Unsportsmanlike Conduct

by Melody Heck Gatto

  "Patrick Dubois? Oh my God! It is you!" a young girl squealed, snapping him out of his daydream. Dammit.

  He sipped the last of his beer and smiled. "Yep, it's me." Patrick shrugged, putting on a fake smile. He took a few minutes to sign an autograph for the young fan and take a photo with her. It wasn't the fan's fault that he still pined over Gia; she just wanted an autograph.

  He reached into his pocket for his phone ... it wasn't there.

  "Sorry, but I gotta run."

  "Thanks Mr. Dubois!"

  Where did he leave his phone? Shit, I bet it’s still in the ballroom.

  ****

  GIA

  Gia sat in the hotel bar, pouting. The next week or so, she would be alone. She spent most of her time with Tyler or Kat, Kris and little Ian and had not been completely by herself in a long time.

  Oh, that little Ian is so adorable. She never thought she could love a baby that much. Not much of a kid person, she considered them as slobbery; baby puke was disgusting and dirty diapers just gross. But that all changed when she became an aunt. The first time she held Ian, she fell in love.

  She was still thinking about her snuggly nephew when she realized she had finished off three more mimosas and one beer. "Thanks, I've probably had enough," she said to the bartender and handed him money.

  She sat for a moment, thinking about how Tyler wanted her to move in with him. Maybe she should. My car is paid for, the only bills I have are rent and utilities …

  Kat had settled down with Kris after only a few months--a match made in heaven. But were she and Tyler supposed to work out? What would she do all day? He lived close enough to Kris that she could spend her days with Kat and little Ian. Gia sighed. Patrick raided her thoughts again.

  "Wait, maybe one more beer." She waved to the bartender. "You ever have to make a decision, and you just don't know what to do?" she asked him as he handed her a bottle.

  He nodded. "Yeah, go with your gut, and maybe don't make that decision while you're drinking, okay?" He smiled at her glassy eyes before leaving her alone with her thoughts.

  Smart-ass. Gia took a long drink. Her face was hot and the cold beer tasted like heaven. Sitting the bottle on the bar, she stared at the half empty bottle. "Yeah, he's probably right," she said out loud to no one. She better stop before she did something stupid. Her decision would wait until she could think straight. "Thanks!" she called to the bartender, then stood up and immediately stumbled. Her legs felt like jelly. Slowly she walked out of the bar, holding on to the line of barstools as she headed to the exit.

  Her heels looked awesome with her outfit today but did not cooperate with her current lack of coordination. She made it into the hallway and stumbled again. "Damn heels," she cursed too loudly. A couple nearby gave her a dirty look and kept walking.

  Kicking the stylish heels off, she bent to pick them up. Her purse flopped out of her arms and dropped to the floor, spilling the contents out everywhere. "Seriously?"

  CHAPTER 5

  PATRICK

  Patrick snuck into the quiet ballroom. It was vacant except for the wait staff still cleaning up. His cell phone had to be here. He had spent most of lunch at the table and couldn't imagine leaving it anywhere else. He found it peeking out from under his bunched up napkin.

  He hurried back out with his phone in hand. Reaching the hotel lobby, he realized he had no reason to hurry. He stopped for a minute and checked for any missed calls. Maybe he should take his cousin's advice and find one of his groupies to relieve some of this stress.

  It sounded good in theory, and maybe it was what he needed, but he didn't want just any little floozy. Only one girl had his pants permanently snug. He wanted her.

  A commotion near the hotel bar caught his attention.

  "What the--" He turned to see a young woman fumbling with her purse. Some of the contents had spilled on the floor. She was barefoot, trying to gather it all up, yet failing miserably. He watched her struggle for a moment and certainly didn't mind the view. What a nice ass. His aunt taught him better manners than that, and he couldn't let her struggle anymore.

  Approaching the young woman, he continued to admire her ass. Even a gentleman can appreciate beauty. "Here, darlin', let me help you with that–"

  The dark haired beauty looked up at him with wide eyes.

  "Gia?" That explains the nice ass. His breath caught as his slacks became snug.

  Gia groaned and looked away. "Yes, Patrick, it's me. I'm fine; I don't need your help. BYE." She waved him off as she quickly shoved her things into her purse. She clutched her room key and stumbled as she tried to stand up on her own.

  "Whoa, little too much to drink, sunshine?" He snickered, looking around. "Where's Ty?"

  She stood before him barefoot, with her shoes in her hand, and unsteady. Maybe she was more of a party girl than he thought. Even with her dark hair slightly out of place, she still looked smoking hot. She always looked hot. Her blouse was a little askew, and her cleavage peeked out, as if begging to be touched. Oh, he definitely wanted to touch it.

  "He left. You know, it's training time." Gia rolled her eyes.

  "Oh yeah," he said with a grunt as his eyes stayed on her boobs. One was trying its damnedest to pop out of her shirt. He shook his head and tried to regain control. As much as he wanted to charm her, she needed his help first. Clearing his throat, he scratched at his five o'clock shadow. "Let me ..."

  "No, I am fine." She put her hand out to keep him away and shot him a pointed look. "I don't need your help. I'm staying here for the night." As soon as she said the words, she sighed and closed her eyes with a groan. "Dammit."

  "Staying at the hotel, huh?" He flashed a smile at her. From the look on her face, she didn't want him to know that information. "Let me help you."

  She was no doubt tipsy and grabbed on to the wall as if she might fall over. She needed assistance but was too stubborn for her own good.

  Since that night a year ago, she had treated him like he had done something wrong. He didn't do anything, they did. Obviously it happened for a reason, and they had both wanted it. She participated as much as he did. Maybe she was angry with herself for giving in to him. Yet, she still sent him those same flirty signals, the hair flips and the stolen glances.

  And he liked it.

  "Grab my arm," he said, holding it out for her. "I can at least help you get to your room."

  Just because he wanted to bed this woman, didn’t mean he wasn’t still enough of a gentleman to help her. Even in her altered state she was lucid enough to still be snarky with him. Would she see past his usual cockiness or fight him at every turn?

  "Patrick, I don't want …" she began and then sighed. "Back off, I can do it my–"

  "Shut up and just let me help you."

  ****

  GIA

  Gia's head was cloudy and felt ten times heavier than it should. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he have to try to help? She was tipsy, looked a mess and prayed for him to just turn and walk away. But he didn't.

  He was being nice but still had that cocky ass grin on his face. She wanted to hate him. He made her blood boil and her pulse race every time he looked at her with those icy blue eyes. As long as she kept him at arm’s length, she wouldn't make that mistake again.

  But his closeness, and the way his muscles rippled under his dress shirt, might push her to a dangerous point. Even in her fog, she knew she should run. She had drank too much and wasn't in complete control. How could she be? She was walking, er—stumbling, down the hotel hall barefoot.

  She drank to forget Tyler was leaving. She drank to forget Patrick. Yet here he was, too close and making her insides turn to molten desire.

  Snap out of it, Gia!

  She didn't want his help and didn't trust herself around him. But looking down the long hallway, she knew she couldn’t make it alone. Why didn’t I stop after the mimosas? Ironically, the alcohol she used to get him out of her mind had become the reason he was here.
>
  Her stomach flopped as her eyes met his, dark with desire. He pinned her with a heated look, and she fought for breath. This is why she needed to stay away from him.

  Taking a second look down the long hallway, she had no choice. "Fine …" She grunted, feeling defeated.

  Gia took his arm, avoiding his eyes the whole way down the hall, but could feel him watching her. Her face was hot and her legs weak. Her spinning head didn't help matters much. She should have drowned her sorrows in cupcakes today, or pizza, or anything other than booze. This is not how she wanted to spend a night of pampering herself.

  Reaching her hotel room, she unlocked the door. She couldn't have him here. She leaned against an accent table and asked nastily, "Why are you still at the hotel anyway? Were you following me?" It was the only way she knew to keep him at arm's length. Not that it did any good; he didn’t back off. Her pulse raced and her mouth went dry as he stared at her.

  "No, Gia, I was not following you." He chuckled. "As a matter of a fact, I had left but realized I forgot my phone."

  Gia rolled her eyes. The little table did a great job of holding her ass up. She was seeing clearer and the room had stopped spinning, for now.

  She heard voices as people walked down the hallway. Her door was still wide open. Patrick just stood there looking at her. "You can leave now," she hissed. Please ... leave ... now ... Her fingers dug into the table. She needed any support she could find to keep her from climbing onto his hard, muscular frame.

  She wished she could blame this insane reaction on the alcohol, but the truth was she wanted him. He gave off a naughty vibe right now; he knew he shouldn't be here. Her mind told her to shove him out the door, but her feet refused to move.

  Ignoring her, he pushed the door shut. "You are so good with little Ian. He really is the cutest thing."

  "Why are you still here?" Her purse dropped to the table, falling open. Her cell phone fell to the floor, next to her shoes.

  "I got it." He quickly kneeled down to pick her phone up.

  Standing back up to hand it to her, his lips were only inches from hers, his breath hot on her skin. Her body silently begged him to touch her. Why am I so weak? Why can't I fight this?

  This was wrong. She was Tyler's girl. Why won't he just leave? Her knees were weak and she fought to stay upright. Damn mimosas! No more alcohol when Patrick is within one hundred feet of me, she scolded herself.

  Her mind wandered to that night; his hard body against hers. He had been rough and gentle all at the same time. Her mind cleared and she looked from his lips to his eyes, full of lust. Her breath caught, and fire coursed through her veins.

  Her brain begged her to put a stop to this now. Throw him out. She still had a chance to make this right but instead her body froze.

  He had her trapped under his passionate gaze, lost in his eyes. She struggled for oxygen; her body started to tremble. Without a word, he covered her mouth with his. The force of his body shoved her against the table.

  His soft lips moved against hers. His body, pressed against hers, felt so right. Gia's eyes involuntarily closed as his masculine fragrance engulfed her senses. His warm tongue ran along the outline of her lips and her body melted into his. She didn't wasn’t supposed to like this, but she did and wanted more.

  As he pushed his tongue into her mouth, her brain took over and she jolted back to reality. What is he doing? She pushed him away and slapped him across the face. She wasn't thinking straight. This was only lust. Right?

  Patrick reached up to rub his stinging cheek, that cocky grin again on his face.

  It made her blood boil. She wasn't sure if she felt anger or lust. It would be best for everyone if she didn't find out. Flustered, she snatched her phone out of his hand.

  He needs to leave. Now. "You can't just kiss me like that," she snapped.

  His hearty laugh rumbled through the room.

  She moved her phone and purse to the corner table, for no other reason than to put some distance between them. Her breathing was shallow, and she found it hard to take in enough oxygen. She closed her eyes to calm herself down.

  "You can leave now," she repeated as she pointed toward the door.

  Patrick stood motionless by the table. He smirked at her temper tantrum. The way his lips curved into that damn smile did things to her. Naughty things. She needed him to leave.

  As she moved to open the door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. A sharp gasp escaped her lips and her pulse sped up, her lips inches from his. She stared into his blue eyes, mesmerized; his breath hot against her face.

  "I can't do this again," she whispered and broke from his grasp. Looking for anywhere to go other than near Patrick, she stumbled across the room to the corner table. It was dark and she hoped the shadows covered her face. With her back to Patrick, she counted to ten in the hopes of slowing her breathing and silently prayed for him to leave.

  Without a word, Patrick crossed the room. She could feel his hot breath bite at the back of her neck. Goosebumps formed on her arms as he brushed her hair aside. She took in a sharp breath and looked up at the dark ceiling.

  "Please, Patrick. Leave," she said quietly. She couldn't even convince herself that she meant it.

  His cologne invaded her senses and made her dizzy. She fought desperately to resist him. She needed to resist him. She had to resist him.

  Patrick moved the collar of her shirt and placed a warm, soft kiss on her neck. "I know you don't mean that …" he whispered in her ear and kissed her jawline.

  Gia closed her eyes. She would not give into temptation and tried to shut her body down, but it didn’t cooperate. She couldn't go down this road again. She was with Tyler. Tyler loved her. Tyler trusted her. She couldn't do this to Tyler again.

  She had spent so much of the last year hating and avoiding Patrick so she would never be in this position again. Yet, here she was.

  "If you left now, we could just forget this ever happened. No harm done. Tyler would never have to know."

  "True," he said as he continued to kiss down her neck.

  Electricity shot through her body each time his lips brushed against her skin. She tried to bring up an image of Tyler in her mind, but Patrick's touch made her lightheaded. She couldn't concentrate. Begging for a distraction, she realized there was none.

  Patrick wrapped his hand around her waist and slowly slid it under her snug blouse. She gasped at the feel of his warm body touching hers. His mouth settled right next to her ear where she could feel his every breath. Her body tingled and her heart raced at the hardness pushing through his pants. Her body screamed for his touch.

  "I know you don't want me to leave," he whispered.

  She swallowed hard as his lips trailed down to her shoulder. Her brain told her to stop this now, but her body molded to his. His hard-on against her ass caused a moan to catch in her throat.

  "Say that you want me to stay …" he growled softly in her ear. He unbuttoned the bottom button of her shirt, sliding his rough hand up her stomach, kissing her neck. His teeth nipped at her skin.

  His warm lips sent chills through her body. The room spun out of control; she didn't know if it was from the alcohol or his flesh touching hers. She kept repeating the same things over in her head. She wanted to resist him, she needed to resist him, she had to resist him… She fought with her body not to give in.

  He undid the next button of her shirt, and she drew in a sharp breath. She tilted her head up, clenched her eyes shut and tried hard not to lose control.

  "We can't …" Gia said softly.

  Patrick ran his hand up her midsection to the next button. "We can," he whispered in her ear.

  She thought her heart might beat out of her chest; it pounded so fiercely. Her pulse raced. Patrick unhooked the last button and her snug shirt opened, exposing her lacy, push-up bra. All of her restraint went with that last button. She gasped as he took both cotton-clad breasts in his hands. He eagerly caressed them through the fabric as his fingers
teased at her taut nipples. His tongue trailed down her bare shoulder while his hand wandered to the warmth between her thighs.

  She knew this was wrong and hated herself for wanting him, but she was too turned on to care. Spinning around to face him, she pulled his dress shirt from his slacks. She undid the buttons quickly, practically ripping them off. His hand cradled the back of her head as he devoured her lips, shoving his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch of it. He unhooked her bra and tossed it across the room.

  His strong hands tugged at her pants until they slid to the floor. Gia gasped as he grabbed her ass and pulled her up onto the table. He hungrily took in one of her breasts, sucking on her hard and aroused nipple. Gia let out a muffled cry as his hand slid between her thighs.

  She missed his touch, missed how he felt inside her. Yes, she needed him again. She pulled back enough to look down into his icy blue eyes and saw that cocky grin on his lips as he looked up at her.

  CHAPTER 6

  PATRICK

  Patrick could barely focus. His pulse raced and his desire for her had his whole body on fire. This last year had been hell not being able to touch her. He wiggled her panties down until they lay on the floor. He gave her lips one last kiss before trailing down her body, stopping at her midsection. His mouth took over her warm center. He needed to taste her. Kissing her gently, his hands caressed the back of her thighs.

  As he hooked one leg over his shoulder, her body went rigid. "Trust me," he whispered.

  Grabbing her other leg, he hooked it over his other shoulder. The table supported her as she calmed.

  "Relax, baby girl. I want to taste your sweetness. I promise I'll be gentle." Sliding his tongue into her softness, her legs tensed around his shoulders at first, then relaxed as she gave in to the pleasure.

  He lapped at her moisture. Patrick loved watching her become aroused as he tasted her sweet spot. She squirmed under his touch and quietly moaned, no longer pushing him away.