Quarterback's Surprise Baby (Bad Boy Ballers Book 2)

by Imani King

  “She’s pregnant!” My mom cries out and launches herself into my arms. “Oh my, my! My little girl is pregnant again!”

  Griff smiles humbly. “Do you want to tell her?” he asks. I can see that he’s bursting with excitement under that smile.

  “Sure baby,” I smile.“This one’s a girl!” I say proudly. “A little girl!”

  My mom kisses both my cheeks and I can see tears in her eyes. “Are you happy, Odell?” she asks. She’s been warmer than ever since she found out about the first baby. I guess she’s mellowed since those ballet classes when I was little. While I’m glad finally to have her approval, at the same time, I keep them both just a shade closer than arms’ length. I’m a protective mommy and want to be sure that they don’t do the same number on the grandkids as they did on me. So far so good.

  “Very happy,” I answer, knowing it’s true. I loved being a lawyer, and I will practice again. But for now, I will build my family and wait until Gryphon finishes the peak of his quarterback career before I start my own firm to focus on women’s issues. Issues that little Ella Rose will hopefully never have to deal with in her professional life.

  I catch my father’s eye and he looks… proud?

  “Dad,” I ask. “Are you ok?”

  “Yes, Odell,” he says softly. “I haven’t always done everything right. But through it all I always wanted you to be happy, and I never realized that your path could be different than mine,” he says.

  “Everyone’s path is different,” Gryphon agrees. “That’s just how life is.”

  “Sure, everyone else,” says my dad. “But when it’s your child, you sometimes lose sight of such things.

  “Is that why you were pushing me so hard dad?” I ask, my voice cracking a bit. “Because if I didn’t act like you, you thought I would be unhappy?

  “That’s how my father taught me,” he says. “Work hard, straighten up, fly right, and everything will be ok,” he says. My mother looks at him with fresh eyes, and then sidles up and kisses him on the cheek.

  It’s something. It might not be the relationship I was hoping for with my parents, but it’s better than it used to be. And considering I am building my own family now, it’s not like I need their approval anymore. And it’s not as if I have it fully since Griff and I aren’t married yet. Sure, we are engaged, and we do plan to spend our lives together as evidenced by the giant, sparkling diamond ring on my finger, but I told him I wanted our marriage to be in a year or so once we are more settled and have established our relationship that much stronger. Things happened pretty quickly between us, and although I’ve never felt I had a deeper connection, I still don’t want to rush things. He says it’s the lawyer in me that is so careful, but I just think it’s a good idea for us. He’d be happy to marry tomorrow if I wanted him to, but I still feel like my independence is an important part of both our lives. Of course, I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant straight away again, but I didn’t know that breastfeeding wasn’t always a guarantee against pregnancy—it usually works, but in our case we may have counted on it a little too long. What can I say, I can’t resist Griff! We are meant to have a big family, I suppose.

  In any case, it’s probably nuts of me to delay the wedding—and I know that Sandra would agree— but it’s something that I feel is the right thing to do. It’ll be nice not to be a pregnant bride. Besides, after the bad experiences he’s had with women, especially with Sabrina trying to take him for all he’s worth, I want Griff to know that I in no way want to trap him into a marriage about which he may not feel certain. And while he tells me he is certain and I’ve never loved anyone more, when he marries me, I want us both to feel like there is no other way we would have it.

  It works for us, and that’s all that matters to me.

  Now that my parents are home in Switzerland, the next thing on the list is a party scheduled with some of the guys from Brooks University, where Griff went to college. It’s an unofficial reunion type of thing, where the guys can get together and relive old times, and make new memories. Sandra is going to come over and keep me company and help take care of baby man Ryan while the boys enjoy their guy time together. I also hear that one of Griff’s good friends might be getting traded up to Seattle, so it’ll be fun for me to get to know him early in case the trade goes through.

  We have a few hours before everyone arrives, and Griff comes in to check on me.

  “How are you doing, babe?” He asks, rubbing my belly.

  As always, I get a bolt of electricity whenever he touches me, straight to my core.

  “Better now,” I say, and kiss him. His hand slides up to my neck, gently caressing it as his hand reaches around to the small of my back and pulls me to him. I can feel he’s excited too, by the large bulge in his jeans.

  “Hmm,” I say, pleased, my hand slipping down the front of his pants to feel his desire.

  “Do we have time?” He asks, tipping my chin up with a finger.

  “Always,” I purr and pull him down onto the bed with me. His eyes flash, and his kisses become fierce as he hovers above me. The muscles in his shoulders and pecs ripple as he trails his kisses down my neck to my breasts, and the feeling of him nipping at my tawny tips makes me squeal and squirm. My legs wrap around his slim hips, and I push up against his cock, meeting it with my folds.

  “Fuck you’re sexy,” he growls. “I’m going to be so proud to introduce you to the boys today.”

  “I can’t wait to meet them,” I answer, my breath getting harder and faster.

  “Mmm,” he moans, suddenly moving us into a sitting position, facing each other. “Climb onto my cock, baby,” he says.

  “My pleasure,” I breathe as I pull my thong to the side. I’m already soaking wet, and still because of his massive size, slipping him in is never easy, but it is always an incredible feeling. I rise up on my knees, and he rubs my clit with the head of his cock before moving it down my wet slit. He works it inside me as I groan, and ride him as we stare into each other’s eyes. His beautiful blues have a world in them, a world that now includes Ryan and me, and a new little one that he put inside me. It makes me shiver, thinking of what we are building together, one step at a time.

  He moves inside me with complete control, and I ride his bucking hips until it happens, and I start to come. He expertly keeps me on the tip of the building tension until it all breaks and I’m filled with wave upon wave of ecstasy, before immediately coming again. Our bodies fit together perfectly, and he makes me come at least three times before he lets himself go inside me.

  Even though the orgasms are incredible, when Griff comes, it’s about the greatest pleasure I have in our relationship. His sharp blue eyes soften, and his lips purse a little. He clutches me a little harder, and looks into my eyes, and then he makes a sound coming from his throat that makes me shiver inside, and sometimes tips me over the edge into coming again. Then he spasms inside me, his hot stream filling me in spurts, as we clutch each other. He’s calling my name, and I feel so happy.

  “Sandra!” I pull my robe around me. “You’re early!

  “Ha, yes, is it a problem?” She asks, looking me up and down.

  “It’s ok,” I laugh. “But if you had arrived ten minutes earlier…

  She smiles knowingly. “I can come back,” she says. “If you two haven’t finished.”

  “No, come on in, just let me get some real clothes on.” She looks at her watch, and then cocks her head. “Aren’t the guys supposed to be showing up very soon?”

  “They’re getting here at four!”

  “It’s ten to four, Odell,” she says.

  “Oh no!” I pull her by the arm into the house while she makes fun of me. “I guess I lost track of time,” I say sheepishly.

  “You’re making the most of this unemployment thing, aren’t you girl,” she teases.

  “You mean, my hiatus?” I grin.

  “Whatever you want to call it,” she laughs. “Being a kept woman. A sex slave!” We laugh. “G
o get dressed. If they show up early, I’ll let them in,” she advises, pushing me into my bedroom. “You want to make a good impression!” In not more than two minutes, I hear the bell ring and I’m thankful for her forethought. I hastily apply some lipstick, and carefully do my eyeliner. I hear Sandra’s voice, a little higher than normal, and a few giggles coming from the door. That’s not her usual game when flirting with someone, so I’m not completely sure what’s going on. When I’m finally presentable, and with Griff still in the shower, I go out to greet his guest.

  I’m surprised to see Sandra flirting and stammering up a storm, talking to a guy who looks to me like the second most handsome man in the universe—second only to my Gryphon.

  “Hey,” he says, his easy grin lighting up his face. “My name’s Brandon, but they call me Brando,” he says. “You must be Odell!”

  “That’s right, I am,” I say, looking between him and Sandra. “I see you’ve met my friend Sandra already.”

  “Yes,” Sandra says, a little too quickly. “Brando’s here for the party. Uh, we’re going to stay for it, aren’t we, Odell?” She turns to me and mouths the word ‘please.’

  “Yeah, we might,” I answer, looking at her funny. That wasn’t our plan at all. “Are you the player who might move up here?” I ask Brando, his impressive shoulders, square jaw, and sandy blonde hair not going unnoticed.

  “Yes ma’am,” he smiles. “They’re considering trading me up here. It would be nice to be closer to one of the old gang from Brooks U.”

  “It certainly would,” Sandra says, and then shuts her mouth with an embarrassed look on her face. “Looks like Sandra agrees,” I laugh. “Can I get you a beer? Griff should be out pretty soon.”

  “I would love one,” he drawls.

  “Coming right up,” I say. “Sandra, would you come down to the cold room and help me bring up some beers for Brando, and the rest when they arrive?”

  “Sure,” she says, smiling awkwardly.

  “Can I help?” Brando offers, smiling broadly.

  “No!” she says quickly. “We’ve got this!”

  “Super, thanks,” he replies, sitting down at the wide harvest table. “Hey, Sandra,” he asks. “Are you going to be at the party tonight?”

  “Sure,” she says, looking at him then at me with a frantic expression. “Definitely!” I’ve never seen her act this way before. She’s completely lost her cool.

  When we get to the stairs, Sandra grabs my arm and spills.

  “Who is that gorgeous man?” She asks, eyes wide.

  “I guess another football player?”

  “I think it’s my future husband,” she stammers.

  “Future husband?” My eyebrows knit together. “I thought you were holding out for a lawyer!”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she dismisses me. “I thought so too. But this guy is different. There’s just something about him. Odell, please tell me we can hang out with him at the party tonight.” Her eyes are pleading. “Please say yes!”

  “Sure, I guess, for a bit,” I say. “As long as I get little Ryan down to bed, we can hang out.”

  “Oh thank you, thank you Odell,” she whispers, throwing her arms around me. She gives me a big squeeze.

  “He’s really gotten to you, hasn’t he?” I ask, rather shocked. “That’s very sudden. And completely unlike you,” I add.

  “I don’t know what it is, but when he shook my hand and said nice to meet me,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief, “I felt this intense bolt of electricity go through me and I just knew.”

  “Is that so?” I say, wonderingly. “That’s kind of how it was between Griff and I. When we touched, it was electric.”

  “Really?”

  “Well yeah.” We grab the frosty bottles and start back up the stairs. “We just kind of felt it, right away.” I wonder if she really is going through the same thing? “The power of these football players!”

  “Right. I don’t know why I was so convinced lawyers were the best option!” She skips up the stairs behind me. “So Odell, when are you gonna get married? You’re going to invite Brando, right? And maybe he can be the best man to my maid of honor?”

  “So many questions, Sandra!” I giggle as I shuffle the bottles in my hand to open the door to the main floor. “We’re looking at venues now. Let’s just take it a day at a time, shall we?”

  “Sure,” she says, but by the look in her eyes I can tell that she’s not going to forget this man too easily. These bad boy football players sure know how to get under your skin.

  Nicholas

  A Corbett Billionaire Brothers Romance

  1

  Adisa

  Rain looks at me across the desk, eyebrows knitting together and lips pursed in an exaggerated romantic face. "I've been really tryin', baby... Tryin' to hold back these feeling for so long... And if you feel, like I feel baby, then come on, oh come on," she sings to me, and then cracks up. She practically brings that ‘ROFL’ thing to life. I smack her arm lightly, playfully. "Oh hush now Rain!" I feel my cheeks flame anyway. It's embarrassing but true: I am having dreams now. Dreams of my employer, Nicholas, with his dark hair, those eyes with their hint of soft sweetness, the perfect amount of stubble on his cheeks, framing a soft, kissable mouth. "It's business, nothing more."

  I'm telling myself that as much as I'm telling her. Besides, he’s married. And to a gorgeous woman. The one time I was in his office, there was a picture of a beautiful and thin blonde woman with, shall we say, a fantastic figure. Tiny waist, lithe body. I can’t really see the line of her breasts since they’re covered with flowing hair, but from the hint of cleavage, she seems not to be lacking in the boob department.

  I've only been working here a few months now - I applied for and took the job as soon as Rain called me and said it was available. It's nothing special or important. Just some basic filing and data entry. Pretty mindless work. Thank heaven that's so, because I don't think I could handle much more pressure along with my waitressing job at the Rustik, and what’s been going on at home. But when this came up, I snagged it right quick. It won't last long, just until Chikae and Darius’ birthday week, but it'll get me up to and over that. My little sister Chikae and my brother Darius deserve a celebration to remember. They've been dealing with a lot since our mom passed this year, very suddenly, of cancer. It was end-stage when we all found out, and we only had what seemed like a few days to say goodbye, before the morphine kicked in and her face became unlined and peaceful and she was gone.

  But what I hadn’t been expecting was that ever since, Dad seems to have pretty much checked out. From everything. Sure, I know Mom was his world - she was all of our worlds. The glue that bound us together as a family. The one to do all the little things to make things special for all of us, who would think of exactly who needed to be called about this or that event and what someone’s best-loved type of cookie is. She’d have filed away in her mind everyone in the family’s favorite dinner, from great-grandmother to newest niece, and be able to whip it up with a smile, happy to share.

  I remember when I was a kid at Christmastime, she'd stay up late wrapping presents and decorating. Otis Redding would be on the old stereo, singing "Merry Christmas, Baby..." and she’d croon along in her high, fluty voice. It was her mission to make everything perfect for us - it was just what she did. But now she’s not here anymore, and since dad is still heartbroken, it falls on me to try to make up the difference for the kids... and I have to admit it to myself - everything takes time, but more than that - it costs money.

  And besides, I’m grieving too. And one thing I grieve is that I never told her exactly how much all that thoughtfulness and effort meant to me when she was alive. I vow that I will never let good people go unappreciated again.

  Rain snaps her finger in my face. "Hello, Planet Earth to Adisa!" she says, grinning. "Where were you, girl, I've been talking to you for the last five minutes! Damn near talking to myself, I guess!“ Thank god she's here. Otherwise it would be
pretty lonely. And not just that, but clearly I would get tangled in my thoughts way too often. "Sorry!" I smile back. "Just thinking about Darius and Chikae." Rain’s mom-like in her own way, about fifteen years older than me, but just as lovely as ever. Black don’t crack, after all, so she looks good. But her manner is sweet, motherly, with just the right amount of mischief. I love her. I don’t want to bring her down with the thought of my mom and her untimely passing.

  "Are you sure? You've been going off into La La Land pretty frequently lately - and I think it has to do with Mr. Hot-Stuff Boss man!" She nods knowingly at the office door, where Nicholas has been holed up the last few hours.

  "No, for real," I say. "I’m thinking about the kids’ birthdays. I just want to make this year's birthday celebration awesome for my bro and sis, and you remember they’re the same week - Darius’ day is coming up first, and then Chikae. You know, I want things to be special for them.”

  “It will," she says, face softening. "You're a very good big sister. But it wouldn't it all be a lot easier if we had the kind of screw-it money that Nick does?" Her face scrunches into a sympathetic smile.

  "I wonder," I reply thoughtfully. “It's strange, but he doesn't seem all that happy, does he? Always looks stressed out whenever he's in the office." I thought of him rushing in today, past our desks, phone glued to his ear, shutting the door quickly behind him. Sure, money’s great and important, but it can’t buy happiness. I guess it can buy some pretty nice things though. Hence my working here.

  “Yeah, but how often is he here, really?" Her fingers clack as she keys in a line of data. "I bet he doesn't look stressed out when he's at his country ranch or on his yacht!"

  "He has a yacht?" I gape. "Are you serious?" “Well I can’t say I’ve been on the thing, but that's what I heard!" She says as she leans forward and grins, brushing imaginary long locks away from her face. “Can you imagine? I’ll have another G and T, please,” she leans back and comically looks over her glasses. “On the double.” I giggle, about to play along, but just then the office door opens and all six-foot two of him steps out, a business suit clinging to his musculature. Damn, he looks fine. But still, that scowl on his face. I quickly go back to typing up a storm, hoping it doesn’t seem too obvious that we were goofing off.