Play of Love: The Gladiator Players Box Set

by Gray, Khardine

  * * *

  “Are you safe, Margo?” I asked, pressing my phone to my ear. I’d walked a little ways away from my busted car and my beautiful ex-girlfriend who’d taken it upon herself to move the traps off the road and to report them to the police. She was now surveying the area for more. I supposed it gave her something to do to distract herself from the craziness that was happening.

  “I’m okay,” Margo answered. “I’m feeling a little better than earlier. Not loving the idea of staying here overnight, but I spoke to the station staff, and they’re going to allow me to use the staff office when they leave. So, I’ll have access to the phone. There’s also a security guard that will be on site until the last bus leaves. Then the place will be locked until tomorrow morning.”

  This was one seriously messed up day, and while I might have seemed cool and casual, I was worried for my sister. No matter how old we got, I always put myself in charge of taking care of her from way back when we were kids. Our parents raised us that way.

  “Sounds good,” I said. “I’m glad you were able to arrange that. Do you have food?”

  “The kind lady who helped me set up my sleeping arrangements got me some food. I have enough to last for days,” she chuckled. “She would have gotten me on a bus if not for the roads being messed up down there. And I told her I was being picked up.”

  The question was when. “I’m really sorry about this, sis.”

  “It’s not your fault. It’s entirely mine.” Margo had already told me what happened and how she felt. She agreed to contact Cole and tell him she’d be with me by tomorrow, but she still insisted on hiding the fact that she ran away. She made me promise not to say anything, and I did. I understood, I supposed, and I admired my sister for being able to look past a problem and focus on how Cole felt. Few people could do that.

  “It’s no one’s fault,” I assured her. “Let’s just try and stay positive. I wish I could give you a time.” It was nearly three, and the mechanic said he’d be able to get to us in roughly two hours. As for fixing the car, the mechanic said he’d do his best but had a few jobs to do before he could start work on my car. We were probably looking at another five to six hours on top of our wait here. I had called at least ten different roadside assistance companies, but most were either blocked in because of the collision, booked for hours, or couldn’t come at all. The guy I spoke to was the one with the least amount of waiting time.

  Instead of thinking only about getting to Margo, I was now also thinking about getting myself and Abi somewhere for the night.

  And, when I thought about hanging out with Abi for that many hours, my mind went into overdrive and zoned in on that wild streak that got me in trouble with women. Was it terrible that I was thinking of ways to get my hands on my beautiful ex, to feel her soft skin and kiss every inch of her fine body, intoxicating myself with that sweet fruity smell that surrounded her from her shampoo?

  Margo was saying something, but I didn’t hear. It was her saying my name with more insistence that grabbed my attention, taking my mind from my Abi-filled daydream. “Scott, how’s Abi? I told her you changed, so don’t go embarrassing me.”

  “Things are fine. Why wouldn’t they be?” I was trying to dismiss any conversation about me and Abi because Margo had been so pissed off with me after we’d broke up that it was nearly a year before she started speaking to me again. Also, I didn’t want to talk about it. I knew my error in the whole thing and didn’t want to feel worse than I already did.

  “Are you kidding? When you guys broke up I worried she wouldn’t want anything to do with me. Scott, she didn’t just move across state; she moved across the country to star fresh.”

  I closed my eyes and bit the inside of my lips. “She had a job in New York.”

  “Not when she first left. Anyway, just please be gentle with her. She’s my best friend.”

  Margo started saying something else, but, as I turned to walk back to the car, I got a really good view of Abi bending over by her side of the car to pick something up off the ground. Her perfectly sculptured ass was calling to me to touch it. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, she started undoing the buttons on her blouse. I had to wonder if I’d fallen asleep and was dreaming. I continued watching, feeling my cock go from zero to hard in seconds. I expected to see her bra showing off her delicious breasts as she took off the blouse, but, instead, there was a lacy camisole top which she was wearing underneath. That was just as good as the bra because it gave me a view of the definition in each breast as they bounced in delicious jiggles when she moved, catching my lustful eye.

  Drool. It was starting to come out of my mouth, and I had to swallow. I should have kicked myself. How the fuck had I let this woman get away from me?

  And, what the hell was I going to do to control myself around her, especially when I didn’t want to exercise any form of control?

  She was built to drive men wild, and her gorgeous body was making me ache with need. I had to remind myself to behave. She’d just been attacked by that creep in the diner, and the last thing she’d need, even if she hadn’t just been attacked, was me and my wild sexual thoughts about her.

  “Scott!” Margo yelled into the phone so loud the sound buzzed out and hurt my ears.

  “Yes, Margo, what is it?”

  “Jesus. You aren’t even listening to me. Did you hear what I said?”

  Not a damn thing. “The line was bad.” I replied. It was a nice save. “Please , just take care of yourself and Abi. Someone wants to use the phone, so I have to go. Call me later.”

  “Sure.” I was enjoying speaking to her, but I wanted to get back to Abi.

  I placed my phone back in my pocket and walked back over to her. She focused on me and leaned her behind into the side of the car, resting against it. As soon as I cast my eyes over her again, I forgot everything I just cautioned myself about just moments ago. Her cheeks turned a warm rose color when she saw the way I was looking at her, and her eyes locked with mine as I stopped beside her.

  “Babydoll.” I gave her a small smile trying to put a hold on the desire that brewed for her.

  “Hey.”

  I couldn’t help it, I reached out and touched the side of her face. She didn’t protest against that, and I wondered what else she’d allow. It wasn’t in my nature to show any form of restraint, and she was making it ten times harder with the way she looked.

  “Looks like you and I are stuck together until tomorrow.” I released her.

  “I figured.” Her soft voice reached into my soul and I was reminded of the gentle shy girl she was when I first met her.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I’m fine.” Her eyes never left mine, and I wondered if she, too, could feel that magnetism between us .

  “So, what are we going to do with all this time on our hands? Two hours until we get picked up.” We’d get taken to Lake Tahoe and I hoped like hell that we would be able to get into a hotel.

  “I don’t know. Do you have any suggestions?” She should have known better than to ask me that with my sex-crazed mind that I knew she was used to. I smiled down at her petite frame.

  “Well, we could birdwatch, or try to check the trajectory of the wind,” I joked.

  She laughed and ran her hands through her hair. “That sounds really boring. I’m sure you can come up with something better than that.”

  If she was trying to tease me and tempt me, it was working. “Oh, I can. We could have the wild sex we used to have.”

  She grimaced and smacked me in my chest. “You’re crazy, you know that?” She laughed.

  I was actually joking.

  I just wanted to see her cringe, but… as soon as I said it, it sounded like the best idea in the world. Saying it only fueled my lust filled mind, and I couldn’t stop the urge to continue with this play to see how far I’d get. Crazy and insane as the idea was. And me.

  “Why? I saw you watching me. I could put you out of your misery.” She was never a w
atcher, but it was funny to see her reaction to my tease.

  She laughed again. “When did you see me watching you? You’re so full of yourself.”

  I reached for her again, but she smacked my hands away playfully.

  “It’s not like we don’t know each other,” I said.

  “And we’ve been broken up for years,” she reminded.

  “Have we?” I teased. “Come on, Abi, it’s perfect. We’re here for Margo’s wedding. We live in different states. You live on the other side of the country. I’m certain we could just pretend we didn’t break up for a day… or so.” Best to cover myself in case she magically agreed and I’d want her again.

  “You’re actually rationalizing it?” She giggled, widening her eyes.

  “Come here.” I reached for her and she tried to wiggle out of my grasp but couldn’t. She giggled as I nuzzled the side of her delicate throat.

  “Scott. I don’t know what planet you live on but, on my planet, I’m saying no.”

  “Sounds like you need more liveliness on your planet. Don’t you like fun?” Abi allowed me to kiss her neck, giving in for a few seconds, but then she tried to break free again. I released her but kept her contained by placing my hands either side of her.

  “We shouldn’t have that kind of fun.”

  “Why do we have to think about should and shouldn’t?”

  She locked her gaze on me. “Because, Scott, we aren’t exactly talking about food.”

  I got closer until I was just inches away from her lips. “Do you remember how we used to be?”

  Her cheeks flushed a delicate rose color. “No,” she said with a little smile.

  “Don’t lie.”

  “You are too much, Mister.”

  “Yes, I am. Come on, Abi, I know you remember. You’re thinking about it now. Remember the first time we made love? You can’t say no to that. I was your first. I took your virginity.”

  Something light and sensual flickered within her eyes. “I remember, but that was a long time ago. Scott, if you’re serious, this is a really bad idea.”

  “I’d believe you more if you didn’t look so turned on.” I was probably cruel for persisting, but I’d gone over the threshold of reason, and want was taking over. Truth be told, I’d wanted her from the minute I’d set my eyes on her this morning as she stood on the hotel balcony watching me. There were at least twenty women surrounding me, and, while I loved the attention, when I looked up and saw her, it was as if none of the others were there. I saw only the one woman I couldn’t have, the one I’d been thinking about for months, years even, and I wanted her.

  “I’m not turned on.” She swallowed and looked away from me bashfully.

  “You forget how well I know you.” I looked down at her breasts and stared at the distinct points of her hard nipples pressing through the soft silk fabric. I knew those would be rock hard if I felt them. They were always the first signal of her arousal. “Your body’s betraying you baby.”

  When she looked down and saw herself, her face turned red. “Oh my gosh.” Now she looked embarrassed and tried to move away again.

  “Stop,” I said, softly running my finger along the groove of her waist, keeping her there. “There’s nothing more beautiful than how you look right now, hot and completely aroused.” She looked up at me with expectancy. “Your skin’s flushed,” I added. “Hot, from thinking how wild this could be. Your throat’s dry from the heat. Your breathing is slow and even because your trying to hide how you feel from me, and your nipples are harder now than they were two seconds ago.”

  I knew her all too well, maybe more than she knew herself, and I took pride in that. I couldn’t help but smile as I pressed my lips down to hers and kissed her. At first, Abi gave in, kissing me back with the same hunger I felt, but then she pulled away.

  “I shouldn’t.” She breathed, looking scared.

  “Don’t make this complicated, Abi. I want you, and you want me. My body betrays me too. Feel me.” I smiled and moved closer to her again, taking her hand and pressing it to my crotch so she could feel the hardness of my cock. Then, to shock her further, I ran her hand up and down the full length. “It’s all for you, Abi. That’s what you do to me.”

  Her lips parted, and a penetrating look of desire filled her pretty face. I leaned in to kiss her once more, feeling triumph surge through me as she melted against my chest. The soft touch of her hands unleashed the hunger I felt for her.

  * * *

  Abi

  * * *

  He stole my breath away, taking it in all for himself as he claimed my mouth with a savage kiss. My body came alive from the possessive greediness in his touch, and a firestorm of passion flowed through me.

  Shit. What was I doing? We were kissing. How had that happened? And I wasn’t stopping or telling him to stop. Instead, I was welcoming the thrust of his tongue into my mouth from the merciless kiss he gave me, allowing him to explore the recesses of my mouth, sending shivers of desire racing across my body.

  Damn me. Damn him.

  How could I not find the strength to resist him? And what happened to everything I’d built up over the last six years?

  There was a spark of something that resembled my brain, and I almost came back with the willpower to resist the irresistible man who seemed to want to consume me, but, just as quickly, the spark ignited as he ran his hands over my breasts and squeezed.

  The action sent a jolt of electricity right through me and straight to my groin., The kiss was scorching, and my lips burned from the cruel ravishment of his mouth.

  His hands ran down me , starting with my neck, then my shoulders, and all the way down to my waist, leaving a fire in the wake of his touch. I melted further when he lifted the edge of the fabric on my top and brushed his hands over the bare surface of my skin. It felt like fire there too. Scott then moved back and pushed the strap of my top and bra down together. In that moment, my awareness returned, but it wasn’t strong enough to say no to him, but it, at the very least, allowed me to take note of where we were.

  “Scott, we shouldn’t do this here.”

  “Fuck that. I can’t stop.”

  “We’re outside. Anyone could drive by and see us.” We hadn’t seen that many cars go by, but that didn’t mean no one would come, and who could tell when someone might drive by? I looked over to the road warily, and when I returned my gaze to him, our eyes locked, and I was trapped within his blue gaze. In an instant, I knew he had no intention of stopping, wherever we were.

  To my surprise, he took my hand and led me into the woods, into the thicket where no one would see us.

  “Scott we should just...” One last attempt while my brain was still with working. This was wrong. I should say no now. I should remember where the road with him led and that this was crazy, but as I looked at him I couldn’t speak.

  “Fuck.” Fire burned within his eyes, eradicating logic. It was so strong, I couldn’t speak. That power he had to enthrall me took over my mind and, like a mindless puppet, I was under his spell. The pull of the moment drew us together and wiped my brain clean of thought.

  His lips reclaimed mine as he crushed me to him, capturing me. Claiming me. I moaned into the kiss, enjoying the taste of him and letting myself go. God, he tasted so good, like something I had denied myself for far too long and desperately needed. I’d never met anyone who could make me feel like that, like this. And he knew the effect he was having on me, within me.

  “It’s just fun, Abi,” he whispered with that wicked smile against my lips, kissing me with a devouring need.

  “Fun.” I breathed into the kiss, feeling my mind slip away into the fun I knew I could have with him.

  Fun.

  God, could I really do this? My arousal filled mind yielded to the prospect, and my body craved him with a hunger I hadn’t felt in years.

  Shit! Damn me indeed. I knew I was going to regret this at some point in the not too distant future, but fuck it. Screw the past and what it held
with all its warnings. I would be crazy to deny myself this delicious man who looked like he wanted to consume me. This was the present. It was right now. For the last few years, I’d focused on restraining my feelings for this man. His touches reminded me instantly of the fun we used to have when things were amazing, of the hot, wild sex that took me to another world and gave me a new meaning of passion.

  Relinquishing all control, I took off his jacket when he tugged at my top and ran my hands over those glorious muscles that tensed at my touch. Yes, I could forget we were broken up and indulge in the moment. It was perfect. So why not?

  “Jesus, Abi, how the hell could I have let you go?” His voice came out strained and labored against my lips.

  His words reached my insides, so deep inside, and tugged at my soul, igniting the love I once felt for him. It should have sent me running. It should have reminded me of the hurt I felt when we broke up and that he never came after me . Or, worse, that he’d only been back in my life for a few hours and here we were out in the woods tearing off each other’s clothes!

  But it didn’t. I put my fears and worries to the back of my mind, pushing them aside like I was sweeping them clean. And I gave into the lust that consumed me. He pushed me back gently against a tree and skimmed my waist with his hands.

  “I’ve wanted to do this all day,” he confessed with a salacious smile, cupping my breasts. I relaxed against the tree and allowed him to get a good feel. “You used to like this.”

  “I still do,” I confessed breathlessly as he squeezed and ran his fingers back and forth over my nipples.

  He worked my top over my head and threw it to the side where his jacket was. He then undid my bra and tossed that, too. “And I’ve been dying all day to suck these.” He breathed looking down at my painfully hard puckered nipples. He lowered his head and sucked on my right breast, sending ripples of ecstasy across my skin like waves of unquenchable fire.

  I watched him as he continued to suck, and the sight made me weak from how hot it looked. I moaned uncontrollably into each suck, arching myself into him until his mouth was full of my breast. It felt so good that I came apart from the pleasure funneling straight to my nerves, intoxicating me like a drug.