Playing the Game

by Stephanie Queen

“Either I’m hallucinating or Dave McCall has undergone some major changes.”

  The gravelly sound of his tired voice soothed her. His mouth formed that half-smile she was beginning to grow fond of.

  “None of the above.” She watched the light in his eyes begin to blaze. She leaned over and kissed him full on the mouth. His response was surprise at first, but then she felt the need come through and instead of pulling back for a short kiss as she had intended, she opened her mouth, and deepened it.

  His hand went to her face, cupping her chin, allowing him to devour her with his mouth. Then he pulled back, nibbling on her lips. His quick, hot gasps for breath should have warned her of his waning control.

  She opened her eyes to look at him again and caught her own breath with a sudden gulp of air. She felt the rush of blood heat her face with the quick pounding of her heart. His eyes glistened. She couldn’t help the automatic glance aimed at his lap. “What did you expect?” His grin widened enough for her to catch a rare glimpse of his other dimple.

  “I don’t know. I guess I thought you might be too tired. I should have known better.” She leaned towards him without kissing him. He put his hand on her thigh and looked down. She looked around the airplane’s cabin. They should be more discreet. Her resolve faltered as he drew her attention to the insistent kneading of his fingers on her thigh. He turned to her.

  “What’s the plan? Want me to attack you right here in public or are you coming home with me?”

  This time her laugh was loud enough to elicit some meaningful stares from everyone in earshot, including some teammates and Coach Benson. Barry slipped his hand over her mouth, but too late. He quickly removed it and distanced himself from her as they watched his coach rise from his seat and head in their direction.

  “Great,” Barry said under his breath. He swept his hand through his hair and looked out the window.

  “Don’t worry.” Roxanne couldn’t help yet another chuckle. She knew she could handle his coach.

  “Barry, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your friend, although you do look familiar.” The man scrutinized her and Roxanne smiled up at him.

  “This is Roxanne Monet. She hosts a TV interview show for Channel 7.”

  “I also work with the Children’s Mercy Hospital League doing volunteer fund-raising. I’ll be inviting you to a holiday benefit gala in my home. It’s for a very worthy cause so I hope you’ll consider attending.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Well I’ll leave you two alone now to enjoy the flight.” He began to walk away, then turned back to Barry. “Don’t enjoy yourself too much, Dennis. Practice bright and early.”

  Barry looked at her. “I guess I’ll definitely have to wait and attack you when we get home.”

  “Do you really want to wait?” Roxanne considered Barry and the possibilities with a raised brow.

  “What do you have in mind?” His grin looked the tiniest bit unsure.

  She leaned close to whisper in his ear as she slid her hand to his lap to caress him. He jumped at her touch.

  She stifled her laugh this time, as he covered her mouth with his hand in the quickest move she ever saw. He gave her a warning stare before he took his hand away.

  “We could rendezvous at the back of the plane in one of the rest rooms,” she whispered.

  The look of incredulous surprise that came to his face almost made her laugh again.

  “Are you crazy? I can’t even fit in there to take a piss, never mind with you to…forget it.”

  This time she covered her own mouth to hide her laugh. She felt like a teenager and it felt delightful. It had been so long.

  “So what made you think of the bathroom? Past experience?”

  “No. I read about it somewhere. Sounded exciting to me. Good way to liven up a flight.”

  It was Barry’s turn to laugh. “You’ll have to pick on someone smaller next time.” His smile faded and she saw the immediate regret in his eyes.

  “I’ll do that. Next time.” He deserved a reprimand, but she only raised a mocking brow at him. She couldn’t be upset with his impression of her since she’d behaved so outrageously with him. She looked down at her hands tucked safely away in her own lap and checked her Rolex.

  “We’re almost home anyway.”

  “You coming with me?”

  “That was the plan.”

  He was too heart-meltingly tempting, so she leaned toward him to steal one more public kiss and he let her. He caught the back of her neck with one hand when she would have pulled back and he deepened the kiss. Then he took her other hand in his and pulled it to his lap. She nearly groaned with the feel of his mounting excitement, feeling her own desire melt through her. At the same time she was aware of other people and trying to suffocate the rush of passion made it all the more exquisite. She touched him, wanting to make him writhe, wanting to make him lose control, to see him struggle to maintain it, and all the while she had to maintain her own control, to make it look like nothing more than an innocent kiss.

  Barry pulled back. He struggled to breathe normally. He removed her hand from him. There was a line of sweat across his forehead and he swiped the back of his hand across it.

  “That ought to hold me. I only hope I can stand up without embarrassing myself.”

  “You asked for it.”

  “You know I’m not a sane person when you’re around.”

  “Well, then we’re really in trouble, because I’ve never been known for rational behavior,” she said.

  He relaxed back into his seat. She looked out the window beyond him to view the Boston skyline on their descent into Logan Airport.

  “Boston’s such a romantic-looking city from the sky at night.” She sighed as she said it.

  He turned to her half-grin. “I never figured you for the starry-eyed type.”

  “I am, but only at night. By the light of day I turn into a cold-blooded bitch. Hadn’t you noticed?”

  “Now at least I know to keep the shades drawn. But come to think of it—our last date with Mark what’s his name—that wasn’t your romantic side at play. I’d say that was a prime example of the coldblooded scheming bitch in you.” He frowned.

  Roxanne cringed inwardly. She deserved that. “Touché. At least you know. You know my worst side. What’s yours?”

  “This is it. Or at least it was before you sat down next to me. The Barry Dennis Basketball Playing Robot. Pure machine, no blood at all—cold or otherwise. Only plays basketball. To win.” He looked at her, unsmiling.

  She returned his stare. She couldn’t decide how seriously to take him.

  “It’s very odd you haven’t met that side, because every time you show up he disappears. Maybe it’s no coincidence at all.”

  Roxanne raised her brow at that. She tried to temper her pleasure at that comment, reminding herself that Barry was a player and they were only playing. The captain’s voice interrupted them. He instructed them to stay in their seats until the plane stopped as the wheels hit the runway. Once they stopped and before they had a chance to get up from their seats, the assistant coach came over to remind Barry that practice was early.

  “I thought that was drills for rookies?” he said.

  “Oh, ah… I guess the coach assumed you’d want to be there like usual.” The man looked at Barry and spread his hands. Barry waved him off.

  “I see what you mean about the basketball machine.”

  She got out of her seat and moved into the aisle. Barry stood, slowly and with some difficulty. Roxanne looked around and noticed all of the guys on the team taking their time to unfold from their seats.

  “You all right?” Roxanne looked up at Barry when he finally stood at his full height, touching the ceiling of the plane.

  “Yeah. Why do you ask?” He directed her ahead of him down the aisle and off the plane.

  Roxanne realized this is what his life was like. Sore, tired muscles and endless airplane rides to and from nowhere, just another basketball co
urt. Up close, it was very unglamorous.

  They waved good-bye to Dave who tried to stop them for a few words, but Barry ushered her straight to his car instead. It was a short ride, in the middle of the night, from the airport to his home.

  Barry unlocked the front door and dropped his bag on the floor in time to hear the two o’clock chime from the living room mantel clock. He stood in the foyer and turned around to the sumptuous sight of Roxanne in his doorway. Normally he was too exhausted to contemplate more than sleeping. But ever since she’d suggested hooking up in the airplane, he’d been looking forward to something far more interesting than sleep.

  “Come on in here.” He pulled her inside the doorway. “How about if we rendezvous up in my bedroom?”

  “I thought you’d never ask. Actually, I was afraid you’d be too tired to ask,” she said over her shoulder as she walked up the stairs ahead of him. He scooted up to catch her but she ran ahead, laughing and breathless by the time she landed on his bed.

  He was only one step behind and landed square on top of her with a loud jolt of the box spring. He prevented himself from crushing her by catching his weight with his arms.

  “I don’t believe you made me run up those stairs.” He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced as he tried to shift himself slightly to relieve some of the discomfort. As if that were possible. He looked down into her face. She still smiled.

  “A test to see what you’re made of, Mr. Basketball Machine.”

  “Right now I definitely don’t feel like a machine.”

  “No, you’ve turned into that hot-blooded man I’ve come to know and love.” Her manner was teasing, but it didn’t lessen the impact of her words. Know and love. He consciously kept his smile in place as he thought what to say. Her mischievous smile began to fade with his silence and he didn’t want that.

  So he kissed her. He plugged his lips into hers and the shock of electric desire that went through him lit all his moving parts. Gone was all awareness of pain. He gathered her into his arms, turning them both on their sides and squeezing her to him. She was warm and soft and he felt startlingly aware of her firm breasts pressed up against his chest. Her mouth was hot and melted onto his. He explored with his tongue and held her lips tight. He nibbled at her lower lip, then she did the same, causing a shiver of sensation through his entire body. He throbbed and pulled her closer to him with his hands on her bottom so she could feel him. She separated her mouth from his.

  “You’re awfully easy. Not much of a challenge for a machine. Now I…” She was going to continue, but he turned her over on top of him. No way was he going to settle for chatter. He covered her mouth with his thumb and then began a lazy exploratory massage.

  “Undress me. And hurry,” he rasped. She grinned wickedly as she lay sprawled on top of him. She moved very slowly, reaching for his belt first, and then touching him, tantalizing him as she pulled down the zipper. He kept his eyes locked with hers and he found it increasingly difficult to focus. He grabbed her by the shoulders and with a swift force of muscle, pulled her over onto her back on the bed.

  “Do I sense impatience?” Roxanne taunted as he reached up under her skirt and yanked her panty hose down her legs. To his surprise, he found no panties underneath, only wet desire between her warm thighs.

  “I’m not impatient, I’m insane.” He pulled her skirt all the way up to her waist.

  “Good. So am I.” Gone was the twinkle of mischief from her eyes, replaced by a glaze of desire and parted unsmiling lips.

  He watched her face, “You’re a hell of a lot more than merely insane.” He ground out the words as the urgency of his throbbing drove him into her. The gasp and look on her face was more than he could handle. He abandoned his struggle for self-control. With his arms squeezing her close, he thrust hard and fast, not even bothering to breathe, his eyes shut tight. The explosion of pinpoints of light beneath his eyelids caused him to at last gulp for a breath of air at the same time he let out the yell of released pleasure. The climax vibrated through him in convulsions until he thought he felt it in his toes. His entire body felt depleted. He opened his eyes as he tried to prevent his limp body from crushing her when he realized her struggle to breathe was not caused by his weight. Her face was a study in the contorted beauty of orgasmic pleasure. The sudden rush of his pulse surprised him. He used the spurt of energy to hold her tight and thrust into her one last time. He was rewarded by the sound of her gasping his name as she clutched his shoulders tight, fingernails digging in. He didn’t care. He only watched her face with her eyes squeezed shut until finally, slowly he felt the pressure of her fingernails in his back relaxing. Her lids rose as if she were awakening from a deep sleep. She moved her hands to rub his shoulders over where she had so mercilessly left her marks.

  He didn’t move off her. Only watched.

  “I don’t know why I waited so long to seduce you again,” she said, shaking her head and smiling. He rolled off her.

  “I don’t know if I could handle too much more.” He yanked the covers down off the pillow. They were still lying across the bed and he tugged her arm to move under the covers. She followed him and they nestled into the pillows, bodies touching. But he didn’t put his arm around her. She looked at him.

  “I say we see exactly how much you can take. I say we make love every night and day till you drop.”

  He looked at her trying to be serious, but the mischief shone though in her eyes. He laughed.

  “Tempting idea.” He tried not to let the other thoughts crowd into his mind, thoughts of his teammates telling him he was beyond temptation, thoughts of the play he blew in the game that night. He thought of Lindy fleetingly. And then he thought of getting up for the early practice the next morning—the way he always did.

  He looked over at his alarm clock. He let out a groan. “Jesus Christ. It’s fucking three in the morning.” He reached over, grabbed the clock and set the alarm.

  “I guess this means you’ve had all you can take?”

  His head snapped around to see the teasing glint in her eyes. But the challenge in her words was unmistakable.

  “I may need some sleep right now, but I’m not dead yet, baby.” He rolled toward her, letting his lips stop short of a kiss. Her lips parted in anticipation. He half-smiled. “We’ll see how far I can go in the morning. I’ll bet I outlast you.”

  Her eyes widened with indignance, but before she could voice a protest he covered her mouth with his in a penetrating, hard kiss. He brought his hand up the side of her body, over the curve of her hip and stopped at her breast, kneading it with the heel of his hand. He felt his arousal begin and considered going further when thoughts of that night’s game popped into his head. He’d almost let his team down. It had taken a mammoth effort of concentration for him to pull out the win. He called on those resources again now as he pulled away from her. Why was it so easy for him to lapse these days, to forget all about basketball, his career, his life?

  She reached down and touched him, making it difficult for him to withdraw. But he did.

  “You almost surprised me,” she said with her eyes hooded and her mouth parted, not quite in a smile. He sensed her disappointment.

  “I almost surprised myself, but we both need sleep.” He kissed her forehead and turned over on his back. He didn’t know why the hell he’d done it. He never had before.

  “I want you to know that the only reason I’m letting you go to sleep now is because you’re right, I’m tired too,” she admitted.

  He closed his eyes then, but the picture of her teasing smile stayed in his mind.

  “Don’t look at me—I didn’t turn it off this time,” Roxanne said. She laughed at the sight of him sitting up in bed staring at the alarm clock in his hand.

  “God damn.” He lifted himself out of bed, throwing the clock to the floor. He stumbled after the first step. “Jesus. My legs feel more like I played ten basketball games instead of one.” He turned around to look at her.

  She
tried to look sympathetic, but couldn’t repress a smile. If she wasn’t really careful, she might break out into a giggle. “Must be what happens when you get one year older.” She was sure that was the wrong thing to say when he scowled. She felt too good to do anything but smile back.

  “Get out of bed. I have to be out of here in five minutes.” He turned and she watched him attempt to walk to the bathroom, but after two steps he stopped and bent to stretch his legs and rub his lower back. Her conscience twinged with guilt.

  “Would you like a massage?” she offered.

  He shot his head around and looked at her for a moment before moving back to the bed.

  “Don’t tell me you used to work in a massage parlor?”

  “No, but I’ve heard tell. Do you want the works?” She raised an eyebrow and patted the bed next to her. The devil must have taken over her body, but she didn’t care. Not right now anyway.

  He sat down. “That’s right. This is my test. Give it all you’ve got baby—and then I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

  “You really are too easy.” Those words ended the conversation as she put her hands on his hot skin, breathed in the smell of him. She loved the mix of sweat, sex, and smoke. Leaning into her task, she wasted no time in giving him everything she had, which was considerable. And then he wasted no time in teaching her a thing or two, which was considerably more.

  Chapter 10

  IT WAS 11:30 a.m. by the time Barry arrived at practice—which began at ten. He had driven Roxanne into Boston to the hospital where she said she was going to look in on Lindy. That thought still had him wondering about the woman as he walked into the empty locker room at Hellenic College. The rest of the team was out in the gym running the floor in a scrimmage. He hurried out of his clothes and into his practice sweats. At least he felt more limber now. He carried his sneakers and socks out of the locker room area to find the trainer to tape him. The only place there were cobwebs left were in his head. He thought again about the previous night’s game and his sporadic play and shook his head. He popped open the gym door and whistled to get the trainer’s attention from across the room.