Winning Streak

by Alice Ward

  “Spread your legs wider.”

  Once she did, I landed another tap, this one a little harder and directly against the flesh of her pussy. She jumped, moaned, but then relaxed back into her original position. “Two more and then you have to make me come,” I said as sternly as I could. My voice was cracking from the excitement. From need. My body was on edge, adrenaline rushing through my veins faster than when I prepared to jump at twenty thousand feet.

  She cried out when the flogger met her flesh again, leaving a series of red splotches on her ass cheek from the stiffened leather whips. “Can you handle another?”

  “Yes,” she gasped.

  The last one wasn’t as hard but was directed at her pussy instead of her ass cheeks. I loved the moans she let out when the tassels smacked against the soft flesh, and the pull from her juices against the leather gave me a rush I couldn’t explain.

  “Come to me,” I commanded.

  She fell onto her belly, rolled, then was in front of me with one swift movement. Our naked bodies pressed together for the first time, and I felt something other than just sexual tension between us. It was stronger. Something new.

  Her lips were so full, so pink. I wanted to lean in and kiss them. “Wrap those pretty lips around my cock,” I said sternly.

  Her hands slid down my sides as she lowered in front of me. Her hand gripped my cock, stroking it slowly as her mouth opened and took in the tip. I watched her swallow me, her eyes looking up at me, and I was ready to come. I didn’t want to stop this feeling, this amazing feeling of her mouth surrounding my hard flesh. But, I knew there was something better. I wanted to be inside of her. I needed to be inside of her.

  I reached down, pulled at her shoulders until her mouth released its tight grip on my dick. I lifted her into my arms, her legs straddled around me, and I walked her to the bench along the wall. Her ass cheeks rested on the red bench at the perfect height while I reached for a condom, slid it on and then stroked my sheathed cock down her slit, gathering her moisture.

  Keeping my eyes on hers, I slid inside her. My body rolled with a thunderous explosion of pleasure as I found the end of her, locking us together as one. Her body melted in my arms, her tight opening clenching my erection while her nails dug into the flesh on my back. I withdrew, then slammed into her, rolling my hips to search for the spot that would bring us both to climax. She moaned, gasped, called out my name, but once I hit that spot, she couldn’t speak. Her lips tightened together, air heaving past them as her eyes began to roll back into her head.

  Yes, that was the spot I was looking for.

  I worked hard to stay in position, my cock beginning to throb, not only from the tightness and warmth she offered but from the pure ecstasy she displayed on her face. It was exhilarating. Better than any extreme sport I’d ever tried.

  Warm fluid rushed around my cock, and her body tensed, trembling with the orgasm building inside her. My own throbbing grew out of control as we climaxed together. I growled as I came, cum shooting from my body in spurts of incredible pleasure.

  She clung to me and I held her against me, pressing kisses onto her hair, her forehead, her ear. It wasn’t until I was completely softened that I pulled away and disposed of the condom in a nearby trashcan. When I looked back at her, her face had changed. She looked scared and… filled with regret?

  Had I moved too fast?

  The look was quickly replaced with a smile as she caught me looking at her again. “It was unbelievable,” I whispered into her ear and then lowered my mouth to her warm neck. She moaned, her fingers digging into me again. She still wanted me as much as I still wanted her. I felt exhilarated, satisfied, like a God.

  “Yes,” she spoke softly, but her reply put me at ease.

  “Let’s shower,” I whispered, leaning forward, and taking her in my arms.

  I carried her to the shower, turned on the water to a soothing warm, and washed her gently as we shared the large stall. It was sensual, more sensual than I’d ever imagined, ever felt. There was something about this girl. Something I couldn’t explain. I wanted to take my time figuring it out.

  She returned the favor of cleaning my exhausted but satisfied body. I watched her remove a loofah from its packaging and fill it full of soap before lifting it to my skin. Her smile warmed me, melted me really. In that moment, my new goal in life was to make this woman smile at me like this again and again.

  As my cock stiffened under her hand, I wasn’t tired any more. I pressed her against the glass and rolled on a condom conveniently left in the stall. I made love to her, even more tenderly this time. We kissed as our bodies connected, taking and giving to each other. And when she came this time, she cried from the intensity, leaving me to kiss away her tears.

  Dried off, dressed, and leaning back on the cushiony bed, Katrina looked more relaxed than she’d been since I met her. I wondered if she’d ever been so relaxed in her life. I knew I hadn’t.

  As I watched, her demeanor changed and tension spread across her face like before.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Tears sprang to her eyes, and she rapidly blinked them back. “What have I done?” she said softly, as if she’d just woken up from a bad dream. “I’ll lose my job.”

  I felt relieved that it was her job she was concerned about, and not remorse for what we’d just shared. “Your job is safe. No one will ever know. It’s our little secret, remember,” I assured her, meaning it.

  I extended my hand, pulled her gently from the bed, and into my arms. My lips caressed her shoulder, then her neck before finally finding their place on hers.

  “I’ll call you a cab, then I’ll get my own cab a few minutes later.” I lifted her chin until she was looking at me. “Okay?”

  She raised on her tiptoes to kiss me softly on the lips. “Okay.”

  I hated to separate from her. But I knew she was worried about her job. Why, I wasn’t sure. She was Katrina Delaney. She didn’t need a job. And if she just wanted one, something glamorous, then babysitting the knuckleheads on this team wasn’t it.

  “Thank you.” She rested her head on my chest. “You know we can’t let this happen again, right?” Her voice was low, barely a whisper as she released me and took a step back.

  No, I didn’t know that.

  I didn’t want that.

  But what choice did I have?

  I blew out a breath and ran a hand through my hair. “Whatever you want.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Katrina

  The ringer on my phone blasted as I struggled to find my way from under my blanket. Where was my phone? Damn, my body was so sore, so satisfied. I reached under the blanket, pushed myself up into a sitting position and panicked as Rhett’s name flashed across the front of the screen. It was barely six in the morning. What could he want?

  “Hello, this is Katrina,” I said quickly, clearing my throat and working on my most professional tone.

  “Good morning. I hope I didn’t disturb you this early.” His voice was crisp and clear, like he’d already had morning coffee and possibly a jog around the block.

  “Of course not. I was just getting ready for the day,” I lied, sliding down against my pillow and allowing my aching hips to relax.

  Thoughts of the night before shoved into my mind against my will. Rhett’s voice was traveling into the distance as I lost myself in the memory of Todd’s body pressed against mine, and the sheer pleasure he delivered with his fingers, his tongue, his cock, and oh God, the toys. What had I done?

  “I was thinking that a great way to work on the team’s image is to speak with them one on one. Get to know them on a personal level.” A personal level. I almost chuckled as another image of my tongue sliding up Todd’s cock filled my mind.

  “I researched each player individually before arriving. I’m not sure what else I could find out about them,” I said.

  “I believe there’s much more to these men than what you can find in the media. Find out about their home lives, t
heir passions, hell, even their childhoods could be useful to create a better, softer image.” His voice was chipper, excited, and almost full of laughter as he spoke.

  “I didn’t think you wanted them to appear soft.”

  “Oh, they are still Beasts. I have no intentions of taming them down to a domesticated team of felines. This is for the fans, the media. We need them to appear human, not immortal as most would believe they are,” he said with confidence.

  “So, don’t file down their jagged edges, just cover them with cushions?” I asked, half laughing myself.

  “Exactly. That’s why I hired you, Katrina. You get it, you get baseball, and you get the players.”

  A sense of pride rushed through me at his words. I’d wondered why he hired me, an inexperienced, green kid out of college. Maybe I did have an edge over Lana in that department. She was all about the PR, the marketing, but I was more in tune with the players. The grit is what fans love to see, but too much, and they could turn on you on a dime. Rhett wasn’t a stupid man. He had successful businesses all over the country, and gearing me and Lana together on this may have been one of his most ingenious ideas yet.

  “I will start today,” I agreed and disconnected the call after we’d said our goodbyes.

  My confidence grew quickly as I pulled myself from the warmth of my bed. The thought of talking to each of the players on a personal level terrified me to some degree, but knowing that Rhett thought I was the best person for that job eased the fear soaring through my veins.

  My designer clothes hung on cloth hangers in the hotel’s armoire, expensive shoes to match placed carefully underneath. My jewelry, some of the less expensive stuff Dad didn’t sell off was locked away in a small jewelry box, along with my sweet sixteen ring. I knew a thing or two about image, and about creating one that wasn’t true. Maybe I was more cut out for this job than Rhett truly knew. I was a fraud. Walking around like I was somebody. I was Bobby Delaney’s daughter, but that didn’t mean much anymore. He was no longer a baseball star, no longer successful, rich, or even admirable. A legend? Sure. But, once word got out about his gambling addiction and how he let his fortune fall through his fingers… the legend would be tarnished.

  I thumbed through my clothes, chose a yellow silk blouse, thin gray jacket, and matching skirt. I would put on my game face, interview the players, and prod into their personal lives, digging for something useful, something good. All while hiding all the bad in my life. Hiding my personal life entirely.

  I placed my clothes neatly on the bed, walked into the bathroom, and turned on the shower. I slipped out of my long cotton night shirt, letting the cool air in the room flow around my nude body. The shower nozzle was cold to the touch, causing me to shiver as I turned it on to a warmer than usual setting. I stepped inside, stood under the warm water, and thought about Todd. He was so sweet, so sensual, and he swore what happened would be our secret. Would he keep that secret?

  My mind filled with panic as I realized how the players spent their time talking about conquests. I’d be one hell of a trophy, handcuffing and fucking the team babysitter during the first week. Shit. Katrina, why did you let your guard down?

  I rushed my usual relaxing shower, realizing the guys would soon be ready to leave for practice. It was the first scrimmage, played at our field. I wanted to watch the interaction between Todd and Calvin but felt a little sick about focusing so hard on Todd at the moment. What if he did tell someone? How was it going to look, me following him around like a puppy dog? It was my job. I shrugged off the anxiety, dried off, and dressed for the day in my expensive clothing.

  You can do this, Katrina.

  ***

  There he was. God, he was beautiful. My eyes ached as they worked hard not to stare at the muscular form in front of me. “Good morning,” Todd said, turning around to catch me ogling him.

  “Good morning,” I replied, choking on my words as they came out.

  He laughed. His eyes danced, and his full lips curved into a half smile. My body reacted, tightening, tensing, and swelling as his eyes penetrated mine.

  “Shuttle's here!” Kane shouted from across the lobby.

  Most of the guys moved toward the front doors, but Todd stood in his spot. “You okay?” he asked.

  I nodded. My cheeks flushed with heat, and I knew they were as red as my ass cheeks after Todd had spanked them.

  “No driver today?” he asked, looking past me and into the parking lot.

  “I thought I’d ride with you guys today.” That wasn’t exactly the truth. My driver was set to pick me up later that day. I called and canceled instead of making him rush to get me early. Rhett’s instructions made me eager to get to practice, to watch, and decide in which order I would speak with the players.

  “After you,” Todd said, pushing open the front doors to the hotel.

  I stepped outside. My body was on fire, and the cool morning Florida air was a relief to my skin. The shuttle doors were already open, the driver smiling as I reached for the railing near the first step. Todd’s hand pressed against my back, offering a helpful boost to the shuttle step. His thumb glided down my spine gently, slowly lowering down my back until resting just above my tailbone. A sigh escaped my lips without consent. I stepped up to the next step, and then into the shuttle. A single seat in the back was empty, room enough for both Todd and me. No way!

  “Have a seat,” Kane Steele offered. I watched as he slid to one side, making room for me on the black leather seat.

  “Thank you.” I slid into the seat next to him. Damn, he smelled as good as he looked.

  Todd’s eyes avoided contact with mine as he continued to the back of the shuttle. I wanted to turn and look, to see if he took the empty seat in the back, but I didn’t. I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist teasing me if I’d made it to that secluded seat with him. And, I knew I wouldn’t have been able to resist letting him do it.

  Kane was super sweet on the ride to the field. His deep voice vibrated into my soul, his eyes penetrated like green rupees into my heart. Wow. This man was deliciously handsome. I decided that he would be one of my first interviews. He was easy to talk to, and even though sexier than hell, my attraction to him was low, thanks to my distraction with Todd.

  On the field, Calvin and Todd stood at the mound, from what I could see, communicating quite well. The practice was slow-paced as the guys saved their true energy for their first game. I was growing tired from working on my interview notes. I’d lined everyone up in the order I wanted to interview them, with Todd nearly at the bottom of the list. I needed to stay focused, keep myself professional, and Todd Morris stripped me of all my self-discipline.

  Blake Osborne, the pitcher recruited from Atlanta, my dad’s old team. He was another one I had at the bottom of my list. He had been close to my dad when they played together, and I wasn’t exactly sure if they still were. I dreaded the questions he would ask me, knowing they would be personal, and all about my dad.

  Oh, Daddy’s doin’ just fine, Blake, thanks for asking. He and Mom are in their low-end condo, all their belongings sold or repossessed by the bank. Yeah, me, I’m great, just working for a living for the first time in my life. No thanks!

  Todd took the plate. It was the first time I’d watched him swing a bat. He oozed confidence as he beat the bat into the dirt. His strong arms flexed, their muscles tightening as he pulled the bat up past his shoulders. I watched him carefully, eyeing the pitcher and shifting his sight to the coach of the opposing team. As a catcher, he knew the tricks to hiding the pitch signs, and I knew he was well aware of how to catch them as well.

  The ball flew like a rocket from the pitcher's hand. My body clenched the bleacher I sat on as Todd brought the bat around to meet the ball, sending it far into the left field. His power excited me, more than I wanted to admit. The crack of the bat against the ball made my nipples tighten, and my panties stuck against my skin. Damn, he was going to be hard to resist.

  All the players were impres
sive, more so than I’d realized during practice. Against an opposing team, they worked together like a well-oiled machine. Even the newer guys on the team were meshing well as Beasts. Kane Steele had the look, the body, and the talent that this team — Rhett’s team — was made of. He’d done a hell of a job creating a team of amazing players. The only downside was the fact that so many of them had found their way to the dim light of the media. That’s your job, Katrina. Make these boys look good, on and off the field.

  I didn’t wait around for the players after the game. They won without what seemed to be much effort. The other team had to be impressed. They’d taken a pretty good ass whoopin’ out there. I was growing excited about the season. Excited to watch Todd grow as a player, as a person. I knew I could find something amazing in his life to shape him into one of the most loved players on the team, possibly the league. But I still wasn’t ready to move him higher on my list.

  I took a cab to the condo, ordered a pizza, spread out all my notes, and began working on finishing my list of interviews. Each player had notes that I already knew from the media, the fan sites, and the team pages—some bad, some good. The ones heavier on the bad image side were at the top of my list, all except Todd.

  A knock on my door pulled me from my notes. I grabbed my wallet and opened the door. I expected to see the pizza box pushed toward me with a delivery boy behind it, but instead, I saw Todd Morris.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Todd

  I don’t know what the hell I was doing standing outside of Katrina’s door. She'd told me we had to cool it, and she hadn’t exactly acted like she’d changed her mind today at the field, or on the shuttle ride for that matter. Still, here I stood, unable to stop myself from knocking on her door. When it flung open, I felt something stirring inside of me. Something I hadn’t felt in a long while. Her eyes were wide, and a twenty-dollar bill was held between her fingers. I smiled, looked at the money she was holding out, and refrained from the off-color comments that came into my head.