Bad Ballers: A Contemporary Sports Romance Box Set

by Bishop, S. J.

  I couldn’t speak. My mind was whirling, trying to understand exactly what Ryan had done.

  “Do you understand what this means, Courtney?”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t process it. It was too much.

  “It means that Ryan doesn’t benefit at all from this deal. He invests in The Mangroves and doesn’t see a penny of it. Lea does. If this expansion is a success, Lea gets all of it.”

  30

  Ryan

  I didn’t realize The Mangroves would be so busy on a Thursday night. As I walked around the front from the parking lot, the Patio came into view. It was eight-thirty, but people were still being seated for dinner. My eyes scanned the tables, looking to see if Courtney was working tonight. I’d driven by her house, but nobody had been there.

  My eyes landed on a small two-person table on the corner of the patio, near the railing, where a little girl was drawing with colored pencils. As if she felt me looking, she glanced up, spotted me, and beamed. The smile split her face in two. She got up and shot off the deck like a rocket, lunging for me and calling out, “Ryan!”

  I didn’t expect her, but I’m a professional athlete. I’ve got quick reflexes. I caught Lea midair, something in my stomach clenching tight. I pulled her to me and gave her a big squeeze. “Hey kid,” I said, setting her down.

  “I didn’t know if you were coming back!” she said, sounding both happy and accusatory at the same time.

  “Of course I was coming back, are you kidding?” I said, doing my best to sound outraged. “Nobody beats me in mini golf and gets away with it. We’re re-matching. Soon as I can convince your mom to let me steal you away for the afternoon. Hey. Speaking of your mom, is she around?” I couldn’t spot Courtney anywhere.

  “She’s working. I’m bored. Come sit with me,” Lea demanded, taking my hand and tugging me up the steps and onto the patio.

  I collapsed into the chair opposite Lea, marveling at her tenacity. How was she not entirely spoiled already? I doubted anyone could say no to her. If Courtney could, then she was a stronger man than me.

  “Can I get you something to eat?” I recognized the waitress that came up as the one who’d answered the door that night I’d dropped Lea off from our date.

  “I’m okay,” I said. “Can you let Courtney know I’m here? I’d go inside to find her, but I’ve been waylaid.” I shot a mock stern glance at Lea who looked entirely unrepentant.

  “No problem,” said the woman.

  “How have you been?” I asked Lea. “Did you miss me?”

  Lea rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying yes to that. Mom says you have an ego, and that I don’t need to make it bigger.”

  “How cruel,” I said. “Hey, Lea.” I leaned in and it must have been my tone, but Lea looked serious and leaned in too.

  “What do you think about this?” I asked pulling the small blue box out of my pocket and opening it, showing Lea the beautiful, round-cut, three-carat Tiffany engagement ring.

  Lea eyes it critically. “It’s really pretty,” she said finally. She sounded doubtful.

  I sighed. “Too soon?” I asked.

  Lea looked relieved. “Too soon.” She agreed.

  “So then how do I get your mom to believe that I’m not going to go running off again? She thinks I’m not to be trusted.” I winked.

  But Lea considered my question seriously. Then she said “You should recite her that letter.”

  “What letter?” I asked, pocketing the ring.

  “The one you wrote her in the yearbook.”

  I looked at Lea quizzically, and my daughter cleared her throat. “Baby, I don’t want a day to go by without holding you in my arms. You are heat lightening and summer storms. More passionate than a rip tide…”

  “Lea, I’m sure Ryan doesn’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

  Courtney appeared over her daughter’s shoulder.

  My mouth went dry: She was beautiful. Even wearing her black shorts and black polo, with her hair tied back in a ponytail, she was beautiful: long legs, golden skin, brilliant blue eyes and a mouth made for kissing. I was the world’s biggest moron for letting a girl like that go. I wasn’t going to do it again.

  31

  Courtney

  Ryan stared up at me, and my breath left me. His long lashed, dark brown eyes devoured me where I stood. A smile hovered around his mouth. “Actually,” he said. “I know exactly what she’s talking about.” He sat back, and crossed his arms, closing his eyes as if trying to call up a memory. “Your touch erodes me like the shore…”

  “Like the waves that beat against the coast,” corrected Lea.

  Ryan beamed at her. “Like the waves that beat against the coast,” he agreed. “You warm me like the Florida sunshine. I cannot be who I am without you. Always yours.” His gaze pinned me where I stood. “Love of your life, Ryan.”

  I shook my head and crossed my arms, tucking my now shaking hands out of sight. “How’d you remember that?” I asked, proud my voice came out steady.

  “I had to memorize it so I could write it in your book,” said Ryan, standing. “Lea, your mom and I are going to go take a walk. See you when we get back?”

  “I’ll be here,” Lea agreed, picking up her pencils and going back to whatever she’d been coloring.

  I followed Ryan as he stepped off the deck and headed towards the beach, just on the other side of the marina. “You know,” I said, “She thinks you were serious with that love note.”

  Ryan blinked at me. “I was deadly serious when I wrote that!”

  I rolled my eyes. “Ryan! Those metaphors were from Mrs. Sheehan’s English class. We had to write a bunch of stupid beach metaphors on the board…”

  “Yah well, I thought they were nice,” said Ryan, looking embarrassed. “I wrote them all down in my notes and then memorized them so that I could write them in your yearbook. I was dead serious!” He stuck his hands into his pockets, looking disgruntled. “I didn’t have the right words to tell you how I felt about you. So I borrowed a couple.”

  I burst out laughing, which seemed to irritate him more. We walked in silence until we hit the beach. I slid off my shoes, so did Ryan, and he rolled up his pants. We walked down to the water and put our toes in. The sun had set a half hour ago and it was still a bit early to see stars. So we looked at the deep green sky, neither of us sure what to say to the other.

  “Thank you,” I said, finally. “For the contract. The gesture... For Lea…”

  Ryan smiled and took a step closer to me so that we stood with our arms touching. “It wasn’t an empty gesture. I meant it. It was the only thing I could think of to do to prove to you how serious I am about being in Lea’s life, about providing for her. For both of you.”

  I shook my head. “But Ryan, what about providing for you? You told me you were going to retire soon. If your income is going to Lea, how will you live?”

  Ryan looked sheepish and ran a hand through his hair. Finally, when he seemed resolved, he looked me in the eye, and he smiled. “I’ve always had this dream of being a kept man.” He said. “I’m perfectly content to find myself a sugar momma and sit on my ass eating bonbons.”

  He pulled a blue box out of his pocket and my breath caught. No. Oh no!

  “Relax” he laughed, seeing my face. “I’m not proposing. I was thinking about gestures. It was easy to sign my money over to Lea. But it’s more difficult to make a gesture that you’ll accept, Courtney. Because I know I hurt you. And I know you can’t trust me. I’m just…” He trailed off, tossing the box up and catching it again, “I’m just letting you know that I’m serious. That I don’t want to look back on my life and regret the next ten years as much as I’m regretting the ten that have passed without you.”

  He held up the box. “I wanted you to know that this was here. That someday, I plan to give it to you.”

  I couldn’t help it. Tears began to slip down my cheeks. Ryan reached out and cupped my face, using a thumb to wipe a tear
away. “I know,” he said. “I have that effect on a lot of women.”

  I laughed and swatted at his hand, and he backed away, grinning.

  “So,” he said, eyes gleaming with mischief. “I rented a Suburban. The seats fold down. Care to drive to the dunes?”

  I sucked in a breath, heat flooding through me, and nodded. Ryan reached out, taking my hand in a vice-like grip. “Let’s go,” he said, and he started to run.

  We made it back to his car in record time only to realize we’d left our shoes on the beach. “Fuck em,” Ryan growled, spinning me so that my back was against the car. He leaned down and kissed me.

  I reached up, tangling my hands in his hair, opening my mouth to his assault, nearly moaning with relief as our tongues collided. The desire was no longer clouded by mixed feelings. There was no doubt and no motive beyond passion. Ryan wasn’t going to leave me.

  His hands wrapped around my waist and he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him, trapped between his chest and the car. I was aching for him, I wanted him inside me. I arched my hips against him, sucked on his tongue and bit his lip. He tugged my hair until I let go, my neck arching backwards. His mouth found the sensitive spot beneath my ear and I nearly died of pleasure as his teeth scraped, as his tongue teased my earlobe.

  Reaching down, I tried to unbuckle his belt, but he trapped my hand against the car. “Greedy,” he admonished.

  “Ryan,” I hissed, tugging at my and. “If you don’t stop teasing me, I swear to fucking god…”

  “Not yet baby,” he said, his lips teasing the sensitive skin at my neck. “Swear to god later.”

  He dropped me, and my bar feet hit the ground with a thud then he was moving. He made quick work of the suburban, laying down the back seats. “Hop in,” he said. “The windows are tinted.” He got into the front seat.

  The door closed behind me as I scooted onto the surface he’d made for us. Ryan peeled out of the Mangroves parking lot, heading for the dunes. His eyes found me in the rearview mirror. “Show me, baby,” he said, his voice deep with desire.

  I stripped slowly, tugging the polo off and sliding my shorts down my legs until I was in my black bra and panties. I unclasped the bra, letting my breasts spring free. Ryan groaned up front and I saw his hand disappear into his lap. Two could play at that game. Facing him, I pulled my underwear down until I was naked. Leaning back on my elbows, I spread my legs. With one hand, I reached between my thighs and touched myself.

  “Fuck,” Ryan cursed from the front seat.

  “You should be watching the road,” I told him, one finger sliding inside, then two. I was wet and raring to go. I wanted Ryan. I wanted him to want me. I felt wild, unburdened. I undulated against my hand.

  Ryan slammed the breaks and I realized that we’d made the short ride to the dunes - but that’s all I was able to ascertain because he was climbing into the back seat, nearly kicking the headrest off the passenger seat in his effort to reach me. He fell on top me, his mouth searing against mine, teeth clashing in the fierceness of our kiss. Ryan’s hand fumbled at his belt, ripping at his pants until he sprang free.

  I sobbed as his thick, hot length pressed against my opening, sliding between my lips, coating itself in my wetness.

  “Slowly!” I begged. He was huge. “Slowly! I want to feel all of you. Every last fucking inch!”

  He sank into me slowly, spreading me impossibly wide, filling up every inch of me until I couldn’t tell where I ended and where Ryan began. Then he was moving, a deep implacable rhythm, his hands finding my hips and grinding me against him every stroke.

  I was sobbing, incoherent, my world was only sensation, the intensity of that border between pleasure and pain. I wanted him to stop. I never wanted him to stop. I was chanting curses. “Fuck me, Oh god! Oh God!” He was swearing too.

  “You feel incredible, Ah! Courtney.” He couldn’t control himself. His pace picked up, driving me with him, pounding against me, hitting every nerve center, stoking my flames higher and higher…

  He roared. My orgasm came upon me like a tidal wave, decimating my consciousness, overwhelming my senses. I contracted around him as he throbbed inside me, jerking against me, all control gone. I squeezed at him with my legs, thighs quivering. When he tried to pull back, I didn’t let him. I was never letting him go again.

  Epilogue

  Courtney

  I don’t know how Ryan kept so calm and in control while his friends critiqued my menu and contemplated the details of the expansion. He’d introduced me to all of them and, I’m sure, expected me to do most of the talking, but I was too nervous. The minute Ryan had signed his portion of the restaurant over to Lea, the stakes became even higher. So I was working behind the scenes, making sure every dish that came out was perfect, making sure that nobody wanted for anything.

  Only four investors were supposed to come, but we ended up seating a table of eight. Ryan had promised Caz Woods and Jamie Anderson, and he’d promised that his old college friend Law Henry would come and was bringing a Dolphins lineman who was interested. Burke and Sarah Tyler, and Dash and Becca Barnes were a last minute addition that I hadn’t been expecting. Dash and Burke were big time. Between their contracts and their endorsements, they were some of the wealthiest players in the NFL.

  I wandered back into the room following the dessert trays. We were serving key lime pie, flan, mango wraps, and pastries filled with cheese and served with ice cream. There was nothing else to do now but take my seat next to Ryan. His hands gripped my knee reassuringly under the table.

  “So,” said Karen as the group dug into their desserts. I was having trouble taking my eyes off of Becca Barnes, who looked like she’d sucked on a lemon. “You’ve got the numbers,” said Karen, indicating the sheets in front of them. “You’ve heard the pitch and projections. I’ve hopefully answered your concerns. Are any of you interested in investing in The Mangroves Seaside Restaurant?”

  The two Miami Dolphins players nodded immediately. Law Henry cleared his throat. “I’ll want my lawyer to look over the particulars, but I’m interested.”

  Karen nodded and handed two slips of paper to the Dolphins to indicate their contributions.

  Caz was looking at Jamie who seemed intrigued, but was uncertain. “I’d be interested,” said Caz after a moment, “In seeing how Miami does before investing. If Miami is a hit, I’m happy to contribute capital to the next few restaurants.”

  Burke Tyler was regarding Ryan with suspicion. “Tell you what,” said Burke, crossing his arms over his chest and directing his comments at Ryan. “If you’d asked me two months ago, I’d have told you to fuck off.”

  “But?” asked Ryan. He didn’t sound enthusiastic. Apparently he and Burke weren’t on the best terms,

  “But I’m interested in the opportunity,” said Burke. “And you’re not the same guy you were two months ago. If Law thinks it’s a good investiment, I’m confident enough to risk my money.”

  “Wonderful,” said Karen. She handed Burke the paper and he wrote down a number.

  “It’s a family friendly place, right?” asked Sarah Tyler, speaking up for the first time. “Because I write a blog that talks about traveling, and there’s a whole section about travelling with family. I could do a write up. I have a bunch of readers. It would be good free press.”

  I nodded. “That sounds wonderful,” I said, earnestly.

  All eyes turned to Dash. He’d looked wistful over the words family and he opened his mouth, but Becca spoke before he could. “Not interested,” she said. Her tone was cool. “But thanks.”

  “No problem,” said Ryan, smoothly. “We’re just happy you both could join us tonight. Dash, man, good to see you outside the huddle.”

  Dash nodded. “Speaking of which. We’ve got a game tomorrow, boys.” He stood reaching out to shake my hand. His grip was warm. “Thanks for the wonderful evening. And I wish you the best of luck!”

  “I’ll make sure you get an invite to opening night,” I said.r />
  I shook hands with the players as they left the room. When Law Henry passed he leaned in close and said, “Any woman who can turn this player into a monogamist is set to take on the world. I’d trust you with my life savings. I think you’ve got a great thing going.”

  I thanked him warmly, and when they all left, only Ryan, Karen, and I remained in the room. Ryan wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest.

  “Well?” he said to Karen.

  Karen looked at the numbers that our three investors had written, and she pursed her lips. “Your buddies Henry and Tyler went in big. We still have to go to the bank, but they’ll say yes for certain. Karen looked up and beamed “We’re on, Court. The project is a go.”

  She gave me a short hug and shook Ryan’s hand. “Congratulations baby sister. You’ve got a lot of work to do.” She exited the room.

  “We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Ryan whispered in my ear.

  “You’re going to help?” I smiled up at him.

  “With the restaurant!” Ryan sounded incredulous. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m talking about tonight. I’ve got a game tomorrow. I’m going to need a little TLC.”

  I spun in his arms, looking up into his dark, beautiful eyes, excitement and anticipation whirling through me. “Well then get ready baby. Because you’re about to get more than you can handle.”

  Hail Mary

  BOOK 3

  1

  Law