Seduced by the Game

by editor Lisa Hollett

  “I’m a huge hockey fan. Best sport on Earth. Well, good luck, Lambert. Welcome to San Diego.”

  Keith laughed out loud. “Yup, you’re a hockey fan. I swear, as soon as someone puts a jersey on, they lose their first name.”

  The sound she made was melodic. Her soft laughter was reminiscent of wind chimes, and he wanted to hear it again. “I guess that was rude. Sorry, Keith. I just get tired of being hit on. I shouldn’t have assumed you were doing that. Forgive me?”

  “Of course. But there’s nothing to forgive. I was absolutely going to hit on you, but you blew it. See you around.” He winked at her before turning around and walking away.

  He could still hear her tinkling laughter as he pushed the button on the elevator. Take out might have to become a weekly event. Maybe even biweekly.

  Chapter 4

  “Hello?” When the phone rang, Keith was sitting on his balcony drinking an iced tea and thinking about how lucky he was to be able to afford such a place. His ocean view was spectacular; however, he couldn’t help but wish he had someone to share it with. He was lonely. Flirting with Kelly, the delivery girl, was fun, but he still missed Phoebe. Or at least he missed the idea of Phoebe. He was beginning to think that maybe he didn’t love her quite as much as he had thought he did. Memories were creeping into his mind more and more of how she had constantly needed him to buy her things and the way she coerced him into using his name time and time again to get the best tables at restaurants and tickets to events. It bothered him then but it was easier to go along with her, so he never said anything.

  “Hey, Keith. It’s Vlad Bejsiuk, your goalie. Hope you don’t mind, Coach gave me your number.”

  “Hey, Impaler. I don’t mind at all. I’m looking forward to meeting you guys.” Vlad’s nickname, The Impaler, came from sharing a name with Vlad Dracula. Lucky him.

  “We are, too. I have to say, it’ll be nice not having to face that wicked wrist shot of yours anymore, although I don’t think you’ve ever scored on me, have you?” Vlad’s gentle ribbing gave Keith a chuckle.

  “Yeah, yeah. I was taking it easy on you. Maybe I’ll show you what I’ve really got in practice.”

  “Bring it on, Captain.”

  Silence hung in the air for a couple of seconds. “Yeah, about that. You really think the guys are okay with me being brought in as the captain?”

  “Yeah. I do. Marcoux wanted it for all of about twenty seconds, but when we discussed you, we all knew it was the right thing to do. You’re a natural leader. We’re going to miss Scott, but that’s the nature of the business. It’s done and we’re ready to move on.”

  In the time Keith had to think about the trade, and analyze it, he came to the conclusion that it might really work. He’d researched the Scorpions in the previous weeks, and he did believe they needed a strong leader—he knew he could be that person. “I’m glad to hear that. I have some ideas, but I’ll ease into them. I’ll have to see if they fit the personalities and playing styles anyway.”

  “If you don’t mind a bit of advice, I’d come in with that attitude right there. Don’t come in apologizing for being picked to lead the team. Those boys, especially the young ones, will respond much better to confidence than they will apologies.”

  “So what makes you so insightful, Vlad?”

  Vlad laughed. “At thirty-six years old, I’m the old man on the team. I’ve been around a while. And while you kids are out partying, I’m just watching and learning.” Vlad actually had a crush on the Scorpion’s sports psychologist, Zoe Millis, but that wouldn’t ever come to fruition. There was a strict no-fraternization rule between the team’s doctors and the players. Even though he knew he couldn’t have the one he wanted, he wasn’t interested in dating a different girl every week.

  “Well, I might just be hanging back with you. I’m not interested in the partying lifestyle right now either.” Twenty-two years old was still in the partying age bracket, but he already felt he was over that. He wanted a relationship with loyalty and honesty. Just one girl.

  “Girl problems, huh? Yeah, a lot of us have them. Anyway, a bunch of us are meeting up at the Irish Pub on the beach. You interested?”

  “Hell yeah. I’m going out of my mind here. I don’t think I was meant to be alone so much.” Keith couldn’t pull of the casual laugh he was going for. Even to him, it sounded forced. He sincerely didn’t like being alone.

  “I get it, man. It’s hard leaving everything and moving so far away from home. Shit, I’m from the Ukraine. I understand all about being away from home.”

  “You know, I guess I should have figured that with a last name like Bejsiuk, but you kind of sound British.”

  “My mother’s English, my father’s Ukrainian. Interesting combination, isn’t it?”

  “Sure is. Okay, so what time are you meeting at the pub? And where the hell is it?” Keith didn’t have the lay of the land yet. That would come with time.

  “Why don’t I swing down there and get you in an hour? I actually live in the same building. I’m on the top floor.” Vlad lived in one of the spacious penthouses with an entire wall made of glass, giving him an outstanding view of the ocean. At night, the view was even more spectacular with the reflection of the moon hitting the water.

  “Oh, cool. All right, that sounds good. See you in a while.” He ended the call feeling good. Finishing his iced tea, he went back inside to shower and throw on some clean clothes.

  * * * *

  The entire beach area where the pub was located was packed. There were other restaurants on the strip, along with ice cream shops, pizza joints, caramel corn stands, and an array of beach-type shops where you could buy clothes, surfboards, or even a Jet Ski. Vlad drove, since Keith’s car wasn’t due to be delivered until the following day, but as he kept searching for a parking spot, anywhere in the vicinity of the pub, he wished they had walked the mile or so from their building.

  “Holy shit. Is it always like this?” Philly could get crowded at night when it was nice out, especially on South Street, but it was nothing like this.

  “Pretty much. Not in the winter so much, but this isn’t even as crowded as it gets. We’re getting toward the end of our heavy tourist season, but the water’s still warm and the temperatures during the day are damn near perfect. I love it out here. Crowds and all.”

  They finally found a spot to park in after circling the block a few times. Keith got out of Vlad’s car and stretched. “If you don’t mind me asking, why do you drive this thing?”

  Vlad groaned. “Aw, man. Not you too. Come on, this girl’s a classic.” He ran his arm lovingly along the rusted roof of his ‘69 Camaro. “I’m still working on her. I want to restore her myself, but I’m starting to see the value of letting an auto shop do some of the engine work. I probably could have gotten her pretty much done this summer, but I spent a lot of time on the beach after I came back from visiting my family. Just lazy this year, I guess, but when I’m done with her, she’s gonna purr like a kitten and roar like a lion. You’ll all be apologizing to her then.”

  Keith held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, I meant no offense. Sorry, man. She’s, ah, great.” He shook his head as a laugh escaped him. What a rust bucket! He thought the thing was going to stall out every time they stopped for a red light.

  Vlad flipped him off. “You’ll see.”

  Inside, the pub was as packed as the parking situation suggested. There wasn’t a stool to be had at the bar, and the high tables scattered throughout the area were surrounded by loud, boisterous people having a good time. The energy flowed all around them, making Keith even more pleased that he was out of his apartment for a while and in the presence of other people.

  Fighting their way through the crowd, heads down, Vlad led him to a door in the back, next to the bar. “Come on. We have a private room back here.”

  The first thing Keith noticed when he stepped through the door after Vlad was a banner on the wall. It was homemade and simply said, “Welcome to
the team.”

  “Our captain’s here, guys!” That said, Vlad walked over to the much smaller bar in their room and grabbed a couple of beers, handing one to Keith.

  “Hey, man. Nice to meet you.” Brandon Marcoux shook Keith’s hand and moved aside so that the rest of the guys could welcome him.

  Landry “Ace” Hawthorn sauntered over to him, and Keith could tell right away that he was a player. Ace shook his hand and pounded him on the back. “Did the old man tell you about the beach party yet?”

  “Old man.” Nice. “No, what about it?”

  “We’re having a big bash on the beach the Saturday before the first preseason game. Everyone will be there. The players, the office staff, wives, their brats—everybody. The chicks bring lots of food, and the men grill burgers and stuff. We have horseshoes and volleyball—man, there are tits and ass everywhere. Easy pickings after drinking all day too. I usually go home with a blonde and a brunette. Getting laid doesn’t get any easier. You don’t want to miss it.” He gave him another slap on the back before he made his way out the door, back into the main part of the pub.

  “What the fuck was that?”

  “That, my friend, is my backup goalie. He’s annoying as hell, but great in the net. He just needs a little fine-tuning—and a lobotomy. Kid’s got no filter. It’s landed him in trouble once or twice too. He even spent a night in jail after a barroom brawl a year back. Seems to be a theme here. Every backup goalie I get is a young shit with a ton of attitude. And they don’t last long.”

  “Damn. He’s like a tornado. A womanizing tornado.” Keith was laughing as he looked over toward the door, seeing Ace coming back in with a girl on each arm. “Works fast, doesn’t he?”

  “You have no idea.”

  The rest of the night passed quickly, and by midnight Keith was more than a little buzzed. At his suggestion, they made their way out to the main bar since the crowd had thinned out considerably. He liked to make himself and his teammates just a little bit available to the public when he was comfortable doing so. It did a lot to promote goodwill with the fans, and only cost the players an hour or so of their time.

  “Great idea, man. You’ll be a fan favorite in no time.”

  Still feeling good, Keith swung his arm around Vlad. “Vlad, my man, I have a few good ideas here and there. Of course I have some bad ones too. For example, it would a bad idea to take that little filly home with me tonight, right?” It was the red boots that caught his eye. She was a redhead, wearing a denim skirt, a frilly white tank top, and red cowgirl boots. From the way she was undressing him with her eyes, he knew she’d be willing. “Fuck, I’m horny. Twenty-two-year-old guys aren’t meant to go for so long without sex.”

  “Hey, man. I’m not your father. You do whatever you want. You’re feeling good, but to the best of my knowledge, you’re not shitfaced. I’ll drive you both home if that’s what you decide to do. Why don’t you go chat her up?” Vlad disentangled himself and pushed Keith toward the girl in question.

  “Hey, Lambert.”

  Hearing himself addressed like that by another lovely woman had him laughing. “And again, the athlete loses his first name. What’s your name, baby?” Did I really just call her baby? This is so not me. Aw, fuck it, live on the edge, man!

  “You can call me Pip. My real name’s Penelope, but I go by Pip. So listen. I’m just going to put this out there. I think you’re hot, and I’m looking for some earth-shattering sex. Tonight. With you. Are you interested?”

  “Wow. You are direct, aren’t you? I know I should immediately say yes, but to be honest, it’s not my style.” Wait, isn’t this exactly why I walked over here?

  “I know. Or at least I know you’ve never been in the tabloids. It’s kind of why I picked you. I’ll be gone for a while and I’m a good girl. I want one night. I want to be the bad girl. But it is only one night I’m offering.”

  Something was holding him back. She really did seem like a good girl. It felt wrong. “Gone? What do you mean? Are you going to jail or something?”

  She laughed at that. “No, nothing bad like that. It doesn’t matter where I’m going. So, are you interested or not?”

  “You sure this is what you want?”

  “More than anything right at this very moment. Don’t make me rethink this. I’m tired of always doing everything the right way. And when I leave, I’ll be back to being the good girl again. Don’t get me wrong, I like being a good person, but it’s not all I am, you know? I want to exercise my wild side. So, you in or out?”

  He thought about it for about one point two more seconds. “Baby, I’ll be in and out. All night long, if you’re sure.” He gifted her with a smile that brought his dimples out in force, and she was a goner.

  She walked back with him, over to Vlad. “Vlad, this is Pip. She’s going to be riding home with us if that’s okay.”

  “Oh, wait. I’m not into three…”

  “No! No.” Keith laughed. “We just came together. We live in the same building.”

  Pip smiled at her assumption. “Oh, sorry. I have my car. I can drive.”

  Before they turned to leave, Vlad gently held her arm. “At the risk of sounding like a concerned father, how much have you had to drink?”

  “That’s sweet, actually. I’ve had one dirty martini. And we ate some appetizers with it. I’m fine.”

  “Okay then. You kids have fun.” Vlad gave them a thumbs-up and walked over to talk to Brandon.

  * * * *

  The drive home was uncomfortable, to say the least. Keith tried learning about Pip, but she wasn’t very forthcoming with details about herself.

  “So why the mysterious ‘leaving soon’ approach? Are you really going somewhere?”

  She looked at him sideways, mostly keeping her eyes on the road. “Yes, I’m really going somewhere, but that’s not what tonight’s about. Tonight’s about me doing something for myself. It’s not about my family, people in need, the organizations I volunteer for; it’s just for me. It’s not even about you.” She had the grace to cringe at her brutally honest answer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…“

  Keith quickly interrupted her. She could hear the smile in his voice. “No, it’s okay. Believe it or not, this is my very first one-night stand.” He reached over and grabbed her hand. “Look. You want a wild night and I’m a little lonely. And I’ve been told I don’t suck in bed.” Giving her a quick wink, he continued to encourage her. “I’ll make it good for you—for both of us. All you have to do is tell me what you like.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed each one of her knuckles.

  “Oh, wow. Yeah, okay.” She was clenching and unclenching her hand as he kissed it. If he wasn’t mistaken, her breathing was a bit shallower than it had been a minute earlier. “Um, are we almost there?”

  Keith’s shoulder shook once as he chuckled. He pointed to the building coming up on their right. “That’s the one.”

  “Good.”

  As soon as the elevator doors closed, Keith took her in his arms and gave her a hot, deep, openmouthed kiss that had them both panting by the time they reached his floor.

  “Jesus.” Had she thought she’d been kissed properly before? Well, he just proved her wrong. The way she shivered when he pulled away proved that she felt that kiss all the way to her toes.

  “Liked that, did you? Oh, baby. If you liked that, you’re in for a real treat. My tongue? Well, I like to use it.”

  “Huh, okay. Yeah.” What did one say to that?

  When they walked into his apartment, Keith immediately shut the door and hauled her up against it, kissing her deeply again. When he had to stop to get adequate oxygen into his lungs, Pip asked if he had anything to drink.

  “Sure. Are you nervous?” He looked down at his obvious arousal. “I think it’s obvious that I want you here, Pip, but if you’re having a change of heart, I’m okay with that too.” He would never, not in a million years, force a girl to do anything she didn’t want to.

  “I am a
little nervous, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. I do.” She licked her lips as her eyes slowly roamed over his body from head to toe. “God, I really, really do.” She was a sucker for a leanly muscled man. Those long limbs and taut muscles did it for her. Not too big or overbearing—just beautiful definition of the male body.

  Another one of Keith’s dimpled smiles lit up his face. “I’m glad. And I’ll only say this once more, I promise. If at any time, and I mean any time, you don’t want to stay, just say so. No hard feelings.” Maybe “hard” wasn’t the right word to use.

  “Um, are you trying to get out of this? Oh my God. You are! Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”

  Keith grabbed her and pulled her up against him, placing her hand on his cock. “Uh, no. I am not trying to get out of this, Pip. I just want to you to be sure.”

  When she caressed him, he lowered his head and gave her another smoldering kiss as his hands moved over her body. He broke away again and walked into the kitchen. “What would you like? I don’t have any olives, but I have vodka and tonic water. Is that okay? I also have scotch and beer.”

  “Actually, I’d love a scotch.” There was a slight chill in the air as it had cooled down a bit after the sun went down.

  Keith saw Pip run her hands over her arms, and walked over to flip the gas fireplace on low. “Sit here and I’ll get us some scotch.”

  Pip sat in the chair he pointed to, grateful it was so close to the fireplace. “You know, Keith, you really are a nice guy.”

  “Thanks. You’re a nice girl. And we’re going to have fun tonight.” He felt better and better about what he was doing as they spoke. She really was a nice girl just looking for a little excitement. In his book, there was nothing wrong with that. They were single adults. No harm, no foul.

  When he handed her the quarter-filled glass of scotch, she patted the spot next to her. She was sitting in one of those oversized chairs, but he still had to wrap his arm around her to sit down. She put her hand on his thigh and took a sip of her scotch.