Ballers with Benefits (Double Play Series Book 3)

by Nicole Rodrigues

  “It’s in Florida, don’t stress. I was fine, the hotel was beautiful, and we really didn’t venture out.”

  I feel my face redden at the memory of free falling out of an airplane with Damon. I’m probably not going to mention that part.

  “Still, I’m happy you’re home,” he says.

  “Me too, it’s nice to be back.”

  “Come and eat y’all,” my mother says.

  My aunt walks over to me grabbing my arm.

  “I want the non-softball details later, but your office has been smooth sailin’. Normani is really doin’ a great job, but I’m sure she’ll be happy you’re back.”

  “I’m sure big mouth has already informed you of the ‘non-softball’ details. I’m gonna start sendin’ out NDAs to anyone I confide in, my gosh.”

  My aunt laughs and shakes her head.

  “I haven’t spilled the beans to anyone. Personally, your daddy and Devin are gonna have a fit when they find out you’re with Damon, but they’ll come around. He’s a good guy Bella, I’ve seen a big change in him from the first time he stepped in my office to today, believe me. I would never throw you to the wolves like that.”

  “Not a wolf, maybe a beast. I mean-...never mind,” I say shaking my head.

  Savannah covers her ears and smiles.

  “Yeah don’t ask don’t tell. I just wanna make sure he’s treatin’ you like he should. I’ll kick his ass if he ain’t. He knows I have his career by the balls.”

  “He’s fine, please don’t say balls...like ever again.”

  --

  “What movie you wanna watch little mama?” I call out towards the living room.

  “Beauty and the Beast!” Avery yells back.

  She comes running into the kitchen hugging my leg.

  “Perfect! I haven't seen that one in a while!”

  We walk back into the living room and Avery goes to sit on the couch. I grab her arm and pull her towards the other one.

  “Let's let Cousin Lacey sit on that one. It's really gross and smelly because she uh...drooled on it last night.”

  “I sure did,” Lacey says under her breath.

  I laugh and shake my head as I pull Avery up onto the couch, covering us both with a blanket. I hand her the bag of M&Ms and let her pour it over our popcorn.

  “Mmmm I always wondered what Belle saw in the beast, now I get it,” Lacey says throwing a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

  I laugh and throw a piece at her.

  “Little ears. Behave,” I chastise.

  “Well we both know that isn’t any fun.”

  I laugh and sigh, knowing that she is exactly right.

  Chapter 19

  Bella

  I feel something tickle my forehead and smack it away. I turn to my side, feeling a small little body, and hold it close to me. The tickle comes back, and I move my head, willing it to go away again.

  “Morning angel,” I hear a soft voice say.

  I open my eyes and have to blink a couple of times to make sure what I’m seeing is actually real.

  “Damon?” I say loudly.

  I feel Avery move next to me and I take off my blanket, moving off the bed. I tuck her in tightly and motion for the door.

  “What the hell are you doin’ here?” I ask shutting the door behind us.

  “Bringin’ you some breakfast. I have the next two days off then I have to head to San Francisco. I was hoping to spend them with you.”

  “I-”

  I hear voices in the kitchen and look at Damon questioningly.

  “And I brought Nico. Apparently, he can’t breathe without seeing his woman so…”

  I laugh and we walk into the kitchen, Lacey is sitting on Nico’s lap, her mouth latched on his neck.

  “We really should get more chairs, and we should give you your own room, oh wait!” I say sarcastically.

  “Oh, shut up you prude,” Lacey giggles.

  “Avery can come out, stop bein’ a teenager. My God, you won’t die if you sit in a different chair. Don’t you ever come up for air?”

  “Who pissed in your coffee? Nico and I are gonna take Avery home when she wakes up and I’m spendin’ the night at his hotel. Damon needs to pull that stick out of your ass, or leave it in there, whatever tickles your taco.”

  “How do you deal with her?” I ask Nico.

  “I don’t let her talk very much, I keep her mouth busy,” Nico smirks.

  Lacey smacks his arm and I shake my head.

  “Well that answers that question, you’re the same exact person. I commend you for tamin’ this woman or at least tryin’ to.”

  Nico looks at Lacey and something sparkles in his eye. I see Lacey look away and I can’t help the smile that creeps onto my face. God, they so love each other. Lacey looks away quickly breaking the moment and clears her throat.

  “Thank you for havin’ clothes on today, by the way,” I say.

  “What?” Damon snaps.

  “You can explain that one to him,” I say patting Lacey and Nico on the shoulders.

  I walk towards the counter, grabbing a biscuit for myself and Avery. I grab two plates out of the cabinet and set them down on the counter. I walk down the hall and see my door open before I get there.

  “Mornin’ little mama. How’d ya sleep?”

  Avery looks up past me and points.

  “Who is that man?” she asks quietly.

  I turn around and see Damon standing in the hallway, a big smile on his face.

  “This is my friend Damon. He plays baseball like Devin. Ya wanna come say hi?”

  She nods and I walk over to her, picking her up and walking towards Damon.

  “Hi Avery. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “I didn’t hear anything about you,” she says back.

  I laugh and we walk into the kitchen, Lacey finally sitting in her own seat.

  “This is Lacey’s boyfriend, Nico,” I say smiling.

  Lacey chokes on her coffee and coughs as Nico laughs, putting his big hand out towards Avery.

  “Hey Avery, it’s nice to meet you,” Nico says in a soft voice.

  I look up at Lacey and she’s watching the interaction, smiling a smile I haven’t seen from her in a long, long time.

  “Boyfriends and girlfriends kiss. Do y’all kiss each other?” Avery asks making a disgusted face.

  “They kiss each other a lot,” I whisper making a disgusted sound too.

  Everyone laughs and I sit Avery down on the chair and walk over to the counter to get our biscuits. I turn around and Avery has made her way into Damon’s lap and I almost drop both our plates at the sight.

  “Are you sissy’s boyfriend?” I hear her whisper.

  Damon looks up at me and we lock eyes. He smiles and whispers in Avery’s ear, low enough that I can’t hear the answer and she giggles. She nods her head and I smile at the two of them with a strange feeling in my belly.

  We all eat together, making small talk and Lacey and Nico stand, motioning for Avery.

  “I had a great sleepover with you little mama. I’ll come and see you again before I leave for the week, okay?” I say bending down to give her a hug and a big kiss on her forehead.

  “I love you sissy. Thank you for the sleepover.”

  She turns to Damon and laughs.

  “Remember what I said, okay?” she says to him.

  He laughs and opens his arms for her and she jumps to him, giving him a hug.

  “I remember, don’t worry.”

  Lacey, Nico and Avery leave and I’m alone with the man that has taken a hold of my heart.

  “What were you two all buddy/buddy about?” I ask curiously walking slowly to Damon.

  “I asked her if I should be your boyfriend and she told me yes.”

  “Did she?” I ask lacing my hands behind his head.

  “As long as I don’t kiss you,” he laughs.

  “Oh, well see, that ain’t gonna happen Mr. Johnson because I plan on kissin’ you all dam
n night.”

  “That so angel?”

  “Yes sir, it is.”

  “Mmmm sir. Now that is sexy.”

  His hands roam down my hips and his lips kiss my collar bone softly.

  “How about boyfriend. That’s a sexy nickname too,” he says.

  I freeze in his arms and pull my head back searching his face.

  “Damon…”

  “Bella…”

  “Alright spit it out. What are ya tryin’ to say?”

  “I'm trying to say fuck the arrangement, the deal, the whatever the hell we had going on. I want you angel. I want all of you to myself, every day, all day, mine in every single sense. I want you to be my girlfriend, I want this to be serious. I don’t want to just go with the flow and see where it goes. I know where it’s gonna go because I don’t ever see a me without you. Ever.”

  “I...Damon, I’m scared,” I whisper. “I lost myself in Connor. I was just a shell rolling through life standing behind him. I don’t want that to happen again.”

  “I would never let that happen to you. I want this Bella, this adventurous, strong, independent woman. I want you to play softball, have your career, get a tattoo, jump out of a plane. I want to do life by your side, next to me, not behind me. I would never dim your shine Bella. Connor was an insecure prick that wanted you in his shadow because he knew you were above him. You are so much better than me angel, in every sense of the word, but I can’t find it in my heart to let you go to find someone else. I will try so damn hard to be the man you deserve. Be the man for you. Please just give this a chance, give me a chance.”

  “This sounds like a proposal,” I say with tears in my eyes.

  “One day it will be,” he says cupping my face.

  “Damon!” I admonish.

  He laughs and shakes his head.

  “Not yet but...at least accept this proposal. Let’s do this Bella, be my girl, for real.”

  I feign thinking for a couple of seconds and then nod my head, Damon letting out a breath.

  “You really know how to keep a man on his toes, Gavinwood.”

  “Couldn’t let you get me that easily.”

  “Oh angel, I’m sure by the end of the night you will be begging for me to.”

  Damon

  The doorbell rings as I have my mouth over Bella’s right nipple and my dick balls deep inside her.

  “Ah shit, that’s probably the pizza. Dammit, I’m so close Damon.” she complains. “One minute,” she yells to the door.

  “Angel, you’re putting some pressure on me,” I growl as I pound into her harder, her headboard slamming against the wall.

  I quicken my pace as I feel Bella’s walls clamp down around me.

  “Yes Damon,” she cries out, “My God.”

  “Ah angel, you feel so fucking good,” I rasp.

  I pump two more times deeply into her and explode, rocking my hips, pumping everything out of my body, not that there is even much left. We’ve been at it since my ‘proposal’ this morning and this woman is draining me.

  “Comin’,” she yells.

  “Yes, you did.”

  I smile and kiss her as I hop off the bed, taking the condom off and throwing it in the trash in the corner. I pull on shorts, fully aware the pizza boy is going to get a good look at my still half hard dick and jog to the front door. I grab my wallet off the front table and open the door and I freeze. Charlotte and Gabriel Gavinwood are standing in front of me and there is nowhere for me to hide.

  “H...Hi,” I stutter trying to nonchalantly put my hand over my now deflating erection.

  That’s all I manage to get out before Gabriel is barreling through the room, his big hand on my chest, pushing me into the nearest wall, knocking over the front table.

  “Where the fuck is Bella?”

  “Gabriel!” Charlotte yells.

  “Where?” he growls in my face.

  “She’s...she’s in the bedroom. I...she’s fine we were just...we…take it easy it’s...”

  “Daddy, what the hell are you doin’?” Bella yells.

  I look over Gabriel’s shoulder and my eyes widen. Bella is in a short robe, her hair a mess and she looks thoroughly fucked. I close my eyes, praying Gabriel doesn’t notice and lets me live.

  “Is he hurtin’ you?” Gabriel asks keeping his eyes on me.

  “No, but you’re hurtin’ him. Put him down Daddy, he’s injured!”

  “He doesn’t look injured, but I sure as hell can fix that.”

  “Gabriel, calm down,” Charlotte snaps.

  I swear somehow his eyes have daggers on the end because the longer he stares at me the more pain I feel.

  “Bella!” I hear Charlotte gasp.

  Gabriel loosens his grip on me and turns around as Bella covers her arm quickly.

  “What are you hidin’ Bella? What the hell did you do?” Gabriel asks me tightening his grip again.

  “He didn’t do nothin’! Let him go Daddy, I’m a grown woman. I got a tattoo, it was my decision.”

  I close my eyes praying for God to just kill me now and spare me the torture. I open my eyes slowly and see Gabriel contemplating the most painful way to send me to hell.

  “You’re fuckin’ dead,” he whispers to me.

  “Ya know what, enough!” Charlotte says loudly. “Gabriel, she is a grown woman and the roof over her head is paid for by her, not us. Damon and Bella have been seein’ each other and whatever she does and whoever she sees is none of our damn business.”

  “It is my business,” he roars. “He’s a punk ass playboy! You don’t think I know your type? I was you! I know exactly what is on your mind and you’re gonna fuck around on her and I won’t have it! You’re not gettin’ anywhere near her, ever again!”

  “Gabriel, we don’t need a reminder of how big of an asshole you were. Come out in the hallway with me, right now,” Charlotte says through gritted teeth.

  “But he-”

  “Right. Now. Gabriel,” Charlotte says accentuating each word.

  Gabriel shakes his head, dropping me to the ground and Charlotte leads him out in the hall, shutting the door behind them in the process. Bella runs to my side and I shake my head.

  “I’m fine. It’s okay, I’m fine.”

  “God, I’m gonna kill him. Is your knee hurt? Are you sure?”

  I grab her cheeks and pull her face to me, locking our lips to get her to stop talking. I massage a thumb up and down her cheek bone and smile against her lips.

  “I’m fine angel. If I caught my daughter shacking up with a guy like me, I would have done the same. I should go, let you catch up with your parents.”

  I start to walk down the hall and she grabs my wrist.

  “Damon, don’t. When your mama was rude to me, you stuck by my side. You ain’t leavin’, unless it’s what you want. Don’t leave because of him. He means well, he just...he’s a hot head. We’re together now, I stick by my man, okay?” she says shaking her head.

  “Let me just go put on a shirt. Maybe you should put on some clothes too.”

  Bella smiles and we walk down the hall to her bedroom. We dress quietly and hear the door open and close. She looks up at me and grabs my hand and we walk back into the living room, together.

  “Are you done with your temper tantrum?” Bella asks Gabriel, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “I’m sorry,” he grumbles. “But in my defense, y’all don’t tell me these things,” he says putting his hands in the air.

  “Hmm...I wonder why that is?” Charlotte says feigning a thinking pose, her arm crossed as the other cups her chin.

  “Maybe if I would have had a warnin’ goin’ in, instead of havin’ to hear it myself!”

  Bella’s cheeks redden and I close my eyes.

  “Sir, we didn’t mean for that...I’m really sorry. I promise you that I am not going to hurt your daughter. She is very special to me and I know what you must think of me because of my past reputation, but I assure you, I am not like that anymore,
” I say.

  I’m not sure if I believe my own words, but a small part of me does. Bella is special to me and I don’t want to hurt her. He knows what a shit I was though, and I know I am capable of being a great man to Bella but a small part of me hopes I don’t fuck it up. She deserves so much and I am going to try everything in my power to make sure that is me.