Dear All Star Player (The Matchmaker Series)

by Tracy Lorraine

  Sucking in a sharp breath at the intensity in his green depths, I bite down on my bottom lip. He’s giving me no reason to disbelieve him, but my inner cynic pops her head up and reminds me what I just did to him.

  He lifts a hand and pulls my lip free with his thumb. “I’m so fucking proud of what you did. It’s only made me want you more.”

  My breath comes out in a rush as I continue to stare at him, desperately trying to keep my composure and not get lost in his eyes.

  “What time do you finish?”

  “S-six,” I stutter.

  “I’ll be waiting.” Threading his fingers in my hair, he presses his lips to my forehead. He lingers for a couple of seconds before turning and walking out of the shop.

  I sag back against the bookcase. That is not how I envisaged that meeting to go. I was pretty sure I’d put pay to ever seeing him again, and I didn’t in a million years expect him to be so impressed that he wants me more.

  Or so he says.

  “What the fuck was that?” Lacey asks, running over with a shit-eating grin on her face.

  “He said…he said he was impressed.”

  “Of course he was. Men like him want a woman who’ll challenge them. Not some weakling who hangs off their every word. You just raised the bar, Rose, and he wants it. Bad.”

  “I think I need coffee.”

  “I’ll go. There’s something for you at the desk.”

  I don’t think much of it until I walk out of the aisles of bookcases to find the most incredible arrangement of multi-coloured roses sitting on the counter.

  Plucking the card from the center of it, my hands tremble as I pull it from its envelope and turn it over.

  Well played.

  I want more fun and games with you.

  X

  As promised, Seth’s standing outside the store with a cap covering his face when we walk towards the door later that evening. He sees us both heading his way and a smile lights up his face.

  “Whoa, you’ve got him hooked. You may as well have handcuffed him to your wrist.”

  Nothing’s said as we stand on the sidewalk and wait for Lacey to lock up. “Enjoy your evening,” she says with a wink once she’s done.

  “I intend to.” Linking his fingers with mine, Seth pulls me in the opposite direction that Lacey sets off in. “Dinner?”

  “Sure.”

  We walk silently towards a burger restaurant down the street. Seth makes all the right noises and does all the right things, but I can’t help the nagging feeling inside that this is all one big joke now. That the schoolboy inside him is going to want revenge and the sincerity in his eyes is all a lie.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks once the waiter’s left to place our order.

  “This. Us. You.” Reaching over, he pulls my hands into his. The connection makes my words falter a little. “Seth, I just left you tied to your bed in an act of revenge from our childhood. How can you be serious about this…about me?”

  Getting up, Seth picks up his chair and moves it so he’s closer to me. “Other than my career, I’ve never been serious about anything in my life. But you’re different, in more ways than one. I don’t know how to prove to you this is real. I want you with an intensity I’ve never felt before. I know you feel it, too. You might have had an ulterior motive, but I know the connection between us is real. You can’t deny that.” Reaching out, he pushes my hair over my shoulder and his hand comes to rest on my cheek. “I know you wanted me just as badly as I wanted you. You left just as frustrated as I was.” His hand slides down and skims my nipple before coming to rest on my waist. My breath catches and the sensation has desire coursing through my veins. “See?”

  Thankfully, the waiter comes over and puts an end to the possibility of me combusting in the middle of this busy restaurant.

  Seth’s forced to put a little space between us so we can eat, but the sparks of desire continue to crackle between us.

  “Who rescued you?” I’ve been dying to know who let him free.

  A little laugh falls from his lips and I swear I see his cheeks blush a little. “My best friend’s girl, Poppy. All the guys are away for a game this weekend. She saw the photo, just like everyone else in the country, and felt sorry for me.”

  “Your best friend’s girlfriend had to uncuff you while you were laid out naked on your bed?” I nod at him, desperately trying not to show how amused I am by the idea.

  “She threw a towel over my junk the second she walked in the room. Aaron would kill me if she discovered I had more than him,” he adds with a wink.

  “Men,” I say, rolling my eyes. “So, she just came, untied you, and left?”

  “Oh no, she made sure to make it as painful for me as possible. She FaceTimed the guys so they could get in on the action.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. I deserved it. Plus, it’s not like there’s not already enough revealing and embarrassing photos and videos of me on the Internet.”

  “Oh really? I guess I’ll have to look.”

  “You’ve not seen them?” he asks incredulously.

  “It might come as a surprise to you, hot shot, but not everyone in the country follows your every move. The second we graduated, I tried to put everything about high school behind me. I’d done a pretty good job until you showed up unannounced a few weeks ago.”

  “Truth hurts,” he says with a laugh, covering his heart.

  “Suck it up, sweetheart.”

  His eyes dance with amusement and lust. The sight does things to my insides I’d rather not acknowledge.

  Seth

  I’ve had some pretty embarrassing moments in my life, but I can honestly say that having Poppy untie me from my own bed was up there with the best of them. I couldn’t give a fuck about whatever’s floating around online, but I know Aaron and Poppy will never let me live that one down.

  I met Aaron at college but he ended up playing in Florida until this season when he transferred to the Chiefs. I always hoped we’d play together again one day, I just imagined we’d get more than a few games before everything came to an end for me.

  As I stare at Rose sitting opposite me, attempting to eat a burger the size of her head, I know it was totally worth it and no less than I deserve. I’ll be the first one to suggest she doesn’t stop at that after all the shit I gave her in high school, but I’ll settle for the next time we end up in bed together to end differently—although I’m not opposed to getting the handcuffs back out again.

  “You done? Shall we get out of here?”

  “Sure. Have you got a plan?”

  “Yeah, I thought you could take me to your place and I can tie you to your bed.” She pins me with a hard stare and I laugh. “Joking. Although, I am picturing things that involve your bed.” Her eyes darken a few shades as she registers my words.

  “A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

  Standing to help her with her coat, I lean into her ear. “Nope, I can still smell your arousal from the other night. I’m not presuming anything because you’re going to be begging for it.”

  “I don’t beg, Seth.” Her voice is a breathy whisper.

  “We’ll see.”

  Every muscle in my body aches during the short but painful journey back to her place. She’d told me she lives in her grandparents’ old bungalow, but I’m still surprised by the quaint little building the car pulls up in front of.

  “What?” she asks when she sees the look on my face.

  “Number sixty-nine?”

  “It’s my favorite number.”

  “You’re cute.”

  “I’m not sure I want to be cute.”

  “You are that, and so many more things.”

  She blushes as I hand some money over to our impatient driver and we both slide out of the car.

  I could sense her nerves the entire journey but it’s clear how anxious she is about this when her hands fumble with the keys.

  “It’s okay,
I’ve got it,” she assures when I reach out to help her.

  It’s only a few more seconds before she pushes the door open and I follow her inside her home. The second she closes the door behind us, I turn and pin her back against it. She sucks in a surprised breath, but her eyes sparkle in delight as I stare down at her. I rest my forearms against the wood, caging her in.

  “What’s with the nerves? You didn’t show any Saturday night.”

  “That’s because…” She swallows and averts her eyes. Following her movement, I catch her attention again. Vulnerability pours from them, something I’m sure she’d hate for me to identify. “Because, you might not have been aware, but I was in charge Saturday night. I may not have known if my plan would work, but I knew nothing was going to happen between us.”

  I can’t help a smirk twitching at my lips. “And now?”

  “And now,” she repeats on a sigh. “I think everything’s going to happen.”

  I don’t need to hear any more. I slam my lips down on hers, my body pressing her against the door in my need for more.

  She moans as I take her face in my hands and tilt her head to deepen our kiss.

  “Jesus, Rosie. I need you.”

  Her cheeks redden and her chest heaves. “That way.” She points over my shoulder. Without looking, I lift her from the ground and carry her down the hallway. At her instruction, I turn and kick the door open to her bedroom.

  As I expected, there are books everywhere and the walls are full of framed quotes. I only get a few seconds to look around because her fingers thread into my hair and she finds my lips. I can still feel a slight tremble in her hands, but I’ll soon make her forget about her nerves.

  Lowering her to her feet, I immediately wrap my fingers around the bottom of her t-shirt and pull it upwards. “I’m about to prove that wrong. No book boy is capable of what I’m about to do to you.”

  Biting down on her bottom lip, her eyes darken as I once again release it. I suck it into my mouth and start working on her jeans.

  “After everything you put me through on Saturday, I think it’s only fair that I get to tease you relentlessly tonight.” Sliding my hands over the top of her panties, I press my fingers against where she needs me. “Fuck, you’re wet.”

  I expect her to look away, but she holds my gaze, pleading with me for more.

  Once she’s standing in only her lingerie, I almost forget about my plan to tease her and just strip her bare and sink into her. “What’s this?” I ask, running my fingertip over a small tattoo on her hip I didn’t spot the other night.

  “It’s Chinese for strength.”

  Just that little reminder that I might have something to do with the reason she marked her beautiful body is enough to have me moving. Pulling my shirt over my head, I drop it to the floor, quickly adding the rest of my clothes to the pile.

  “I think it’s time to unwrap the rest of my present.” Pulling her to me, my hands slide around her back while my lips press against the swell of her breasts. She sucks in a small breath as I unhook her bra, but it soon turns into a whimper as I suck one of her peaked nipples into my mouth.

  Fucking hell, she tastes like cotton fucking candy.

  I lap at one before switching over to give the other the same treatment, all while she mutters incoherently above me.

  She starts grinding her hips against me, but I’ve no intention of letting her fall into an orgasm that easily. Grabbing onto her thighs, I throw her back onto the bed. I watch her bounce as a sharp pain shoots out from my shoulder.

  “Fuck!”

  “What’s wrong?” she asks, her eyes glazed with desire but soon replaced with concern.

  “Nothing. I’m fine.” I pull her panties down her legs before crawling up her body. I focus on her and not the harsh reminder about my reality.

  “You’re not fine. Is it your shoulder?”

  “Yeah, but it’s fine. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.”

  Her dainty fingers press into my shoulder and I sigh with relief. I have regular physiotherapy on it, but it’s never felt as amazing as this. Dropping my head into the crook of her neck, I allow her a few minutes as the pain begins to subside.

  The feeling of her soft breasts pressed against my chest soon distracts me. I kiss down across her collarbones before going back to her nipples briefly, then kissing down her smooth stomach.

  I look up when I get to her belly button and see she’s watching my every move. “I’m going to do everything I wanted to do to you Saturday night. Twice. Then, I might let you come.”

  She tries to look unfazed by my comments, but her body tells me everything she attempts to keep from her expression.

  Dropping my lips once again, I kiss down until her wetness coats my lips. I groan in pleasure as her taste explodes in my mouth. Her heels press down into my shoulders as I suck and lick at her. Her concern about my injury is long gone as she barrels towards release.

  Focusing on her clit, I slide two fingers deep inside her. Bending them until I find her sweet spot, I keep working through her pleas and cries. That is, until I feel the first twitch of her orgasm. I remove all contact, sit up, and stare down at her as her body tries to compute what’s just happened.

  “Not fun is it, having what you want the most taken away?” Taking her ankle in my hand, I lift it and kiss down the inside of her leg.

  “Asshole,” she breathes.

  “You’ve no idea, baby.”

  “But I really do, remember?”

  “Then allow me to make you forget.”

  With her leg still over my shoulder, I bend over and kiss her. Grinding myself against her core, her breathing starts to pick up pace again as she finds her lost orgasm. Breaking our connection, I brush my cheek against hers and whisper, “I haven’t been with anyone in months. I promise you, I’m clean.”

  “Seth, please,” is her only response. Taking that as the permission I need, I guide myself to her entrance. The second her heat surrounds me, I want to growl like a fucking feral animal.

  “Jesus, fuck, Rose.”

  “More, please, more.”

  Unable to deny her, I push myself forward until she’s full of me. As much as I want to immediately pull back and slam myself into her, I have to close my eyes to compose myself for a few seconds. I feel like I’ve just given more than my body to this woman beneath me.

  “What’s wrong?” The panic in her soft voice has me looking up.

  Her blue eyes are dark and glassy, her cheeks red, and her swollen bottom lip is being attacked by her teeth again. Pulling it free with my thumb, I consider how I want to answer that question. She deserves the truth.

  “I think I’ve fallen for you.”

  Rose

  I’ve no idea what I should focus on, him inside me or the words that just fell from his mouth. Every part of my body is pounding with need, yet I feel like I just got whiplash.

  “I think I’ve fallen for you.” His words repeat in my head. I open my mouth to respond but I have no words.

  “Shush, it’s okay,” he whispers, placing his fingers over my lips. “Stop thinking. Just feel.” He rotates his hips and I can’t do anything but what he suggests.

  He pulls out before ever so slowly thrusting back in. Fireworks shoot off around my body before I feel my earlier lost orgasm crashing back through me. It only takes a few more of his skilled moves before I cry out his name and allow my release to take me. It’s not long before he follows my lead and he falls down beside me, panting with a wide smile on his face.

  “That was a long time coming,” he breathes, pulling me to him and placing his lips against mine.

  I lose myself once again in his kiss.

  I have no idea how much time passes as we lie on my bed, just making out. His hands are everywhere. I’m more than willing for a second round.

  “Where are you going?” he asks with a pout as I untangle myself from him.

  “I need the bathroom and a drink.”
<
br />   Looking back over my shoulder before I get to the door, I find him laid out, staring at my ass.

  “What? That’s one fine ass.”

  Shaking my head at him, I disappear into the bathroom. I get one look at myself in the mirror and I can’t help but laugh at how insane this situation is. Seth Brady is sprawled out on my bed, totally naked. And not only did he just fuck me senseless, but he told me…

  My concerns about this all being one big joke hit me full force. I have to sit down on the toilet to stop from falling.

  Without meaning to, I’ve allowed him inside. In just a few meetings, he’s buried his way in to the point that if he now turns around and tells me this is all fake, it’s going to rip me apart. I know I only went along with this for some kind of fucked up revenge plan, but it’s turned into something much more. Something I’m not sure I’m ready for, but it’s there, nonetheless.

  “I thought I was going to have to send out a search party,” he says when I eventually emerge, feeling totally uncomfortable now walking around naked in front of him. “Here, I brought this for you.” Holding some fabric out towards me, I take it, feeling grateful I’m going to be able to cover up, but I stop the second I open it up.

  “What’s this?”

  “I’ve never given a girl my number before. I think I was waiting for you.” My chin drops as I stare at the red and white jersey with a huge eighteen on it. “What are you waiting for?” Taking it from my hands, he pulls it over my head.

  “For you to tell me this isn’t real.” His brows draw together, and I realize he wasn’t expecting an answer.

  Taking both of my hands, he pulls me in front of him and looks down at me. “Trust me, I didn’t see this coming either. But this is real, Rose.” His palm lands on my cheek and his fingers gently caress my neck.