by Ciara Cole
Table of Contents
The Baller’s Baby Daughter
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
ANOTHER STORY YOU MIGHT LIKE
Secret Billionaire’s Unplanned Baby
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
The Baller’s Baby Daughter:
A BWWM Romance
By Ciara Cole
All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2017 Ciara Cole.
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Chapter One
“Wake up, Leah. You’re going to be late!” yelled Eva as she walked into Leah’s room. “Oh, sorry,” she mumbled when she saw that Leah was already half-dressed.
Leah chuckled and shook her head at her big sister. She adjusted her dress and went to stand in front of the mirror, pinning up her long, thick, dark hair.
"You’re really enthusiastic about your interview, aren’t you?” Eva observed as Leah grabbed her purse.
“I have to be now that I’m unexpectedly out of work—which is entirely my fault,” Leah muttered, finally slipping on her heels.
“How was it your fault? They didn’t have to fire you just because you . . .” Eva’s voice trailed off as Leah sent her a level look.
“Okay, so you slept with a client. Big deal. The problem was that someone from your office decided to play peeping Tom and got footage of you hooking up with said client,” Eva added with vengeful anger.
“And when said client happened to be the Derrick Talbot, is it a wonder my boss had his knickers in a twist?” Leah let out a deep sigh as she faced her sister. “Besides, that boss of mine always had it in for me ever since I turned down his advances a year ago. Now, I have to start over thanks to one night of impropriety.”
Leah smiled when Eva giggled behind her hand. “I know it’s not supposed to be funny,” Eva managed as she held back her mirth, waving her hand in the air. “But I can’t help it. It’s just that we promised ourselves we wouldn’t be about that life—you know, messing around with athletes.”
Leah bit her lip. Her sister, older by two years, worked as a certified athletics trainer, for which she’d already earned her Master’s degree. Like Leah, she worked in the field of sports and mostly with NBA all-star basketball players, though Leah’s line of work was as a PR agent. For ages, they had resisted the temptation of personal involvement with any of the professional players they had to work with on a regular basis. However, Leah’s well-laid principles had no problem crumbling when she met Derrick Talbot and got hit by his wrecking ball charm. They’d shared an instant chemistry, and by the end of the night, they’d shared a bed.
It was one of the best and worst things Leah had ever done in her adult life.
Did she regret it? Yes and no. Yes, because she hadn’t been careful enough or smart enough to not get caught. And no, because for the first time, she’d felt a real connection with someone, and even though the encounter had been fleeting, it had changed her whole perspective. Even two months later, she still tingled all over from the memory of that hot night with Derrick. The way he’d felt inside her, and the taste of his lips . . .
Damn, Derrick’s kiss. She’d always remember the taste, so heavenly, erotic, earth shattering—indescribable, really. Was it a wonder he’d had her at first lip lock?
Eva’s hands gently grabbing her shoulders had Leah blinking out of her reverie. “I know you’ll pull through this,” Eva said firmly. “You’re beautiful and ambitious. I watched you claw your way to get to where you are now with no help from anyone. Some smart firm is going to snap you right up in no time.”
“Thanks,” Leah said with a rueful smile. “If there’s one thing I learned from my career in PR and working around athletes, it’s that growth and success require taking risks, and yes, failure. Still, I don’t know how I’d have gotten through this without you here.”
“We’re sisters and roommates. I have to stick up for you, no matter what. You’re not eating breakfast?” asked Eva as Leah snatched up her car keys.
“Nah. Traffic’s going to be a killer and I want to make it in good time,” Leah replied, giving Eva a quick, tight hug before heading for the door. It was Leah’s first interview since she’d lost her job, and she felt nervous yet filled with adrenaline. She was going to somehow turn things around and not dwell on what might have been. She didn’t believe in mistakes, only experiences, and nothing was going to make her regret the experience of a lifetime that had been meeting Derrick.
Little did Leah envision how that one encounter was to have far-reaching outcomes that would change not just her life, but Derrick’s as well. Irrevocably.
***
Derrick Talbot’s arrival at the exclusive gala was met with a flurry of activity and cameras. He stepped out of the limo with a beautiful blonde woman on his arm, turning with a trademark winning smile to face the media circus.
The dinner party was hosted by a celebrity music video director and would no doubt be teeming with mega-stars of every scope. There was always one of these things to attend each week. Tomorrow could be a social power lunch organized by a CFL Hall of Famer, and the day after, it could be an all-star comedy show featuring the biggest acts. The paparazzi were on full blast tonight, and if this weren’t for a good cause, Derrick would have liked to simply skip the event and head right back home.
In the beginning, it had been great that he had the status to be invited to all these red-carpet functions. It was a world some only dreamed of, yet for some reason, tonight felt different. Derrick wondered if his lifestyle was starting to wear on him. The flashing cameras, the voices calling his name . . . he’d grown so used to the spotlight, but some part of him wondered if he still craved the recognition and fame as much as he used to.
Intent on making his way past the throng with his date, Derrick almost didn’t catch the question thrown at him from one of the more overzealous reporters pushing close to him.
The reporter had a voice recorder and a determined look on her face, but it was her next words that gave Derrick pause. She was asking him to comment on the rumor that he’d had a fling with his ex-PR agent, and he had not only cost the agent her job but had also gotten her pregnant.
What?
He must have blurted the word out loud, because the reporter rephrased, “Is it true you’re having an illegitimate child with your ex-PR agent, Leah Burke?”
The name struck an instant chord. The noise and the public faded for a moment. Lush dark brown, velvet eyes. Baby soft brown skin. Warm, puffy lips and sex so good that no other woman had caught him up that way since. Derrick well remembered the one amazing night he’d had with the beautiful Leah Burke two months ago, but the reporter’s news caught him completely by surprise. The camera flashed, and before he could think of a reply, his handler surged forward and broke the link with the reporter, his huge bulk ensuring that Derrick and his date could proceed into
the venue while the reporter and the rest of the looming crowd were cropped back for a moment.
Derrick needed answers, fast. He had a sense that nothing—not the dinner party, nor any other aspect of his everyday life—would make any sense until he got to the bottom of this ‘rumor’.
***
Leah felt her phone buzz in her bag, and when she retrieved it, she saw it was her sister. Leah had a sudden jolt of alarm, wondering why her sister would be calling when she knew Leah was out of town at a conference.
It was a one-week PR conference and boot camp she’d registered to attend last year. Now that she was unemployed, the conference was more important than ever, thanks to the networking opportunities. In addition, it was helping to keep Leah’s mind off her recent problems. Problems that seemed to be expanding by the minute.
Somehow, she knew her sister was calling for something important and Leah was dreading it. She waited until the current speaker finished and it was time for another networking break before finding a quiet spot to return her sister’s call.
“I can’t believe you’re off at some conference when so much is going down!” came her sister’s frantic voice.
“Now what?” asked Leah on a sigh as she took a sip of the water she’d grabbed.
“The sports section! In today’s paper,” panted Eva. “There’s a picture of Derrick with a tagline about you and your pregnancy.”
Leah spat out her water, feeling her stomach take a plunge.
“How can this be happening?” asked Leah in alarm. “I only found out I was pregnant three days ago!”
“Someone must be keeping close tabs,” said Eva, more calmly but no less worried than before. “I almost flipped when I saw it. What are we going to do?”
“I . . . oh, my lord,” gasped Leah.
“What, what?” asked the frantic Eva.
In front of Leah was a blond, six-foot-seven man dressed in an expensively tailored suit. Broad shoulders and a tapered waist led to long, muscled legs that his bespoke attire couldn’t completely tame from their panther-like essence. His thick golden-blond hair was visibly silky, and a light tan made his skin look sun-kissed. He gave off that mind-numbing attraction she’d never, ever forgotten. Leah swallowed.
Those burning grey eyes pierced through her own, as though he’d just sealed her fate.
That thunderous gaze gleamed, his angular jaw grimly set. Seeing him so unexpectedly managed to take out the solidity of Leah’s knees. They almost buckled as she half-stumbled back, only just able to mumble to Eva, “I’ll call you back.”
Derrick Talbot stood there in all of his golden god glory.
Leah straightened her back and forced the jelly out of her knees. “What are you doing here?”
“Seeking answers,” Derrick said in a tone milder than his expression.
Was it wrong to find him fiendishly sexy with that brooding look on his face? Leah was used to the charming Derrick, the notorious playboy with the twinkling eyes and sensual lips. They’d hit it off the moment they met, finding common ground in their love for basketball and in the undeniable chemistry sparking between them.
Within an hour of their scheduled meeting, they’d progressed to body contact and laughter, then things got more intimate. He’d whispered in her ear that he’d like to invite her to dinner. Leah breathlessly accepted.
After the most sumptuous food in some hole in the wall place owned by a three-starred chef pal of his that only a handful of people knew about, Derrick took them back to a penthouse hotel suite where the night had blown out in fireworks of passion and escape.
Leah had never done anything like that before. But she’d been swept up in Derrick from the first moment and didn’t wait to ask her sensible side questions. She knew it wouldn’t last more than a night, and she’d made her peace with that.
It all felt so right, and even now, with him face to face, Leah had no cause for regret. Even with finding out about the baby.
However, she’d been secretly wondering what Derrick would think about all of this, and it looked like she was about to find out.
***
“I can’t believe you tailed me here,” she finally let out.
“And I can’t believe you could act like everything is normal and just get on with your life,” said Derrick grittily as he echoed the sentiment Eva had shared just minutes ago.
“Well what did you expect? I lost my job, I just found out I’m having a baby, and my life is being splashed on the tabloids,” Leah said, her lips tight. “I was either going to break down or pick up the pieces. I came for this conference in the hopes of making connections and getting a job. Do you have a problem with that?”
The dark rims of his gray eyes got darker. Was it just anger, or could there be lust lurking in that fiery look?
“I didn’t come all this way to argue. We’ll talk things out like adults. If you’re really pregnant, then this isn’t about you or me anymore,” said Derrick.
Leah felt undecided and chewed on her lip. “I’ve only been here two days, and this is a week-long program. What do you suggest?” she asked with calm.
“I dropped everything to get here,” Derrick growled. “I think you can ditch some cozy little conference.”
“Spoken like a true egoist,” was Leah’s tart reply.
She glared at him. He knitted his brows. Then it hit her. It’s still there. That jolt of awareness, not dulled even after two months and after one fulfilling night of enchantment.
Leah had been so sure she wouldn’t feel a thing if she saw Derrick again. She’d assumed their chemistry was just a fluke. He was her first white lover and her one selfish, reckless act of empowerment.
As he’d drilled his massive, hard member deep inside her, he’d shaken her core with vibrations she still felt thrumming in her subconsciousness. The heat between them seeped into her skin and brought a flush to her cheeks. Leah wanted him and she knew Derrick wanted her too.
Finally, he sighed. “Priorities, Leah. That’s all it is. I’m willing to have a talk to settle this matter sanely. I’m mostly still in shock from everything and I can bet you are too.”
His gaze leveled on her with an unexpected compassion that made Leah’s breath hitch. That was Derrick’s magic right there—his way of making you feel like of all the things in the world, you mattered most in that moment.
And he was right about priorities. She, for one, was relieved he was even interested enough to make the advances. Leah would have never been sure how best to approach him about the unexpected turn of events.
“Okay. Let’s talk,” she said on a bracing sigh.
“Good. Now, can we leave before someone notices us and starts up more crazy rumors?” Derrick arched a teasing brow, and Leah smiled despite herself. He would definitely stand out in the crowd of PR professionals and other business-minded types.
Even in his bespoke suit and open-necked shirt, he still managed to look like he fit into the raunchiest movie sex scene. He was as recognizable as any A-lister, and Leah honestly didn’t need any attention drawn to them unnecessarily. Without thinking, she grabbed his arm and led him to the nearest exit.
Chapter Two
Sometimes, that “once-in-a-lifetime” feeling comes around.
Leah had never wanted to look beyond the ‘moment’. Derrick Talbot was this all-star basketball player used to scoring off and on the court with the countless ball bunnies always flinging themselves at him. White, rich, and famous, he was her client and she was a focused African-American woman who, for once, wanted to try something different.
Now, her world had taken a crazy turn and it was getting more incredible by the second. Leah and Derrick stood on opposite sides of the dinner table in a secluded restaurant, and the atmosphere couldn’t have been more of a solemn nature. But there was candlelight flickering on the table and a sultry scent in the air that Leah only prayed had nothing to do with her moistened panties. Being a few feet from Derrick Talbot did that to any adult female.<
br />
Leah remembered that first night they’d had dinner and how without touching her, Derrick had made her just as moist as he did right now. He’d been at his amusing best, not taking himself at all seriously, and Leah had laughed gaily, her head thrown back. When she had looked at him again, the humor was fading from his gaze and he’d said plainly, “You’re beautiful.”
“No, I’m not.” She snorted.
“I’m not talking about beautiful in terms of the type that gets put on a magazine cover,” he told her, “But beautiful in the sense that I could stare at you for hours and never grow bored of you. It’s a rare occurrence to meet someone I feel that way about.”
Leah had stared at him, chewing on her bottom lip. That had his jaw clenching.
“If I kissed you now—if I rushed forward and took your lips against mine . . . if I told you I want you, what would you say?” asked Derrick with those icy gray eyes burning starkly.
“I’ll say . . .” Leah took in a deep, harsh breath, suddenly coming to an inner decision. “Let’s find someplace more private.”
Months later, Leah still felt baffled at her daring. Derrick had not given her the chance to change her mind and had gotten them out of the restaurant in record time after her words dropped.
Did he recall every single detail the way she did? Leah only had to shut her eyes to picture the perfection of him. That masculine wall, the taut chest muscles, his body so beautiful with not an ounce of fat. When he’d lain over her, his pecs pressed against her soft curves, her breasts had delighted at the joining of their flesh. All the erotic things he’d done to her, things she’d taken the greatest pleasure in, things she’d constantly begged him not to stop doing to her—how could she ever forget?
Tonight, though, there were bigger issues at hand and they both knew it. “So, where do we start?” Leah asked cautiously once they were alone, the food barely touched between them.
“Let’s start at the point where you got fired. Is that true? I mean, I may have been able to dig into some details, but I’d really rather hear it from you. What happened, Leah?”