Winning the Player

by Leesa Bow

  I was wrong . . .

  As soon as I opened the door to Hunter’s bedroom my stomach tightened. It was just as I remembered, not a thing out of place. After locking the bathroom door, I let go and quietly let tears stain my cheeks. I glanced down at my trembling fingers. Although no longer a virgin, I still didn’t know what to expect, especially with someone like Hunter. Unlike him, I lacked skill between the sheets. I wouldn’t be what he was used to.

  I took in a deep breath, remembered what he had said, that it wasn’t about him. No. So why had I forgotten about my rule of no one-night stands? What we have is only physical and I’d promised myself more in a relationship.

  This wasn’t a relationship.

  What the hell was I thinking? Things were happening too fast. I wasn’t ready to have sex with Hunter. We hadn’t even gone on a date! I sighed and covered my face with my fingers. Hunter expected me to have sex with him and one-night stands meant nothing to him, they were just a regular occurrence.

  Jesus, this was going to end badly. Like a crystal ball had suddenly appeared in front of me, I panicked. I’d be the one left heartbroken and humiliated. As much as I wanted him, there was no alternative but to flee. I wiped away my tears before opening the door and —

  ‘Sit down, Aubree. We need to talk,’ Hunter said, lying on the bed fully clothed. A cup of tea sat on the bedside table.

  The urge to run knotted my insides and my heartbeat drummed in my ears. Deep down I wanted to give Hunter a chance, but the voice inside my head screamed ‘no’. I looked at the door, then back at Hunter. ‘Talk,’ he said. I sat on the edge of the bed and slipped off my heels. Then delicately lifted my legs and swivelled while holding my already short dress over my thighs.

  Hunter rolled over to face me and propped himself up on one elbow. His biceps contracted beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt and my insides coiled. ‘Be honest with me. If you really don’t want to be here then say so and I’ll drive you home. Because I’m not getting the same vibe as yesterday.’

  An opening to run . . .

  An opening without an excuse, and yet facing Hunter now I felt disappointment slice through me at the thought of leaving. I wanted to stay and didn’t want to stay. God, I was going crazy.

  Say something.

  I shook my head.

  ‘Then what is it?’ he whispered.

  I picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. ‘You’ll think it’s stupid.’

  ‘Try me.’

  ‘I’m afraid’ I whispered. The lump in my throat grew. I took a few mouthfuls of warm tea.

  ‘Of?’ Hunter’s eyes rounded. ‘Please don’t say me.’ I shrugged. He grabbed the throw rug from the edge of the bed and spread it out over me. ‘Talk to me, Aubree.’

  ‘Of not being very good —’ I paused— ‘In bed.’

  ‘What?’ Hunter screwed up his face in disbelief. ‘I don’t understand.’ I rolled my eyes. Hunter flopped on his back and looked up at the ceiling. ‘Of all the things.’

  ‘Don’t judge me, Hunter. You have no idea —’

  ‘Pretty damn sure you’re judging me.’ His jaw clenched. A muscle twitched in his cheek.

  ‘I’ve only had sex once, when I was drunk. And I don’t even remember it.’

  ‘Who was it?’ Instead of frustration, jealousy laced his voice.

  An idiot I met in London. One night I got drunk and allowed him to unvirginise me.’

  ‘That’s not a word, Aubree,’ he said, frowning. ‘What were you thinking?’

  ‘I wasn’t thinking. I was drunk as a skunk. He took off the next morning. At least he had the decency to wear a condom.’

  ‘You remember that?’ His face was lined with concern. I nodded. ‘And just how drunk are you now? Because if you say drunk I’m going to drive you home.’

  My stomach dropped. ‘No, I want to stay.’ I smiled apprehensively. ‘If you still want me to.’

  Hunter moved closer and placed his arm around my waist. He kissed my forehead. ‘You already know the answer to that. I need to do a few things so drink your tea.’ He got off the bed and walked out towards the kitchen.

  I took a sip and looked around his room, studying each sporting hero framed on the wall and then noticed his football team photo on the desk. Next to it was a photo of his mother that I hadn’t noticed the last time.

  ‘I have an idea.’ I looked up at Hunter holding a Blackbirds scarf. ‘Close your eyes. I want to surprise you.’ He secured the scarf over my eyes. ‘Now relax.’

  Relax. Right.

  My mind went into overdrive as I listened to him move about the room. I could hear Hunter playing with something on the bedside table next to me and I prayed it wasn’t kinky. A vanilla scent filled my senses and something else, similar to citrus. My eyes sensed the lights dim and then the bed dipped when Hunter sat next to me. His hands tugged at my hair as he released the scarf.

  ‘Surprise,’ he said, in a low, gentle voice.

  A candle burned on every surface, their fresh aroma filling the room. Each candle flickered a shadow against the wall, creating romantic lighting.

  ‘Wow.’

  The gesture warmed me, kindled trust. ‘For you,’ he whispered, and lowered his head until his lips met mine. His mouth, moist, warm and soft as satin, invited me playfully at first, and then deepened. My hands found his back, and stroked bare skin. He shivered, and muscles tightened beneath my fingers. Moving south, my hands kneaded taut muscles, and although my eyes were closed I visualised his powerful body beneath my hands. My groin tightened as his hands skimmed my skin. Warmth spread through me. I wanted him. His lips caressed, his tongue licked and plunged teasingly. The dark space inside me clenched and I responded by kissing him back, hard.

  He moaned against my lips. ‘I need to feel you.’ Unzipping my dress, he kissed my shoulder and slid off the strap in a slow, deliberate action. My stomach fluttered with a zillion butterflies on Red Bull. Hunter pulled the dress down my body and I lifted my rear as he lowered it over both legs and flung it across the room. In that split second I was thankful to be wearing a black lace bra and matching underwear, something I’d previously not considered before when going out. I remained still while he took in all of me. He kissed a trail from my stomach to my chest. His lips stilled behind my ear. ‘You. Are. Stunning.’ When his mouth skimmed the back of my neck I trembled, and goosebumps pricked my skin. A groan escaped him. His hand teetered across my breasts before stroking the length of my arms and taking hold of each hand to gently pull me forward. One hand snaked around my back and flicked the bra strap undone. A moment later it joined my dress on the floor. I watched him take me in, visually devouring all of me.

  Not knowing what to say, I blushed. It hardly seemed fair that he got to look at me and yet he was the one with the body of a Greek god. ‘Your turn,’ I whispered. I grabbed hold of his white T-shirt and pulled it over his head. Rippled muscles glistened in the candlelight. Without pulling my gaze from his chiselled abs, I reached for his jeans and fumbled with the button and zip. Hunter pushed them down and kicked off the remainder of his clothing. Holy shit! The sight of his hard-on forced my lungs to expand. He rolled onto me and kissed the crook of my neck. ‘I’ve waited a long time for this.’

  His fingers twirled one nipple and his tongue flicked the other. I arched my back as he slowly kissed his way to my neck, my cheek, and claimed my mouth. I cupped his face between my hands and kissed him. I wasn’t sure if it was normal to be this sensitive, but, oh my, the sparks were already firing below from the way he was stroking me. With one hand I let go of his face and grabbed his hand, guiding it back to my breast.

  ‘So that’s how you want to play,’ he whispered against my lips. One hand massaged while his thumb flicked my nipple. I moaned loudly and moved my hips as my whole body heated. When his fingers rubbed the bud at my entrance I gasped and squirmed beneath his hand. ‘You like this?’

  ‘Yes,’ I murmured.

  ‘And this?’ Two fingers slipped beneath
my pants and plunged, finding that special spot. I gasped again and pushed my hips into his hand.

  ‘Hunter,’ I whispered. My head was reeling as alien sensations sped through my body. ‘Hunter,’ I said louder, when a firecracker sparked inside my tummy. His fingers rubbed in a circular motion, the pressure increasing. ‘Oh, God.’

  ‘Relax,’ he whispered.

  My back arched. I squirmed and moaned, feeling myself building to explode.

  ‘Not yet, Aubree.’ Hunter pulled my pants over my legs and dropped them onto the floor. He remained kneeling between my thighs and then his head lowered.

  ‘No.’

  He gave me an odd look. I sat up and cupped his cheeks, pulling his lips back to mine, eliminating the exposed coldness by the absence of his body on mine. Sex was one thing. Having a guy go down on me, another. It made sense to me if not to him. I needed to completely trust a guy, even love him, before allowing him to do that without feeling any trepidation.

  He rolled off me and sheathed himself. Then pushing himself onto his elbows, he hovered over me. ‘You ready?’ I nodded and our eyes locked before he plunged inside of me.

  I wanted to scream in pleasure, shock and some pain mixed together, but his mouth over mine smothered the need. He stilled inside me, taking his time to slowly withdraw and thrust again. Being beneath Hunter, my world joined with his. United in time, space, body and mind, the sensation of his warm skin touching mine filled me with excitement and contentment. He studied my face as he pulled out and continued in a steady rhythm. After wasting so much time stressing about feeling uncomfortable, there was nothing awkward about being intimate with Hunter. I closed my eyes and breathed him in, concentrated on his gentle rocking and the soft caress of his tongue. When he broke the seal of his kiss my eyes opened.

  ‘You okay?’ he whispered.

  I nodded and immediately he rocked harder, withdrawing further each time.

  ‘Oh, God,’ I murmured and looked up to a blue haze. ‘Hunter.’ I could barely pronounce his name and he responded by going faster. ‘Hunter,’ I whispered again as sensual pleasure grew in the depths of my groin.

  ‘Stay with me, Aubree,’ he whispered close to my ear.

  I groaned loudly as sparks darted inside of me. Hunter pounded harder and I had trouble focusing on his beautiful face. When he kissed me I closed my eyes, dwelling on the wonderful sensation building and building.

  A primal sound came from his throat and it pushed me over the edge, an electric shock overriding neurons. I called out just before I exploded. Hunter moaned loudly, shuddered, slowed and collapsed over me.

  I looked down in wonder at Hunter’s body intertwined with mine. He’d fallen asleep moments before, after round two. Enough light shone through a gap in the blind for me to make out his glorious body. Grateful for every moment, every second, I didn’t want the night to end.

  Slowly, I ran my finger across the peak of his broad shoulder that rested across my chest. I couldn’t move a muscle, pinned down as I was by the weight of his arms wrapped around me. I shifted my head to take in his heart-shaped face. Dark eyebrows framed his deep-set eyes. His nose was straight but not big. He had a chiselled jaw and a dimpled chin, like his brother’s, but Hunter’s lips were rounded, almost pouty, an invitation to be kissed. I ran my finger across his bottom lip, causing one eye to open. It was too dark to see the colour but I knew them to be the azure blue of the ocean surrounding the Whitsunday Islands.

  ‘Why aren’t you sleeping?’ he murmured.

  ‘Because I want to look at you.’

  Hunter lifted his head. ‘Aubree, you need to sleep.’ He moved off me and sat up. He reached for the quilt and pulled it over us. Then he rolled onto his side. ‘Trust me, you’re going to need your energy for the morning.’

  My breath hitched in my throat when I thought of the morning—the day after. I wanted a chance to get to know him better and I hoped he wanted the same. I snuggled in behind him and closed my eyes, smiling contently, and decided I no longer wanted my old life back.

  I woke in time to make a phone call to work to lie about my absence due to a gastric virus. I explained my concern of passing it on to the residents and how it was probably best if I remained at home. My excuse worked, although I felt guilty as hell, until Hunter talked me into getting back into bed with him. He had his own way of absolving my sins.

  Later, when my stomach grumbled, Hunter jumped out of bed and proceeded to cook breakfast. I showered and helped myself to his trackies and windcheater, not wanting to dress in my short dress again. Before we ate he gave me the grand tour of his home. My favourite room was the study, which could almost be described as a small library with its floor-to-ceiling shelves on three walls, all stacked with books. It never occurred to me that Hunter might be an avid reader. He seemed more the type to create his own story. With the water feature in the corner, I could easily lose myself in the room for hours. When he led me back to the kitchen I perched on a stool at the breakfast bar. Hunter continued cooking breakfast wearing only jeans—no shirt—in what I thought was a ploy to tease.

  ‘Are you training tonight?’ I asked, trying to keep my head level.

  ‘Not until five.’ He flipped bacon and eggs on the pan. ‘You ready?’

  ‘Starving.’

  Hunter placed a fat-loaded plate in front of me, shifting opened mail out of the way.

  ‘What’s that?’ I pointed to an important-looking invitation on his bench.

  ‘It’s an invite to the —’ he hesitated. ‘It’s a medal count. No big deal. Mainly for the ladies, if you ask me.’

  ‘I’m not sure I understand.’

  Hunter shrugged. ‘I mean it’s a big deal. The best and fairest player is awarded, but all the bling and fancy shit is for the wives and girlfriends.’

  I waited until I’d swallowed a mouthful of bacon. ‘Have you ever taken anyone?’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘Mum a few years back.’ Then he smiled in a cheeky way. ‘The ceremony is held in Melbourne around finals time. To me, winning as a team takes priority over any individual accolade. But don’t get me wrong, it’s a bloody honour, it’s just the timing of the whole thing.’

  I nodded, taking in the different emotions crossing his face.

  ‘And we won’t make finals this year so I was thinking about it.’ His eyes glazed. ‘I play my last game of the season on Saturday. Would you like to come watch?’ He stared at me. ‘I have a spare ticket for Maddy, too,’ he added quickly. ‘The ticket gets you into the VIP area.’

  ‘I’d love to. Maddy will have to teach me all the rules.’

  His shoulders relaxed. ‘Good. We’re expected to remain at the club after the game for a few hours. I’d appreciate it if you were there, too.’ I shot him a look. ‘With Maddy.’

  I sighed. ‘It’s not that I don’t want to go, but . . .’

  ‘But,’ he repeated.

  I laced my fingers in my lap. ‘I don’t want to be around Sabrina.’

  His eyes flashed open. ‘Sabrina? What the hell does she have to do with any of this?’

  ‘Last night, she told me you two were basically an item.’ Hunter’s jaw tightened. ‘That you had an understanding, you slept with other girls but you always go back to her. She said she’s the one that’s there for you.’

  Hunter slammed the egg flip into the sink. ‘What the fuck! Has she lost her fucking mind?’ He placed both hands on the bench, leaned forward and slumped his shoulders.

  ‘It’s okay,’ I said in a gentle voice. ‘I don’t believe her.’ Hunter looked up then strode around the bench towards me. He snaked his arms around my shoulders.

  ‘Please don’t listen to anyone without talking to me.’ He stepped back but his hands rested on my shoulders. He looked me in the eye. ‘Sabrina is . . . obsessive. We used to be friends, now I can’t get rid of her. She’s a cousin of a teammate so she’s everywhere the players are.’

  ‘You’ve slept with her,’ I stated.

  Hun
ter took a deep breath. ‘I have. Several times.’ My spine stiffened. ‘But I haven’t been with her for six months.’ I pulled a face, remembering the night in town when he was all over her in gross PDA. ‘What?’ Hunter asked. His face changed and he almost looked frightened.

  ‘I’ve seen you with her.’ I made an effort to keep my voice level. I didn’t want to argue with him.

  ‘I haven’t slept with her for six months. I promise you. She’s been upset because her parents split and I acted nice, like a friend, damn it.’

  ‘What about the night in town when I was with the basketballers?’

  Hunter exhaled loudly. ‘I kissed her to make you jealous. I haven’t been with anyone for three months.’

  I didn’t know what to think. Three months of total abstinence for Hunter sounded like a long time. It was also about the time that I arrived home. Could it be a coincidence? I stared at him, searching for a hint of dishonesty. His blue eyes widened, pleaded with mine. Hunter’s mouth opened and I waited for him to speak.

  ‘It’s like I’ve been waiting . . . for you.’ I looked at him, disbelievingly. His hand tightened around mine. His thumb made little circles on my skin. ‘I’m twenty-five and I’ve done whatever I liked for a fucking long time. You don’t want to know what, but two years ago when you ran out, it jolted me and I had to show you the real me, because you only saw a piece of who I am.’ Hunter rested his forehead against mine. His eyes were so close I could almost see through to his soul. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to come back into my life. And I’m not about to let anyone, including fucking Sabrina, ruin it for me.’

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and tilted my head in an invitation to be kissed, knowing exactly where it would lead.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Instead of heading to the gym on Wednesday night, Maddy suggested we meet at the bottom of Mount Lofty, in the foothills surrounding Adelaide, and hike the trails. I finished work at two and thought it a shame to waste the August sunshine by being indoors on a treadmill.