a long time since she’d slow danced. “Sure.”
She stood from her seat as Tyler joined her, once again resting his hand on the bare skin of her lower back. They made their way through the tables. Only once they’d reached the dance floor did Tyler take her hand, pulling her into his embrace.
With his arms around her, his thumb stroking her spine sent tingles all the way to nipples. She threaded her arms around his neck allowing her forefinger to brush his hairline. It was intimate in a way she had never been before. And yet she was completely comfortable. Being the object of Tyler’s attention did strange things to her. Scary things.
“You look really gorgeous this evening.” Tyler smiled down at her. A soft smile, but genuine. Something told her he wasn’t just saying the words to get into her pants. He really meant it.
“You’ve mentioned this earlier.” Jill leaned her head on his chest. “I think you’ve said it three times since you first saw me earlier.”
His breath fanned against her ear, bringing everything to life as he whispered. “I’m mentioning it now, in case you feel something inappropriate. At least you’ll know why. I have a thing for halter dresses.”
Lifting her head to face him, she drew her lower lip into her mouth. Yes, she was working it, but she couldn’t resist. “So, I’ve been told.”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving her. “Do you take all your wardrobe advice from my sister?”
“Mostly.” She gave him her most innocent look. “I mean, I didn’t take her advice when she suggested I wear a thong with this dress.”
Tyler’s hands moved from her lower back over her ass, his eyes widening as he realized exactly what she was saying. Eyes darkening, Adam’s apple bobbing, he leaned down to her ear. “You’ve been out in that dress with no panties. All evening. And you never thought to mention it.”
“You never asked.” Her hand was still at the back of his neck. She moved her thumb forward and over the vein that got him so hot and bothered a few weeks earlier.
He swallowed again and looked down at her, desire blazing in his eyes. “I think we should get that dessert to go.”
***
Tyler
Not for the first time that evening Tyler wondered how he had let Jill slip out of his life. She was amazing and sexy as hell. Not just on the outside, though that didn’t h
urt. Everything about her, from the way her hair was piled on top of her head with little whips falling around her face, to her simple silver high heeled sandals with the thin strap around her delicate ankle. The way her dress skimmed over her thighs finishing just shy of her knees. And then there was the top part. Her breasts weren’t big enough to show any cleavage, but it was still the sexiest thing he’d seen in a long while. But that was only the beginning.
The woman had a spine of steel, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, and for the most part she wore her heart on her sleeve. She had no problem admitting that she’d been with more than a few men and had no problem with his past either. She was the real deal.
The waiter wasted no time boxing up their desserts. They made their way to exit, when a man around Tyler’s age stopped them.
He was skinny and not much taller than Jill. “So sorry to interrupt. I saw you were on a date and didn’t want to bother you. But I had to catch you before you left.”
The guy handed Tyler a serviette and one of the restaurant’s branded pens.
Jill held her hand up. Tyler flinched. Would she dismiss the man? Claim that they had no right to interrupt his private night out. It wouldn’t surprise him. And she wouldn’t be entirely wrong. He did however, accept that being interrupted was part of his job. He’d hoped she would understand.
“Oh, you don’t want to use that. The serviette could ruin so easily.” She dug in her little handbag and pulled out a small note pad. “Use this.”
Tyler smiled. She was good for him. Normally when he was out with a woman, they’d get irritated at being interrupted by fans. Jill was actively encouraging him.
He took the notepad from her and looked at the guy. “What’s your name?”
“Wikus, Sir.” The man shifted on the spot, struggling to contain his excitement.
“Please, call me Tyler.”
He signed the page and added a small note to it. Careful not to tear the page, he pulled it at the spine and handed the paper to Wikus.
They were nearly at the restaurant entrance when he heard someone call his surname. Fans tended to not do that. “What the fuck, now,” he muttered under his breath.
The voice came from the corner booth not far from the entrance. A familiar face was smiling at Tyler and waving for him to go over. He sagged his shoulders and grabbed Jill’s hand. He was not in the mood for Russel Augustus, the Cape Town flyhalf and Tyler’s biggest competition for getting onto the national team. His team had flown in earlier that day, in preparation for the match that weekend. He really didn’t feel like playing nice with the biggest douchebag on and off the field.
He kept his face expressionless, noting that Sarah, one of the Thunder’s cheerleaders was Russel’s date for the evening. “Augustus, hi.”
“Tyler I —” The man’s lecherous eyes turned to Jill. “Oh, Jill. I didn’t know you and Tyler knew each other.”
Tyler plastered on a smile. He didn’t want to think about how Russel and Jill knew each other. “Jill and I go way back.”
It took all Tyler’s willpower not to punch the guy leering at Jill from head to toe. His eyes rested a moment too long on her breasts before reaching her face. “You know, Jill. If you’d dressed up like this when we were together. We may have stood a chance.”
Jill gripped his hand tighter, but her face remained impassive. Tyler clenched the fist of his other hand. How dare he suggest that Jill was anything less than perfect? Or even insinuate that she should dress to please him?
He didn’t have to worry. Jill stepped closer to Tyler. “Firstly, you weren’t worth it.” She let go of his hand and swung it around her waist. “Secondly, I broke up with you, remember.”
Tyler suppressed a smile as Russell’s face dropped. Still, the guy wasn’t going to give up that easily. “Maybe, but I would’ve fought harder.”
Jill plastered on a smile of her own. “Oh sweetie.” Her voice dripping with mock innocence. “You didn’t stand a chance.” She turned to Sarah, effectively dismissing Russel. “Sarah, did my tailor sort you out.”
Tyler’s head spun. It wasn’t unfathomable that the two women knew each other. Sarah was a Thunder cheerleader and Jill was an organizer. Their paths were bound to cross. That didn’t make it less weird.
Sarah smiled up at Jill. “He did. I could’ve used a safety pin, so it’s not like my skirt would’ve slipped off on the field or anything. Still, it's nice not to have to worry about it.”
“Us small girls need to look out for each other.” Jill removed her arm from around Tyler. He wasn’t having any of that.
He pulled her even closer. If he could, he would’ve carried her. “Well, this conversation just got weird. We need to go.”
He walked off with Jill, his arm draped over her shoulder.
She didn’t protest, instead she leaned into him. “For the record that entire conversation was weird.”
They exited the restaurant. He expected Jill to let go since there was no one she was trying to show-up, but she never left his side. “What the hell were you thinking, dating someone like him.”
She blinked up at him. “What we did was not dating. It was a short fling a few years back.”
Tyler’s blood boiled at the idea of Russel’s hands on Jill’s body. The idea made him ill. He shook his head. “Yeah we’re not talking about that. The less I know the better.”
She continued walking, not saying a word until they got to his car. “So, you and Sarah?”
He glared at her. “Was it that obvious?”
She waved him off. “Please. It was clear as day he wanted you to see Sarah with him. She’s not a trophy, you know.”
“What?” Tyler frowned. Was that how he came across? “Sarah’s awesome. I mean yeah, we’ve spent a few nights together. But she’s hardworking and fun and—”
“Enough.” She didn’t look happy and Tyler tried not to smile. He didn’t like it, but he was human. The idea that she felt jealous was a huge ego boost.
She was right, though. What he had in mind for the rest of the evening, didn’t include some douchebag from her past. Or anyone from his.
Chapter 10
Tyler
The ride home silent. Tyler had a plan for when he got to Jill’s place and he didn’t want anything to spoil or interrupt. And talking about other people they’d fucked would certainly kill the mood.
“Wait for me,” he said as he pulled into a visitors parking spot at her place.
He tensed for a moment, wondering if she would ignore him.
The click of the seatbelt as she unbuckled echoed through the car. She lifted a brow. “I’m waiting.”
His voice was rougher than expected as he smiled and bent down to her ear. “Now’s not the time to get mouthy.” He got out of the car and walked around to open the door for her.
She stepped out of the car and into his arms. He took the dessert from the backseat before locking the car and leading her to the elevator.
With no objections to being in a confined area with him, he had to conclude she was just as eager to get upstairs. Or it could be that he hadn’t given her much room to argue. He trusted her enough to tell him if she didn’t want something. Otherwise he was going to do exactly as he planned.
He pressed the button for her floor and pulled her to stand in front of him. With his front pressed against her back, he made sure she could feel his hard-on. Her breath hitched and she leaned back further. He let her body stroke his. The sensation was amazing and there was no risk of him losing control… yet.
Skimming his hands up her ribs, he saw goose bumps break out on her shoulders. He bent down to kiss them, then sliding his tongue to the back of her ear. She lifted her arms up and back around his neck, playing with the spot just below his hairline. The position gave him better access to her sides. He grazed his finger along the edge of her dress, the subtle touch causing her chest to rise and fall a little heavier.
He pushed his finger below the fabric, just brushing the s
ide of her breast. Through the fabric, her nipples hardened. She lowered one of her hands and reached behind her. Her small hand stroked over his erection and he stepped back. “No,” he said. “This is my show. I stay in control. That won’t happen if you continue what you’re doing.”
Pulling her hand back behind his neck, he dipped his head to her other shoulder. There was nothing rushed about his actions. But it wasn’t soft or gentle either. He wanted her more than anything. But more than that he wanted her to want him and only him. He wanted to make her his.
The elevator dinged at the sixth floor and he guided her out. The short walk down the hallway was charged and silent. Jill fumbled for her keys in her handbag. He smiled. It meant he had her off kilter. Good.
She opened the door for them and stepped inside. Tyler let go of her long enough to close and lock the door behind them. “Turn your phone to silent.” He pulled his out of his pocket and did the same thing.
“Do you want to hold on to it, too.” She held the phone out to him, a small smile playing at her lips.
He picked up the phone. “I told you, now is not the time to get mouthy.”
She pulled her lip between her teeth and he steeled himself to hold onto his restraint. “You sure you don’t want me to use my mouth.”
Fuck. Tyler shook the image of her going down on him from his mind. He only had so much control and she was the one person who could undo it all. “Maybe later. Right now, I want to do this.”
He pulled her closer and lowered his head to hers. Brushing his lips sent a shot of heat through his veins. He deepened the kiss, licking the seam of her lips. Their tongues collided and everything felt right. She was in his arms. He could feel her. Smell her. Taste her. Her moan only fueled his desire and he let out a groan of his own as he felt her leg wrap around his thigh. Cupping her bare ass, he pulled her up and wrapped her legs around his hips. He could feel her heat over his erection. Her hands tangled in his hair and he knew he needed to stop. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t get to do what he wanted. Or at least see what he wanted to see.
Loving The Game (Thirty-Something in the City - The Lunchtime Sorority Book 1) Page 8