Daddy Player: A BILLIONAIRE SPORTS BABY ROMANCE

by Jaymes, Holly

  She seemed upset the previous night. It was as if she never wanted to see me again. That was probably for the best anyway.

  If that was how much I upset her, then she was better off without me.

  But was I better off without her?

  I was playing with the kids, but my mind was still on Beth. I kept thinking about her. All I could think about was how amazing the sex was, how I wanted her body over and over again, and how I wanted to see her smile.

  If winning her trust was the only way for us to be together then I didn’t know how to do it.

  But I wasn’t a quitter.

  Chapter 15

  Beth

  The next day, I did everything I could to stay out of Vince’s way. After the way I’d acted the previous night when I locked myself in the bathroom and confessed unnecessary details to him, I was too embarrassed to face him again.

  Besides, I wasn’t sure how my body would react if I saw him again. Sex with him last night had been even better than before. I could sense the strong physical connection between us. It was more than just the physical connection. I could tell that it was more by the way he looked into my eyes and the way he held me. Everything about our connection so far made me feel like I knew him more than just superficially, more than just in bed.

  And that was scary. It felt dangerous and sort of exciting.

  I knew that I was a good catch, but unfortunately, I had been burned before.

  I knew I wasn't the kind of girl that you might see on a celebrity like Vince's arm, but I knew that I deserved love and was worthy of it. I was smart and strong. Strong is the new sexy, right?

  The sex was good between us, but was that it? Was that where it ended?

  Even though I spent the entire day locked up in my hotel room, I still tried to work on his social media accounts. I made posts and followed the ups and downs of comments and interaction.

  It was strange that I was interacting with Vince’s fans, while he had no idea it was all happening in the background.

  After I’d spent hours on the internet, working on his marketing, I decided to take a break. Staring at photographs of Vince all day was making me feel jittery. I needed some time away from him and his pictures, but I didn’t want to leave my hotel room either.

  I wanted to avoid all opportunity of bumping into him.

  So, I called my friend Gia in New York.

  She was surprised to hear from me. Both she and Suzy had been calling and texting the last few days because they had no idea where I was. I ignored them because I didn’t want to explain what was going on. But now, I desperately needed to talk to a friendly voice.

  When Gia answered, demanding to know where I had disappeared to, I blurted out everything. I needed to get it out of my system and out it came! I told her every little detail, including the bit about last night when I locked myself in the bathroom like a scared, wet cat.

  After listening to the whole story, Gia remained silent for a few moments.

  “I am so confused right now, Beth. This seems unreal!”

  “I know. I’m feeling the same way,” I told her.

  “Then, what are you still doing there?” she asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “After everything that happened, and if that is how you feel why are you still in Boston? You’re avoiding him already, so avoid him here,” she explained.

  “I have a job to do here, Gia.”

  “Yes, but are you going to objectively be able to do it now? After how he’s making you feel?” she asked.

  I fell silent because she had a point.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do…”

  I could feel myself close to tears again.

  “Okay, hun, I think you need to distance yourself from any man who you are unsure of. Your wounds from Ned are still raw. I know you don’t like to talk about it, and we all want to forget what happened, but you have to admit that you’re still affected by it,” Gia said.

  I felt my eyes fill up with tears and I forced myself to blink them away. She heard me sniffle, but she continued. She was doing what she thought was the right thing to do. It was what I needed to hear.

  “And Vince is the kind of guy who you could have a future with, but you have to be sure about the next person you date. You should give yourselves some space and go away for a bit. You have to do it now before it gets worse. I would hate to see you the way you were last year. You are so strong and always have been, but you were hurting. I think you still are.”

  I wiped my damp cheeks and nodded my head.

  “Yeah, no, I know you’re right.”

  “You’re doing the right thing by avoiding him today. I think you should just come back here. Let the company deal with that account. Your own peace of mind is more important right now.”

  Gia continued with more encouraging words, and I felt better after I spoke to her. Even though there were always going to be men who stood a chance of breaking my heart and even though I might have already developed feelings for Vince I still had my friends.

  Once I was back in New York again, I could begin to feel better. I just needed to leave Boston.

  “Thanks, Gia. You’re right about everything,” I told her.

  “So, can we expect to see you back here soon?”

  “Tomorrow, if I can help it!” I told her.

  Gia blew me a kiss over the phone, and I did the same to her. Then we ended the call, and I sank into the bed with a thump.

  This room was doing me no favors either. I thought I could smell Vince’s cologne on the bedsheets. I could almost feel him in bed with me. I could see his handsome grinning face, and feel the velvety texture of his dark hair under my fingers. I couldn’t stop wanting him, no matter how convinced I was he might be bad for me.

  This was the first time I’d be abandoning a work task, and I knew Nathan was going to be pissed. In fact, this could be the exact excuse he had been looking for, to undermine me to the higher-ups. But I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted to get out of Boston.

  Chapter 16

  Vince

  I was at practice on Sunday, alone. I just needed to expend all the pent-up energy in my body, so I went to the stadium to run up and down the bleachers.

  I hadn’t seen or heard from Beth since that night in her hotel room. It was nearly two days later now, and I was getting worried that I had screwed up everything. I had no idea if she was waiting for me to say something, or if I needed to give her space.

  I’d already completed five rounds of running up and down the steps. There was sweat pouring down the back of my jersey. Stopping at the top of the bleachers, I scooped my jersey off and threw it on one of the chairs. When I turned, I saw Beth standing at the bottom of the stairs.

  I stared at her in silence for a few moments. It was good to see her again.

  She was dressed as simply as always, dark jeans and a salmon-colored loose blouse, sandals on her feet and her camera bag hanging on her shoulder. She left her hair down, and today, she was wearing a pair of reading glasses. She had an academic appeal to her, something I had no idea I was this attracted to but seeing her in her glasses made my cock move, and I had to clear my throat.

  I needed to distract myself before I got a boner right now!

  “Hi, Vince,” she called out to me as I jogged down the steps towards her.

  I caught her glancing at my shirtless damp torso for a few quick moments before she looked away.

  “Long time no see!” I exclaimed when I came to a stop in front of her. I was still a little out of breath. I stood there, staring into her green eyes and completely aware now that I had feelings for this woman, feelings I’d never experienced before.

  “It’s only been a day, and technically, it’s the weekend, so I took a day off,” she supplied.

  “Of course, I didn’t mean to criticize!”

  Beth tucked some of her hair behind her ears and looked up at me. There was a sheepish expression in her eyes. She wasn’t
being herself, which was understandable.

  “Look, I want to apologize for what happened that night. I’m sorry if I made you feel threatened in any way,” I said. I wanted to get it out of the way so we could move on. Beth shook her head.

  “You have nothing to be apologetic for. I over-reacted. I mean, of course, the…sex…it shouldn’t have happened. You are a client, and there are a million reasons why it had to be avoided…”

  I had no idea what those reasons were, but I gave her a chance to speak.

  “…but how I behaved after that, was totally my fault. It had nothing to do with you. You shouldn’t apologize for anything.”

  I took a step towards her, and she stepped away. She apparently didn’t want me getting any closer to her, so I stopped.

  “Vince, I’m leaving,” she blurted out before I could say anything. My brows creased in surprise and disappointment. Even though I knew there was a chance of this happening, I still didn’t want to believe it.

  “What? Why?”

  “Because the one week trial period is nearly up.”

  “Okay, it’s not a trial anymore. I’m hiring you as my official social media manager,” I declared, and Beth grinned weakly and shook her head again.

  “Great, thanks. I’m sure my boss will be pleased to hear that. He’ll be able to put together the ideal team who can work with you closely,” she replied.

  “You’re saying you’re going back to New York anyway?” I asked, and she nodded.

  I clenched my jaw in frustration. I should have seen this coming.

  Beth and I were not meant to be.

  And I for one, was definitely not meant to find the kind of contentment and relationship that my friends had. I was just not programmed for something like that. I shouldn’t have expected anything different from this.

  Beth was staring back at me like she was expecting me to say something.

  What did she want me to say now? She made her decision already. I wasn’t going to be one of those guys who forced her to change her mind. When I knew I had nothing to give her.

  I wasn’t going to make her false promises like her ex did.

  Beth’s eyes were wide, and she was anticipating a response.

  “Okay,” I replied, after several moments of silence. Beth gulped like she was expecting more, and then she nodded her head.

  “Okay,” she said and forced herself to smile.

  “Thank you for all your help, Beth. I’m sure you’ve made Leo very happy.”

  Then she stuck her hand out to me. We shook hands like two professional people did. Touching her again sent sparks up and down my spine, and it took every ounce of strength in me to pull that hand away from her.

  “Take care of yourself, Beth,” I told her and she nodded.

  “I guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you now that you’re on social media,” she joked. What was the point anymore?

  She was going to leave, and I could have asked her to stay, but I didn’t. What basis did I have to ask her to make a decision like that?

  She clearly wanted to leave, and she based that on her own feelings. I wasn’t the guy for her, and we both knew that, and because I cared for her, I wasn’t going to stand in her way while she walked away.

  “Goodbye, Vince,” she said. I thought I heard her voice crack. Then she turned and walked away.

  Chapter 17

  Beth

  I wasn’t expecting Vince to ask me to stay or put up a fight, but when all he did was shake my hand and wish me well I could feel a lump in my throat that refused to go away.

  So, this was it. This was how it would end between us.

  I walked away from him, striving to make my exit through the side gates so I could run out to the street and flag down a cab.

  I wanted to go straight back to the hotel, collect the bags and rush to the airport. I had no plans of ever returning to Boston again. In a few weeks, maybe a few months, I would forget about Vince and the way he made me feel. Until then, I’d just have to suck it up and deal with the overwhelming feelings rushing around inside me.

  I was just about to step out through the gates when I felt a hand clasp my shoulder from behind. I gasped, startled, and Vince whipped me around to face him.

  He pushed me with his body, pinning me to the wall, making the bag fall from my shoulder. His hands were on my waist, holding me up, a few inches off the ground.

  “I can’t let you go without a kiss,” he groaned, and my mouth fell open with desire. Vince leaned his face towards me, taking my mouth into his. I pressed my eyes closed as I sank into him. Instinctually, my arms wrapped around his damp, naked torso. I could feel the hard muscles of his chest and shoulders. His skin was tough but smooth under my fingers.

  My hips thrust out to meet his, and he pushed himself even further into me.

  I parted my mouth even more, and his tongue slid into my mouth, and down my throat. Images of his cock inside me flashed through my head. Just this kiss was making me wet already. I could feel the stickiness between my thighs.

  Then, as abruptly as he had kissed me, Vince drew himself away. Our mouths smacked when we parted. He let me go and stepped away from me.

  “Fuck. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that!” he growled.

  I looked away from him, embarrassed by the way my body reacted to him.

  “It’s okay, it’s forgotten. Don’t worry about it.”

  I was fumbling with my speech. I could barely find the words or my voice. I was struggling to meet his eyes.

  “No, really, Beth, I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his short velvety hair, and I gulped. How was I ever going to forget how hot he looked and how explosive my body felt. Had I ever felt this way with Ned?

  I hadn’t felt this before in my life!

  “I’m going to let you go, Beth. I didn’t mean to stop you,” he said. I nodded, feeling like my legs had turned to jelly. I had to force myself to move. I wanted to stay.

  Did that kiss mean something? Did it mean that Vince wanted me to stay?

  If that's what he meant then why wouldn’t he just say it?

  Why did I expect him to say it? I knew exactly the kind of man he was.

  I forced myself to go. This time, he didn’t make a move in my direction.

  I stepped out of the gates and on to the road. Cabs passed me by, but I was too dazed to hail one down.

  That last kiss had rocked me. I could feel my heart palpitating in my chest. Had Vince managed to kiss me into a heart attack?

  I stood on the pavement, clutching my bags tightly to my chest and trying to even my breathing again. Was this normal? Was kissing a hot guy supposed to make you feel this intense?

  What was I going to do?

  After I had been standing there for several minutes, I finally hailed a cab because I didn’t want Vince leaving the stadium to find me there.

  I went back to the hotel, still feeling like my heart was about to explode.

  My bags were packed, and I checked out of the hotel and sent Leo a quick text to inform him of my plan. Then, I headed to the airport.

  I decided not to cry over this. There was nothing to be upset about. Vince was a guy I had a few sexual encounters with. It was nothing more than that. I barely knew the guy!

  And yet, as I left Boston, it felt like I was leaving a part of me behind. This guy who I claimed to barely know, had somehow left a mark on me. I was going to miss him. I would miss his cockiness and his surprising sweetness and taking those jaw-dropping sexy pictures of him, and everything really.

  In such a short timeframe, it felt like Vince and I had gone through quite a lot.

  But the reality was that Vince Woods was a sexy celebrity with women and men drooling over everything he did and said.

  He was going to forget my name and my very existence in a few days, and probably even before he moved on to the next supermodel he was going to date.

  I looked at my reflection in the window pane, and I fixed my glasses. I purpose
ly dressed down today, wearing my glasses and no makeup. I wanted Vince to see me for who I was, and to realize I was not a girl whose image was her first priority. He needed to know that I am more than just arm candy. If that is what he wanted, then he needed to go elsewhere to find it. It didn’t seem like he needed much convincing.

  Finally, I was on the flight home, and before I switched my phone off, I sent a text to Suzy and Gia to say I was on my way back.

  ‘Thank Goodness!” came Gia’s quick reply.

  Chapter 18

  Vince

  That night, just a few hours after Beth left, I got a call from Leo. I was in the house, pacing around from room to room because I just couldn’t get myself to sit down.

  “Want to meet for a drink?” Leo asked when I answered the call.

  “Yeah. I definitely need one tonight,” I said to him and I left the house immediately.

  Even though I knew in no way, shape or form was this anything like a breakup; that was exactly how I was feeling. I had never experienced one before, or at least, I had never been at the receiving end of a breakup.

  However, now, with Beth gone, it suddenly felt like it was exactly that. It was like she’d reached in and plucked my heart right out of my chest. Just the thought that I would never see her again, or that she never wanted to see me made me feel sick.

  I needed a distraction, and I hoped Leo would be one.

  Like always, he picked an upscale bar for us to meet at. When I got there, Leo had a hand on a girl’s waist who was leaning in towards him so he could whisper in her ear.

  “I thought this was supposed to be a business meeting,” I said, approaching them. The girl drew herself away from him, and her eyes glowed when she recognized me immediately.

  “Vince Woods! Your photographs are amazing,” she declared, quickly slinking away from Leo and leaning towards me.

  I stepped away from her. This was too soon.

  For some reason, even speaking to this girl felt like I was cheating on Beth.