Scoring Her Heart

by Marquita Valentine

  I spin around and grab his shirt, pulling him to me. “That’s so romantic.”

  “I’m getting moderately better at it,” he says with that cocky grin I’ve come to adore. “Catherine gave me the idea.”

  “You should listen to your sister-in-law more often.” I lift on the balls of my feet and kiss him.

  “About Catherine... and the rest of my family, they really liked you.”

  I take a step back, my hand loosening on his shirt. “They did?”

  “Mom and Dad couldn’t stop singing your praises. Mikey said you were okay in his book, which is the best compliment you’ll get from that pain in the ass. Catherine wants to quit her job at the coffee shop and become a librarian.” For once, his forest-green eyes aren’t smiling. He looks... afraid? Nervous?

  “I’m not sure how to respond. Normally, I’d be pleased and relieved, but you don’t seem like you’re either of those things.” My stomach churns and my throat gets a little dry. It seems silly to feel like this. Yes, we’re exclusive and not casual, but he’s not my fiancé or—

  “My parents wanted me to ask you to spend Christmas with us. They wanted Thanksgiving, but I have to play and I don’t know what you’re doing with your family.”

  My skin gets all itchy and I have the urge to bolt, but I stay where I am with a smile fixed firmly on my face. “Let me think about it and get back to you.”

  He cants his head from side to side. “Better answer than I thought I’d get.”

  “You thought I’d say no?”

  “Nope. I knew you’d no. Hell, I bet your polite reply is just a way for you to stall for time so you can come up with a reasonable explanation as to why you can’t be with me—us.”

  Taken aback, I fist my hands on my hips. “I do have a family, Dallas.”

  “You could’ve fooled me seeing as how I’ve only met your sister and she doesn’t even know about us.”

  “Do you want Finley to know?”

  His jaw works, turning granite hard. “Not if she’s going to react to it like you are.”

  I throw my hands into the air. “Where is this coming from?”

  “Nowhere. It’s just how I feel.” He shifts his stance. “We don’t ever go out in public, Paige. You don’t come to my games. When you thought I was asking you to, you were shutting me down before I had the chance to explain anything.”

  “I told you that you could say you were seeing someone, and I’m going with you to Miami, not only as your guest, but also as your girlfriend. Your teammates will be there.”

  “Big fucking deal. They can’t say shit about us.” He walks past me, moving into the kitchen. “I made sure of that to protect your precious privacy.”

  I follow him, my heels clicking angrily on the floor. “Don’t act like this is something new. I was upfront about how I felt about dating someone like you.”

  “Yeah, thanks for the ego boost, babe.” He opens the fridge, gets out a water, and rips off the top. “Appreciate it.”

  “Like you need an ego boost from anyone. Don’t be that guy, Dallas.” As soon as I lob those words at him like a grenade, I want to take them back.

  “What guy is that? The one who fucks you, eats your pussy, and makes you scream my name, or the one whose dick you love to suck?”

  Outraged, I grab an apple from the bowl of fruit that he keeps on the island and throw it at him. He catches it easily and takes a bite.

  “You’re such a pig.”

  He stalks to me. “Oink. Oink. And don’t act like you don’t love getting dirty with me.”

  “I never said I didn’t like it.”

  His eyes widen in surprise, then grow hooded. “Show me.”

  “How?” I lick my lips and become acutely aware of how the nearness of him, the scent of his cologne, and the fullness of his mouth turn me on.

  “Get down on your knees, bright eyes. You know what to do next.” He leans back against the island and resumes eating the apple. “I’m waiting for your apology.”

  “My apology?” I sputter, even as I’m kneeling before him. He’s right. I should apologize, but so should he. “I think we both need to apologize.”

  “You first, baby.” He thrusts his pelvis in my face, the ridge of his erection nearly obscene in his sweatpants. “I’m ready when you are.”

  CHAPTER 22

  Dallas

  Paige stares up at me with eyes so big and blue that I forget for a second what she’s about to do.

  My consciences barges in, reminding me I’m about to get a blow job as a form of an apology from her. And what is she apologizing for exactly?

  Calling me out?

  Reminding me of the truth?

  For me actually being a pig?

  She lowers my pants and takes my dick out, her fingers cool on my burning skin. It feels so damn good that I kick my conscience to the curb and take another bite of the juicy apple Paige was kind enough to literally toss my way.

  I dig her like that, so full of passion and willing to put me in my place.

  She kisses the tip and I chomp down hard, grinding my teeth. My pride doesn’t want to let her know how easily she gets me going, and yeah, I know my dick is hard already, has been since she grabbed my shirt and pulled me in for a kiss.

  She strokes me from root to tip and stops to lick the underside of the head. I grunt and reach back to grip the edge of the granite countertop.

  “You’re right, you know... I do like sucking your cock,” she says, her voice breathless. She wraps her lips around me, her tongue teasing me with little swirls and long licks.

  My chest heaves and my balls tighten in response.

  She lets my dick pop out of her mouth and cups my balls. “Do you need me to pay attention to these, too?”

  I could be a decent guy and say, ‘only if you want to,’ but I don’t feel very decent right now. “Every part of me wants your attention.”

  Wait a minute. That didn’t come out as hardcore as I thought it would, but as she starts to tongue my balls and stroke my shaft at the same time, I suddenly don’t give a damn anymore.

  Her hot-as-fuck mouth moves to my straining erection. She takes me deep inside, blowing me like I’m her favorite thing to suck. She wraps her hand around the base and starts stroking in tandem, deep throating me every so often until my eyes cross with pleasure and I have to stop eating the apple.

  When I hit the back of her throat, the apple falls from my hand as my orgasm rushes up my spine. “I have to come,” I say gruffly.

  She doesn’t pull away. She’s never pulled away.

  I grab her ponytail tight to hold her in place and move my hips so I can fuck her sweet mouth a little deeper... And I don’t last beyond the fifth stroke.

  With a hoarse shout of her name, I come so hard that the bottle of water in my grip goes off like a geyser. I don’t miss the symbolism of it. But I’m pretty fucking sure the water bottle doesn’t feel as good as I do right now either.

  I take a deep breath, sucking in great gulps of air while she slowly stands and tucks my now-softening erection and balls into my sweatpants.

  Clearly pleased, she leans up, kisses me, and then steps back. “After you clean up the mess you made, I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom. I’ll be the one playing with your favorite part of me.”

  “You’re going to be watching Jeopardy while I eat your pussy?”

  She blinks, then a sweet smile curves her lips. “Are you trying to say that your favorite part of me is my brain?”

  “I thought it was obvious how much I respect your career. You don’t let your looks or some other talent do all the work. You do it.” My cheeks heat up at the sight of the wonderment in her eyes. Maybe I haven’t been so good about telling her that.

  “Dallas?”

  “Paige.”

  She takes my hand in hers, the one that’s not still clenching the water bottle. “You have just put Mr. Darcy and every other book boyfriend I ever had to shame.”

  “He’s not
the only one? Shit, bright eyes. I don’t have time to read all those books.” I wink at her, and she giggles. After her moans and screaming out my name, I fucking love her laugh the most.

  “No, you don’t have to read anything. It was a compliment.”

  I tug her into my arm, tossing the bottle into the sink. “Are we good now?”

  “After you pleasure me, I’m going home to pack for Miami, so come to your own conclusion.”

  “Good... because if you weren’t, I was going to text Layton and ask her to help me kidnap you.” I’m only half-joking, but she doesn’t need to know how obsessed I am with her, or how ready I am to show her sweet ass off to my teammates.

  “Can I exchange oral for a favor?” She plays with the hem of my shirt for a second or two before she looks me in the eyes.

  “Why can’t you have both?” I’m always down to eat her pussy. It’s not only for her pleasure.

  “Because there’s a good chance you’ll say no when I explain.”

  “Unless you want to take a dude or an ex-boyfriend, my response will not be an automatic no.”

  She nods. “Okay, so can Layton go with us so she can bug the crap out of Aiden until he tells her whether Joe’s cheating on her or not?”

  “I only have one question.”

  “Go for it?”

  “Will this make Aiden’s life miserable while we’re on vacation?”

  “So miserable. Layton is like a leech when she wants something. She grabs on with these little teeth and won’t let go until she’s sucked you dry for information... and oh my God, I just compared my best friend to a blood-sucking parasite.” Her gaze flies to mine. “Please don’t repeat what I said to her.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.” I caress her cheek. “She’s welcome to come. I’ll have the pilot add her to the manifest. Make sure she brings some ID.”

  “Absolutely. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome.” I bend a little, grab her by the thighs, and toss her over my shoulder. “Now... about my apology to you.”

  “Can I really watch Jeopardy while you apologize?”

  I smack her plump ass in answer.

  * * *

  Aiden gives me the evil eye from his seat on the private plane. Layton waves cheerfully from her place beside him.

  I pick up Paige’s hand and kiss the knuckles, laughing. “This is already the best vacation I’ve ever had.”

  “Glad to be of service.”

  Since Layton and Paige boarded last, on purpose as suggested by me, Aiden had no choice but to stay in his seat. Sam, the rookie quarterback, and Mitchell, our best linesmen, give me the thumbs-up for what has to be the hundredth time. They are on drinks four and five respectively, so it might be the liquor doing the gesturing.

  While they respect Aiden as our quarterback, they don’t like him any more than I do. I take that back—they like him less than I do because I like everyone. My mom used to say that I never met a stranger and everyone was my best friend. Mikey’s fault, of course, because he said hi to everyone. And since I wanted to be just like him, I followed suit.

  “Why are you grinning?” Paige asks as the plane levels out.

  “Thinking about my brother.”

  “How is the new job going?”

  “Good. The place where he works is very handicap friendly and they have special bathrooms there for people who need more than a stall. Basically, they exist because of private donations and how amazing their coffee is.”

  Paige gives me an appraising glance. “Are you one of the donors?”

  I clear my throat, torn between wanting to show off and not wanting to brag about doing good for other people. Yet, this is Paige. She’s not asking in order to figure out if I’m worth her time, or if I have enough money to help bankroll an operation like Coffee Buddies Café.

  “I am, but I don’t put it out there for everyone to examine. My donations are made anonymously.”

  “Have you ever thought that you could help them open other Coffee Buddies Cafes if you did tell everyone?” she asks.

  “Your sister would probably like that.”

  “Who cares what my sister likes? What do you think?” she presses.

  “I think, besides being one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met, that you’re one of the smartest I know, too.”

  “Only one of the smartest... and most beautiful?” Her tone is light and teasing.

  “Besides my mother.”

  She lays her head on my shoulder and looks up at me, smiling sweetly. “I love that you’re a momma’s boy.”

  “I’m not—all right, I am one—but I have very firm boundaries where my parents are concerned.”

  Paige nods. “Of course you do.”

  “They know to give me space.”

  “Which is why they have a house two streets over from yours.”

  “Exactly.” I laugh, then give up all pretenses of being completely hard-assed when it comes to my parents. “I’m a family man at heart, bright eyes. That won’t ever change.”

  She sighs one of her signature ‘all is right with the world and Dallas Drake is the man’ sighs. “I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

  CHAPTER 23

  Paige

  Layton and I stare in wide-eyed shock at the structure before us. The house is three stories tall and completely glassed in on one side. There are wings on each side that seem to go on for miles. Cars I can’t identify by name are lined up like matchbook cars in the garage. A white, sparkly Mercedes catches my eye—it looks suspiciously like the Swarovski-crystal covered one I saw on a viral Facebook video.

  “I thought you said we weren’t staying in a hotel,” Layton says from the side of her mouth. Unlike how I grew up—poor and on food stamps in a trailer park, Layton comes from old money, made in banking and lawsuits, but not this kind of money. This is the kind Mrs. Price once said requires a sort of showmanship reserved for horseracing and the nouveaux riche who gold-plate everything in order to appear classy.

  Then again, the Prices think it’s sinful to flaunt their wealth, which is part of the reason Layton is so down to Earth.

  “We’re not. This is an honest-to-God vacation home.”

  “For thirty people to live in at one time?”

  “There’s a room with a wall made of candy,” Dallas says.

  Layton turns to him. “Does Willy Wonka own this house?”

  “I don’t think Johnny Depp ever lived here,” he says in all seriousness, but I don’t miss the twinkle in his sexy eyes. “Ladies get to pick their rooms first, but Paige, you keep in mind that we’re sharing a bed.”

  “I thought we were having a girls’ weekend, Paigey-Poo,” Layton whines, and I have to bite back a smile. She’s never called me Paigey-Poo in our lives. She’s here to get info from Aiden, not girl time with me.

  “Paigey-what?”

  Layton links her arm through mine and lays her head against my shoulder. In her heels, she’s taller than usual, but since I have on heels as well, I’m still four inches taller. “Tell him, Paigey. It’s a girls’ weekend.”

  Dallas’s face falls, and he looks ready to cry. Well, not exactly, but pretty close. I take pity on him. “She’s joking.”

  His gaze bounces from me to Layton and back again. “You sure?”

  “She’s very sure.” Layton squeezes me with one of her hugs. “You’re right; he’s a lot of fun to tease.”

  Dallas gazes at me meaningfully. “It’s not very nice of you to do that.”

  “Layton didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Wasn’t talking about her.”

  Aiden steps into view, and Layton lets go of me. “Time to get some info,” she mutters, adjusting her pearl necklace so the diamond clasp is showing. I think she rubs it for luck. “Oh, Aiden. Let’s have a little chat, sugar.”

  Aiden looks less than pleased to have been caught out in the open. “Fine,” he growls as he grabs Layton by the arm. “Let’s go somewhere private.”


  “You can help me pick out my room while you tell me everything,” Layton chirps.

  “Are you sure she’s okay with him?” Dallas asks as they walk away, Aiden is tall, muscular, and imposing while Layton looks like a dainty, tropical butterfly in her Lily Pulitzer sheath dress.

  “She’s all steel where it counts,” I assure him, but I’m going to keep an eye on Aiden anyway. “I would feel better if you’d help me look out for her. She’s not in the best place right now.”

  “Your best friend will be like the little sister I never had.”

  “There you go with those romantic lines again.” I steal a kiss and grab his wrist, tugging him along with me as I practically skip to the house. “Let’s go pick our room.”

  * * *

  Our first afternoon in Miami is spent in the bedroom we picked out. The bed is large enough to sleep a dozen people, but Dallas insists the two of us will be a tight fit.

  “Kiss me,” he orders as I lower myself onto his hard cock.

  Without waiting for me to comply, he grabs the back of my head and gently forces me to him, our mouths meeting in a clash of tongues and teeth. He presses up, and I cry out in pleasure.

  “I’m so full of you.”

  “I know.” He kneads one of my butt cheeks. “Ride me, Paige. Show me how much you want my cock.”

  I sit up, desire rushing over me as his eyes gleam. Raising my hands above my head, I thrust out my breast and roll my hips. “How’s this?”

  “Almost got it.” His hands come to rest on my waist, guiding me into a steady pace that makes my breasts bounce and my clit hit against his groin. “So fucking beautiful.”

  He raises up, capturing a nipple in his mouth and tugging with his teeth. Sparks of pleasure and pain twine and make a straight path for my clit. He sucks hard and moves my hips fast while he rams his cock into me from below. This isn’t a careful, making-love moment... it’s more than that.

  Suddenly, he flips me on to my back and lifts my leg over his shoulder, opening me wider to him. He slides deeper, his eyes closing, then opening again as he groans my name. “Grab the headboard.”

  I grab onto the leather straps I thought were for decorative purposes only and hold on. Dallas plants his elbows in the bed and hovers over me, only inches of space separating us. He dips his head, teasing my nipples and sucking on them until they are swollen from the stubble on his face and his less-than-gentle ministrations.