The Game of Seduction (Arrington Family Series) (15 page)

Okay, so he’s still arrogant no matter what.

“So what’s the problem?”

“I see you met my friend Gary Parker at the game.”

“Yes. He’s a really nice guy. He kept us laughing during halftime with his jokes. I think he’s in the wrong profession.”

“Yep. Gary was always a funny guy back in college. In fact, he said something funny after the game. He said he was going to ask you out, but you live in Memphis.”

She gave a knowing nod and smiled because she had a pretty good idea where this conversation was going. Somebody was jealous. She had a feeling they were discussing her when she saw them on the court, and they both looked in her direction. Plus, she could sense Gary wanted to ask her out, but he wasn’t her type. Besides, she wanted to be with someone else.

“Well, I’m glad he didn’t ask me out because I would’ve definitely said no.”

His eyebrow arched. “Why?”

“Because I’m not interested in him.”
I want you, you idiot!

“Oh, I see. Well, the funny part is he said you didn’t have a man.”

She almost laughed. She couldn’t believe he was jealous over nothing.

“So your male ego is hurt, Mr. Vincent? It’s not like I lied. I don’t have a man. I have a friend with benefits who is apparently jealous.”

“Jealous? I’m not jealous.” He flicked the flat screen off with the remote and turned his body toward her. “I just didn’t like it. I didn’t like it all. Do you have any idea how I felt watching him sitting next to you, eyeballing your legs in that sexy dress and you laughing at all of his corny-ass lame jokes? I was trying my best not to leave the sky box to come down there and set Mr. Comedian straight.”

They were silent for a few moments. She didn’t know what to make of Rasheed’s jealous rant which according to him wasn’t jealousy.

“Well, it really doesn’t matter what you like.” She stood in front of him with one hand on her hip and the other one waving back and forth in the air. “I didn’t like having to hear you on the phone with some stripper on the way to Atlanta. I didn’t like all of the cheerleaders salivating over you, especially the one who flounced over to you after the game, and I didn’t like having to hear about all of your trysts for the past four months!”

A sly, arrogant smile crossed his face. “So, you’ve been jealous this whole time?”

“I …” Who was she kidding? She couldn’t lie to herself or him, anymore. She sat back in her chair and sighed.

He lifted the arm rest in between their two movie stadium seats and pulled her onto his lap. “First of all, the cheerleader you saw me talking to is my producer’s fiancée. Seeing Gary talking to you tonight made me jealous. Yes, I’m man enough to admit that. I don’t want another man looking at you, talking to you, or thinking about you. It took everything I had not to sock Gary. Do you have any idea what kind of affect you have over me, woman?”

“Really? You wanted to sock Gary for me?” She placed her forehead on his and smiled.

“Yes, baby. It would’ve been all over the news and the gossip blogs. TMZ and Bossip would’ve had a field day. Retired basketball player, Rasheed Vincent, beats the hell out of a high school basketball coach over a breathtaking, beautiful doctor from Memphis.”

She laughed. “Rasheed, what am I going to do with you?”

“Oh, I can think of a few things, especially when you walked in here wearing nothing but boy shorts and a tank top.”

She sighed and slid off of his lap back to her seat. “Is that all you think about? Sex?”

“Well … no. I think about your beautiful smile, your funny little laugh, the way your face wrinkles up when you’re pretending to be mad at me, or the stern look you have when you really are mad at me. It’s kinda sexy, like right now. I think about you and I together having deep intellectual conversations, watching the games, drinking a beer and eating pizza. And yes, Bria, I think about making love to you. How you feel underneath me in my arms with your eyes half shut and those pleasure-filled moans coming from you and the way you say my name. Damn girl, makes a brother really want to be only with you.”

She was silent for a moment, stunned at his words that sounded so sincere that she was speechless.

“Rasheed, what are you trying to tell me?”

“I want you, Bria. I’m ready for a committed, monogamous relationship with you.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice trembled.

He reached over and stroked her hair. “I’ve never been so sure of something in my life. I want you to be all mine. That’s it. Me and you, Bree. Like Bonnie and Clyde. Jay-Z and Beyonce. Barack and Michelle.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. She couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth but she did because they came from his heart.

He grabbed her hard against his rigid body and kissed her already parted lips, sinking his hand into her hair pulling her mouth deeper into his. A stifled moan escaped her at the intensity of his kiss. He released her lips from his and placed feathered-kisses on her neck.

“I want you, Bria,” he said against the hollow of her neck. “I want you to be all mine, forever, baby. You hear me?” His voice was direct and seductive.

“Yes. I want you, too, and I have for a very long time. I just didn’t want to get hurt by another player.”

He kissed her hand and looked at her with such sincerity that a tear formed in her eye. “I promise to never hurt you the way that son of a bitch you were engaged to did. He just didn’t realize how truly special and loving you are. You can trust me, Bria. You own my heart, and I promise to never break yours.”

As the tears rolled down her cheeks, he kissed them away, making more come.

“Let’s go finish this in the bedroom.” He lifted her up in his warm embrace, and she rested her head on his chest with a smile.

Later on that night after a beautiful time of lovemaking, she lay intertwined with Rasheed. Her head rested comfortably on his bare chest as he slept soundly. Her finger traced along his chocolate skin feeling its warmth and smoothness on her fingertips. She inhaled his scent which was a mixture of his cologne along with the fresh scent of their sweat from their intense lovemaking session. She’d never felt so at peace and content with a man as she did with Rasheed. She kissed his chest. He stirred and mumbled something.

“Did you say something, Rasheed?”

“Yeah,” he answered sleepily. “I said move your hand lower.”

And she happily obliged.

Chapter Eleven

“So ladies, what do you think about these?” Jade Whitmore, Megan’s best friend, asked.

Bria had spent the day shopping with Megan and Jade for dining and guest room furniture for Rasheed’s home. He’d told her whatever she picked was fine with him as he handed her his credit card before leaving for a flight for Charlotte, North Carolina, with the
Sports Fanatic
crew.

The ladies had bought furniture, linens, ate lunch, and now Jade had dragged them to a sex toy shop and was holding up two bottles of edible massage oil.

“Um, the peach one since we’re in Georgia,” Bria said, taking the bottle from her and placing it in the hand-held basket that already contained some different-colored extra large condoms and a pack of Truth or Dare cards. “What about you, Megan? Getting anything?”

“No. I don’t have a man.”

Jade dropped the other massage oil into Megan’s empty basket and shook her head. “Stop being such a prude. Who says you need a man. There are plenty of things along that wall that will take care of your needs.” Jade pointed to the wall of sex toys and walked off to another section of the store.

“That’s
your
best friend,” Bria said with a laugh.

Megan shook her head. “Yes, I know. She’s a trip. It’s like having my very own Samantha Jones from
Sex and the City
all day long.”

“I have to say I’m so proud of you, baby cousin. Your interior decorating business is doing well.”

“Thank you, and now with a client like Rasheed Vincent, I’m bound to get even more business. In fact, someone he referred called today. Jade is going to the appointment next week. But enough about me. I can’t believe you’re dating a famous NBA star! How does it feel?” Megan jumped up and down and screeched like a high school student. Bria sometimes had to remind herself that her cousin was only twenty-four, still somewhat wet behind the ears, and every little thing excited her.

“I honestly don’t see him as a famous anything. In Memphis, everyone is used to seeing him around. He’s a very down-to-earth guy, a little arrogant, but once you get to know him, he’s actually very humble.”

“Well, let me know when I need to buy another bridesmaid’s dress. You Arringtons seem to be falling in love and getting married these days.”

“Marriage isn’t on either of our minds right now. I just want to enjoy being with him.”

Jade approached them carrying two sets of handcuffs with fur around the cuff part. “Now, seeing how you’re dating a celebrity, you have to kick it up a notch. I’m not saying he’ll stray, but keep the spice going in the bedroom. These would be perfect. The headboard that is being delivered as we speak has the iron bars. The bed you picked out, may I remind you.” Jade tossed the handcuffs into Bria’s basket and walked away with a Cheshire cat smile as her cell phone beeped.

“Again I say, your friend.”

Megan laughed.

Bria glanced at the handcuffs in the basket. She had recently read an article about using handcuffs and a few other items that would definitely turn Rasheed on. In fact, the thought was turning her on too, reminding her of the lovemaking session in the shower that morning before he left. Too bad he was in Charlotte until the next day, but it would be a nice welcome home surprise. She made a mental note to find the article online again. Before she left the store, she found the rest of the items she needed with an approving nod from Jade and a smirk from Megan.

The next evening, she had everything ready for Rasheed’s surprise. She was wearing a red lacy thong and bra set with red heels. On the night stand were the peach massage oil and a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket with two champagne glasses. In the nightstand drawer were the handcuffs and other items the article had suggested. The only light was from the fireplace.

Rasheed had called to inform her he was in the limo and would be home in ten minutes. She told him in a sexy voice to meet her in the bedroom. She laughed when she heard Rasheed tell the driver to “hurry the hell up.”

When the chime of the front door sounded, she poured a glass of champagne and lay across the bed on her stomach propped up on her elbows. The door to the bedroom opened.

“Welcome home, handsome,” she crooned.

“Damn,” Rasheed whispered as a wide smile stretched across his face. He dropped his overnight bag and trench coat to the floor and unloosened his tie as he walked toward the bed, discarding his suit coat in the process.

She sat up and handed him the champagne glass. He took a sip and handed the glass back to her. She took a sip, and then he downed the rest.

“Miss me, baby?” she asked, pulling him by his shirt to lie on top of her.

“Hell yes.” He captured her lips in a hard kiss, devouring her mouth. She wanted and missed him so bad while he was gone, she almost forgot she was supposed to be in control tonight, but he was just so damn sexy, she couldn’t help it, especially when he clenched her butt cheeks to pull her close to him and grinded his erection on her.

“You feel that, Bree? It’s so damn hard for you. How about we skip foreplay? I need to be inside of you right now.” He started to unbuckle his belt with one hand and pushed her panties to the side with the other hand. “I want it from the back. Turn over.”

“Wait, Rasheed. I have a surprise for you.”

A smile curled at his lips. “Oh really?”

“Yes. In fact, lie on your back.”

He stood up and ripped off his shirt, threw his shoes off and stepped out of his pants and boxers as if they were on fire. He lay in the middle of the bed with a big smile on his face and his erection standing straight up at attention.

“I love when you’re on top as well, especially backwards cowgirl, so I can see your fine ass slapping against me.”

“Trust me, you’re going to love this even more.”

She opened the drawer to the nightstand, pulled out the two sets of handcuffs and held them up for him to see as she straddled him. His eyes widened, and he took one from her.

“Shouldn’t you be on the bottom?” he asked, looking back at the iron bars on the bed.

“No, baby. They’re for you to wear.”

“Wait? What? Naw, girl.”

She leaned over and kissed him softly. “Do you trust me?” she whispered.

“Bria …”

“Trust me, just like I trust you.”

“Do you know where the keys are?”

“Under the pillow.” She reached back into the drawer and pulled out the blindfold and the earplugs.

“Well, aren’t you full of surprises. Okay, I get the blindfold, but earplugs? Pour me another glass of champagne.”

After he drank his second glass, she handcuffed him to the bed and placed the blindfold over his eyes.

*****

Rasheed exhaled as Bria placed the earplugs in his ear. He couldn’t hear, see, or reach out and grab her when he wanted to, but he had to admit, he was more comfortable than he thought he would be. The bed moved a tad as she lifted off of it. He could smell the sweet scent of the gardenia fragranced perfume she wore linger in the air, so she couldn’t have gone far. Then the scent of peaches hit his nose, and Bria straddled him once again. Warm oil touched his chest, and Bria’s hands began to massage his chest in a caressing, circular motion.

He sighed. He’d never felt so relaxed as her hands continued to massage his chest and abs as her hips gyrated on his groin. Her tongue flicked his ear and traveled down to his neck as she nibbled and bit his flesh.

“Damn, girl.” He tried to reach for her but was reminded that he was handcuffed to the bed when his wrists jerked against the cuffs.

Her hair brushed his chest as she continued her tongue journey to his nipples, teasing and licking them while her hand traced down to his erection that was hard as granite. She rubbed up and down on it, her hands warm from the peach massage oil.