Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TANNER
T he past few weeks have been difficult. It’s so hard to see Bailey and have her be cold and distant. She leaves the second I get home. One foot is practically out the door when I step in.
I miss her. It’s got me questioning everything I thought I wanted.
On a happy note, she’s done a great job with the Snakelets. The girls have all improved so much. They’re dominating the league. Surprisingly, Kamryn is a decent coach. She treats the girls like peers, and they seem to enjoy that.
The best part of the games is that they give me the ability to sit and watch Bailey. If not for that, I’d only see her as a blur when she rushes out the door at night.
My heart is aching for her. I miss touching her. I miss talking to her. It was more than physical, and I knew it. I’m such an idiot. I hate myself for hurting her.
Fallon has tried to talk to me a few times about it, but I shut her down. I want to wallow alone in my misery .
My daydreaming is broken up by Layton walking into my office. He and Arizona recently returned from California. Ripley and Quincy had a baby. I didn’t even know they were together. In fact, I’m not sure they are together, but she’s living with him in Philly now as they care for their daughter.
I force a smile. “Hey, bud. I don’t think we have an appointment. Is everything okay?”
He nods. “Yes. I sent over a few swimsuit company contracts for you to review for my wife and me. The offers are pouring in. I don’t know why.”
“You two are the proud owners of the best-selling Sports Illustrated cover of all time. You’re an exceedingly attractive couple, outwardly in love. You’re both looked up to as superstars in your respective sports. And your bodies are flawless. I’m not a genius, but I’m guessing those are the contributing factors.”
He lets out a laugh. “Yep, my wife is a hottie.”
“You really like using the words my wife, don’t you?”
He smiles dreamily. “I do.”
Layton was one of the biggest playboys on the planet, and now he’s the most whipped man I’ve ever met. I never thought I’d see the day, and it happened so fast after he met her. It makes me wonder about people growing and changing.
“What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to check on you. Arizona told me that you and Bailey are no longer sneaky links.”
“What the hell is a sneaky link?”
He twists his lips. “I guess it’s secret sex partners.”
I grimace. “You make it sound so cheap.”
“Were you ever forthcoming about your relationship?”
“No.”
“Were you having sex? ”
I exhale a breath in resignation. “I guess we were sneaky links.”
“Yep. Are you okay?”
“Not really. I hate that I hurt her, but I suppose it’s for the best. Maybe she’ll find the right person.” I have to choke out that last sentence.
“Why can’t that be you?”
I hold up my hands. “Enough, Dr. Layton. I need to get going.”
He simply shakes his head.
“What?”
He pinches his lips together as if choosing his words carefully. “You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“When conversations get a little deep for you, you deflect. It’s probably a skill you acquired in law school. It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes. It doesn’t make you less of a man. It makes you more of one. Look at what I’ve been through. I wouldn’t be okay right now if not for the help of Arizona and my friends. You can trust me with your feelings. I’m your friend, Tanner. I promise.”
I’m silent.
“You obviously care about her more than you let on. Probably more than you expected to.”
Every instinct I have is to run away from this conversation. Bailey was right about me. Layton is right too.
I look at my watch. “I really do have to get going. Yes, my feelings for her run deeper than I had anticipated. Yes, I’m having a hard time letting go.” I stand. “Thanks for checking in. I’ll be fine. I really do have a dinner interview. I need to get across town.”
“Interview for what?”
“I want to bring in a female agent to run my new women’s sports division. I want to get these girls better contracts. The kind they deserve.”
“Oh, cool. You’ll be the Billie Jean King of the twenty-first century.”
I let out a laugh. “There are certainly worse things I could be.”
He smiles. “I guess the Beavers coming to town will be good for business.”
The owners of the Cougars and Anacondas just announced that they’re bringing an expansion women’s professional basketball team to the area. The Philadelphia Beavers. They have the first pick in the upcoming draft and will undoubtedly pick Sulley O’Shea. She’s the biggest star in the sport right now.
I nod. “Yes, I have calls in to a few of their prospective players.”
He smirks. “Sulley O’Shea.”
“That’s an obvious one.”
“Arizona mentioned that she’s coming to see Philly next week, and Reagan asked Bailey to show her around.”
“Really?”
He nods. “Yep. The girls are all planning to take her out and about, but Reagan wants Bailey to be the main point of contact.”
“I suppose that’s smart. Thanks for the intel.”
“Sure thing. Also, my wife and I set a date for the reception this fall. Will you be one of my groomsmen?”
I smile. “I’d be honored.”
Two hours later, I’m sitting at a fancy steakhouse with a woman I know isn’t right for the position, but I can’t be rude and leave. We have to at least finish dinner .
She’s an attorney who said she was an athlete, but it’s clear she wasn’t. At least not at a high level. I need someone who can speak the language of these female athletes. A no-nonsense, strong woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. Someone I can train to effectively advocate for these women.
She’s droning on and on about irrelevant topics. I’m simply sipping my whiskey when a body I know as well as my own walks through the door. She’s in a black dress, with her hair down and makeup on her gorgeous face. I’ve rarely seen her dressed up like this.
Because you’re an asshole who never took her out.
I see the hostess talking to her and then pointing toward a specific table. My eyes toggle to it. Sitting there waiting is Champ Williamson in a jacket and tie. He’s a star running back. The Philly Camels just traded with the Wranglers to bring him here.
He stands when she approaches, smiles widely, pulls her into his arms in a familiar way, and kisses her cheek.
She smiles and hugs him back. What the fuck? Are they on a date? Is she already dating? What happened to being in love with me? Why does my tie suddenly feel so damn tight?
“…is single?”
I turn to the woman I’m sitting with. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked if Vance McCaffrey is single.”
Is she fucking kidding me? “I’m not sure that’s my business, and I know it’s not yours. I also know that it’s not an appropriate question to ask at a job interview.”
Her face falls in horror. “Sorry, just trying to make conversation.” She mumbles, “This is awkward.”
I sip my whiskey again as I turn my attention back to Bailey and Champ. He’s holding her hand across the table, and she’s laughing at whatever he just said.
Why is he touching her? I should be the one touching her from across the table at a fancy restaurant. Anger brews from deep within and sweat starts forming on my brow. I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe. I think I’m having a panic attack. I need air.
I scooch my chair back a little too hard and it falls over backward. Fortunately, I don’t.
Bailey turns her head at the loud interruption, and our eyes meet. She then looks at the woman with me and tears fill her eyes.
She stands, says something to Champ, and then walks quickly toward the bathroom area with her head down.
I toss my napkin on the table. “Excuse me for a moment.” I grab a handful of hundreds and slap them on the table. “In fact, you can head out. I’ll be in touch.” Or not.
I rush toward the bathroom area and straight into the women’s room without giving a shit. I immediately lock the door behind me. She’s leaning her hands on the elegant marble vanity. Her head turns to me, and I see tears spilling out of her eyes. She looks so sad.
I walk toward her and blurt out, “It’s not a date. It’s just a job interview.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not my business anymore. I suppose it never was.”
My fingers twitch. Every instinct of mine tells me to touch her. To comfort her. To be close to her.
I approach her and wrap my arms around her from behind. Our eyes meet in the mirror. “I miss you.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t.”
I inhale deeply, needing her scent to survive.
She’s not relaxing into me like she normally does. Why not?
“Are you dating Champ Williamson?”
She pinches her eyebrows together before she straightens her shoulders and steels her face. “That’s none of your business. ”
Pushing her hair to the side, I kiss the spot on her neck that I know drives her wild. “Does he know how much you like to be kissed here?” I kiss and then lick the spot again.
Her eyelids flutter.
I run my hands up her bare legs until they’re under her dress. Her whole body shivers. I can see her nipples harden through the flimsy material of her dress.
“Does he give you goosebumps from a simple touch?”
Her breathing intensifies.
I run my fingers across her panty-covered pussy and apply a little pressure. “Does he know how much you like my beard right here? Rubbing against you. Pleasuring you.”
She whimpers.
I slip her panties to the side and run my fingers through her wetness while simultaneously grabbing her hair with my other hand and pulling it hard. “Does he make you as wet as I do? Does he know you like to be dominated in bed? Does he know that you like to give up control?”
Our eyes are like laser beams to one another in the mirror. She breathes, “Tanner.”
“I prefer it when you call me Daddy.”
Her whole body shakes. Her juices drip down on my fingers. I need to be inside her.
Removing my hands, I quickly unfasten my belt and pants, pulling out my cock. I run my tip through her wetness a few times. After grabbing her chin hard, I bark out “If you don’t want this, use your safe words.”
She briefly closes her eyes. When she reopens them, there’s a pained look in her eyes as she breathes out, “I want it.”
That’s all the invitation I need. I slam into her.
She lets out a scream that morphs into a moan. She tilts her ass toward me, and I immediately begin my deep, hard thrusts inside her body. It feels so right to be back inside her.
Our eyes remain connected like they usually are when we have sex. It’s one of my favorite things about her. The fact that it’s through a mirror doesn’t lessen the intensity.
My pounding into her body quickly turns animalistic. I’ve never been so rabid for a woman in my life. I’ve never felt so out of control with need.
I can feel her walls constricting around me in sync with her moans of ecstasy. I growl, “No one will ever fuck you like I do.
“Oh god.”
“Come for me, sweet girl. Come hard and long. Make that pussy sing for Daddy.”
Her eyes roll back in her head, and she does just as I instructed, coming long and hard. As soon as she’s finished, I give her five more long, hard pumps and groan into my own release, filling her with my semen.
As I gradually still inside her, the only sounds in the bathroom are our ragged breaths. There’s so much to say to her, yet I’m at a complete loss for words.
I look down and see a drop of my come drip down her leg. There’s something primal about it. She’s marked as mine. When did I turn into a fucking caveman?
Someone knocks on the door. “Anyone in there? You’re taking forever. Are you okay?”
Bailey shouts, “One more minute.”
I pull out and tuck myself back in with a huge smile on my face. She narrows her eyes at me. “Why are you smiling?”
I lick my lips before admitting, “I’m going to enjoy watching you on your date knowing you’re full of my come.”