Player

by Joanna Blake

  Girls bent over backwards for him. They always had. But tonight, things were not going to go well for him.

  At all.

  Fitzy was just going to have to deal with disappointment.

  “Order up Nadine!”

  I’d been mindlessly cleaning the sides station when Dave called out my order. I swallowed, brushing my cheeks. They were dry.

  Good.

  I never cried.

  Not since I was eleven and my mom’s boyfriend had given my dog away. That was the last time. I swore I would never cry again.

  Except sometimes I woke up with wet cheeks.

  I guess even I couldn’t keep my demons at bay in my dreams.

  Chapter Four

  James

  “You’re in my E-Con class.”

  The waitress froze as she bent forward, placing my ribs in front of me. She was so close I could smell her hair. I inhaled deeply. Vanilla and something else… Something warm and spicy. Edible. Cinnamon maybe.

  Fuck, she smelled good.

  Good enough to eat.

  Abruptly she straightened up. Right as I’d been about to reach out and touch her. She gave me a look of pure disdain.

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So, how do you work here and go to school full-time?”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. She was pissed. It just made her look sexier.

  “How do you play ball and go to school full-time?”

  I leaned back, grinning at her.

  “So, you do know who I am.”

  She rolled her eyes and stomped away, not even bothering to ask us if we needed anything else.

  She was a terrible waitress.

  The worst I’d ever had. The other guys had even noticed, and they didn’t notice much. It was almost as if she had taken a dislike to me.

  Me, in particular.

  It didn’t matter. I wanted her. And I was going to have her.

  I ate my food, enjoying watching the girl try to avoid my gaze. She was a feisty little thing. I liked that.

  I liked it a lot.

  I licked my fingers, imagining it was her I was licking. She had lots of different yummy parts I’d like to get my tongue on. She glanced over and scowled at me. It was almost as if she knew what I was thinking.

  Fuck, with those piercing eyes, maybe she did.

  By the time she brought over the check, my cock felt like it was going to tear its way through my jeans. It lurched as she stood there, avoiding my eyes. I needed to get home and spank it.

  Fuck, I needed to go to the bathroom and spank it. Or the car. I groaned, realizing how much longer I was going to have to wait to rub this one out.

  Getting home with a car full of guys was going to be torture.

  It’s too bad she seemed uninclined to take me in the back and provide relief… a lot of girls wanted to blow me just for kicks. Just for the story. Our pretty little waitress was definitely not in that category.

  I had a sudden vision of her scratching the fuck out of me during sex. Biting too. Damn, if that didn’t sound good.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  Everyone said no. She started to rip off the check and I grabbed her wrist, holding it.

  “How about your number sweetheart?”

  She narrowed her eyes at me and shook me off. Then she slowly peeled off the check and let it flutter to the table. She leaned towards me and crooked her finger. I leaned in eagerly, not seeing the mocking look on her face until it was too late.

  “Sorry Fitzy. You’re just not my type.”

  The guys started laughing. I cursed and stood up. Fuck it.

  I’d try again tomorrow.

  No girl had ever turned me down before.

  Fuck if I’d let her get the last word.

  Well, maybe if the last word was ‘Yes Fitzy, please Fitzy, oh God YES Fitzy!’

  Then and there, I decided. This girl was going down.

  By the end of the week, I was gonna own her ass.

  Nadine

  I woke up, a scream on my lips. I touched them. I could never tell if I’d really screamed or not.

  I’d had the dream again.

  It was not so much a dream as a memory. Of the night I ran away. It had been a while since I had it though. Seeing James must have brought it back.

  He was just another ghost from a time that I didn’t care to revisit.

  I shook my head, trying to banish him, and rolled over. My body was sore from standing on my feet all day and night for weeks. It felt like I’d been unable to rest for months really.

  Years.

  I glanced at my phone.

  5:40 am.

  There was no way I was getting back to sleep before my 6 am wake up call. I decided to take a long, hot shower and blow dry my hair. Something I rarely had the leisure time to do.

  I rolled to my feet and into my shoes.

  With all the creepy crawlies I’d seen in this place, I never went barefoot. Ever.

  I grabbed my little bucket of toiletries and shuffled towards the bathroom, thoughts of shaving and loofahs, and actually taking time to condition my hair floating through my head.

  Maybe I’d even put on make up for once.

  I pushed the door open and froze.

  The bathroom was a disaster. Towels on the floor, hair in the drain, a ring in the tub. Even the wastebasket was overflowing.

  Disgusting.

  I sighed, realizing my extra fifteen minutes was going to be spent cleaning this mess up. It wasn’t enough time to really even do it justice, but fuck me if I was going to step into a dirty shower.

  I grabbed the can of scrubbing powder and a clean sponge. I got to work, feeling a sense of accomplishment as the dirt disappeared under my hands.

  Twenty minutes later I stepped out of my short, unsatisfactory shower. At least I was clean. And the bathroom was less horrifying than it had been.

  I towel dried my hair and stuck my wet feet back into my sneakers. Then I shuffled back into the kitchen to change. A clean pair of jeans, bra, t-shirt and my ancient denim jacket. It was worn through in spots but I loved that stupid old thing. Then I grabbed my bag, not forgetting to shove a can of cat food inside.

  Honeysuckle was waiting for me as usual.

  Each time I saw her, my heart melted just a little bit. Most of the time, I made myself stay hard. I had to.

  I spent the rest of the day dealing with assholes and reminding myself how shitty life was for someone like me.

  Toughening up.

  It was vital that I kept a thick skin.

  Especially today.

  It had been in the back of my mind all morning. There as no use denying it. I was dreading and looking forward to it in equal measure.

  Today I had my economy class.

  I’d known he was there of course. The moment I walked in the door during the first class. I’d seen him and I’d felt my heart leap into my throat.

  But I’d been careful to sit out of his sight lines. I hadn’t stared at him, or even spared him more than a glance. Even though I’d wanted to.

  Tall, dark hair, blue as sky eyes.

  Damned if he wasn’t the best looking boy I’d ever laid eyes on.

  Scratch that. He was a man now.

  Boy was he ever.

  And now that he’d noticed me, there was no way I was going to be able to avoid him. I could drop the class. But then I’d lose the money and the credits. And my scholarship might be in danger.

  Still, I seriously considered it for a minute.

  Then again he could just come into BB Smith’s any time he wanted to eat ribs, or hit on the surly waitress. I hadn’t dissuaded him by being rude. No, it had the opposite effect.

  Somehow, I’d made myself into a challenge for the mighty, mighty James Fitzgerald.

  Fuck that! I was not about to let myself be turned into a prize!

  I stood on the steps leading to the E-Con building for almost ten minutes, willing myself to go in. I was nervous, yes. But I w
as also feeling a strange sense of excitement. That pissed me off.

  I didn’t want to want to see him.

  That’s when I felt it.

  A hand slide up against my lower back.

  “Well, well, well.”

  Speak of the fucking devil.

  I turned sharply, trying to dislodge his hand. Instead I ended up smashing my nose into his chest. He grinned at me, his body throwing off waves of heat.

  “Waiting for me?”

  “You wish.”

  I rolled my eyes, trying to step away. But he boxed me in against the wall of the building. His thick arms creating a blockade on either side of me. His hand came up and stroked my cheek.

  Despite myself, I felt a thrill at his touch.

  The bastard.

  “I do wish.”

  My mouth opened. The man had nerve. He really did. He cocked an eyebrow at me, still grinning like a predator.

  “So what is your type?”

  I tilted my head to stare at him coldly. Even though inside I was hot.

  Very, very hot.

  “Someone who doesn’t make me late for class.”

  James was staring at my lips. Like he might kiss me. For a second, I almost hoped he would.

  Then he stepped back abruptly and opened his arms.

  “By all means, let’s go to class.”

  Chapter Five

  James

  I leaned back in my seat, letting my arm slide across the chair beside me. Nadine glared at me, but I didn’t care. I had three blissful hours of sitting beside her, touching her, smelling her.

  And she was hating every second of it.

  For some reason, that just made it more fun.

  I tilted my head to the side so that my lips almost brushed her ear.

  “Where are you from?”

  She ignored me, trying to focus on the professor. So I upped my game, running one finger along her neck. I smirked when she scooted to the side, making the guy on her left turn to look at her.

  The guy did a double take, his eyes raking over her. He smiled at her like she was a delicious little morsel.

  Which of course, she was.

  Now it was my turn to get annoyed. Nadine gave me a look and then smiled flirtatiously at the guy.

  He had no idea that his life was in imminent danger.

  I reached down and dragged her chair up against mine, making a loud noise. People turned to stare and I waved at them. Then I slung my arm around her and stared straight ahead, focusing on the class.

  That should make sure every guy in here knew she was off limits.

  She elbowed me and I ignored her. Finally she gave up and went back to listening to the lecture. I grinned, enjoying the feel of her sexy little body pressed against my side.

  I turned my head and took a deep sniff of her hair.

  “Hmmm… you smell delicious.”

  “Cut it out!”

  “Shhhhh, I’m trying to pay attention Nadine!”

  She rolled her eyes and pretended to ignore me. I noticed she used a legal pad and a pen instead of a laptop. It was cute. She was furiously scribbling away, trying to focus on the class.

  Good luck with that!

  I spent the rest of the lecture with her squeezed up next to me. By the time the class was over, I could almost see the puffs of smoke coming out of her ears.

  “Thanks a lot Fitz!”

  “What?”

  She stared at me, her eyes looking especially sparkly. That’s when I realized they were shiny with tears.

  Oh shit.

  Was she going to cry? I didn’t mean to make her cry.

  Uh… nope.

  She let out a laugh. It was condescending. It was sarcastic. It was disdainful.

  But she looked hot as hell doing it.

  “You don’t even know who I am do you, Fitzy?”

  I stared at her, blinking.

  Had we already knocked boots? I was sure I would remember her but who knows. I gave her my best puppy dog eyes.

  “If I did not behave like a gentleman, then you have every right to be mad at me.”

  She laughed again.

  “Let me make it up to you darlin’.”

  She rolled her eyes, stuffing her notebook into her ratty looking backpack. For the first time I noticed that everything about her was kind of shabby. Except, well, her.

  She was anything but.

  “Did you enjoy it at least?”

  She shoved past me and I grabbed my stuff, dodging through the crowd to keep up. The girl had long ass legs. And she was using them to get as far away from me as possible.

  “Keep dreaming Fitzy.”

  There was something in her voice that made me stop dead in my tracks. Something familiar. I watched her take two steps. Three.

  That hunched over way of walking… sexy as hell but also somehow… hiding.

  I knew it.

  I knew her.

  “Deanie?!?”

  She turned, her gorgeous green eyes blazing. She lifted her hand and saluted me sarcastically. I could hardly believe it. Scrappy little Deanie had grown up.

  And she grew up right.

  I ran after her. She glanced at me but didn’t stop walking.

  “I can’t believe its you, Deanie.”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Sorry. Nadine. I can’t believe it’s you.”

  She stopped walking and stared at me.

  “Damn Brat, you grew up right!”

  Her mouth opened slightly. She looked annoyed with me. And also, kind of sad.

  I snapped my fingers.

  “Wait, didn’t you run away from home?”

  She glanced at me again, a world of hurt in her eyes. Then something clicked and the tough, hot as hell girl was back. She tossed her hair and strode away, saying nothing.

  I followed her of course. Nothing could have stopped me from getting to the bottom of this now.

  From getting to the bottom of her.

  Finally, I grabbed her arm and made her stop walking and face me.

  “When you were going to tell me? Before, or after?”

  She stared at me, not comprehending what I was implying. Then slowly I saw realization dawn in her eyes. Her mouth opened. I resisted the urge to kiss her.

  It was a good thing too, because I would have missed her foot coming for my shin.

  “You pig!”

  “Hey, hey! I’m just kidding Deanie. Learn how to take a joke!”

  She just stared at me, a look of utter confusion in her eyes. Almost like she forgot where she was for a second. Then she mumbled something about being late for work and took off.

  I thought about chasing her.

  But that would be stupid.

  Especially since I knew where exactly she was going.

  I decided I was in the mood for ribs tonight. Tomorrow night too. And every night until I got what I was after.

  Her.

  Nadine

  I stood behind the bar, hiding. James was here, again. It was the third night in a row he’d put himself in my station. Tonight he was alone. Girls kept approaching him as he sat there, but he sent them away. He pretended to be watching the game on the big screen.

  But that’s not what he was watching.

  He was watching me.

  The problem was, I was starting to like it.

  I could not deny it any longer. He was wearing down my defenses. Doggedly pursuing me with escalating intensity.

  Every time I felt his eyes on me, I got tingly all over. Is that what girls felt when they liked someone? I never had the time or inclination.

  Not since I’d run away.

  Not since James.

  I looked up from the salt and pepper shakers I was refilling. Casey, the manager, had just flicked the lights. James was staring at me again.

  Fuck me, was he ever going to give up?

  For some crazy reason, I felt like the answer was no. And for some crazy reason I liked that idea.

&nb
sp; I liked it a lot. Crap. I liked him. There was no use denying it any longer.

  He was winning.

  I knew in my heart he was going to hurt me. It was inevitable. Especially for a man whore like him.

  But it didn’t change a damn thing.

  A warm feeling pooled in my stomach as I walked over to him. He was my last table. I swallowed nervously. Realizing how I felt had changed everything suddenly. Now I had something to lose.

  Him.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  He was watching me carefully. Not leering for once. Just looking at me.

  Seeing me.

  We both knew in that moment that something had changed. I’d stopped fighting. He’d stopped chasing. It was starting.

  Whatever ‘it’ was.

  He shook his head slowly. I nodded and put the check down. I started to walk away and stopped.

  “You don’t have to leave me a crazy tip.”

  He smiled at me.

  “I want to.”

  I shook my head.

  “You shouldn’t. You need the money too.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me and put a hundred dollar bill on the table. Then he added another one. My eyes bulged out of my head.

  Was he trying to buy me? Was it pity?

  Fuck if I’d let him pity me!

  I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Take that back.”

  He crossed his arms.

  “No.”

  I stared at him, ignoring the money. I was about to cry. Again.

  Why did I let him get to me?

  Because he could…

  “I’m not for sale Fitz!”

  He grabbed me as I walked away, pulling me against him.

  “I know that. I’m just compensating for taking up your table all night.”

  I looked up at him. I nodded shakily. Then I laughed.

  “Okay fine. But half that.”

  He smiled sensuously, nodding at me.

  “Okay.”

  I stepped away, grabbing one of the hundreds and the check.

  “It’s still too much.”

  He shrugged and sat down again. He waited while I cleaned up. I didn’t say a word. Neither did he.

  But we both knew he was taking me home tonight.

  Beyond that, I was afraid to think about anything else that might happen too closely.