Quietly, so as not to wake her, he took in every twist and turn of her body, all of its pinks and tans, the arch of her foot and the curve of her ass.
Still asleep, she wriggled deeper into the blankets. He loved the way her eyelashes fluttered, as if in the middle of an exquisite dream. He didn’t want to wake her up, but he knew she’d be mad if she slept the day away; as he’d discovered early on, Heidi hated wasted time.
He stretched to the side of the bed, took his phone off the charger, and texted breakfast instructions to Johnny. As had become their norm, Bradley ordered a smattering of items, anything that looked good. He liked to see her simple glee when she woke up to a table of the freshest, most delectable food money could buy. He set his phone back down and inched towards where Heidi lay, somewhere between sleeping and waking.
Slowly, he began to touch her, not intrusively, but with the restraint of a patron admiring a work of art. First, he slid his hands over her arms, then to around her wrists, then up to her neck and those lips, down again to her clavicle, circling at her large breasts, tracing a trail down her stomach, until at last he reached her pussy, around which he gently cupped a hand.
She showed signs of waking up, and he went to pull his hand back, but even in her doze, Heidi laid her palm on top of his own, urging him to stay where he was. Bradley smiled, and gripped her harder. She began to rub herself against him.
“Well,” she said, turning over to look him full in the face, “I’m awake now.”
She gazed deep in his eyes, and without saying a word, pressed his hand more firmly against her. He felt the wetness between her legs; she’d just emerged from sleep, but was already drenched.
Still shaking the sleep off, she raised a hand to her eyes and rubbed at the corners. Without warning, she climbed slowly, carefully, on top of Bradley, lying her naked body flat on his own. She rested her chin on his chest, then shifted down to kiss the light, curly hair around his pecs.
With one finger, he moved the hair back from her face.
“I want to see you,” he said quietly.
She obliged, rocking her body forward until their faces hung inches apart. He touched her cheek and ran a thumb over her lips.
“You’re perfect. You know that?”
She smiled. “I like you, too.”
And with that, she leaned in and took his lips between hers, pulling him deeper into a sensuous kiss. Her teeth grazed at his lower lip, and her tongue made slow, aching circles around his.
“Breakfast can wait,” she murmured, and reached down to take hold of his dick.
He watched as she rose up from his chest, her nipples fully erect, and inched backwards until she hovered over his cock. His mouth fell open, and his eyes closed in anticipation.
Taking all the time in the world, Heidi lowered herself, until his tip could feel how wet she was.
Bradley’s breath caught in his throat.
“Please,” he said simply, begging her to fully take him.
Slowly, she slid herself, centimeter by centimeter, down the length of his manhood, until Bradley was gasping.
“Oh my God,” he muttered lowly. It wasn’t just the physical attraction—that much was clear. No, it was something more, something about Heidi that stirred the very depths of his soul, that called to him.
She began to rock back and forth, her hips guiding him further inside. From atop her perch, she bent low over him, kissing him while continuing to grind. The only audible sound was their breathing: low, sharp intakes that came in unison with every further thrust that Heidi orchestrated.
Just as Bradley began to think that he wouldn’t be able to take much more, Heidi paused. Bradley’s breath caught in his throat, his cock pulsing with anticipation.
“What do you want?” he murmured, though he already had a good idea; the last few weeks had been an intensive introduction to her lovemaking style.
Heidi didn’t answer, only kissed him sensuously as she rolled her hips back, away from him.
Carefully removing him from inside of her, she slowly crawled up Bradley’s body, kissing him lightly, teasingly, until she was positioned over his face. She didn’t need to explain what she wanted.
Bradley hooked his hands and forearms around her ass, and steadily brought her pussy to meet his lips. He teased her with his tongue for only a moment before diving in, eating her with a hunger that could only be satiated by her particular taste.
What they were doing was so much more intense than anything he’d experienced before. It was slow, and purposeful, and it filled him emotionally as well as physically. As Heidi cried out, her inner walls pulsing with an intense, rippling orgasm, Bradley thought that he could sit like this, with the taste of her covering his tongue, for as long as they both would live.
He couldn’t remember his last sexual encounter that had been more than a one-night stand. He was the kind of man that got bored easily. After all, sex was sex, right? But with Heidi, it felt like taking communion.
Was he—oh, God—falling for her? And if so, what was he going do about it?
Chapter 14
Heidi
A week later, Heidi and Bradley regretfully packed up their suitcases and bid a fond farewell to the resort. Edenix had been more than good to them—they’d arrived as business associates, and left as passionate lovers. Together, the pair had explored every nook and cranny of the property: marveling at the wildlife, working out together, frolicking on the beach.
They’d known they’d have to leave eventually, but it seemed neither had expected it to be so soon. Weeks had passed in the blink of an eye.
Could it keep being this good in Orlando? Heidi wondered. She hoped so. Because this was the best fling she’d ever had.
But they needed to go home. Bradley’s season would start in mere days, and they both had to prep—him for the games, and Heidi for the media blitz that would ensue when everyone saw the shape he was in.
She had marveled at it, seeing him lifting weights in the gym, or banging out sets of burpees. He’d been good before—amazing, really—but now…he’d be unbeatable. Bradley chalked it up to her good influence, but she laughed that off; no, this was all him. He would, at last, have the season he deserved, the kind of season commentators had predicted for him eight years back, during his first draft.
So, it was with a mixture of sadness and excitement that they boarded a seaplane back to Orlando, hands interlocked for the entirety of the ride. Her mind kept drawing up comparisons between life before and after the Bahamas, as if to continually remind her of her dumb good luck.
On the plane ride over, she’d feared touching him, as though her skin would catch fire. Hell, back then she’d been trying to pretend like they could ever be just professional colleagues. She chuckled, thinking of how naive she’d been.
“Something funny?” Bradley asked softly in her ear as the plane bumped up and down.
“Just thinking about how different our arrival flight was. You must’ve thought I was so jumpy, the way I kept pulling back from you.”
“Well, yeah, up until I felt your…” He lifted a hand and ran one finger over her nipple. “Until I felt that brush up against me.” His lips were now on her earlobe. “That’s when I started to hope for something more.”
“Oh God,” she said, abashed, “you caught that?”
“Babe, how could I not? That was one thin shirt.” He smirked and moved his lips from her ear to her breast.
“Cut it out,” she scolded, not really meaning it. “The pilot will see.”
“Let him see. The perks of a private plane are that you can do whatever the fuck you want.”
She relented, letting him kiss her breast through the silk blouse, obviously loving it. He slowly undid the top two silver buttons, revealing the scalloped edge of her thin, lacy bra. He moved the fabric down, not far, just enough to let her nipple peek out. Bradley took it between his thumb and index finger, and squeezed gently.
A moan escaped her throat, but he p
ulled away too soon, leaving her pleading for more.
“Can’t finish what you started?”
“There are limits to what you can do, even on a private plane. And if I went any further…let’s just say our pilot would get uncomfortable.”
She laughed, and tucked her breast back into the bra. They’d get to this some other time…she hoped.
They hadn’t talked about what would happen when they disembarked; they’d been too deep in bliss on the island to ruin it with the big Relationship Talk. Yet, the way he treated her body, even now, even when the sandy beaches and moonlit ocean were gone, gave her hope that things didn’t have to change all that much.
Maybe they could continue to hold hands and whisper and share secrets. Heidi saw into the future and how joy-filled it could be, but she kept her mind in the present, knowing she had a tendency to get ahead of herself. Sometimes, it was best to sit back and let life play itself out before your eyes.
The plane touched down in Orlando, and Heidi sighed wistfully.
“Me too,” Bradley said, responding to her lament.
The pilot opened the side door, and they clambered down the steps, finally touching the cold cement of the hangar floor.
Heidi’s good spirits vanished as she spotted Todd on the other end the hangar, lurking ominously in the shadows. She turned quickly to catch Bradley’s eye, and saw that he too was worried. What could possibly necessitate Todd’s appearance at the airport? If it was something dire, wouldn’t he have gotten in touch with her, Bradley’s PR agent?
Her heart raced and she strode toward him, every step hitting faster.
“Todd,” she called out, “What’s up?”
She drew up just short of the agent. She knew him by picture and reputation, but they’d never met. In person, he was the kind of guy who over-gelled his hair and kept his fingernails weirdly manicured. She may not have met Todd before, but she’d met his kind—the kind of people that feast on the misfortune of others.
“Heidi Morris?”
“Yes,” said Bradley, joining her. “You know of Heidi; she’s my new PR agent. Why?”
“I need you two to get in the car, and drive straight to my office.”
Heidi noted that Bradley rolled his eyes. He seemed fed up with Todd’s antics.
“Can’t you just tell me whatever it is you have to tell me here? What good is it for me to drive all the way across the city when we’re talking right now?”
Todd put up a hand, signaling that he wouldn’t enter into a discussion on the topic.
“It’s inappropriate,” the agent said. “Trust me.”
With an annoyed flare of his nostrils, Bradley turned on his heel and made a beeline for the SUV that lay in wait. Heidi stumbled to catch up to his long paces.
In the backseat of the car, she put her hand on Bradley’s.
“I’m sure he’s just being a drama queen,” she said soothingly.
“No,” Bradley replied, shaking his head. “Normally, I’d agree, but Todd hates in-person meetings. He’d attend his own mother’s funeral via phone if it was possible. No, if Todd came all this way to see me, something’s happened.”
With that, Bradley gave the driver Todd’s office address, and told him to step on it.
The car ride, in contrast to their convivial flight, was silent and somber. Bradley fidgeted, nervously picking at his nails. They pulled up to the gaudy high-rise in a matter of minutes; the driver had sped through an untold number of red lights.
Together, Heidi and Bradley marched through the front doors, past a confused receptionist, and straight to the 10th floor, where Todd had the corner office.
Heidi could sense stares on their backs as they moved through the multitude of desks. She wondered if it was because of Bradley’s fame—after all, few men in the country eclipsed his status—or something else, something she didn’t know. Yet.
Entering the room, they found Todd seated at his desk, clicking away on his computer. He curled a hand in their direction, indicating that they should come in and sit down. Heidi, to her dismay, found that her heart was pounding, and she gulped, trying to keep her cool as they took their respective seats opposite the desk.
“Glad you made it,” Todd said flatly, sounding not at all glad.
Without any further small talk, he turned his desktop screen around to show them a news article. The headline read:
“Fox and His New Media Fox: Bad-Boy Plays Squeaky-Clean to Tug at Heartstrings!”
Todd swiveled the desktop screen back, typed in a few more words, and then faced it in the pair’s direction once more. This time, the headline was:
“Playboy Fox Manipulates Fans, Continues Womanizing in the Tropics!”
Heidi cut in before Todd could turn the screen again.
“What the fuck is this?” she asked, forgoing good manners.
“This,” he replied, “is the havoc you sowed.”
He picked up a stack of torn-out pages on his desk, and passed half to her, and half to Bradley. More articles, Heidi could see at once.
“You bought every single one,” she stated with disgust.
“I sure as shit did.”
Heidi leafed through frantically, and found that the common theme in the articles wasn’t just Bradley’s debauchery—it was her. Page after page told a story of how she, Heidi Morris, had waltzed in to pick up the pieces after Bradley’s fall from grace.
According to the media, she’d doctored him up real good, fashioning him into the kind of man America could guiltlessly get behind. One article after another painted her as the wizard behind the curtain, orchestrating the whole show.
Jesus Christ. The words trembled through her mind.
Because the next thing she realized about the articles was that all of them featured pictures of her and Bradley cavorting on the beach.
“How did they even get these?” she whispered. “We were on a private beach.”
Todd chuckled. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s the 21st century. Nothing’s private.”
She shot him daggers, and in a voice dripping with venom, replied, “Don’t call me sweetheart.”
But she couldn’t concentrate on Todd’s chauvinism; she was too focused on the articles. And, at last, she understood the spin they were trying to give her.
“So, according to these, these…” she stumbled over the words, “pigs, I’m just some girl brought in to reimagine Bradley as the all-American QB, who then went behind the nation’s back and screwed him?” She began to speak faster. “What, I’m somehow at fault because we had—whatever, so that means nothing else about him was true?”
She threw the papers on Todd’s desk, outraged.
“It’s bullshit,” she cried, and turned to Bradley. “You know it’s bullshit, right?”
Todd interjected, “Is it, Heidi? Or is this exactly what you wanted all along?”
Her face drained of color, and the room seemed to spin around her. Was it only yesterday that she’d been in perfect bliss? No, that couldn’t be right. It must’ve been in another lifetime.
“You should know what I think this woman is up to,” Todd said to Bradley.
“No—” she began.
“Yes,” Todd continued. “You’ve got to hear this, Bradley. I think Heidi played us all like puppets. Got herself hired as your PR gal, then decided to make a little extra cash by bedding you—she knew she’d be up to the task—and selling the stories back to the magazines. Double payday. She wrapped you around her little finger and tugged the damn string.”
“How fucking dare you,” she shouted at the agent, who gave her a smarmy grin. “I didn’t mean to sleep with Bradley; it just happened. This wasn’t some big plot. How could you concoct a story this ludicrous?”
“How could you do something so ludicrous?”
“Todd,” Bradley said, interrupting at last. “Enough.”
Heidi looked at him gratefully. Finally, her knight in shining armor was stepping in to defend her honor. About damn time.
“Heidi obviously didn’t intend for any of this to happen,” he continued, “I can vouch for it. She tried hard—much harder than I did—to keep it professional. There was just a chemistry that we couldn’t seem to fight.
“I know it sounds unreal, but, fuck, most of my life feels unreal. But anyways. These papers, they’re just making shit up. They’ve gotta keep the subscribers coming back for more, get those ad buys. I don’t believe it, and I don’t know why you would either.”
As Bradley reclined in his chair, satisfied with his speech, Heidi found herself too incensed to do more than vigorously nod at his words. It felt humiliating to lose her cool in an office setting, in front of a man who would hopefully still be her client (and perhaps something else) after this whole fiasco had subsided.
“I thought you’d say that,” Todd replied slowly. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a small stack of papers. He pushed it across the desktop in Bradley’s direction, making sure to keep it out of Heidi’s line of sight. She wouldn’t gratify this monster by craning to see what they said.
“Oh, more news articles? Great, just stellar,” she said with biting sarcasm.
“Nope,” Todd returned. “Bradley? Why don’t you tell Heidi what the papers say?”
She watched as Bradley’s eyes raced across the page, his brows furrowing, trying to make sense of what had been set before him.
“What is this?” Bradley asked in a low voice that bubbled over with barely-contained emotion.
She was on the edge of her seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Heidi,” he continued, “why is your office a short-term rental, registered under your name on the lease applications? And why does it say you’re a solo operator?”
Suddenly, it clicked. Heidi understood what Todd had been building up to; the newspaper stories didn’t really mean shit. This…this was the final nail in her coffin.
“Does this mean,” Bradley said, choking on the words, “that you don’t work for Image-ine? That you’ve been running some kind of bullshit operation? Playing fast and loose with my media reputation?”
The Baby Blindside (Baby Surprise Romance) Page 8
