Game for Tonight (3 page)

Then all focus had swerved away from his playing abilities and on to his virgin status. And then it had become this thing that hung over him, reminded him of what an anomaly he was. How his fellow teammates thought he was some sort of weirdo who didn’t like sex.

Aubrey cracked open her eyes, studying him like he’d lost his mind. Which he sort of had—over her. He kissed her again before she could say a word, losing himself in her sweet lips, the soft little moans sounding low in her throat.

He liked sex. And he liked the woman in his arms plenty. So much, that he’d kept her at arm’s length for months for fear of falling hard for her and ruining his concentration. Besides, he wasn’t much of a rule breaker, damn it. If it was against company policy to date a fellow employee, then he wasn’t going to do it.

But screw it. He felt as if everything was uncertain right now, up in the air, unconfirmed. Walsh wasn’t talking—at least he wasn’t talking enough. The conversation they’d had before Aubrey had interrupted them had been full of nothing but a bunch of crap. Coach had acted downright evasive.

The vibe he was getting from his coach? He didn’t like it. At all.

He was tired of worrying about things that were out of his control. What was the big deal if he kissed Aubrey anyway? Maybe he could work her out of his system. Maybe kissing her wouldn’t be all that special and he could walk away from this.

Ha. Tell that to his overheated, turned-inside-out body.

Flynn broke away from Aubrey’s lips to catch some air, though really, he wanted to look at her, memorize this moment when he’d first kissed Aubrey. Even in the dim light, he could see her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed. She opened her eyes, the dazed look in them sending an arrow of arousal shooting straight through him, making his cock twitch. Pride suffused him.
He
put that look on her face.

“Flynn.” She pursed her lips, exhaling softly, the sound shaky. “What in the world was that?”

He smiled. She was a bundle of nerves, his publicist. Always running around, a little manic, a lot frantic, riding his ass to do this, do that. She’d been harder on Hamilton, but that crazy guy needed someone to rein him in most of the time.

“I thought it was a kiss? Unless I’m doing it wrong…” A chuckle escaped him, and he hoped she was in on the joke.

“No. You were definitely not doing it wrong.” She blew out a trembling breath, her gaze cautious. “I just want to make sure we’re both on the same page.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page.” Leaning in, he nuzzled her cheek with his, kissing a soft path along her fragrant skin until his mouth was on hers once more. “A shame you didn’t recognize it.”

She smiled against his lips, her fingers tightening in his hair. “I just thought…”

“Thinking gets you nowhere,” he whispered just before he took the kiss deeper, his tongue thrusting, his mouth devouring. She was a thinker, which meant she set her brain to smoking more often than not. And he wanted her feeling, not thinking or worrying.

He gripped her hips with both hands and pulled her in, wanting her as close as he could get her. This…thing between them had been brewing for a while, torturing him. She’d been by his side almost constantly the past few months, guiding his career, carefully preserving his image.

Every time he was with her, the scent of her hair drove him wild. The way he caught her looking at him, her gaze hungry, her lips damp, echoed an answering call deep within him.

When it came to the women from his past, he’d tended to fall hard and fast, so he generally ruled out all women during the regular season. It was easier that way. He didn’t need sex like the majority of his teammates. He loved women, but he wasn’t a dog, didn’t crave that constant attention the groupies were more than willing to provide. He needed to focus on bettering his game, improving his arm, making himself an invaluable player to the team.

Plus, as weird as it was to admit, the virgin thing brought him a lot of attention. A lot of positive attention, and not just from the female fans. Though they were ever present, dying to help take his virginity in any way they knew how.

That was sort of embarrassing.

Funny, how no other women interested him, though. Not like this one, who was all soft and warm in his arms, her full breasts pressed against his chest, her hands sliding down from his neck to grip at his shoulders with an intensity that told him she wanted more.

Which worked for him because he wanted more, too—plenty more.

“It’s probably not smart if someone catches us,” she murmured minutes later, when it was her turn to come up for air from another amazing kiss.

“Any media at this event?” he asked. She’d know, since she’d helped schedule it.

Aubrey slowly shook her head, her fingers drifting down the front of his shirt, running along the buttons. He wondered if she wanted to undo them, what she might think if she knew he wanted to strip her naked. “If they’re here, they’re not allowed inside. We made sure this is a private event.”

Breathing deeply, he glanced around the terrace, which faced out toward the street. It was quiet, but they were on the back side of the restaurant. Probably the best spot to sneak out of to avoid the paparazzi.

“Can you leave now? Or do you have to stay and work?” he asked.

“Wait a minute.” Her brows drew together and she pressed her hands against his chest, her touch burning through his shirt. “Are you suggesting we…leave? The restaurant?” She paused, wrinkled her cute nose. “Together?”

He toyed with a loose tendril of her hair, the auburn curl wrapping perfectly around his finger. She watched him with those big brown eyes, and damn if he didn’t want to kiss her again. Drown in her.

“I don’t want to stay. Do you?” He was done putting her off, pushing her away because he was trying to do the right thing. He liked her. He wanted her. For once, he was going to be completely selfish and forget about football. He was always sitting on the bench anyway, and besides, they were trading his ass at the end of the season.

He could focus completely on Aubrey, without worrying he could somehow screw up his game.

“But…” Her gaze cut away from his, and she stared out at the empty street. The air was cold, he noticed her shiver, and he tugged her in closer, pleased at how easily she went to him. “This is a celebration for you. For the entire team. You should revel in it as long as you can.”

She was right. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and he should bask in the glow of the Hawks play-off division win. But spending the night with Aubrey was also a once-in-a-lifetime moment, because he had a deep-down feeling he wouldn’t be in San Jose much longer after the season was over. He might get traded for big bucks. Coach had alluded to it, and Walsh rarely exaggerated.

His career wasn’t over, but he didn’t want to leave. If he were traded, would he be ready to be a starting quarterback? Or would he be relegated to the bench yet again? At least with the Hawks, the spot was familiar. He knew his place. He appreciated everything Quinn taught him. The Hawks also had been his favorite team, when he’d been growing up, and it was still an honor to wear the jersey. Would he feel that way about another organization?

He didn’t know. The unknown pissed him off. Better to focus on Aubrey than worry about his career, at least for the moment.

“Maybe I want to revel in you tonight instead,” he murmured, letting his gaze drop to her mouth. He coasted his thumb across her bottom lip, desperate to taste her again.

Aubrey opened her mouth, ready to protest, he was sure of it. But then she clamped those pretty lips shut, her hands skimming down along his sides to rest at his hips. She hooked her fingers around the leather belt he wore, grabbing hold as if she owned him and was making her claim. “Okay. Give me five minutes,” she murmured, a little squeak escaping her when he swooped in and stole a kiss, leaving the both of them breathless as he pulled back.

“Sounds good. I’ll wait for you out here.” He nodded once, released his hold on her, and watched her hustle back into the restaurant. She paused at the door and glanced at him over her shoulder, drinking him in as if she couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

He could relate.

She offered him a little smile that sent a zing to his gut, then turned and scurried into the restaurant, with a speed that impressed. His gaze dropped to her shapely backside, appreciating the way it moved beneath her dress as she slipped inside.

Damn. He broke out into a sweat, and it was cold outside. He could hardly contain the anticipation that rode him hard, over what was about to happen.

Tonight, he was finally going to get Aubrey to himself. Find out exactly what she liked, teach her what he liked, and then they could get to liking each other all night long.

He couldn’t freaking wait.

Chapter Two

Aubrey couldn’t believe it. Could. Not. Believe. It. Her feet felt as if they were floating on air as, her vision hazy and a little unfocused from a certain man’s potent lips, she entered through the back door that led into the restaurant. She’d kissed him. She’d kissed Flynn Foley, and not only had he kissed her back, he’d told her he wanted to be alone with her.

Right now. At this very moment.

She’d be a damn fool to let this opportunity slip out of her fingers, even though she’d chickened out at the last minute, unable to tell him how she felt. Now she was like a giddy teenager who’d just received confirmation that the guy she’d been crushing on throughout the school year felt the same.

She sagged against the wall and tentatively touched her tingling lips with her fingers, remembering just how thoroughly he’d kissed her. For all that hard, muscled strength, his lips were deliciously soft, his tongue… Um. Yeah. His taste was dangerously addictive. And then there’d been those big, strong arms around her, making her feel tiny and protected and cherished and…

Shaking her head, Aubrey stood tall, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress, along her hips. She lifted her chin, took a deep breath, and told herself to get a grip. So she’d kissed the man. So what? He’d probably kissed plenty of women. No way in the world was Flynn Foley as inexperienced and naive when it came to sex as everyone loved to say. He was a superstar. Women threw themselves at him. He had an intoxicating aura no one could resist. Maybe it was his easy smile, matched with that intense focus he had on the field. His broad shoulders and humble upbringing, his charming laugh and the respect he had for his entire team…

He probably couldn’t resist the scads of women who wanted him either, right? It only made sense. He had to be playing up the virgin angle. Harvey had told her she needed to play it up, too, but she’d tried her best not to focus on his sexual history. She represented him as a football player and nothing else. She’d always deflected the sex questions. It wasn’t professional.

Okay. Fine. She was dying to know, had always been dying to know. If everything went as planned, maybe she would finally, finally find out his sex secrets—was he or was he not a virgin?

Well. That sounded downright sordid.

With a confidence she really didn’t feel, Aubrey entered the crowded restaurant, making her way to the table she’d claimed earlier. She reached underneath it to grab the black Coach bag she’d recently purchased at a nearby outlet, checking to make sure everything was inside. Satisfied, she slung the strap over her shoulder, glancing around in the hopes no one noticed her.

Looked like the coast was clear.

Doing her best to appear inconspicuous, she turned, running smack into a solid wall of man flesh—her new personal bodyguard, Nick Hamilton. Letting out a muffled grunt of startled pain, she took a step backward, saved from stumbling when Nick reached out and grasped her upper arms.

“Where you off to so soon?” His voice was friendly, his gaze direct and scarily assessing.

She knew
he
knew she was up to no good. Damn it. “Um, home. I’m tired. It’s been a long day.” Not too far off from the truth, so at least it wasn’t a bald-faced lie.

One dark and skeptical brow—how could an eyebrow be skeptical?—rose at her reply. “You going home
alone
?” He stressed the last word.

Oh, good Lord. Lately he’d been acting all big-brother protective and stuff. And she didn’t need a keeper. If she wanted to sneak off and have filthy, amazing sex with Flynn Foley, then by god, she was going to do it. She didn’t have to answer to an overprotective, glowering football player, even if said player, with one glance, could scare the hell out of just about anyone.

Deciding to go with defiant and rude as her defense, she faced Nick head-on. “Are you wanting all the dirty details of my personal life, Nick? Because we can sit down and gossip over coffee tomorrow morning, if you want.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for him to move so she could make her escape.

He didn’t so much as flex a muscle. Jerk.

“I don’t wanna know all those details. Damn, Aubrey, you’re like a little sister to me.” He grimaced and shook his head. Still didn’t move, either, the big lug. “Listen, I just… I feel sorta protective of you, Aub. I just wanna make sure you’re not gonna go off, have some heated affair with one of these jackass pig players, and then I watch him break your heart. That means I’d have to break someone’s face, and I’d be the one who ended up in trouble.” He looked miserable. Angry. Concerned.

Okay. That was the sweetest thing ever. Nick Hamilton was a pain in her ass, yet so thoughtful, he could almost bring tears to her eyes with his kindness.

Right now, though, she could really do without the protective older-brother bit.

“I appreciate you worrying about me, but I’m a big girl, Nick. I got this.” She flashed him a bright smile, tilting her head to the right in the hopes he’d get the hint and move, but damn it, the guy still wouldn’t get out of her way.

“Flynn Foley is no exception. He will break your heart.” The words tumbled out of him, almost as if he didn’t mean them to, and he clamped his lips shut, looking irritated. “He’s a straight arrow who cares about nothing and no one else but football. That’s it. That’s all he’s about.”

Anger suffused her, making her blood heat. “You really believe that’s all there is to Flynn?”

“Darlin’, I
know
that’s all there is to Foley. The guy is a goddamn machine. An obsessed-with-making-it-and-doing-everything-it-takes-to-get-there machine. It makes him crazy that he doesn’t get much field play.”

“Don’t tell me it wouldn’t bother you if you were in his shoes,” she retorted.

“Of course, it would bother me. But I know how to have balance in my life. That guy doesn’t. He just works that much harder, trying to make it all happen. He practices extra long and extra hard. He’s freaking obsessed. He definitely doesn’t have much of a personal life.” Nick’s mouth thinned into a grim line. “I’d hate to see him ignore a good girl like you for football. You deserve more, Aubrey.”

She appreciated Nick’s voicing his concerns. Concerns she should have, too. But she didn’t know what to say, how to answer him. Or if he was even looking for an answer.

Nick scratched the back of his head, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “I mean, they all say he’s a virgin, for Christ’s sake. A pro-football-playing virgin—I mean, what the fuck?”

“Nick. God. Stop with the virgin-rumor talk.” She rolled her eyes, but deep down, the idea scared her. And excited her. Because, come on…if he was a virgin, she could teach him all about sex. As in, show him what she wanted out of a guy in the bedroom.

The possibilities of that were enough to fill her with the determination to get the hell out of there, and quickly.

“Nick, it’s been real, but I need to go. See you later?”

He stepped out of her way, his expression full of concern as he wagged his index finger at her. “Watch yourself, young lady. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Laughing, she shook her head as she stood on tiptoe and brushed the quickest kiss on her savior’s cheek before she walked away. “That means I can do a whole hell of a lot, right? Nothing stops you from going after what you want.”

And nothing was going to stop her, either. Not even Nick’s sweet concern.

…

Flynn remained outside, pacing the length of the terrace while waiting for Aubrey to return. His mind was awhirl with images of her upturned face, her soft pink lips, the dazed look in her eyes when he’d said he wanted to be with her tonight.

He’d meant it. Damn it, he was tired of repressing his instincts and funneling all of his energy into football. Since when had he been so completely selfish and just done something for his own…pleasure?

Of course, he’d make sure she received
her
pleasure, as well.

Glancing up, he saw Aubrey walking through the door that led onto the terrace. Her gaze met his, warm and sexy and inviting. The smile on her lush lips, which he’d tasted only a few minutes ago, was equally warm, sexy, and inviting. His blood heated at the memory, and anticipation hit him hard.

He smiled as Aubrey approached. “Hey.”

“Sorry I took so long.” She looked flustered. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were a little wild as they darted around the terrace. “I got stuck talking to everyone.”

“Considering that’s what you’re paid to do, I’m not surprised.” He wanted to touch her. Push her hair away from her forehead, stroke his fingers down her soft cheek. She did something to him other women had rarely, if ever, done before.

Made him want. Her.

She stopped looking around, her gaze meeting his, and her smile softened. “You’re very sweet.”

“You think so?” He did his best to fight the snarl that entered his voice. How he hated being called sweet. It all went along with his wholesome, aw-shucks persona. He was to blame for most of it. He’d cultivated the image big-time. If he couldn’t draw attention to his football skills, then why not play up the golden-boy image?

“Well, yeah.” She frowned, probably since she’d detected that edge in his voice. “Is that a bad thing?”

Problem was he was embedded so deep with that good-boy image, the media was just waiting for him to mess up. Do something wrong. Do something…bad. They used to follow him everywhere. He’d hardly been able to drink a beer last summer without them writing an article stating he’d gotten sloppy drunk and then posting it all over the Web.

But damn, the facade was hard to maintain. He was just a man, after all. A man who had urges, who had faults and made mistakes, like every other guy out there.

“Sometimes, yeah,” he admitted, happy when Aubrey’s frown disappeared, replaced with a sly smile.

“I could help you with that,” she murmured, stepping closer. “You could let your walls down with me. Privately.”

Okay, he liked the sound of that. What was wrong with spending a little private time with a woman? He shouldn’t worry about letting loose and having a little fun. It was expected. Normal, even. Plenty of his teammates were out with a different chick every single night, and no one gave them any trouble for it.

Of course, none of them had his saintly image. He was beyond ready to get rid of the halo that clung to him once and for all. His dad would probably kill him.

And he really didn’t care.

“You ready to go?” he asked, approaching her so he could take hold of her arm. She was so slender, his fingers actually met as they curled around her wrist.

“Definitely.” She sounded eager, her eyes wide and full of wonder, as though she couldn’t believe she was actually going to leave with him.

“Then, let’s get out of here.” He let go of her arm to take her hand, interlacing their fingers together. He hauled her in close to him, and her body collided with his.

Her light floral scent teased his senses. That sweater dress was giving him all sorts of fantasies, and, damn, if he didn’t want to strip it off and examine all of those right places most thoroughly with his hands and tongue.

“Where do you suggest we go?” She sounded breathless, which he liked. A lot.

“My place.” The paparazzi had haunted his front doorstep last season, but now they left him alone. He didn’t miss them. “Did you drive here?”

“No, my car is at the stadium. ” Which was back in San Jose.

“Good. You’ll ride with me.” He slipped his arm around her waist, squeezing her close as they exited through the gate of the patio and started heading down the sidewalk to where his vehicle was parked.

Damn, she was soft and curvy. The sweater dress she wore clung almost lovingly to her shape, made him want to slip his hands beneath and find out just how soft she really was. He couldn’t wait to touch her. See her. Naked.

This was going to be a long drive.