Winning Streak

by Alice Ward

  “Are you sure this is safe?” I asked, staring up into Todd’s beautiful blue eyes.

  He took my hand, held it tightly, and smiled. “You really don’t like heights, do ya?”

  I shook my head. Don’t like wasn’t strong enough to describe what I felt for heights. I hated them. Despised them.

  The roller coaster flew by, taking the corner at speeds I couldn’t begin to calculate. I tried not to look down, but I did anyway. Oh God, I was going to be sick.

  “It’s okay,” Todd whispered in my ear.

  I felt foolish. There were kids behind me, in front of me, and already on the roller coaster. They couldn’t have been older than ten, some maybe younger. Here I was, a grown ass woman, ready to piss my panties as I stood in this line. I wasn’t even on the ride yet and I was already reeling with fear.

  “I’m proud of you.”

  His words did soothe me a bit, but not enough to make this okay. My breathing started to accelerate, my heart pounded hard against my chest, and my pussy tingled like it was growing numb.

  Todd was sweet. Sweeter than I'd expected. I squeezed his strong hand, closed my eyes, and took long, deep breaths to calm my nerves. “Why are you so afraid of heights?” he asked.

  My mind flashed with wicked memories of why my fear had grown out of control. It wasn’t an irrational fear like some, it had merit.

  “Were you always afraid?” he asked.

  I hated that word, afraid. But, it was true. I was more than afraid, I was terrified.

  “No,” I managed to mutter.

  “When did that change?”

  I took a deep breath. “I used to go on road trips with my dad when I was younger. My mom always told me to take plenty of pictures for my scrapbook. To remember all the places I’d seen,” I started my story, suddenly feeling better with the distraction.

  The line continued to move. As I spoke, it didn’t seem to bother me as badly that I was climbing higher into the sky and moving farther from the safe ground below.

  “At a hotel where we stayed once, I loved looking over the railing. We were on the top floor, high above the city. It was magical. The elevators were made of glass. The hotel spiraled like a circle, so when we walked into our room in the open halls, we got to see the view of the entire city before reaching our door.”

  Todd squeezed my hand. We took another step upward. The line in front of us was growing shorter. We’d be on the ride soon.

  “There was a waterfall in the lobby. It looked so cool from above. From the top floor. I wanted a better picture, so I climbed on top of a planter to get the shot I wanted. A couple of drunk guys walked by, knocked into the planter, and sent me flying downward, toward the ten flights below.”

  “You fell?” Todd’s eyes widened, his grip on my hand tightened.

  “No. I grabbed the railing, but I couldn’t hold on. I knew I’d fall. Probably die. My dad showed up, on his belly, his hands stretched out through the railing and holding onto mine. As my fingers slipped from the metal, he grabbed me, holding me there until help arrived. He was so sweet, talking to me, keeping me calm. But I thought I was going die. I stayed calm for him, not me. I didn’t want to see him upset. I hated that look of fear in his eyes. I hated that I’d made him that scared.” I sighed, stepping up to the front of the line.

  “I’m so sorry. I should’ve never pushed you. We don’t have to do this,” Todd offered, genuinely concerned, and ready to leave the long line we’d just waited in. “I won’t force you to do anything else.”

  I felt a relief come over me at his offer to let me off the hook. The coaster screeched to a halt in front of us. I watched as people exited, all excited and smiling. “No,” I said.

  “I want to do this. I need to.”

  His eyes filled with admiration, and his smile grew wider than I’d ever seen. “I’m so proud of you right now.”

  I was proud of myself too.

  I stepped onto the coaster, sliding into the deep seat. Todd climbed in beside me, pulled down the heavy bar to our lap before ensuring it was locked in place. The worker pulled on it to double-check, quickly making his way down all the cars. The tracks cleared, the worker hit a button inside a small box, and we were off.

  The hill was higher than I’d imagined. My stomach churned, my body tensed. I screamed out with both fear and excitement as we dropped down the hill. It felt like we were flying, and I was terrified every second of the way down. The coaster whipped around corners, climbed more hills, and then dropped again and again. By the time the ride stopped, my throat was sore, my knuckles were aching from gripping the metal bar so tightly, and my stomach felt as though I would puke. But, I didn’t. I made it. I survived, and that was exhilarating.

  My body raced with adrenaline as we exited the ride. Todd gripped onto my hand, pulled me into him, and held me close to his chest. His heart was beating so hard, so fast. “You amaze me, Kat,” he whispered.

  I trembled in his grip. My entire body was wild with excitement. He leaned down, pressed his lips against mine, and all that excitement blasted through my veins and landed between my legs. Holy fuck. I could’ve sworn I saw fireworks when I closed my eyes.

  “I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” he whispered, pulling his beautiful lips from mine.

  My mouth was still open, my eyes still unfocused, and my heart still racing in my chest. What did I want to know? Everything!

  He held my hand, walked me to a bench that faced the ocean, and sat me down right beside him, close. So close. Damn, he smelled good.

  “What was it like growing up in my family?” he asked the same question I had earlier.

  “It was nice actually. My mother was a strong woman. She raised three kids on her own. My sister, Teresa, she’s the chief of surgery at her hospital. She’s the oldest. Marcus, my younger brother, is artistic, and can play the piano like no one I’ve ever seen.” I watched Todd’s eyes fill with a strange sadness as he spoke about his family, especially Marcus.

  “Are you and your siblings close?” I asked.

  He nodded. “As close as we can be. We all have very different lives.”

  “And your mom?”

  “Yes.”

  “She’s still living?” I asked.

  “Of course.”

  “It’s just you said she was a strong woman.”

  Sadness filled his eyes again. So, maybe it wasn’t Marcus who created the pain. It was his mother. I didn’t want to push, but my heart ached to know what caused that look in his eyes.

  “She’s still very strong, but she struggles more now,” he said softly.

  I reached out for his hand, slid my fingers in between his, and gave him time to tell me what he wanted me to know, and not to tell me what he didn’t. I had to respect that. There was plenty I didn’t want to talk about. I vowed to respect all that Todd Morris didn’t want to tell me.

  “She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about five years ago. It’s gotten a lot worse, and we had to move her into a nursing home recently.”

  My heart cracked just a little. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I feel selfish for saying this, but one of the hardest parts has been looking into her face. Into her eyes. The same face, the same eyes I’ve looked into since birth, and have her not know who I am.” His voice cracked as he spoke.

  I felt my eyes welling up with tears. “That’s not selfish at all. It’s understandable.”

  “I just want her to know me. It’s hard to explain. It’s not just for me, but that look of pride she’d get when she saw me. I miss that light in her eye. It’s what made me work so hard to get where I am. For her. I wanted to make her proud.”

  I squeezed his hand and then leaned my head onto his shoulder. There was more to this man than just baseball and jumping out of airplanes. He made me want to learn everything I could about him.

  “It’s getting chilly,” he said, wrapping his arm around me.

  “I guess I didn’t dress for a night on the beach,” I
said.

  He laughed, his eyes dancing on me. I watched as his smile widened, and he shook his head in my direction. “No. You certainly didn’t dress for the beach.”

  I looked around at the other people walking by. Some wore shorts and flip-flops, others jeans and hoodies. I wore my business skirt suit, too-high high heels, and dangly jewelry that the seagulls kept eyeing like it was dessert. “I look ridiculous,” I laughed.

  Todd smiled even wider. “Yes. Yes, you do. Let’s get you back.”

  He stood, held out his hand, and pulled me close to his side as we walked back out onto the main drag. A cab was parked at the curb. He quickly gripped the back door, motioning for me to get inside. The driver gushed over Todd, complimenting him on his past season, and growling over the trade. “I can’t believe you’re a Beast,” he said.

  “I’m proud to be a Beast,” Todd boasted, giving me a squeeze.

  I wasn’t sure if it was entirely true or not, but I appreciated that he played the game and kept a smile on his face.

  Back at the condo, I hated to leave Todd’s company. He was much more than I’d ever imagined, but I still had a job to do.

  He pushed the button for my floor, and when the doors opened, he stepped out into the hallway with me. “I’ll see you home safely,” he said with a smile.

  My body was tingling from the events of the day, the memories of the night before, and the moment Todd was creating with his charm. At my door, I fumbled in my purse for my key, finally finding it, and unlocked my door. “I had fun tonight,” Todd said.

  “I did too.” I took a deep breath. “Do you want to come inside?”

  He seemed to hesitate. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  I leaned in, lifted onto my tippy-toes, and kissed him softly on the lips. I lowered myself, opening my eyes to see his reaction. His blue eyes were dilated, narrowed, and hungry. His lips were parted, his breathing heavier than it had been moments earlier, and his hands now gripped my hips.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Just one more time,” I said softly.

  “One more time?” he asked.

  “Yes. Then we do have to stop.”

  “Absolutely. We’ll stop. Just one more time,” he said, lifting me off my feet and into his arms.

  He carried me into the room, kicked the door shut behind him, and pressed his mouth onto mine as he made his way to my bedroom.

  My body fell back as his grip loosened on me. I plummeted to the soft mattress below, bouncing once before settling into the comforter tossed into the center of my bed.

  “What will we do this one more time, my pretty Kat?” he asked, his eyes gazing into mine.

  I kicked off my shoes, sending them in different directions on the floor. Todd pulled his tight t-shirt from his body, tossing it behind him on the chair. My eyes became lost in the ripples on his chest. The dark nipples on his pecks were hard and tight. I wanted to reach up and take a bite out of his flesh, his perfect, hard flesh.

  His hands glided up my legs, slowly caressing my skin as he pushed my skirt high above my hips. Bright red silk panties greeted his eyes, trimmed with black lace, and sheer enough to peek at my pussy beneath the fabric.

  A single finger slid between my lips, separating my folds, and flicking at my swollen clit. The sheer material of my panties clung to me, the wetness from my excitement sticking to it.

  I leaned up, unable to wait for my reward any longer. I’d ridden the roller coaster, I was brave, now I wanted what was behind that denim. My hands gripped his pants, tearing open the button, and then the zipper. His cock pressed against the thin fabric of his briefs, the shape formed perfectly in the cotton. My mouth watered as I lifted myself from the bed and onto my knees.

  “Do you want me?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  His hands pushed at the material on his hips until it was gone, and all that remained was flesh. His cock stood at attention, begging for my mouth, but I waited.

  “Do you want my cock in your mouth?”

  I shook with excitement at the thought. “Yes,” I gasped.

  His hands slowly ran along my sides, slowing at the small of my waist. “Undress for me,” he whispered.

  I slid off my jacket and slowly unbuttoned my blouse as he watched. I loved the hunger in his eyes when he looked at me. I felt desired. Wanted. Sexy.

  My matching red bra was obviously something he liked. I watched as he licked his lips, his eyes tracing the outline of the silk material. I reached behind me and unlatched the hooks before letting the material drop to the bed, revealing my swollen breasts.

  His mouth lowered, immediately taking one nipple between his lips. He sucked hard, causing me to arch toward his mouth and let out a soft sigh.

  “Those sweet moans drive me wild,” he gasped, lifting before paying the same attention to my other breast.

  I pushed my skirt and panties down past my hips. My body fell back onto the bed while I arched my ass upward to remove the material that once covered me.

  “Do you want this?” I asked, opening my legs to reveal my swollen flesh.

  “This what?” he asked, smirking a bit as he spoke.

  “This… pussy,” I said, feeling a strange rush of excitement as I said the word.

  His smirk grew as he noticed my reluctance. I didn’t talk dirty, I never had. He brought something out in me, something wild. I loved it. I could tell he loved it too.

  His hands gripped my hips and pulled me to the edge of the bed. His cock hung close to me, touching my thigh, twitching when I moved my hips. My body was burning with desire for this man. I’d never wanted someone so badly in my life.

  My hands reached out, gripping his cock. He was warm, hard, and smooth. I stroked him slowly, lowering to cup his balls. He groaned with pleasure at my touch. My fingers rolled around his flesh, tugging it, massaging it, making it tighten with excitement.

  His hand pushed into my chest, forcing me back onto the mattress where my hand no longer reached him.

  “I’m going to make this ‘one more time’ count,” he said, his words dripping like honey onto my flesh as he slipped on a condom with his one free hand.

  His cock pressed into my thigh, then found its way to my slit. My legs spread open, his hands holding me tightly in place as he forced himself inside my tight opening. I moaned out with pleasure, my head fell back onto the mattress, and my back arched as he slammed inside of me.

  He continued to hold me down, his hand against my chest, pinning me to the bed. I couldn’t lift up. I could barely move, though I wanted to, needed to. He thrust into me, sometimes slow, then fast, never warning me of the change of pace. Just the tip teased me while I tried desperately to connect with him harder, but he backed away as I got close to breaking free from his grip.

  My body trembled like thunder was rolling through my veins. My orgasm built quickly, and I cried out as I exploded beneath him, releasing all over his hard flesh. His thumb circled my clit, pushing against it as it pulsated beneath him.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as he moved faster, then abruptly pulled away.

  My body felt so empty, so cold as crawled down the bed. He lowered between my legs, licking my inner thighs, slowly working his tongue upward. My body relaxed at the sensation of his tongue lapping at my folds. It found its way into my center, lapping and sucking until I was crying out again.

  I screamed his name as he sucked my clit in between his lips, tugging it away from my body as I arched toward his mouth. “You like that?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I gasped.

  “Turn over,” he commanded.

  I looked into his beautiful blue eyes before doing what I was instructed. I wanted to see them in my mind while they were out of sight. I rolled over onto my belly, scooting higher onto the bed. His hands caressed my legs, my feet before roaming to my ass cheeks.

  “I could play with you forever,” he mumbled. I wasn’t sure I was supposed to hear that, b
ut I did.

  I pushed my ass off the mattress, high into the air. His tongue slipped between my cheeks, licking and sucking my heated flesh. The mattress shifted with his weight as he moved on top of me.

  His cock pressed into me, first gliding through my ass cheeks, teasing me with fear of ass play, but then slowly gliding to the wet, warm place he’d just left.

  He pushed into me slowly, filling me up as he hit new spots inside of me I didn’t know existed. My moans grew uncontrollably louder with each thrust. My hips bucked backward toward him, pushing him deeper and deeper into my body.

  Warm breath soothed my neck, sweet whispers filled my ears. Soon, our bodies had become one, shaking, pulsating, and orgasming in sync.

  I felt the weight of him against me pressing me down into the mattress. He slid out of me, rolled over. I released a long breath from my chest as the pressure disappeared. “I have to admit. I’m gonna miss that, Kat,” he said, rolling out of the bed.

  I turned over and watched as he disposed of the condom, wishing I could’ve felt the warmth of his cum in my body.

  He picked up his briefs and his pants. He slowly slid into them, then reached for his shirt. “I know you’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said sweetly, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

  I hated to see his ripples covered but hated more to see him leave. That’s what I'd told him I wanted. I loved that he was being so considerate of my needs. But fuck, was this really what I wanted?

  “You’re the sweetest secret I’ve ever had,” he whispered to me before leaving my room.

  I heard the front door shut as he left, and suddenly, my bed felt cold, empty. I’d never felt more alone.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Todd

  Calvin’s spit splattered against my skin. His breath was hot, and his temper hotter as he continued to argue about pitches with a louder than necessary voice. I was on edge, my mind struggling to stay focused in the game, but I was right, and he was wrong. It was that simple.

  Katrina had been spending time with each of the players. I knew she had to get the interviews, but it was still hard to watch her smile, laugh, and become so acquainted with my team members while pretending I didn’t exist.