by Kira Blakely
Gage stood and held her close. “Fine, we’ll have the papers drawn up and signed. And then tomorrow you’ll marry me?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The End
Sample
Winning is just what I do!
Playmaker.
Panty scorcher.
The shit.
All names that apply to me. Yeah, I’m cocky. It’s hard not be when you’re an NFL star and let's be real, look and play like me.
Everything in my life was running smooth until this fiery redhead wanders into the road almost killing us both.
She had the nerve to call me a jack a*s. But DAMN she’s smoking hot when she’s mad.
I need to focus. I don’t have time to hang around and argue with her. I’m late. I hastily make my get away trying to get her off my Mind. I'm finding this hard in more ways than one.
Then our paths cross again. She’s at my football game that I was late for because of HER. Unfortunately, she’s not there to see me. She’s with one of my teammates and he’s no friend of mine.
Chapter One
Sean
I KNOW I’M INFAMOUS for knocking millions of girls off their feet, but I’m sure they didn’t mean that I literally run their asses over with my truck, the way I almost did with this one.
For the record, I did not mean to almost hit her with my car. I wasn’t on a mission to kill her. She just flew right across the road! She wasn’t looking where she was going because she was chasing after this huge dog. If it weren’t for my quick reflexes, she’d have ended up like a squished bug on my windshield.
I rolled the windows down and put my head out as I glared at her.
“Watch where you’re going!” I yelled. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped, probably surprised that I would actually yell at her. Well, what did she expect? An apology?
Hell no.
“Excuse me, asshole, but maybe you should learn how to drive!” she yelled back, stomping towards my car. I raised one eyebrow and got out of my car. What the hell is with this chick?
“You’re the one who doesn’t know how to cross the road!” I retorted.
“You’re the one who’s speeding!” she snapped back, and my brows furrowed.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, not knowing what she meant, and she scoffed.
She stopped right in front of me and looked up at my face, her green eyes blazing with anger.
“Last time I checked, the sign said the speed limit was 50, not 150,” she hissed. I glanced at the speed limit and, sure enough, she was right. I was speeding. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t in the wrong, either.
Years of practice in keeping my face looking perpetually pissed off during games helped me keep my cool, but the lush quality of her voice as she spoke seeped into my ear and made the hairs on my arms stand up.
If I was less of a badass, I would’ve shaken from head to toe.
I put my head down so my lips brushed the shell of her ear, and I smirked when she stiffened.
“Well, last time I checked, you had to look to your left and right before crossing the road,” I whispered back, my breath caressing her neck and the side of her face. My smirk grew bigger as I watched her shiver from it.
“You almost hit a dog because of your speeding!” she cried.
“You said the operative word, lady. ‘Almost.’ I ‘almost’ hit him. Which means I didn’t,” I said smugly. Her eyes widened comically, and she raised her arms wide.
“Oh wow! ‘Operative,’ huh? Big word for a dumb jock,” she fired back.
“Not that it’s any of your business, lady, but I did well in college,” I responded, scowling. “Look, I’m sorry I almost ran you and your dog over, but this wouldn’t have happened if you crossed the damn road properly,” I said, trying to ease the situation.
“Excuse me?” she said, looking at me like I said something completely unbelievable.
She glared at me and then…
“Oh, fuck!” I yelled.
She had stomped on my toe with her foot! I felt the sharp, intense pain shooting from my pinky toe all the way to my neck, and I leaned onto my car for support as I cradled my poor foot.
“Why the hell did you have to do that?” I screamed at her.
“Because you deserved it!” she yelled back.
“What the fuck, lady?!”
“This bitch is crazy,” I growled under my breath. “No way am I sticking around here.” I had had enough of this crazy fest for one day. I got back into my car and slammed my foot to the pedal and sped off, not bothering to turn around as I heard her call out. I was already late enough for the game as it was, and I was not about to risk any other part of my limbs for her to injure. She told me she could take care of it, and then she was going to call me?! What the fuck does she want me to do?!
It was too bad, though. She was kind of hot in a tomboy sort of way. Her hair was tied back in a messy braid, but the sun hit her locks in a way that made her pretty, little red head shine. Her cute mouth was in a constant scowl.
I saw my phone light up from the corner of my eye and I cursed. It’s probably my coach calling again, wanting to know where the hell I was. I had asked Evan to cover for me, but I guess he finally got fed up with me as well and decided not to be a bro today. Bastard.
Granted, I get why he’s mad. We did kind of party hard last night, and I vaguely remember him warning me that I should not push my luck and see if I can score a threesome with those two girls I saw eyeing me at the bar. But after being friends for so many years, he should’ve realized that words like that only sounded like a dare to me.
It only took sixteen minutes to get them to take me back to their apartment, and we had fun all night long. I woke up the next day and damn it, seeing both these women on either side of me naked made me so hard I had to have them again for a repeat performance.
That was an hour and a half ago. I was so focused on making all of us come that by the time we finished, I moved like my ass was on fire, paranoid that I’d be late for the game. I finished showering and hightailed it out of there in record time, and I could’ve made it to the game on time…if it hadn’t been for Miss bat-shit crazy and her dog.
My phone lit up again and I sighed, picking it up. I winced, bracing myself for some yelling before putting the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” I said hesitantly.
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, BOY?!” came Coach Finnegan’s voice from the other end. I yanked my phone away from my ear as I quickly racked my brain for a good enough reason to placate him.
“I’m sorry, Coach. The traffic was te–,” I tried to say before he cut me off.
“Traffic? Don’t give me that bullshit, West! John already told me about your night out at the bar, and so help me, boy, if you come to this field nursing a hangover, I will have you running wind sprints till you barf out your insides! Get your ass over here now!” he yelled before ending the call.
I flipped my phone back to the passenger seat, annoyed because if it weren’t for that little issue with the woman earlier, I’d probably be at the football field by now. The day would’ve been perfect if she hadn’t crossed the road and ruined it.
“If I ever see that girl again, it would be too soon,” I grumbled to myself.
Chapter Two
Charlie
TO: PARKER
Your wide receiver = TOTAL DOUCHEBAG
I’ll be late for your game, have to do something important ASAP.
Will make it up to you. Sorry.
I hit ‘SEND’ and shoved my phone back into my bag. I knew Parker was going to be disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to watch him play the whole game, but because of that prick, I had to take care of this big fella first and take him back to the vet.
I placed my hand on his neck and he whimpered slightly, leaning into my touch as he gazed at me with big, golden eyes.
“I told you not to run off. Now look what happened,” I spoke softly to him. I sc
ratched behind his ears as my other hand looked and felt for any injuries, and he started shaking as I touched his foreleg. He didn’t seem to have any injuries and was just a little scared, but I didn’t want to make assumptions. I had to take him back to the vet to be sure.
My initial plan was to pick the dog up and pile him into that speeding car, but when I looked up it was already gone, speeding away from me and his responsibility towards almost killing me and this dog. So, now I had to carry him. Ugh...
I petted his stomach and back once more, getting him relaxed enough before I carefully placed both of my hands underneath his body and picked him up, my breath coming out in huge puffs as I struggled to carry him and walk back to town.
I had watched football so many times now, especially Parker’s team, and I knew each player’s faces and positions. It pains me to admit it now, but Sean West was one of my favorites. He was an extremely skilled player, and he came across as cocky most of the time, but I had justified it by telling myself that he had a right to be cocky since he had the skills to prove it. But I had never thought he’d be such an asshole in real life.
Parker had complained to me once or twice about Sean West, but I always thought he was exaggerating, especially since Parker and Sean had a sort of rivalry going on between them. What happened today confirmed to me that Parker was right, though. He really was a jerk of epic proportions.
I felt so ashamed now, too, because I couldn’t believe that my biggest football crush ever wasn’t as beautiful inside as he was hot as hell on the outside. His dark brown hair, turquoise eyes, luscious lips and tanned complexion served as a mask for the ugly personality he had lying underneath.
The dog whimpered again and I cooed at him, trying to make him feel better.
“We’re almost there, big guy, just hang on,” I told him.
***
“Well, there really was nothing to worry about, Charlie. He just got a little shocked earlier, that’s all. A little rest and some food will fix him right up in no time,” the veterinarian explained. I sighed in relief and scratched the dog’s head, grinning as I watched his tail wag happily.
“I’m glad he’s okay now,” I said.
“Care to tell me what happened when he escaped from here?” she asked, and I shook my head.
“It’s a long story. One that I’m not too keen on remembering. What matters is he’s fine now,” I replied. “So, when is his owner picking him up?”
The vet shook her head, her eyes drooping sadly.
“Unfortunately, he has no owner. Diana had brought him here because she saw him rummaging through the trash for food, and she feared he might have worms,” she explained.
“Well, then what are we supposed to do?” I asked worriedly.
The vet clinic had a policy to turn over all dogs which owners didn’t come to pick them up after a set period of time over to the pound, and I knew what happened to most of them there who didn’t get adopted.
“He’s not going to survive there,” I whispered, and the vet nodded.
Black labs like this dog ate a lot, and as much as I’d like to adopt him, I didn’t have the space or the money to take care of him. But I couldn’t leave him here.
“Hey, what’s that limo doing outside the clinic?” the vet asked. I tilted my head, not knowing what she was talking about and turned around. Sure enough, there was a black limousine right outside the clinic. I stood on my toes to peer down at the license plate, and I felt my stomach plummet as I recognized it.
I didn’t think they’d find me so soon.
“Who do you think it is?” the vet asked, and I sighed.
“It’s my father,” I grumbled. Her eyes widened and before she could ask me anything else, I walked out the door and glared at the car, waiting for my father to come out and give his latest spiel in getting me to come with him.
I wasn’t surprised when it was the driver that got out and bowed.
“Miss Charlotte,” he greeted.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He is in an important meeting and ordered me to take you to the estate as soon as possible,” he answered.
“And I said not in a million years am I going there. What makes him think this day is gonna be different?” I asked in annoyance.
It was too late to ask me to be with him now after all my mother and I had gone through before she died. My father had seduced my mom while she was working as a maid in their household, and when his parents found out, they kicked her out and my mother had to work three jobs just to support herself when she found out she was pregnant with me. I could still remember my mother’s crying face when she begged my father’s family to take me in because she was dying and she didn’t want me to be alone. But all they did was laugh and cast her out, and my mom died a miserable death.
And my good for nothing father did nothing but watch it all happen.
It wasn’t fair to be treated that way when the only crime my mother committed was to fall in love with a man who was way out of her league. My father had whisked her off with flowery words and promises, and by the time she finally knew the truth – that he was about to marry someone else – it was too late and she was already pregnant with me.
My mother had worked hard to support both of us, and when she died and I didn’t know what to do but go and ask them for help, they did the same thing they did to us all those years ago. They threw me out.
And now, for some reason, they want me to be with them like nothing ever happened? Fat chance.
I was about to walk back inside the clinic when the driver answered.
“He suffered from a heart attack a few days ago,” he said solemnly.
That stopped me in my tracks.
“Miss Charlotte, the doctors think that the stress of running the company is finally getting to him. They suggested–” he started to explain but I cut him off, glaring at him.
“Oh, that he wants me to take his place? To be the solution to his problem?” I cried. Where was he when I was suffering? And now that they have a problem, they want me to just accept the responsibility as if nothing had ever happened?
“Please, Miss Charlotte. At least come to the estate first and hear it all from Mr. Jameson himself,” the driver said, bowing to me once more. I sighed heavily, unsure of what to do. I still hated them for what they did, but at the same time I want to know what my father had to say and why he was so adamant that I see him. I glanced back towards the shop and, as if he knew I was looking at him, the black lab wagged his tail excitedly. And then a light bulb flashed in my head at that moment.
“Fine. Take me to him,” the driver’s eyes lit up and he bowed gratefully again. “But,” I added, holding my forefinger up in front of me, “I have one condition.”
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Billionaire’s Protest Extended Epilogue
Five Years Later
Bonnie
We arrived in Seychelles feeling jet lagged, and the moment I stepped out of our private jet; a soft gust blew the straw hat off my head. In moments, Nash had charged after it, taking two steps at a time down the metal staircase.
Audrey looked up at me with a twinkle in her eye and said, “Mommy, look at what Daddy’s doing.”
We were both laughing as I held on to her little hand and continued to watch Nash chase after the hat for a few minutes. He nearly stumbled once, but grabbed it at the last second and held it up victoriously in the air.
“Aha!” he yelled, like a champion, and the three of us burst out laughing in unison.
Audrey wriggled, anxious to descend the steps toward her father, but I kept a strong grip on her. I wanted to take a few moments to drink in the picture of Nash walking toward us. The stubble on his jaw had grown thicker, now that we were on vacation, and his steely gray eyes were focused on me.
With the hat in his hand, he took two steps at a time again, to land in front of us. In one quick sweep, he plonked the hat back on my head and then bent down to pick
Audrey up in his arms.
She giggled, enjoying her father’s undivided attention, and I noted again how similar they looked. Audrey did have my blond hair, and my heart-shaped face. Other than that, her skin was a light bronze and her eyes were clear and gray like Nash’s. I couldn’t help but smile as I stared at them together.
It had been five years since Nash and I first gotten together, and even though we were married and had a daughter now, nothing much seemed to have changed. I still couldn’t help ogling him every chance I got.
Nash broke away from cooing to Audrey; he must have sensed me staring, and he turned to look at me.
“Feeling okay? Jet lagged?” he asked, reaching out for my bare arm, keeping a firm grip on Audrey with his other hand.
“Yeah, just a little bit, but I’ll be fine,” I replied and pinched my nose and made a face at Audrey, who only giggled some more.
“Can we go now, Daddy?” Audrey asked. She hadn’t slept a wink since we got on the flight. Even though we had taken annual trips to exotic destinations ever since we got married; this was going to be the first one that Audrey was old enough to properly enjoy.
“In a moment, honey, we just have to wait for the others,” Nash said, looking past me into the open mouth of the plane. The others had still not emerged, but I knew I could stand here all day just staring at Nash.
Nash
Audrey felt heavy in my arms. She was growing up. She had both her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as the three of us stood waiting for our friends. We had booked this private runway for my jet to land in Seychelles, and it was right by the beach.
Bonnie stood next to me in a skimpy sun-dress that accentuated her curves. Ever since she’d given birth to Audrey, she had become even more irresistible to me. If that was even possible.
Her wispy blond hair blew about her face in the breeze, and her eyes were shaded by dark sunglasses. Coral lipstick matched the peachy complexion of her skin. Even in college, I’d wanted her to be the mother of my child. I had known her for more than a decade now, been married to her for five; and she was still the most beautiful woman I had ever set eyes on.