Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

BAILEY

I t’s been a crazy few weeks. Ripley went into premature labor in California. Arizona, Layton, and Quincy have all moved out there for the time being to help her and the baby, who’s currently in the NICU but seems to be headed in the right direction.

Kam and I offered to fly out, but Arizona said they’re only letting family members see the baby and that Ripley will need help once the baby comes home, so we should wait. It could be months before that happens.

The Cougars are down in Florida for their spring training, so those guys haven’t been around. We do hang out with some of the local football players sometimes, but most of my free nights are spent with Tanner. I’ve fallen for him and even though he hasn’t expressed it, I think he’s fallen for me too.

Things between us have taken on a new level of intensity since we returned from Colorado and Florida. I know we’re so much more than originally intended. I’ve chickened out on having a serious conversation more times than I can count, but I’m hoping that it happens soon. I’m just waiting for the right moment. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

I’m with Tanner tonight ahead of our skydiving adventure tomorrow. He asked me to play poker which has morphed into strip poker. While he has a drink sitting there, I notice that he’s barely touched it. He’s definitely making more of an effort since I mentioned it to him in Colorado. Before then, I was never with him at night when he didn’t have at least two or three glasses. Since then, it’s maybe half the time and never in excess. I’m happy he’s changing his ways.

We’re both sitting across from each other at his card table with cigars in our mouths. I’ve never had one before, but the taste makes me think of Tanner and I’m loving it.

I’m holding what I know will be another winning hand when I ask, “Do you keep in contact with any college friends? I never hear you mention them or any friends who aren’t clients.”

His face looks pained. I’ve struck a nerve.

“I used to have a close friend. He moved to New York too. We were close but have…drifted in the past few years.”

I ask, “Did something happen?”

He tosses his cards on the table with disgust, meaning he’s folding. He knows I have a winning hand. “Yes, you won another hand, and I’m losing another article of clothing.”

We’ve been playing for all of forty-five minutes and he’s nearly naked. Kam and I have truly spent a lifetime being underestimated by men at the poker table. I think Tanner thought he’d have me naked and at his mercy in no time. It’s just the opposite.

He makes a show of pulling his socks off, leaving him in only his boxer briefs and his tie. I’m fully clothed. He playfully lifts an eyebrow. “I can’t believe you’ve won every single hand. I’m questioning my manhood.”

I lean my body forward so I can peek over at the bulge in his boxers, and say, “You should never question that manhood,” as I lay my winning hand on the table with a small smile of satisfaction. “Flush. All hearts for Bailey Hart.” I blow a plume of smoke into the air in victory.

He smirks as he licks his big lips. “As the… owner of this casino, it’s come to my attention that there might be some cheating going on.”

I lean back in my chair and let out a laugh. “Is that the only way a woman can win? Cheating?”

“I need to frisk you for cameras and other contraband. Standard operating procedure. If you’re innocent, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

I place my cigar in the ashtray and raise my arms in the air. “Frisk away, Mr. Montgomery.”

He stands and walks around the table toward me. I notice his bulge is becoming more pronounced with each step as his boxer briefs begin to ride up his thick, muscular thighs. He may actually be the sexiest man in existence.

He makes his way to me until he’s standing behind my chair. “Stand, Ms. Hart.” I do. “Place your hands on the table where I can see them.”

I make a bit of a show of spreading my legs and bending over before placing my hands on the table. I’m wearing spandex shorts and a cropped T-shirt, so plenty is exposed to him when I do so.

He achingly slowly pats down my entire bottom half, leaving no inch untouched. He pays particular attention to the inferno between my legs. All I really want is for him to tear my clothes off and fuck me on this table, but rushing into things isn’t his M.O. He prefers the slow seduction, and I’m a more than willing victim.

His fingers trickle up the bare skin on the sides of my waist and stomach until they cup my breasts. “What cheating device could possibly be in there, Mr. Montgomery?”

Spank .

I let out a moan. God, I love when he spanks me.

“Watch your mouth, Ms. Hart. We don’t like brats at the Montgomery Casino. They’re dealt with sternly.”

I reach between my legs and grab for his bulge, which is currently poking me in the ass. Squeezing his now fully hardened cock, I say, “You seem to like it a lot.”

Spank.

My eyes roll back in my head. A gush of wetness shoots from my core. My panties are immediately soaked.

“That will earn you a full - body examination.”

Yes please.

He slides my shorts and panties down and off my legs. I can’t see him, but I hear him inhale deeply. “These panties tell me that something naughty is going on down there.”

It certainly is.

He reaches around my body and shoves my wet panties into my mouth. I’ve never done that before. I can both taste and smell my arousal. So hot.

I feel him drop to his knees. He spreads apart my ass cheeks and licks through me. I gasp at the unexpected and never-before-experienced move.

His thumb then teases my back entrance. “Has anyone been here before? ”

The truth is no. I lied to Kam about it a while ago. She was all over me about how great anal sex is, so one day I told her what she wanted to hear. I felt bad lying, but she was relentless, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I won’t lie to him though. “No, Daddy. I’ve saved it for you like a good girl.”

He lets out a loud grumble from deep in his chest. I guess he liked that.

He applies open-mouth kisses to both my ass cheeks a few times before his tongue again finds my back entrance. I can feel a mixture of his saliva and my juices dripping down my inner thighs.

Suddenly I feel his finger prodding my back entrance before he slips it in an inch or two. I suck in a breath at the new and unexpectedly pleasurable sensation.

“What do we have in here, Ms. Hart?”

He pushes further, and the backs of my legs start to tingle. I collapse my front onto the table causing the piles of poker chips to fall and scatter. Holy heck, this is good.

I let out a loud moan. I don’t recognize my own voice when I rasp out, “Deeper.”

He sinks in to the knuckle. I can feel my clit throbbing from it. Pulsing. If he touches it—

Before I can finish the thought, the fingers of his other hand begin rubbing my clit as his finger in my back entrance begins thrusting in and out of me. The dual sensation is blowing my mind. Damn, I hate when Kam is right.

I’m gripping the far side of the card table as he expertly works me over. My vision begins to darken, illuminated only by the starry lights beginning to take form. I yell out so freaking loud into my orgasm that I start to feel light-headed like I might pass out. And then darkness overtakes me.

“Bailey! Sweetheart. Are you okay?”

I blink my eyes open and find him sitting in a chair with me cradled in his lap. I whisper, “What happened? ”

He smiles. “You blacked out from your orgasm.”

My mouth forms an O. “I didn’t know that was a real thing. It felt so ducking good I couldn’t see straight. I lost consciousness. Holy shitake.”

He chuckles. “Best day of my life. I’ve never made a woman black out before. I want to do a happy dance right now, but my cock is about to explode from how fucking hot that was.” He gives me a huge smile. “I’ll forever replay that when I’m sitting here with my friends at this poker table, with them blissfully unaware, bragging to me how good they are in bed.”

I wiggle my ass over his cock and he lets out a groan. I can’t help but run my fingers through his sexy beard. “How about I take care of Daddy?”

His face twitches, as does his cock.

I slip down to my knees between his legs and do just that.

Reagan Daulton summoned me to her office. I told her I have plans this afternoon, but I could come by in the morning. I didn’t bother to tell her that my plans include jumping out of an airplane strapped to Tanner’s chest with my life in his hands.

I head downtown to Daulton Holdings. Even though she has offices in both the Anacondas and Cougars’ stadiums, this is her main office. It’s in an enormous skyscraper. Her company occupies every single floor. I know she’s the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world, but I don’t think I appreciated just how big it was until I walked into the building and saw how many people work for her. It must be in the thousands.

The security man at the front desk tells me which floor to go to and that I should ask for Sheila, Reagan’s assistant. I ride the elevator and eventually find my way to an adorable middle-aged woman in trendy eyeglasses. She smiles at me. “You must be Bailey. She said for you to go in when you arrived. She’s in a meeting but is fine with you interrupting.”

I knock on the door and walk into what must be the biggest, nicest, executive office in creation. It’s got a huge marble desk, a full bar, an area that looks like it’s for a toddler, and a full living room complete with sofas, chairs, and a television. She’s seated there with two attractive blonde women with a bunch of files spread on the coffee table. All three are in very fashionable business suits. I suddenly feel underdressed in jeans and a sweater.

She smiles when she notices me. “Bailey. Thanks for coming.” She points to the blonde with green eyes and says, “This is my sister, Skylar.”

Oh, I see the resemblance.

Skylar holds out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Bailey. Congratulations on all your success this past season. I’m hoping to bring my kids out to more games this year.”

I smile in return. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.”

Reagan then turns to the other woman. She’s unusually tall, but otherwise very much resembles Reagan. “This is our cousin, Jade.”

Jade is holding a can of something. It looks like it has the word pussy on it, but I must be mistaken.

Jade smiles in a mischievous manner that reminds me of Kam. “Nice to meet you, Bailey Hart. I met your teammate Ripley last year. I heard she gave birth prematurely. I hope she’s doing well.”

I nod. “Thank you. She and the baby seem to be headed in the right direction.”

She notices my line of sight and smirks. “Yes, it’s Pussy Juice. It’s a natural energy drink.” She winks, “I don’t prefer the bitter taste of coffee in the mornings, I like the sweetness of a good Pussy Juice.”

Reagan rolls her eyes. “She drinks it just to get a rise out of people. Ignore her. It tastes like shit.” She shoos the back of her hand at Jade. “Get your Pussy Juice out of my office. I’ll talk to you two later. ”

The three of them giggle as Skylar and Jade walk out.

Reagan shakes her head. “Honestly, I think she does it to make all the men in this office uncomfortable. She’s a bit of a button-pusher. She totally gets off on ruffling feathers.”

“She’d probably get along with my sister.”

“Ha. No doubt.” She motions toward one of the sofas. “Please sit.” I do. “Can I have Sheila get you something? Food, drink? Anything but Pussy Juice.”

I smile nervously. “No, I’m good.”

I think she notices my nerves. “Don’t worry, Bailey, this meeting has absolutely nothing to do with your contract with the Anacondas. It’s a side project, and I think you’re the right person for the job.”

I breathe an audible sigh of relief. “Phew. I’ve been on edge since you asked to see me.”

She scrunches her face. “Sorry. I should have said something. Sometimes I forget that people are scared of me.”

“I’m not scared of you, per se, more the power you wield.”

The corners of her mouth raise in amusement. “Touché. Point taken. Anyway, I don’t want to waste your time. Let’s get right to it. Have you been watching college basketball this season? I know you were a great player at one point. I think you even have a few state records in Florida.”

I nod. “I’ve absolutely been watching. What’s happening with women’s basketball right now is very exciting.”

It’s getting more attention than it ever has in the past. There’s a specific player, Sulley O’Shea, who is breaking records and garnering attention never seen before in the sport. Attendance and viewership have been way up over years past. Her jersey is a best seller.

She nods. “I agree. What I’m about to tell you is confidential for the time being. Can I trust that it will stay between the two of us?”

“Of course.”

“The Anacondas have honestly exceeded my expectations. I had a few tricks up my sleeve to get things kickstarted, but you ladies won over this town with your grit, great play, and heart. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is for me to be a part of shining a light on women’s sports. Giving you all the opportunity to play professionally for a living is worth every bit of time I have to spend on this.” She smiles. “I’m just lucky that I work with my husband and my son goes to daycare in the building or I’d never see them.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “Honestly, I don’t know how you do it all.”

She deadpans, “I don’t get much sleep.”

I let out a laugh. “I bet.”

“I don’t want to stop at softball. I want to bring women’s professional basketball to Philly. I think the timing is ripe. If we move things along quickly and become an expansion team this year, guess who has the first pick in the draft?”

I nod my head up and down in realization. “You’d get Sulley O’Shea.”

She wiggles her eyebrows up and down. “Bingo. The draft is coming up. I’m willing to push this new team along a year earlier than I had planned just to get her. The problem is that Sulley comes from a small town. If we weren’t involved, the first pick was going to a much smaller town than Philly. I’m worried about her willingness to come to a bigger city. I see you as the heart and soul of the Anacondas. You’re probably my favorite player to watch. You’re unassuming. You’re not flashy. You put your head down and give every ounce of yourself to your team. You don’t do it for the glory. I can’t even get you to consider endorsement deals. You’ve got a…small-town heart. From my research into Sulley’s background, it seems like you two are a lot alike. I think you’d be a great liaison for Sulley, both as an Anaconda and a former basketball player. You have common ground. I’m willing to pay you for your time. We can call you a consultant.”

It's not lost on me that Tanner said something similar to me about being the heart and soul of the team months ago. It’s a really nice feather in my cap.

I take a moment to consider her words and her request. “Wow. I’m flattered by the compliment, but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable taking money for that. What if Sulley found out I was being paid to spend time with her? I’d feel terrible. Why don’t you just tell me when she’s in town, and I’ll reach out to her? It’s more organic that way. I can introduce her to a ton of people and help her feel at home. I don’t need to be paid to do it. It’s the right thing to do.”

She stands and holds out her hand for me to shake, which I do. “You’re a good cat, Bailey Hart. I won’t soon forget this.”

“It’s honestly my pleasure. You’ve already done so much for all of us.”