She was dreaming…
She wasn’t dreaming as his hand moved up her arm and shoulder, ever so slowly until he touched her jaw. His big hand could have obscured half her face, could smother her. But again, he was so gentle; his touch was having a tumultuous effect on her insides. She watched him lean in, as if in slow motion. His head tilted, his lips opened ever so slowly. She was falling, her eyes closing, her body yielding…
A throat cleared, and they shot apart as if canon fire had blasted between them.
Rebecca held her chest and looked up to see an embarrassed maître d’ avoiding their eyes.
“Is everything to your liking, Mr. Guthrie?”
It took Pax a moment to respond as he resettled in the chair and took in a deep breath.
“Everything’s exquisite. Thank you so much, Sven. You can bring us a dessert menu here in about ten minutes or so.”
And just like that, Becca’s bubble burst. He was rushing dinner. There had been no moment between them. And how could there be? He was the “prince,” she was the “peasant girl.”
She knew good and well how this story really ended.
CHAPTER THREE
Fuck! This is so not fair! Paxton thought as Madi’s words kept repeating in the back of his head, but his dick was being completely defiant. There was something about this sexy little historian that had him itching to have her on her back, screaming his name in ecstasy.
Maybe it’d simply been too long for him, maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was that he’d been told he couldn’t have her; either way, he wanted her so bad he couldn’t sit still.
Her little pink tongue, licking the crème brûlée off her spoon now, had him practically drooling like one of Pavlov’s dogs. He couldn’t pinpoint it. She wasn’t even his type. He liked blondes, he liked wild, adventurous, tall supermodels. Rebecca was… well, she was a historian for one thing who preferred books to jet-skis, piano to rock and roll, and sweaters to bikinis. Not to mention that she was downright edible. Hell, who was he kidding? He’d never been one to discriminate where women were considered and neither had his cock. And this woman oozed a subtle sex appeal that every cell in his body sucked in like it was starved and she was the elixir of life.
“Wow! That was amazing, but now I’m stuffed.” Becca sighed and patted her flat belly.
“It’s ok to indulge every now and then,” He eyed her cunningly.
Something in her eyes told him she hadn’t indulged in far too long, and he was picking up on that vibe, his body reading all her signs.
Hell, of course Rebecca hadn’t indulged. She lived with two other women—cramped into a tiny apartment, he was sure—and volunteered at the hospital, taking care of her sick mother when she wasn’t working. This lady was Mother Theresa reborn. And Pax felt like a dick. This dinner was probably the finest she’d ever had in her life, and here he was sitting “high on the hog” while they struggled. It’d been clear as she dined with him that she wasn’t used to the bounty Pax was. And all the while, all he could think about was licking the whipped cream she’d moved off the dessert they’d been sharing from her delectable naked body. He was a sick man and when this was over, he was scheduling an appointment with a psychiatrist.
“Indulgence? Ha,” she scoffed, confirming his suspicions.
“You do know that lovers and warriors are not bound by the rules of fair play?” Paxton stated, eyebrow cocked. He begged himself to stop flirting with her, even as his body heat rose when her eyes burned into his own. He stared back for the longest time, her features unreadable before she finally looked down.
“Thank you, Paxton. For this. For tonight. It’s been unbelievable. Truly.”
Oh, God, how I want to make it even more unbelievable for you, you sweet, juicy peach, he thought as his eyes drifted to her breasts.
Stop thinking, he told himself and closed his eyes. Madi would fucking kill him for the things he’d said—and imagined—in the last hour. She was right; this was a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen, and he was gonna get torn a new asshole.
He had to get a grip on himself. He set the wine glass down, threw a few hundred dollar bills down—pulling them from his wallet in a frenzy—and stood.
“Ready?” he asked and tried to calm his nerves.
Paxton took Rebecca’s arm in his as they walked through the restaurant, eyes staring them down as they went. Eyes of wonder, eyes of awe, eyes of envy looking at him, looking at her. He kept his head forward and ignored them as usual.
Upon walking outside, they were bombarded with flashing lights and mics thrown into their faces as they practically ran to the limo.
Back in the limo, Paxton sidled up next to her as he pulled the door closed, all too aware of her warmth plastered beside him in the dimly lit seat. He was quiet but for a few moments as they rode back towards the convention center.
“Rebecca, I—”
“Thank you again, Paxton. It was truly amazing.” She gave him a stunning smile that ripped into his gut with force.
“You’re welcome…” He took her hand in his once more, the pull to do so overpowering. “I really don’t want this night to end yet.”
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, it was true. They both felt it—didn't they?
She looked up into his eyes, surprise residing in the jade green depths. God, he was getting lost in them, so hopelessly lost.
“James,” Paxton called to the driver, who quickly opened the separator window, “take us to Centennial Park.”
“Straight away, sir,” James called back and closed the window.
“Maybe there won’t be too many people this time of night. There’s a great coffee stand there,” Paxton stated, smiling.
Rebecca returned it with a gulp, and Pax prayed he didn’t do anything more stupid than what he’d already done with this woman who was so mysteriously intriguing to him.
He had to behave or Madison McFadden, wife to the god-king Zeus, would put his head on a spike out front of the Colosseum to warn others of her wrath.
Paxton held Rebecca close as the Ferris wheel moved up to let yet another passenger on.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were afraid of heights.” Paxton sighed, feeling like a real asshole.
“It’s ok, really. I’ve heard the views from here are spectacular.” She shuddered as the gondola moved, squeezing her eyes shut.
“That would actually require you to open your eyes, sweetheart.” Paxton took her face in his hands. Rebecca opened her eyes and smiled at him.
“I think I have a spectacular enough view just looking at you.”
“You flatter me. You are far more beautiful than I could ever be.”
“You think so?” She looked surprised. Had no one ever told her how beautiful she was?
“Yes, absolutely.”
Rebecca dared to peek out the window of their gondola and whimpered as she looked down at the concrete and people below.
“Becca, don’t look down. Just look out. Over there; see the lights?” Pax pointed as his hand pressed against the small of her back. “My uncle and I took a ride on the Ferris wheel in my hometown at the fair one year. I’d never been on one, and he encouraged me to ride it in order to combat my fears. I never wanted to disappoint him so I did. That was the first of many firsts.” He laughed, remembering his uncle’s patience with the troubled child Paxton had been—stepping in when Pax’s dad left.
“Pax?” Rebecca asked patiently, licking her lips eagerly.
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask a favor?” her voice trembled as she turned toward him and bowed her head.
“Sure, sweetness.”
She grinned at the nickname he’d abruptly given her. “I know you may not want to. I mean… This night is almost perfect…but it would be even more so…” she trailed off and pulled her lips in. His finger touched her chin, bringing it up so she was forced to look into his eyes.
“I’m listening, baby,” he coaxed.
&nb
sp; “It—It’d be utterly perfect if-if you kissed me,” she stated, barely above a whisper.
Pax responded with a short laugh, slightly amused and slightly aroused. Fuck yeah it would be! But deep down, he knew how serious Madi had been about him being chaste. What if this was a set up and this woman had been planted to ruin the Gladiators? Not that Paxton even believed in conspiracy theories in the first place, but this could be bad for the team if the media caught wind of it or if this girl ran to the news stations and claimed he’d not only sexually harassed her but also had “sexually assaulted” her too.
But he saw nothing apart from raw need as he looked deeply into her eyes, searching for any sign of deception. She was one of his biggest fans, right? Those sexy lips and that yummy body… He simply couldn’t resist any longer.
He leaned into her, her breasts pressing into his chest as one hand went to her face, the other to her waist. Her head angled opposite his, and he slowly lowered his lips to meet hers, pressing them ever so gently to the soft little rosebuds. He delicately moved his mouth over hers and softened his lips, kissing her pliant ones.
Becca moaned quietly as he deepened the kiss, and his tongue grazed her teeth. Her mouth opened for him, and his tongue plunged in, desperately seeking to taste her. Paxton moaned too, loving how sweet and giving she was. She returned his passion, her tongue taking on a rhythm of its own, bringing his sex to life as her arms wrapped around his neck. His desires were cresting, like a writhing wave hurtling swiftly toward the shore. His deprived cock was starving for this sultry brunette who made him want to expose everything she was hiding deep inside. Their kiss was hot and hungry—as hot and hungry as his desire was. Within minutes, their hands were moving over one another, and they were breathless as they spent their pent-up passions.
Paxton’s arousal was rapidly becoming a throbbing burden in his pants, and he longed to press his rock-hard erection against her softness. He groaned at the hindrance, moving his face down to her neck, kissing and sucking at the tender flesh of her throat and collar bone. His hands grabbed for those perky breasts of hers, and her pleasure cry awoke something primal within him; he knew he had to have her.
He gripped her hips then and pulled her over the seat and onto his lap—her dress riding up ever so slightly on her thighs. She straddled him, and Pax anticipated showing her the beast she’d incited.
Once he pressed her down onto his erection, she gasped and looked at him in both surprise and lust. Her eyes had changed; they gotten darker somehow. A timid smile crossed her lips as she shyly rocked her hips against his hardness, answering the call of their bodies—a call they were unable to ignore any longer.
“Oh shit, baby…fuck,” he groaned and his head flew back as he arched his hips against hers. Her lips fell on his, and she kissed him again. He cupped her face in his hands and took control. His tongue plunged into her mouth once more, possessively and punishingly, sucking and tormenting hers. God, he wanted to be inside her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life up to now. His heart raced and his breath grew ragged at his plight.
Suddenly, a grave realization came over him, and he stilled their pitching pelvises.
“Paxton, what’s wrong?” Rebecca glanced at him then up and out, into the stillness of the glass. Abruptly, they were assaulted by a thousand flashes of lights. She screamed and covered her eyes, temporarily blinded.
“Jesus Christ!” Paxton swore at the paparazzi. His aching sex receded uncomfortably in protest. “Well, so much for discretion.” He smiled sadly up at her as she blinked, attempting to bring her sight back.
He helped her off of him and apologized. They readjusted themselves as best they could for two lovebirds caught red-handed, and the door opened.
Paxton sighed internally and anticipated the coming headline all over the news for the following morning: Paxton Guthrie Sails Sky High on Date with Contest Winner.
Damn it to Hell, just… Damn!
CHAPTER FOUR
“What the actual fuck were you thinking?” Madi sailed into him first thing the next morning when he got to the complex.
Atlanta’s Rising Football Star Soars to New Heights on his Charity Date, was the caption on the first newspaper Paxton had thrown at him upon entering her office. It had a very erotic picture of Rebecca atop him, his hand on her breast as they kissed in a passionate embrace.
The next read, XX-rated Ferris Wheel Ride. Guthrie Caught Thoroughly Enjoying his Date. Being a Fan has its Perks! He literally cringed, awaiting what new headlines would appear before the day was through.
It’d been all over the internet, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and every news station; even ESPN and the NFL network had their opinions on the matter.
“I told you in no uncertain terms to keep your dick in your damn pants…”
“I did,” he protested, but she held a hand up.
“Ok—next time, I’ll draw a picture for you so you get a better idea, since you’re apparently an idiot.” Madi cried and rolled her eyes.
“C’mon, Mad, you don’t have to be such a…”
He held his tongue as Zeus’s stormy eyes warned him to can it.
“Pax, this is exactly what I was talking about when I said that this,” Madi pointed to the headline, “wasn’t the bad publicity that we needed. The charity event was supposed to make the team look charitable. Now you’ve made yourself out to look like a pompous playboy who took advantage of the situation. I would’ve expected this from Travis, not you.”
Great! Now he was just some testosterone-crazed stereotype.
“So, he’ll give a personal apology on behalf of the NFL,” Pax’s manager said over the speaker phone.
Pax nodded. “And one to Rebecca, too.”
“That’s not gonna be good enough. How do we know this girl wasn’t trying to purposefully sabotage you?” Madi asked.
“Why would she?”
“I dunno, because both you and the team have a lot of money,” she growled sarcastically.
“C’mon, she’s not like that. She…” Pax defended.
“You don’t even know her. You were with her for two hours. Wake up, Romeo, and stop being so naïve. This is how people get ruined for all they have. This is supposed to be our year, Pax.”
Madison was so furious with him, and he felt bad, really bad. She stood from her chair and moved to the window to look out it. One hand went to her chin, the other to her growing baby bump, and in that moment, she looked like a fierce mother-warrior taking on the world.
Pax gulped at both the raw emotion oozing from her and the sexuality of the pose. It was ancient, beautiful, and symbolic all at once. Brett saw it too and was immediately drawn to his wife, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. But the fierce queen, Hera, was as tough as her king—even if not physically; she turned back to Pax to “handle” him.
“I have to suspend you, Pax.”
“What? Why?”
“I warned you. Don’t you dare blame me! It’s what the league wants, to teach you a lesson.”
“That’s bullshit. I’m not a child. I’m a grown-ass man!”
“Exactly. A grown-ass man who made a very poor decision. What you do in the privacy of your home is one thing, out in public is quite another.”
Pax huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, moving forward to sit on the edge of the chair. “How long?”
“A couple weeks, at least.”
“Seriously? Can’t you just fine me or something?”
“Oh, you’re getting fined too,” she smirked and gave him the once over.
“This is total entrapment. So, I can’t kiss who I want, when I want? Isn’t this America?”
“You know what? This is exactly why you’re being suspended. You’re acting like a selfish brat! This isn’t about you! Now, get out of my sight.”
“Madi, c’mon. I—”
“Paxton, as bad as this is for you. Imagine what her life is gonna be like for weeks to come,” Brett state
d. “You get to go home and hide behind a gate, watch Netflix, and sleep in. She’ll be harassed, ridiculed, maybe even lose her job and guess what? After all that happens, she might just decide in the long run it’s worth it to play the victim and come after your money. You might wanna call your lawyer.” Zeus’s frown tore hard into Paxton’s guts. He hated that he’d disappointed his QB, his CEO, his team.
Pax realized that he was being a selfish prick.
He was a selfish fucking prick!
Rebecca sipped her coffee on Tuesday and stared out at the beautiful October day.
“Look at the bright side,” Veda said. “Now you can be with Mam all week.” Her tone had changed. Yesterday, she was chomping at the bit for Paxton Guthrie’s blood.
“That son of a bitch, I’ll fuckin’ kill him.” Veda growled, her emerald green eyes flaming brightly. “He’s gonna pay.”
“Don’t, Veda. Please, just—”
“You lost your job because of him! A job you’ve loved. A job you’d wanted your whole damn life. And now what?”
Rebecca had shrugged. She had no idea what. All she knew was that she’d been devastated to come in on Monday morning and been asked to clear her things from her desk. When she’d gone to ask why, her boss, Wes Hardin, threw the newspaper down at her.
She needed no other explanation why when she saw her provocative pose on top of Pax’s lap on the Ferris Wheel gondola.
It had been the single most wonderful, and single most mortifying, moment of her entire life. And now she would pay for it forever; the stain would mark her for life.
She’d been lucky to avoid the media, as she’d been home for two days caring for her mother after her treatment. But Monday, it was as if the entire world had found her following her termination.
They’d been there in front of the museum, shoving mics into her face, cameras flashing all around her. It was the stuff of nightmares as they followed her to her car, and she’d been on the verge of a panic attack.
PASS INTERFERENCE (Gods of the Gridiron Book 3) Page 4