Loving The Game (Thirty-Something in the City - The Lunchtime Sorority Book 1)

by Bailie Hantam

  She told Tracey about her promotion. Her friend was excited for her, but beneath it all, Jill could see her sadness. Tyler spoke of the game his team had won the day before. They both managed to keep her entertained until Tracey’s parents walked back into the room.

  Tracey’s shoulder sagged. “Mom, Dad. You don’t have to stay. They’ve filled me with painkillers. I’m sure I’ll spend most of my day sleeping.”

  “Of course, you’ll be sleeping.” Her mother held up an oversized tote bag. “I brought my knitting. I’ll be here in case you need me. Your dad brought a book.”

  Mr. B held up a thick paperback as evidence.

  Tyler finally removed his hand from Jill’s back and she felt the loss immediately. He took both of Tracey’s hands in his. His lowered his voice to a whisper. “Do you want us to stay. You know, to run interference.”

  She shook her head. “You two go. All that will happen is that we all get irritated. I can at least pretend to sleep.”

  Jill nodded and tilted her head. “I’m sort of stuck here. I drove Tyler’s car, so I need to call an Uber.”

  Tyler frowned down at her. “You could just ask me to take you home. You did me a favor, by driving it here.”

  She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, ignoring the way his gaze dropped to her mouth. “Thank you.”

  Tracey darted her gaze between the two of them. “Wait. You let her drive your car?”

  He shook his head. “It was Derrick’s idea. And I was in no mood to argue.”

  His mother stepped up. “Why don’t you two go get cleaned up and have something to eat. Your dad and I will be here. We’ll let you know if we need anything. But I think she needs to rest.”

  Tyler nodded and hugged Tracey. Jill lifted her brow and waited for Tracey to nod before doing the same. They said their goodbyes to Tyler’s parents. As they walked out of the door, Jill looked up at him. “I do believe that’s three points to me.”

  He looked down at her until they rounded the corner from Tracey’s room. He pushed her against the wall. He leaned both his hands on either side of her head, effectively caging her in. “Are you sure you want to play that game with me?”

  “What?” Jill was not going to let him intimidate her. To the contrary the harshness of his tone was turning her on. “You worried you’re going to lose.”

  The corners of his mouth lifted, making her stomach flip. It all felt far too familiar. “Sweetheart, you want to make a competition of who can turn the other on the most? You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

  Jill smiled. He really did think he was all that. “I do know what you’re capable of. Remember?”

  He leaned in closer. His breath warm on her neck. “You remember what I’m capable of doing with my dick, my hands, my tongue. And that was twelve years ago.”

  Her nipples hardened at the memory of the one night she’d spent with him.

  She was incapable of speaking, so he continued. “You have no idea what I can do with just my words.”

  Oh, she was getting a very good lesson on that. Still, she could have the last word. “You seem to be under the misguided notion that I haven’t learnt a thing or two in the last decade or so.”

  His smile widened. “I look forward to seeing it. Challenge accepted.” He pushed himself away from the wall. “And that, I believe, makes us three points each, now.”

  ***

  Tyler

  Tyler followed Jill to where she had parked his car. He froze about ten meters from his gunmetal Land Rover. At least the car was in the bay. Barely. She had parked almost diagonally across the parking space, leaving very little space for the driver next to her to get into his car.

  “Remind me never to let you drive my car again.”

  He walked to the passenger’s side to open the door for her. At the very least he could prevent the door from knocking the car next to him. Naturally, she was tiny enough, she had enough room to move in.

  She had the audacity to frown at him. “What? I parked in the lines. And besides, I was kind of in a hurry.”

  He shuddered remembering that she had arrived at the same time as him and Derrick, despite leaving a few minutes after them. She claimed to have taken back roads. Something told him she was not a cautious driver, though.

  He walked to the driver’s side and got into his seat. Squeezed was probably a better word for it. His knees were pressed between his chest and the steering wheel. His face was nearly touching the wind screen. And his head was touching the roof of the car. Beside him, Jill giggled at his discomfort.

  He fiddled with the levers on the side of his seat until he was comfortable and arranged his mirrors so he could see behind him. Pulling out of the space was not as easy. He had to back and forth a few times to straighten the car before he could pull out. As he eased into the traffic he looked over at her. “Where to?”

  She waved her phone at him. “Listen to the GPS, she’ll get you there.”

  With the exception of the electronic female GPS voice, the drive to Jill’s flat was silent. Not awkward, necessarily, but charged. The one thing Tyler couldn’t deny was the chemistry between them. It was made only marginally easier knowing she felt it too. And that she wasn’t trying to deny it.

  “Wanna get some breakfast,” Tyler asked without taking his eyes off the road.

  “Sure.” Jill looked over at him and he couldn’t help but spare her a glance. “That sounds suspiciously like a date.”

  Tyler stopped at a red light and turned to her. “Breakfast is not a date. If I have my way, dates usually end with breakfast.”

  “Cocky”

  “Confident.”

  She looked away. They drove down the main road. Sunday morning wasn’t very busy. A few hardware shops and some takeaway places were open. Otherwise most of the traffic came from people heading to church. “I’ll just shower and change out of these clothes then we can go,” she finally said, her eyes still fixed on the trees or whatever she was pretending to look at.

  “Do you have a spare toothbrush?”

  “Uh, yes” She fidgeted in her seat, shooting him a confused glance. “Why?”

  “I need to shower.” He pulled away from the intersection. The roads weren’t busy driving through the tree-lined streets of suburbia. It was Sunday morning, after all. “I figured since I have a change of clothes in the car, I might as well shower at your place. But I need a toothbrush.”

  He pulled into her flat complex and she guided him to the visitors parking space. She didn’t argue about having him shower at her place. That had to be a good thing. When he’d had his hand on her back earlier, it had been so comfortable. So right. Everything about being with her had warmed him. And not just in the heat running through his vein’s kind of way.

  She grabbed her handbag from the backseat and exited the car before he had a chance to go around and open for her. He took his gym bag from the trunk of his car and followed her.

  She fished for her keys as they made their way up the stairs. It was obvious she was trying not to focus on him.

  Maybe he was pushing her too far. “If it’s a problem, I can shower at home and pick you up after.”

  “It’s not a problem.” She slipped off her heels and carried them in her hand. “I was just surprised you were prepared.

  “I’m a rugby player.” Once again, he rested his hand on the small of her back. Funny how that seemed like the most natural thing to do. “Spare clothes in the car is almost a job requirement. But that’s not what’s bothering you. Is it?”

  Jill sighed and looked up at him, never breaking her stride “You’re going to be naked in my home,” she said, then looked away. “I mean, you’re going to smell like my apple shampoo and bodywash. And I know you’ll be behind closed doors. I just need to wrap my head around it.”

  God, he loved her honesty. And the idea of smelling like her was a turn-on she wouldn’t believe

  “How long have you been living here,” Tyler asked, as they started a
nother flight of stairs. “Looks like a new development.”

  He was right. The building was one of the new green developments in the city. There were windows in the stairwells so that lights were only needed at nighttime. They opened too, allowing the breeze to flow through. Solar panels on the roof and a few other features to keep the building as environmentally friendly as possible.

  “Only about a year,” she said. “It takes some strict budgeting most months. But I’m not overly indulgent and it’s closer to the office than where I was staying before.”

  By the time they reached the third flight of stairs, Tyler slowed down. “How far up do you live?”

  “Sixth floor.” She carried on with her pace. “It’s free exercise.”

  “Is there no elevator?” Tyler was taking the stairs two at a time and Jill still managed to keep up with him. “Seems like a flaw in the plan.”

  “There is one in the lobby.” She pointed to entrance door on the fourth floor.

  “And we’re not taking it because…?”

  “I don’t want to be alone in a confined area with you.” The corners of her mouth lifted a little. “I think that would give you an advantage in this game we’re playing.”

  They reached the landing between the third and fourth floor and he pulled her toward him. Her breasts just skimming his lower chest. “Whether or not we continue this game,” he said dropping his head to hers, “we both know this is going to have the same outcome. How we get there is entirely up to you.”

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, undoing what little hold he had on his control. “I agreed for you to come upstairs and get naked. I believe the next step is up to you.”

  That did it. He cupped his hand around the back of her head pulling her mouth to his. Brushing his lips over hers, he needed to be sure that she wanted what he wanted. “Jill, if you don’t want this you’re going to have to walk away.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. Her shoes and bag knocking up against his back as she pulled him closer to her. He lifted her with his other hand, and she complied, easily wrapping her legs around his waist. He licked the seam of her lips and she opened for him.

  He adjusted her so that her core rested on his erection. He wanted to feel her heat and let her know what she did to him.

  She tasted of coffee and something sweet. The kiss was familiar and new all at once.

  With one hand holding her back, he used the other one to hold onto the railing as he walked further up the stairs.

  He pushed his back against the swing door to the sixth-floor entrance, the heels she was carrying digging into his back. He pulled away from her and gestured down the hallway. “How far down.”

  She turned around as if she had to orientate herself with what he was talking about. “Second one from the end.”

  “Give me your keys.”

  She dropped her keys into his hand. “It’s the small one with green nail polish on it.”

  She continued kissing his jaw, his neck, that sweet spot just below his ear as he opened the door to her flat.

  Tyler kicked the door closed behind them and turned them around. He held her up against the wall as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He’d never wanted anything like he wanted to be inside her that instant. Maybe then he would finally have her out of his system.

  Tyler stilled, his hand gripping Jill’s ass. Was that what he wanted? A quick fuck and be done with her? She was his sister’s friend. His friend. He wanted more than friendship from her, but if that was all he could get, it was worth more than a one and done.

  He’d tried using sex to get her out of his system once before and that caused a long gap in their friendship. He didn’t want to do that again.

  He pulled away and lowered her off his hips. “We’re not doing this. Not like this.”

  She was still panting, blinking up at him. “What?”

  “I said I would take you on a date.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I will call you like a perfect gentleman. Pick you up and show you a good time. We’re not doing this now.”

  Jill narrowed her eyes at him. Did she not trust him? It wasn’t like he had the best track record when it came to women. Even if he wasn’t much more than she believed him to be. She’d always seen him as her jock-friend that she had a crush on. The one who was up for a good time. Not the one she would get serious with.

  She dragged her eyes down his body, her gaze lingering a little longer at his erection. “I look forward to it.

  Chapter 5

  Jill

  It had been over a week since Jill and Tyler had gone out for breakfast. Maybe he’d changed his mind about the date. She wasn’t sure dating him was a good idea, but she was curious to see what other women saw in him. Besides the fame and the good looks. Did he show them his caring and loyal side. Despite the pang of disappointment at him not calling, she knew it was probably for the best. Their lives already overlapped too much. They had a history. He was her best friend’s brother. He was friends with all her friends. Added to that was the fact that they worked together. And of course, there was Mary-Anne’s rule.

  To be fair, Mary-Anne didn’t care how any of her employees conducted their lives. What mattered was how it impacted her business. If she suspected there was anything going on between Jill and Tyler, Jill would likely lose her shot at promotion. Unless, of course, there was a way to exploit it in a way that was good for business. Neither of those options appealed to Jill.

  Still, it wasn’t like Tyler had completely ghosted her. They’d seen each other regularly in that time. With him at training and her organizing the gala dinner and next charity match, it was inevitable. They’d texted each other regularly, too. Mostly flirty stuff. A racy joke, a mention of getting in the shower. Sometimes they bordered on inappropriate. Like that morning when he’d said he’d prefer it to be her mouth on his dick instead of his hands.

  The image she’d conjured of him pleasuring himself had stayed with her all day.

  Though, sometimes he just texted her to check in how her day went. And he always texted her good night.

  So the text she was staring at came as quite a surprise.

  Tyler: Dinner tomorrow night?

  It was even more disconcerting considering where she was.

  “This is supposed to be our time.” Tracey scowled at Jill. “Whatever Mary-Ann wants can wait a while.”

  Jill smiled and placed her phone face down on the coffee table. They were all gathered in Tracey’s parent’s lounge. The doctors wouldn’t release Tracey unless she had someone taking care of her. It made sense to everyone except the patient. It had taken a stern lecture, and yes some melodrama, for Tracey to see reason.

  Tracey still didn’t want to talk about the miscarriage. She’d told her parents the bare minimum. Most people would let her be, giving her time to wallow. Tina was not one of those people.

  “How are you doing?” She leaned back in her chair, lifting a brow at Tracey. “Have you spoken to the therapist?”

  Tracey’s head dropped. “A little. I just wish people would stop forcing me to talk.” She made busy work of picking out the chicken pieces from her Chinese carton. “My parents, the therapist. At least Tyler hasn’t been hounding me. But I got Jill to tell him what happened.”

  Yeah, that was not a pleasant conversation. Jill sat forward and rested her food on her lap. “I only told him the basics. It was a one-nighter. You have no idea how to contact him. I didn’t think it was necessary to tell him all the details. You can if you want.”

  Jill told Tyler over breakfast that morning he dropped her off. Everything she said was true. And the details she’d left out was for Tracey to tell. If she wanted to.

  Jill picked up her carton of Chinese and leaned back on the navy-blue pinstripe couch. “When’s your next check-up?”

  Tracey gathered her robe around her and pouted. “Next Tuesday. I’m hoping they say I can go home. Being here is driving me batty.”


  Jill pictured her calendar in her mind. She could reshuffle a few things. “Do you—”

  Tina waved her off from the armchair opposite them. Her afro was pulled back into two puffy ponytails. “Already ahead of you. I’m in town with nothing to do. I offered to take your place.”

  Natalie, the quiet one among them, frowned at Tina. “How did you get the time off?”

  Tina was a society columnist for one of the bigger newspapers in Cape Town. Her eyes dropped for just a moment before she answered. “I negotiated.” She stuck her chopsticks in her carton. “They need me here for Callum Cooper’s gala dinner in a few weeks. I can do my columns from here. I said instead of paying for my flight they could just assign me anything urgent while I’m here.”

  Natalie blew a strand of red hair from her face. “Nice gig. I’m still trying to make sure I’m not on shift that evening.”

  She was a maternity nurse and worked incredible hours. Between Natalie’s shifts and Tina being in another city, the four friends didn’t get together as regularly as they wanted. Which made the lunch they were having together more special. Any texts from hot rugby players had to be ignored.

  Besides, if she picked up her phone and answered, they may want to know who she was texting. And she hated lying. Especially to the four women who would lay down their lives for her.

  Tracey looked over at Jill with a smile. “So that’s your next big event, right? The gala dinner. You promised to wear the corset.”

  Of course, her friend would hold her to that. She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I just need to figure out what to wear over it.”

  She wanted to wear her little black wrap-around dress. It was her go-to cocktail dress but everyone around her had vetoed it.

  Tracey tapped her finger against her chin. “The lemon silk shift dress. It’s classy and just the right amount of prudy so none of those testosterones filled Neanderthals hit on you.”

  That hadn’t even occurred to Jill. “I don’t think prudy is quite what I’m going for.”