FieldofPlay

by Frances Stockton

  “Yes, please, don’t tease me,” she warned, nodding.

  “Not teasing.” Hell, he was happy. It meant he didn’t have to worry about someone else fucking his woman.

  “You’re a really good kisser,” she whispered, her face flushed. “But that wasn’t necessary.”

  “It was,” he countered, resting his forehead against hers. “I know this is fast, Gracie. I usually don’t move this fast, but I want to take you home and fuck you blind.”

  Grace frowned and freed his belt loops. “Blindfolded would be best,” she said, turning away. Dallas thought she’d said something about him not having to see what he was fucking. Judging her body language, he didn’t think she was going to repeat it.

  “Who was it, Grace?” he asked, watching her pick up the football and tuck it in like a well-trained receiver protected the pigskin.

  “What do you mean?” She stayed a good distance away. He thought it best not to push her again so soon.

  “Who hurt you enough that you haven’t been with anyone for awhile?”

  She punched one fist to her side. “No one’s hurt me. I really don’t have spontaneous affairs or one-night stands. Most of the guys that want to go out with me are a little, uh, boring. It doesn’t mean I don’t get off.”

  “So you get yourself off,” he summed up.

  “Yes, I do,” she answered bravely. “It’s a lot less hassle then dealing with a guy I don’t really want and a lot less messy.”

  “When was the last time you came?”

  Grace took out the football and tossed it in the air. She caught it with ease, one handed. “About forty-five minutes ago,” she said, looking at the ball as if it was her favorite new toy.

  The erection he’d lost when she pulled away went back into full alert. “Whoa now, baby, there’s more where that came from,” he promised.

  “Great, I can keep your ball for my own undercover pleasure. Thanks, can you autograph it?”

  “Oh, I’m going to leave my stamp on you, Gracie Daniels. Make no doubt about that.”

  “Are we going to the press conference or not? This back and forth banter isn’t going to get you laid. And the cute names have to stop.”

  “Why? You’re very cute.”

  “Cute is for puppies and kittens. I’ve been the tallest girl in my class from the moment I hit puberty in middle school and didn’t stop until I reached six foot three in twelfth grade. Except for a handful of basketball players and an ex, I towered over guys too. I’ve never been cute.”

  “Bombshell then,” he amended, beginning to suspect Grace had been bullied about her height.

  “You’re insane, Dallas McKay,” she said, laughing softly.

  “Made you laugh.”

  “Let’s get out of here and get started on why you need me in the first place.” She re-tucked the ball into her side and headed out to the hallway.

  He needed Grace for a lot of things. Mentally telling his dick to calm down, he grabbed up his hat from the floor and went after his woman. It was chilly in the hallway and he caught up with her fast. Kyran and Anna were a good distance from them.

  “Hey, baby,” he called, catching up with Grace’s long-legged stride. “Hold this for me too, would you?” Gently placing his favorite black cowboy hat on her head, he saw that it fit just right.

  “I’m not much of a hat person,” she admitted, but she didn’t take it off.

  “You look cute,” he complimented, meaning it.

  “Stop that,” she chuckled, smiling softly.

  Proud of himself for making her smile, he put his hand around her back to guide her to the press room. As soon as they’d stepped inside, the circus began, but he was okay with the flashes and microphones.

  Pushing his way through, he led Grace to the side to stand beside Anna Black and rushed to the stage.

  Chapter Two

  Grace couldn’t believe she was watching Dallas McKay field a multitude of questions from the press while she wore his cowboy hat on her head and her lips were still tingling from his kiss.

  Not just her mouth, though. Her whole body was tingling and her pussy was wide awake and reminding her how lonely four years really was.

  How a man could be so sexy, she didn’t know. She’d never known a guy like him. He was taller and stronger than she was. Some men didn’t like dating tall women. Those that she’d dated who were equal in height hadn’t liked that she wasn’t dainty or that she could wear the same size jeans and shirts.

  But not Dallas McKay. If she were to ever find herself actually wearing his clothes, they’d nearly swamp her. Looking at his long leather coat, she recalled seeing that style in Western magazines or on the cover of romance books. She’d enjoyed the scent and feel of the leather near her skin, especially when she felt his intense heat radiating through it. It hadn’t only been the scent of leather she’d liked. It was his unmistakable masculine scent that was pure man and a recent shower.

  From her research into his case, she knew Dallas was part Native American and part Caucasian. Based on his looks, she’d think Scottish or Black Irish. As gorgeous as he was, she was half tempted to break his nose for unexpectedly turning her knees to jelly with a kiss. It was a miracle she could lean back against the wall and listen to him talk in a deep, sexy baritone without anyone knowing the state of her arousal. Even the weird play they’d engaged in before he’d kissed her had turned her on. Men had never overwhelmed her with a touch before. Dallas had done so with a gentle hand against her chin and jaw. His eyes had warned her not to back away or resist. She’d obeyed because she didn’t feel threatened.

  She’d felt…wanted.

  Then he went and captured her arms behind her back with one hand and she’d gone wet in an instant. She’d lied to him in the mascot’s changing room about her football-induced orgasm. His display of dominance had made her come without once causing her any pain. She’d read a few books on bondage, but while fictional stories had been intriguing, she’d never thought she would want to be restrained. He’d been in total control of their kiss and she’d loved every second of it.

  “Are you okay, Grace?” Anna asked.

  “I’m fine. I’m anxious to get out of here,” she said, looking about the crowded room.

  She’d lost count of the number of microphones and reporters that were in there. Dallas answered the questions with ease and charm. Grace remembered some of the jocks from high school and college. Heck, she’d been one herself as a varsity volleyball player. Unfortunately for her, she’d chosen the less popular sport and never really felt like she belonged among the athletes. While she knew Dallas was every inch the well-trained wide receiver for the Griffins, he shot her perception of football players to hell.

  Who was she kidding? He shot her conception of men straight to hell. He certainly was handsome and smoothly shaven. His hair was left unbound and it fell straight and long to his shoulders. He reminded her of the Native American warriors depicted in movies. But from what she knew from interviews, he was reared on a ranch in Texas. There was definitely a lot of cowboy in the lean, sculpted receiver, especially given how good he looked in faded blue jeans, a black t-shirt, worn boots and long coat.

  Somewhere along the line, his adoptive parents must have instilled in him the confidence in his athletic abilities that kept him from being truly arrogant. A man like him could be. He had an extraordinary amount of money and he was a hunk. He’d recently signed a three-year extension to play for the Alexandria Griffins and he’d had endorsement deals with cereal companies, sports drinks and Western-style boots. Anna told her that Dallas had also created a fund for at-risk urban teenagers to attend athletic-skills camps away from the city.

  Yes, it was safe to say Grace had a crush on her client. But she couldn’t afford to think about him that way.

  At last, Dallas finished answering questions and stood. Watching him from a slight distance, Grace smiled at the way he moved with such easy grace. He moved with the assuredness of a panther and
the quickness of a cheetah. His height was definitely a plus.

  “Got a crush, huh?” Anna whispered.

  “Maybe. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

  Dallas reached them. “Now we can go celebrate,” he said, grinning at her.

  “Sounds good,” Grace agreed.

  They followed Kyran and Anna out to the hallway. Dallas moved in protectively close, placing his hand at the small of her waist. Keeping his football and his hat, she straightened her shoulders proudly. He had this way of making her feel like she was his primary focus. It was exhilarating.

  “You feel like getting something to eat?” he asked.

  Her tummy growled a little. He didn’t seem to hear it, thank God. “I’d like that.”

  “I know of a restaurant not far from here that has excellent steaks and ribs,” he said. “It’s casual. Sometimes they have a classic rock band playing or folks can plug quarters into a jukebox. If you’re a vegetarian or something, I’ll GPS for a place you’d like.”

  “What you described sounds perfect. I eat my veggies, but could never live on them.” With the Blacks a little further ahead, she slowed her stride. “Are Kyran and Anna coming with us?”

  “Nah, I asked them to sit this one out.” They’d reached the doors leading to the parking lot reserved for players and management. “Looks like the flurries stopped.”

  Grace was relieved. Outside, the lights in the lot lit their way to the cars. The crisp, biting air made her shiver. Dallas tucked her closer, shifting to make his coat swamp her. Warmer from head to toe, she sighed.

  It was so nice to be treated like a lady. Dallas was protective, but not possessive. His body heat alone was wonderful. The scent of his coat and hair enticed her to lean in close enough to find out what kind of shampoo he used. He smelled like leather and a touch of sandalwood.

  “Which is yours?” Grace asked, gesturing to the cars.

  “Guess,” Dallas said.

  Grace scanned the lot until she found a tricked-out charcoal-gray Ford F-150. “That one.”

  “Give the lady a prize,” he confirmed, tightening his hand at her waist to bring her around and face him. “Anyone tell you that you’re beautiful lately?”

  “You did, twice.” Letting herself enjoy his charm, she didn’t draw back. “Either you’re good with the pick-up lines or you’ve been tackled one too many times.”

  “What makes you say that?” he asked.

  “Oh come on, I’m not exactly a runway model.”

  Dallas’ smile evaporated faster than his breath disappeared in the chilly night air.

  “Baby, you don’t need to be a runway model. You’re gorgeous. I thought we established that already.” Because he sounded sincere, Grace let him nudge the hat back on her head.

  “I think it was a tie between cute and bombshell.” She shook her head. “I’m not either one.”

  He looked about to kiss her again. “You keep this up and we’ll have our first argument.”

  “I’m simply establishing some ground rules here,” she said. “Everyone in that press room now thinks we’re dating. The cowboy hat, the game-winning football entrusted to me, all that screamed to them exactly what you wanted them to think.”

  “Those are not ground rules,” Dallas objected. “I gave you the ball and my hat because I want to share them with you. It’s fucking cold out and you weren’t wearing anything on your head.”

  “I’m not much of a hat person.”

  “But you’ve kept the hat. Why?”

  Because it felt right to wear it, she thought to herself. “It’s cold out,” she told him. “Okay, so they aren’t rules. I guess I’m trying to understand your motives for being far more charming than necessary.”

  Dallas frowned down at her. Not only was he tall, he was also broad-shouldered and solid. “You think I’m acting a part?” For the first time, Grace felt tiny compared to a man.

  “I don’t know yet. I want to believe you’re sincere. But the truth is we met under the pretense of going out on a blind date. You’re supposed to be nice so I can do my job and no one will know what I’m really doing with you.”

  “Grace, my attraction to you is real,” he stated, putting his hand at the back of her nape and tugging a little to keep her still. “I’m rushing, I know that. But hell, I’ve never backed down from something I wanted and don’t plan to stop now.”

  “Let’s not forget that you are my client.”

  “I haven’t forgotten. Tonight, let’s just go out on a date.” Rubbing her nape with his thumb, he sent tiny frissons of sensation down her spine. “And I mean a date, Gracie. Eating, talking, dancing, whatever you want, everything else can wait until tomorrow.”

  “I’m not going to sleep with you,” she warned, even though she did nothing to keep him from touching her.

  “We’ll see about that,” he said. “I’d sure like to make my Amazon come again later.”

  Caught up in his words, Grace didn’t hear Kyran come up behind them. “You two need to take it out of the parking lot. Trust me.”

  Breaking apart from Dallas, Grace turned too quickly and tripped. Dallas caught her easily, but he gave a little grunt. There was no way either man could know that the Amazon tag hurt her and she refused to show it. She was far too old to concern herself with teenage pranks and name-calling. Regardless, it took a second to erase the memory of walking down the hallway in the ninth grade with bad hair, braces and slumped shoulders to hide how much taller she was than everyone else.

  “Hey, what’s wrong, baby?” Dallas asked, adjusting the hat back into place on her head. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “Nothing, just a crazy thought,” she said, forcing herself to smile.

  Grace Daniels was about to go on a date with Dallas McKay. It might be wrong to believe it, but she thought his intentions were sincere. She was certainly attracted to him. There was no denying it.

  “You sure?” Dallas persisted.

  “Yes, I’m fine, really. Kyran, can I get my briefcase from your SUV?”

  Kyran stepped forward. “Got it right here.” He handed it off to Dallas. “Grace, I’m vouching for Dallas. He’ll treat you right. Anna said to tell you to have fun.”

  “Thank you,” she said, needing to hear that.

  Kyran left with a wave. Grace watched as he walked to his SUV. Anna was already inside. They were driving away before she felt Dallas take her hand.

  “You know,” she began. “I think we’ve been set up. Anna and Kyran wanted us to get together.”

  “Possible, they’re newlyweds,” Dallas replied. “They’re playing matchmakers. No worries, Grace. I’m glad they introduced us.”

  “They arranged it. You jumped into my lap and introduced yourself,” she said, laughing softly.

  “Yeah, not my most graceful moment,” he added, equally amused.

  Like a proper gentleman, he assisted her into the passenger side of his big truck and placed her briefcase on the floor. She put the ball next to the case and buckled in. “You sure I didn’t say something that offended you, Grace?”

  “Other than your weird penchant for bondage games, you haven’t offended me,” she said.

  Dallas stepped back from the truck’s door. “And that wasn’t you trembling with arousal when I captured your arms at your back?”

  “I was not aroused, Dallas McKay. I was embarrassed.” She pushed him back another step and closed the door.

  It took him all of a second to round the front of the truck and climb inside. Quickly, he slid the key into place and flicked his wrist. The truck roared to life. “There’s no reason to be embarrassed by being turned-on,” he said, putting the Ford in gear. “Admit it. You liked when I held your arms.”

  She shouldn’t admit anything of the kind. “Let’s say I was…intrigued. No guy has ever tried that kind of stuff with me. Most of the time, they know I can take them down and I don’t go for the cheap kick to the groin.”

  “That’s good,
baby. There’s a lot I want to explore with you. None that involves pain for either of us, just a lot of fucking in every way you can imagine. And some that you can’t.” He backed the truck out of his parking space and headed toward the exit. “One thing we should establish right now. When it comes to sex, I call the shots.”

  “You’re assuming quite a bit there,” she replied. “I already said I’m not going to sleep with you tonight.”

  “Whether it happens tonight, tomorrow or weeks from now, I’ll still call the shots.”

  “Seriously, I’m supposed to blindly submit to you?”

  “Only in the bedroom, Grace,” Dallas claimed. “I’ll push you further than you’ve ever gone before.”

  Grace nibbled on her bottom lip for a second. “Is this the part where I pick a safe word?” Was Dallas so into BDSM that she’d need a safe word? She wasn’t really sure she’d get into that.

  “I have only one rule for you and no safe words. You don’t come without me.”

  “You didn’t just say that,” she objected. “I can come without any man. We talked about that, remember?”

  “Yeah, I do.” Dallas kept his attention on driving. His competence was obvious in the way he negotiated the exit to the onramp that would lead to the highway. “You’ve been responsible for your orgasms for way too long. From now on, I want to be the one to give them to you.”

  “What happens if I choose otherwise?” she asked, fighting her curiosity, but it wasn’t easy.

  “You’ll be punished for it.”

  “I’m not going to let you spank me, McKay.”

  “If I do, you’ll want me to.” He glanced over, checking her out with a quick sweep of his eyes.

  “Something tells me having Dallas McKay-induced orgasms would be worth the savings I’d make on batteries,” she remarked, refusing to acknowledge the warmth that flooded her face when she thought about his idea of punishment. “Listen up, if you hurt me or break my heart, I’ll have something to say about it.”

  They were on the highway and in fourth gear when Dallas reached across the seats to take her hand in his. “Don’t worry about your heart or your pleasure. I’ll take real good care of both.”