Players

by Rachel Cross

  He still couldn’t understand why some fool hadn’t married her yet. She wasn’t his type—not enough height or breasts in his opinion—but she wasn’t hard on the eyes. The Rec Commission polo shirts and khaki shorts she always wore didn’t hide her nicely shaped figure. Her hair wasn’t relaxed; instead, she pulled the curly, light brown tresses into a ponytail at the base of her neck. If she wore something other than a ponytail and showed off her figure, someone at her dad’s church was bound to take notice.

  He sprinted up the few stairs onto the stage and sauntered over. Her back was to him and he smiled when she cursed after one side of the banner fell. Who’d have thought Tasha had a potty mouth? She stood on her tiptoes and the edges of her khaki shorts rose up to reveal a smooth expanse of toned, caramel thighs. He whistled in his head. Tasha did have some nice legs.

  Shaking that thought out of his head, he reached around her to help with the banner. “It looks as if you could use a hand.”

  She squealed before falling. Jared easily caught her in his arms. As a man used to holding women, he couldn’t help but notice she weighed next to nothing. He also realized he’d never been so close to her before. She smelled good. Not like flowers or perfume, but a clean, soapy smell. Her honey-colored eyes were wide with surprise, and her lips formed a delicate “O.” Just the perfect shape to wrap around his . . . Damn, where the hell did that come from?

  Annoyed that she’d enticed him, even if unwittingly, he lashed out, “Tasha, what the hell are you doing?”

  She scowled. “Why are you yelling at me? If you wouldn’t have scared the crap out of me I wouldn’t have tripped.”

  “I didn’t mean to scare you, I only wanted to help.”

  “Well, announce yourself the next time.” There was a breathless quality to her voice. It would sound delicious after a round of sex.

  He cleared his throat. “Get someone else to hang the banners next time.”

  “I’m sorry, in the future I’ll put you on the banner hanging committee. Then maybe you’d show up at the same time as the other judges instead of waltzing in late.”

  He raised a brow. “Are you trying to be funny?”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Did I say something funny?”

  He considered his response before glaring at her. She glared back, before smiling. Damn, she was beautiful when she smiled. Why hadn’t he noticed that before? His gaze fell to her mouth. Maybe he’d overlooked a lot of good things about Tasha. Like how juicy her lower lip was. She gasped once again, her lips parting to reveal the pink tip of her tongue. His eyes met hers and damn if she didn’t have the “kiss me” look. His lips curled into a smile as he wondered what kissing her might be like?

  Her eyes widened as if she’d read his thoughts. “Are you going to hold me all day?” Her voice trembled.

  The hunter in him took notice. She was aroused. He winked as he put her down. “I’ll finish hanging the banner.”

  She took a few steps backward and watched as it only took a few minutes for him to finish the job. When he stepped down she appeared calm. Too bad. He liked her breathless, kissable look.

  “Thanks for doing that. Is there anything I can do for you?” She held her arms behind her back, causing her breasts to press against her shirt.

  Hell yeah, you can help me, he wanted to say. Instead, he shook his head. She was a good girl. “Nah, I just need to register.”

  Another volunteer called her name and Tasha turned and motioned that she heard and was coming before turning back to Jared. “I have to go get things started. You’ll be judging the hammer throw. Register over at that table.” She pointed to a table beside the stage.

  “Cool, thanks,” he said flatly, fighting the urge to call her back as she turned toward the volunteer.

  She paused at the top of the stairs and turned, as if she’d read his mind again. “Can you stick around until the end of the day? I need to ask you for a favor.”

  “What kind of favor?”

  “Something I think you’ll enjoy.” She frowned. “Or at least I hope you’ll enjoy.”

  He watched her walk away and reminded himself that despite the moment of attraction, she wasn’t his type of girl. Unfortunately, the switch in his brain that caused his dick to get hard was firmly flipped in the “on” position. He knew she was still looking for a husband, and he’d rather break both legs than get married—he had enough proof marriage was a fool’s contract—but there was no reason why he couldn’t enjoy a quick fantasy of her mouth on his body. With a smile, he strolled toward the register.

  Chapter 3

  By the end of the Olympics Tasha was a ball of nerves. She decided against watching any of the interviews she’d done for the local news later that night. She’d floundered like an idiot with simple questions every time she’d noticed Jared watching her, and he’d only made it worse by smiling like he knew some secret. It was sexy and distracting.

  Just that morning she’d realized she was making a knee-jerk decision to ask Jared to take her virginity after her bad date with Charles. But a few seconds in Jared’s arms proved her idea had its merits. He had held her as if she weighed nothing. She’d known he was strong, but his body was as solid as a rock. When he looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her, it ignited something within her so hot and delicious it was almost scary.

  Her stomach tied in knots and she secretly hoped he would forget her impulsive request for a favor. But he helped break down equipment after the Olympics and waited patiently for her to finish. Two hours after the official ending of the games, she walked over to him and the handful of volunteers remaining at the registration table.

  “Do you need us to do anything else?” one of the volunteers asked.

  She set a box of equipment on the table and looked around. “No, most of the items I brought I’ve gotten back and the rental company should be here in a few minutes with the truck for the larger items.” Just as she said that, the truck pulled up behind the stage.

  “There they are. They’ll handle the rest. Thanks, everybody.”

  The guys in the truck walked over and Tasha gave them directions for packing up the bigger equipment. As they left to begin she turned to Jared. “I didn’t realize it would take so long to break down this year. You didn’t have to wait.”

  He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I didn’t have anything pressing this afternoon.”

  Her lips curved into a teasing smile. “I don’t believe that. Friday night isn’t booked up already for Mr. Jared Patterson?”

  He laughed. “Let’s just say I shuffled my schedule a bit for you.”

  His low voice sent flutters across her spine and her heartbeat sped up as the breeze carried his scent over. She shoved the box in his hands. “Can you help me put this in the gym?”

  He took the box from her and followed her into the back of the building. On the way she gave herself a pep talk. This wasn’t a dumb idea. Remember all of the bad dates running for the hills. This would make her life easier.

  He put the box in the storage room in the gym then sat on one of the bleachers. “So what is the favor you needed?”

  She froze for a second before shuffling from foot to foot. God, forgive me for what I’m about to do.

  She twisted her hands in front of her. “Well, I don’t know the best way to ask. It’s a personal favor.”

  Surprise flashed in his dark eyes before he gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ve known each other for years, so I guess it’s okay to ask a personal favor. Do you need a reference or something?”

  Heat crept up her face. How sophisticated, she was blushing. “Not quite. I need you to . . . relieve me of something.”

  He blinked and cleared his throat. “What is it?”

  She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “I need you to take my virginity.”

  A range of emotions ran across Jared’s face: confusion, disbelief, irritation, and desire. None of his expressions provided a clue to what his answer would be. Sure,
he was her most logical choice, but it didn’t mean he was interested in sleeping with her. They had a limited acquaintance, nothing more.

  His features finally settled into an impassive expression before he spoke. “What are you talking about?”

  She sighed with relief. At least he hadn’t flat out refused. “Look, Jared, I know it sounds like a lot. But really it isn’t.”

  He looked doubtful. “Taking your virginity isn’t a lot?”

  “No, not really. It’s a nuisance for me. Whenever I meet a guy and tell him I’m saving myself for marriage he either dumps me outright or tries to seduce me just for the fun of it. I’m tired of the whole process. Men today aren’t looking for a virgin bride and I’m tired of my virginity scaring them off. I need to get rid of it and you made the most sense to take it.” She said everything in a rush out of fear she’d chicken out altogether.

  He pointed to his chest, confusion clear in his eyes. “How in the hell do I make the most sense?”

  She held up her hand and ticked off her reasons. “I respect you and what you’ve done with your life. I couldn’t lose it to someone I didn’t like. You aren’t looking for a relationship and are used to casual affairs, so a one-night thing with me wouldn’t be a big deal to you. You’re discreet, although I’m surprised about the hickey today. Usually you don’t flaunt your affairs.”

  He covered the hickey with his hand. “That was a mistake that won’t be repeated. Go on.”

  “Well, you’re also . . . I mean I assume . . . since you’ve had so many lovers and whatnot . . . ” Her face burned. “I assume you’re good in bed. I need someone who could at least make it decent. I know the first time hurts and isn’t always the best, but I figured you could make it bearable.”

  “I can’t believe this,” he mumbled and lowered his head in his hands.

  She went on. “Plus, there is no chance I would ever fall in love with you.”

  His head snapped up. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  She gave him a sheepish smile. “No offense, but except for respecting what you’ve done with your professional life, you’re not exactly my type.”

  He frowned. “Why is that?”

  “I mean really, Jared. You’re a whore. No offense, but you do sleep around, and you’ve made it no secret you don’t plan to ever get married. You’re not exactly good husband material. I plan to marry someone who is more responsible—with women, I mean.”

  “So you think losing your virginity will help you find this pillar of responsibility?”

  She ignored his sarcasm. “Yes, I do. It won’t be there hanging over my head. The next guy I meet won’t have to think that dating me means we’re automatically getting married. Since the pressure is off, he’s more likely to stay around.”

  “Why don’t you just keep the fact that you’re a virgin to yourself?”

  She crossed her arms. “Because after about two weeks of dating, men start hinting around about having sex, and then I have to tell them why I’m not going to sleep with them.”

  “So when your virginity is gone, do you plan to start sleeping with them?”

  She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She didn’t plan to sleep with every guy she dated, but maybe if she met someone she really liked it might be easier to move forward to a sexual relationship once her virginity was gone. “Not all of them, but maybe someone else in the future. I’ll worry about that later. I just need to get rid of my virginity.”

  Jared stood up and shook his head. “Tasha, this is a big deal. Maybe you should wait—”

  “No, I’m sick of waiting. I’ve been waiting for twenty-nine damn years and I’m through. I need someone to help me and I’d like it to be you.”

  He took a few deep breaths. “I need to think about it.”

  She squared her shoulders. “I need an answer before next week.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Why so soon?”

  “It’s my birthday. I’d like to lose it before I turn thirty.”

  “So you want to do it this week?”

  Her heart lurched, but she tried to go for nonchalant and shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll follow you to your house and we can take care of it tonight.” Her voice shook.

  Desire flashed in his eyes before he hid it and slowly shook his head. She’d seen guys look at her with desire before. He was tempted.

  “We are not doing this tonight,” he said.

  She stepped closer. “But we are going to do this?”

  His eyes traveled from hers to her lips. She’d never noticed how dark they were, like melted chocolate. She licked her lips and his eyes grew darker. It was suddenly hard to breathe. Feeling a surge of confidence, she licked her lips again and he stepped closer. Her heart pounded, her breasts ached, and an unfamiliar tingling trickled between her legs as she breathed in the spicy mixture of cologne and Jared.

  She was heated from inside out. It was heavy, sensuous, and left her euphoric. She leaned up, hoping he would kiss her. He lowered his head and her breathing shallowed. With a curse, he quickly pulled back and turned away. Disappointment hit her like a tidal wave. She’d never anticipated a kiss that much before, never wanted a kiss that much. The knowledge was exciting and terrifying.

  Hesitantly, she reached out and placed her hands on his arms. He stiffened but didn’t pull away. Slowly, she leaned her body against his. The top of her head barely touched his shoulder. She took a second to get used to the feel of him against her. The softness of her breasts pressing against the hard muscles of his back caused a tremor to go through her. His body shivered in return. It was brief and so slight she only noticed because she was pressed against him so firmly.

  “Are we going to do this?” Her voice was soft, throaty. The sound of her desire surprised her.

  He took her hand and pressed it against the thick bulge in his pants. “You really want to handle this?”

  Heat shot through her body and her panties liquefied. If any other man had done that she’d have cursed him out, but she welcomed his challenge. If she shied away from his boldness, then he’d say no. So with another prayer, and her face flaming, she softly squeezed his length. It got harder and her panties got wetter.

  It was thrilling. It was frightening.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  He groaned before pulling away. “Dammit, Tasha, I’m not doing this tonight. I need to think about it.”

  She wanted to stamp her foot in frustration. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard to get Jared Patterson in bed. “For how long?”

  His eyes traveled the length of her body and she felt as if fire burned her everywhere his gaze landed. If desire made you feel this wild and reckless, it was no wonder some considered it a sin.

  “Come to my house tomorrow night. We’ll talk about it then.”

  She hid her disappointment with a nod. Even though her body was on fire for something she’d never had before, she understood why he would want to think about it. This was out of left field to him. Hell, it was an impulsive decision on her part, one she’d talk herself out of again if she thought about it too much longer. She’d let him consider it overnight, and hopefully he would agree to take it tomorrow before she reconsidered. She wasn’t sure how it worked, but hopefully once they had sex the fire she felt for him would go out.

  She smiled and nodded. “Okay, I’ll come by at seven.”

  He nodded and took a step back from her, giving her one last heated look before marching out.

  Chapter 4

  The next morning, Jared was running at full speed on his treadmill when the doorbell rang. He cursed at the interruption and jumped off without stopping. He’d barely slept the night before, yet he’d woken up full of energy. He’d spent the morning doing every energy sucking workout he could think of, but exercise wasn’t helping—at least not the type of exercise he was doing.

  He’d been rock hard and aching after leaving Tasha the day before. He’d flipped through the names on his phone, but with each
name he passed his frustration grew. He didn’t want any of them. There was only one set of thighs he wanted to get between: Tasha’s.

  She was last person he needed to sleep with, but he’d known his answer before leaving. He was going to do it. Her favor was the last thing he’d ever expected, but he was flattered she’d chosen him. Even with the male whore comment. He wasn’t a saint. Maybe it was male pride and barbaric, but the thought of being her first excited him. He’d never slept with a virgin. It would be a welcome change from the usual chicks he dealt with. Plus, she would remember him for the rest of her life. He couldn’t deny the satisfaction of knowing she would never be able to forget their time together.

  The problem was when. A part of him wanted to have sex with her tonight when she came over, but, surprisingly, a bigger part rejected that idea. It was her virginity and regardless of her eagerness, losing it should be special. They’d only discuss the details tonight, and then he’d plan for a night she’d never forget. Thank goodness her birthday is soon, he thought. He couldn’t live with this frustration for long.

  He jogged up the stairs from his home gym. He jumped up and down to get rid of some restless energy before opening the door to where his older brother Malcolm stood with a grin on his face that could only be described as goofy.

  With a raised eyebrow, he eyed his brother. “What’s wrong with you?”

  Malcolm kept smiling. “Man, nothing’s wrong. I’m just the happiest man on earth right now.”

  Jared laughed. “Okay, why are you so happy?” He stood aside and let Malcolm in. They walked into the kitchen and he pulled a bottled water out of the refrigerator. When he turned around Malcolm was still grinning.