Playing to Win: A Contemporary Romance Box Set

by Romi Hart

  A scout for the Miami Dolphins invited Jett out to Florida to check out their facilities and talk to them about where he sees himself after graduation.

  And we were supposed to be getting on a private jet they sent for us in the matter of a couple of hours. And we weren’t even close to being ready to go to the airport. But the way his kiss was working it’s particular kind of magic on me had me barely able to recall all that.

  Slowly, his hands moved off my bottom and up my back as his tongue played with mine and I melted into him. His naked chest against mine that was only covered with a bra. I too had only gotten partially dressed so far. A bra and panties were all I had on, I was waiting for my dress to get finished in the dryer.

  One of his large hands moved up, taking me by the back of the neck as his kiss grew heated, more passionate and his cock began to swell, pushing at my warm center that was beginning to grow moist in anticipation.

  But we had things to do!

  I wrenched my mouth away from his, both of us already breathing heavily. “Jett, we really don’t have time for this right now.”

  He rested his forehead against mine as he sighed. “I know. I don’t know why I’ve kept getting distracted this morning. This is like the most important thing I’ve ever done career-wise. You know you’re the most important thing I’ve ever done, falling in love with you, and moving in together. But asking you to marry me was by far the most important thing I’ve ever done. Thanks for saying yes, by the way. See what I’m doing even now? I’m thinking about everything but what’s about to happen.”

  “Thanks for asking me to marry you and giving me this gorgeous engagement ring.” I had to hold my hand out to look at the ring he gave me a couple of nights ago. He’d taken me out to a fancy dinner and proposed, making me cry right there on the spot and accept his proposal. “I think it’s because it’ll mean so much has to change if they want you. You could be playing for the Miami Dolphins next season, Jett.” I was excited for him, but I was excited for myself too.

  If he did take the job — if one was offered to him — then that would mean I’d be closer to my mother.

  I missed Mom like crazy. I mean, we talked on the phone all the time. And Jett and I made it to Christmas this last year to spend it with her. We had to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Being a couple meant splitting up the holidays to make it fair for each side.

  Things were going great for the two of us. With the fall semester in full swing, we both were doing extremely well with all of our classes. Jett made an excellent study buddy. He’d give me a kiss for each correctly answered question and I’d do the same for him.

  Did our study sessions always end in hot sex?

  Well, sure they did. But that’s what made taking the time to study so dang easy to do!

  Taking Jett by the hand, I led him to our bedroom where his clothes were already laid out for him. I loved dotting on my man. Doing little things like laying out his clothes for him, making sure we had his favorite brand of orange juice in the fridge at all times, and plumping his pillows when I made the bed each morning made him feel the love I had for him.

  “You need to get dressed. I’m going to grab my dress out of the dryer. We have to finish up the packing, we’ll be there for the whole weekend. I think Mom said something about there being a big soccer game today. She wanted us to go to it with her at the University of Florida, where she teaches.” I let his hand go and turned to leave the room.

  He stopped me as he asked, “Laney, you’d like it if the Dolphins made me an offer, wouldn’t you?”

  I turned back to look at him as I nodded. “Sure I would. It would mean being closer to Mom and getting to see her a lot more.” I bit my lower lip because something was troubling me a bit. I didn’t want Jett to take their offer if he really wanted to play for some other team. “But I get it if you’d like to hold out for who you really want to play for. I would understand, Jett. I want you to do whatever it is you want to do, without any pressure from me.”

  His eyes moved from my head to my toes before they came back to meet mine. “What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful girl?”

  Trying to lighten the mood that had gone heavy, I wiggled my butt as I sauntered out of the room. “You scored a touchdown for me. Don’t you remember that? How could a girl walk away from a man who could do that for her?”

  “And once I’m in the big league, baby, you have at least one more of those coming to you,” he said then laughed.

  “Get your butt ready, Jett. We have to jet!” I laughed at my own joke and heard him laughing too.

  We were about to head off to Florida to see what the future held for us. Nervous yet very happy, Jett and I were moving forward with our lives. Florida might be the direction we were heading after graduation. But then again, who knew what else might be in the cards for us?

  One Chance To Win

  1

  Alex

  One steamy summer night and one giant craving for something I had only dreamt about had me and one of my best buds and teammate heading out for a fancy dinner.

  It was the almost the end of summer in Gainesville, Florida. School would start back up in a month or so. Ronnie and I had stuck around in town for the summer to teach ‘Soccer Tots’, a soccer league for toddlers.

  Almost everyone we knew on our team had taken off for exciting summer vacations on the beach or in Europe, but Ronnie and I had committed to our soccer playing tots and their parents to keep teaching over the summer.

  We weren’t in Ibiza like half of our soccer mates were, but we were going to have a properly luxuriant meal at a famous steakhouse anyway.

  The professor of my biology class, Dr. Dupree’s praises of Jose Fontaine's steakhouse had piqued my interest in checking the restaurant named El Buey out.

  The restaurant had an ambiance that rivaled some of the best in the country. I had ordered a premium beef cutlet called a chuletón.

  Ronnie had ordered a sirloin steak. He wasn’t quite the steak aficionado I was. But when our food arrived, both of us were excited to taste the premium meats. “What do you think? Incredible, right?” Ronnie asked, savoring the piece of steak he bit off his fork.

  Weighing how I actually felt about the bite I took, I had to admit it wasn’t what I’d expected, but it wasn’t terrible either, “It’s good.”

  With one raised brow, he grinned at me. “Good? Just Good? Not great? Not spectacular?”

  I should’ve expected him to look at me that way. After all, I had gone on and on about the place. “I’ve never had anything like it,” I said, looking at my steak. It was just the tiniest bit over-cooked in my opinion. And I had ordered it a different way. “But, I ordered medium rare.”

  Without missing a beat, he shoved another piece of meat into his mouth. “You thinking about complaining?”

  “Ronnie, man, if we were at the normal chain restaurants we usually go to, then it wouldn’t be a big deal, but…” I leaned in close and whispered, as I didn’t want anyone to hear me whining about the amount this steak was going to cost me. “This steak will cost me ninety dollars.”

  “What?” Ronnie nearly choked on his Maronesa. “I just ordered the sirloin. It’s twenty bucks and ridiculously delicious.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I grew up on Argentinian beef. I wanted to get the premium, the very best this place has to offer. I love steak. Great steak. And that’s why I splurged this one time.”

  Ronnie stabbed a fork into a slice of my steak. “Sorry, but I’ve got to see what a ninety-dollar steak tastes like.”

  “Help yourself,” I said, stabbing my fork into his Maronesa. It was fantastically flavorful with a complex cured taste.

  Ronnie chewed my chuletón slowly closing his eyes in awe. “Dude, that is so good.”

  It was good. That was a given. But it wasn't cooked to what I had asked for. "It is, but is it medium rare?"

  He rolled his eyes then admitted, “No, sir. It is not.”

  Our wait
ress, a tall blonde girl with oversize black frame glasses, stopped at our table, a smile on her face, a hand on her round hip. “How is everything?”

  My steak was good. I could have just let it go, but I felt like I had to let her know I had ordered it differently, “I only have one minor complaint, I ordered medium rare. Not medium well, which this is. But this is great. Delicious. Just a bit overcooked for me.”

  The waitress’s face fell. She pulled out a tiny notebook from her pocket quickly flipping through the pages. Then her hand went to cover her gaping mouth. “Oh my god. I misread my handwriting. I distinctly remember you ordering medium rare, but I must have told the kitchen medium well when I read my terrible handwriting.” She flashed me her messy miniature script. Indeed it was difficult to decipher.

  Tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I feel terrible. I’ll be right back.” She lifted my plate with a shaky hand and turned to leave.

  Guilt rose in my chest. The steak was medium well, but it was still magnificent. I reached for her wrist, stopping her from retrieving my plate. “That’s okay. That won’t be necessary. It’s delicious regardless.”

  Her eyes shone with relief momentarily, but then she said, “No. I remember you saying medium rare. I read my handwriting wrong. You shouldn’t have to pay for a meal you didn’t order.”

  She reached for my plate again, but I stopped her once more. “Please. No. It’s perfectly okay. I’m enjoying my meal.”

  “I’m so sorry for the mix-up,” she apologized again then hurried to the kitchen.

  Ronnie speared another piece of my steak with his fork. “You made our waitress cry, you big ol’ meanie.”

  He was right. But she wasn't the first girl I'd made cry. Seeing tears pour down reddened cheeks as I broke one heart after another had me kind of immune to their power. "She'll be fine. You'd be surprised what a girl can get over."

  My eyes caught sight of a woman coming back out of the door our waitress had gone into. Her eyes were on me as she headed my way. She had on a black chef coat and black pants. The dark clothing along with her dark hair made her big green eyes pop. Her lashes were long and thick, giving her a Disney princess, doe-eyed look.

  She’s hands down, the most authentically beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

  I stared at her full lips as they parted and a sweet voice came out of that perfect mouth, “Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Jasmine Fontaine. I’m the owner’s daughter. Nia has alerted me to the incorrect preparation of your steak.”

  The words tumbled out of my mouth as I was a little awestruck by her. “I’m, uh, um, Alex. Um, Alex Cantrell.”

  Lifting his fork up in a half salute, my friend chimed in, “I’m Ronnie Watson.”

  “Nice to meet you both.” She gave him a nice smile. A professional smile. I wondered what her normal smile was like. I bet it was something that could make birds sing and butterflies dance. Then her doe-like eyes turned to mine. “Another steak is being prepared for you.”

  “Please. You don’t have to do that,” I said, feeling shittier and shittier by the minute for even mentioning anything was wrong with my steak in the first place.

  She waved her hand as if it wasn’t a problem at all. I knew better. That steak was expensive, and they had gone to a lot of trouble already just to make one for me. I didn’t need another one, but she seemed set on pleasing me. “It’s already being done. Can I offer the two of you a complimentary bottle of wine?”

  Ronnie’s response was immediate, “Sure!”

  Jasmine smiled and presented the bottle she held behind her back to Ronnie. She began to open it with graceful execution. As she poured us two full glasses, she added, “Both of your meals will be on the house this evening.”

  I was mortified. I hadn’t meant to get anything for free. I wasn’t that kind of patron. “No. Please. That won’t be necessary.”

  I was trying to be the good guy while Ronnie seemed over the moon about the free meal. “Awesome!”

  Jasmine smiled at me. I was shocked to find my heart speeding up. This wasn’t like me. I didn’t get giddy over girls. They got giddy over me. “Yes. It is necessary. My father takes great pride in his meat and its preparation. We apologize for your steak not being prepared in the manner you originally wanted.”

  “Our waitress isn’t going to get in trouble, will she?” I asked. I would hate myself if she had to face consequences over my complaint.

  “No, sir. Don’t worry about her. She’s my cousin. She’s got this job whether she wants it or not.” She winked at me, and I felt my heart flip over and over in my chest.

  This beautiful girl just winked at me – and my cock just jerked inside my slacks!

  I tried to act cool. Like she didn’t affect me more than any other female ever had. “I’m so glad. She’s been an excellent server.”

  Ronnie agreed, “She’s fantastic.” He paused and then asked, “Is she single?”

  Jasmine laughed. “Sadly, Nia is not single. She just met someone in one of her classes last semester.”

  Ronnie wasn’t one to give up too easily. “Yeah? Does she go to UF?”

  Jasmine nodded. “Yes.” I watched her as she stepped away from our table. “Enjoy your meal.”

  Don’t go…

  I wanted a few more moments with her. Quickly, I asked, “Do you go to UF? We do.” I gestured with my thumb to Ronnie and me.

  Jasmine’s face slightly fell as she laid a hand on her chest and said, “Me?” Then she shook her head regretfully, “No. Not me.” Taking a few more steps away, her smile returned as she said, “Enjoy the rest of your meal.”

  Then, she was gone. She walked away from the table, leaving me stunned and wanting to see her again almost immediately after she’d left.

  I looked at Ronnie who was pouring himself another glass of wine. Then lifted my glass to my lips, taking only a small sip. “Did you see how beautiful that girl was? She didn’t even have any makeup on, and her hair was up in that bun, but wow.”

  “She was really beautiful, dude.” A goofy grin pulled his lips up at the corners. “You got a crush?”

  “I don’t get crushes. I just get the girl I want.” I smiled back at him.

  I wanted the girl, and I always got what I wanted. Now, how could I get to her again to make that happen?

  2

  Jasmine

  In the bathroom, my legs were jelly. I leaned over the sink to splash water on my face. The water was shockingly cold as it hit my skin, but I still felt flushed all over. My heart raced beneath my chef coat. I took deep breaths to calm myself.

  Nia came to me in a panic over a mistake with a customer’s steak. I rushed out to the dining room to apologize, not even considering that the customer might be the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life.

  Thinking about how I might have looked out there, I cringed. Had I been noticeably sweaty? Was my hair in place? Did he notice the look on my face when I saw his?

  The customer, Alex, was ruggedly handsome with gorgeous brown eyes and dark brown hair. When he talked to me, I could swear his eyes sparkled like brown tourmaline gemstones. And his smile - That million-dollar smile and striking square jaw. I could tell he was lean and muscular from how his dress shirt fit around his shoulders. Ryan Gosling had nothing on this guy. Even Ryan Reynolds needed to have a seat.

  Patting a paper towel over my face, I looked at my reflection, wincing at how disheveled I looked. “Oh, God, I’m a mess.”

  Nia walked into the bathroom. “Jasmine, I’m so so sorry!”

  Pulling myself together, I threw the paper towel in the waste bin. “Don’t worry about it,” I assured her.

  Nia was my cousin and basically lived the life I’d always wanted. She was tall, thin, gorgeous, and blonde. She could have been a model, but she had her heart set on being a doctor. Growing up, I always felt inadequate when standing next to her.

  My cousin’s pretty face was twisted in worry. “But I just cost the rest
aurant a lot of money because of my mistake.”

  “Just do me a favor and become a doctor, ok? You already have the handwriting of one,” I joked to ease her anxiety.

  Nia gave me a smile. “What about Uncle Jose?”

  I waved her off. “Don’t worry about my dad.”

  Glancing back at my reflection, I realized that Alex was just being nice. He only flashed me that swoon-worthy smile because he was polite. There was no way he’d go for me if someone like my cousin was around. Nia was so sweet too. Beautiful, leggy, and sweet natured. She was a triple threat.

  I wanted to get one more glance at Alex though, so I cut through the dining room to get back to the kitchen. He was beautiful and probably not someone I’d ever see again unless he came back to the restaurant. Quickly, I walked by his table, trying my best to act nonchalant when I was grabbed by my arm.

  His fingers clutched around my wrist were electric. “Jasmine, are you free any night this week?”

  Am I dreaming?

  I looked down at my wrist enveloped in his hand, stunned. Alex must have thought I was offended because he swiftly released me. Then tripped over his words, “Maybe, um, you’d like to go to, uh a movie?” He swallowed hard then coolness took over his expression, turning him back into the suave man he’d been before. “Your choice. And dinner? At a place, you know, where you don’t work?”

  My cheeks felt hot again. All I wanted to do was jump up and down and scream, ‘Yes!’

  Before I could answer, my father called me over from the kitchen. “Jasmine!” his voiced bellowed.

  I looked at Alex’s beautiful brown eyes and magnanimous smile. “I’ll be right back. I’ve got to talk to my dad and ask when I can have a night off.”

  Back in the kitchen, my dad’s eyes were on fire. The kitchen staff tried to look busy, but I knew they were listening to our every word. “I just saw what happened out there. What was that man doing holding your hand?”