by Marian Tee
Table of Contents
BOYS
About the Book
Boys
Part One
Silver
First Look
First Dance
First Kiss
Lace
First Promise
First Love
First Call
First Fight
First Time
First Cut
First Teardrop
Silver
First Secret
Part Two
Silver
Bad Boys Start Young
Bad Vibes
Lace
Bad Advice
Bad Thoughts
Bad Moves
Bad Timing
Bad Luck
Bad Falls
Silver and Lace
Bad Words... | Aren’t Always Spoken
Bad Choices
Bad News: | The Things | You Never Want to Hear
Author's Note
Kellion: | Greek. Biker. Billionaire.
Love You Again
Slade: | The Billionaire Rancher | and The Waitress
This book was previously published as a duology: Play With Me and This Round I'm Yours. Please check the description below for an explanation of how reverse harems in shoujo manga work.
All the boys used to love me.
That was how it was back in high school, when I was still head coach of Sacred Heart Academy's championship-winning basketball varsity team. I was their only girl, and they were all my boys. But then college happened. And everything fell apart.
I thought there'd be no way to get my whole life back again until a certain smooth-talking billionaire with a devilish kind of charm seduced his way into the picture. Silver March, with his gently chiding words and lazy kisses, made me realize how much time I've wasted drowning myself in self-pity and insecurities.
If I want my boys back, I need to remember how I used to be and start acting like it: a snarky tough-love chick that all the boys loved to hate but can't help but love.
And as for Silver March, whom the paparazzi loves to describe as the perfect boyfriend...my heart only has room for basketball and my boys, so the billionaire just has to find someone else to take to his bed.
Note: Reverse harem in shoujo manga, which is what this book has, typically means that the heroine is loved or lavishly doted upon by at least three men in her life. Not all of these men, however, may feel romantic love for her. It can be a different kind of love (e.g. filial), and there is rarely any menage involved. My type of reverse harem follows this pattern, so please expect my heroine to enjoy the most delicious shows of affection from the team of hot guys she coaches, but at the end of the day she's only going to enjoy a happy-ever-after with her just one man. Hope you can give it a try!
Check out my other book My Russian Stepbrothers as another example of how reverse harem in shoujo manga works. For actual manga comparisons, my favorites would be Yona of the Dawn and The Wallflower by Tomoko Hayakawa.
About the Book
“Finally.” Ivan shook his head resignedly when she emerged from the restroom six minutes later, not a single strand of hair out of place.
Before she could answer, the other players were calling out greetings to Silver, who was entering the complex from the main doors. Her cheeks flushed at the sight of him, but she did her best to sound surprised as she said, “March.”
His smile was angelic. “Wyndham.” He took a seat at the first row of bleachers. Even though her team always invited him to sit on the bench, Silver never did sit with them. It was as if he knew without being told that there were lines which were best left uncrossed.
Silver never interrupted either when she was coaching, but she could always feel his gaze on her, whatever she was doing.
When she came back to him, he patted his lap.
She froze. And then she shook her head very quickly. “Are you kidding?” she hissed.
But Silver was a very patient man. He looked at her and then patted his lap again. “We’re going to do this until you agree.”
Shit. Since she knew by now he wasn’t the type to bluff, she reluctantly headed towards him, dragging her feet and finally lowering herself on his lap, her back stiff.
“I want you again,” he whispered into her ear.
Lace turned red. “Will you please not talk about—-”
“Coach?”
She tried to get off Silver’s lap, but he didn’t let her, his arm around her waist locking her to him. Shit. He was clearly in asshole mode again. She turned towards Vasyl. “What is it?”
“You think we can go for that alley oop play?”
She frowned. “No.”
Her point guard grimaced. “Why not?”
“It’s too soon, plus there’s the fact that your ankle still hasn’t fully healed—-”
“It’s okay now,” Vasyl said, stiffening at the mention of his injury.
“No. It’s not.” When he opened his mouth to argue, she scowled. “No, and that’s final. I’m only thinking about what’s best for you so stop glaring at me, you ungrateful jerk. If you want your career to last beyond college, then you need to listen to your elders. If I say you need to rest, then you need to fucking rest—-”
“Coach?”
Her tirade came to a huffing stop. “What?” she snapped. It was so exhausting to get mad. Damn these boys for being so stubborn.
“I get what you’re saying, but...” Vasyl smirked. “It’s hard to take you seriously when you’re sitting on a guy’s lap like you’re about to be his dessert.”
Lace turned red. “Y-you—-”
In the middle of dribbling his way to the back court, Alexio paused in front of them, grinning. “Coach?”
That grin...did she even want to hear what this little punk had to say?
“You were really good earlier at pretending you didn’t know March was coming. You almost had us convinced, but...” He looked at her shirt pointedly. “Since I don’t think you need to take your shirt off just to pee...”
Lace slowly looked down at her shirt.
Ah, fuck.
She had worn it inside out.
Silver laughed with the rest of the team, and this time he let her go as she jumped off his lap.
“It’s not fucking funny, ASSHOLES!”
Boys
By Marian Tee
Previously published as a duology: Play with Me and This Round I'm Yours.
Copyright 2020 by Streak Digital Publishing
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Part One
Silver
First Look
His dance partner for the wedding came thirty minutes late for their first practice. A tiny, voluptuous nineteen-year-old who came barreling through the doorway with a flushed face, long, wavy blonde hair flying behind her.
Silver March forgave her on the spot.
He had to. He wasn’t the type to have sex with girls he disliked.
Everything about her was fascinating. The way her pretty face was bare of makeup, even if she had dark circles under her eyes. The way she tried to hide her curves under shapeless clothes. And, most of all, the fact that she came in wearing a pair of Jordans while everyone wore three inch stilettos—-
He found it hot. Amusing, too, but hot. Enough for him to use one full second to ensure his body was put under control.
She scanned the room, seeing everyone paired up except for him. She went to him immediately, walk
ing so fast he was certifiably impressed by her speed. And amused. Everything this girl did was refreshingly...amusing, the way she was so genuine and wholehearted in her actions.
Looking at her under his lids, he noted how nothing in her face showed any kind of surprise or excitement that he was to be her dancing partner. Did she know he was a last-minute substitute? Did she know who he was? Did she think he was hot?
Silver almost started at the last question that popped into his mind. Where did that even come from? He couldn’t remember the last time he had even cared to wonder what a woman thought of him. Most times, there was no need to even wonder, the way every female he encountered would throw herself at him.
“I’m so sorry I’m late.” A husky voice that had his body stirring again, but in a tone that was brisk and apologetic at the same time. Clearly, this girl didn’t like wasting words. She looked up at him with a grimace. “One of my guys—-”
He blinked. “You have kids?”
She was visibly taken aback at his question. “Uh, no?”
He was even more stunned. Then that meant she was in that kind of relationship?
Her eyes widened, and then she grinned. “Oh, no, no, no. You got it all wrong. When I say ‘my guys’, I mean the guys in the basketball team I’m managing. That’s all. One of them had an injury and I had to at least make sure that he got to ER okay before coming here.”
“I see.” It took him a while to answer. He needed a few moments to make sure he didn’t sound relieved. Even if he was. When he had thought she was in a ménage a trois –
Silver almost shook his head in exasperation. What the hell was happening to him? Why did it matter so much that this girl wasn’t with anyone?
“I’m Lace Wyndham, by the way.” She offered him her hand immediately.
“Silver March.” He grasped her hand. It was tinier and rougher than most female hands but somehow, he found that hot, too.
She beamed up at him. “Hello, March.” Releasing his hand, she said, “I have to say you’re one of the prettiest boys I’ve ever seen.”
He blinked.
Before either of them could say anything, Liam, the groom-to-be, came bearing down on them, holding in his hand a pair of stilettos.
Lace groaned at the sight of it. “Noooooo.”
Liam grinned. “Yes.” He tossed the pair to her, which Lace caught with one hand. And then both of them said at the same time, “Perfect pass.” They grinned again, and it was clear that the two knew each other very well.
Silver needed another second.
So this, he thought with a frown, was what jealousy felt like.
First Dance
“Hey, March.”
“Wyndham.” They fist-bumped each other the moment Lace reached him. It was their fifth practice together, and by now he was used to the way Lace did things. She was the least self-aware person he had ever met, the least coy. The way she looked at other men, the way she spoke, the way she acted – it was as if she really did consider herself of the same gender as men.
If only the other men in the room thought the same, then maybe Silver would feel a bit more at ease. But at this rate, he felt like he had to be on his guard all the time, needing to protect his unsuspecting lamb from the wolves circling around her.
There were twenty groomsmen, including him. Half of the group were from the same high school as Liam and Lace, and they all treated Lace like a kid sister. The other half were Liam’s college friends – and they all looked like they want to have a kid with her.
Bastards.
Evangeline Lace Wyndham was his.
Tonight, Lace herself would know that, too.
Fifteen minutes later, and the music started to play. He and Lace assumed their positions, her hand on his shoulder, his hand on her waist. In the previous practices, they had only danced the first sequences, none of it requiring them to close the distance between their bodies.
But tonight –
Tonight, it was all about swirls and dips, about their bodies touching, and Silver intended to fully take advantage of it. As they danced next to each other, holding hands while facing the stage, Silver asked her about basketball, knowing it would help her relax and lower her guard.
“Yeah, I watched the last game, and it sucks that the Bulls lost.” She squared her shoulders. “But like I always say, the game’s not over until it’s over. They still have a chance to make it to the next round.”
The way she was always full of hope and optimism fascinated him. She was snarky most of the time, but when it came to basketball, she’d turn into a fount of positive quotes in a blink.
“It’s really too bad you never played when you were in college,” Lace was saying, and he had to smother a laugh when he caught her stealing a look at him and started muttering to herself about his height and his damn wingspan. Wingspan. Most women would have seized the chance to inject innuendo into the conversation, to talk about the length and girth of his cock. But his sweet snarky lamb?
“...bet your vertical jump would be off the scales.” A gleeful evil smile curved on her lips. “If I had you on my team, I’d be making the others piss in their pants because I’ve got another pretty boy with brains.”
Silver had to take a deep breath so he wouldn’t be tempted to haul her into his arms.
When the tempo of the music sped up, Silver almost hesitated. They were having such a good time that he was reluctant to ruin it
But then he saw one of the groomsmen staring at Lace, another wolf on the hunt.
Ah, fuck it.
Jealousy ignited, and Silver tightened his grip on her waist. It made Lace look up, and when she did, he smiled at her. Fair warning, his smile said.
Her eyes widened, and Silver knew that she had the tiniest inkling of what his smile was warning her about. She started to pull away from him, but by then it was too late.
In all honesty, it had been too late for her the first time they met.
He wanted her, and he would have her.
Silver pulled her close, using his strength without hurting her. Their bodies touched as he swirled them around. Just a few moments of their bodies coming into full contact. Her breasts pressing against his chest. Her belly against his cock. A few moments, too fast for the other couples to notice, but for them, it was an eternity.
Her eyes widened, her lips parting in shock, her body freezing.
She almost stumbled, but he didn’t let it stop them, managing to catch her although he wasn’t able to prevent her sharp stiletto from trying to crush his toe.
Capturing her gaze, he didn’t let her look away, didn’t allow her any chance to deny the truth. With every swirl and dip, he let her feel it. The way his cock hardened more and more with each brush. His deep, burning urge to possess her. And most of all, he wanted her to know that she wanted him, too.
She didn’t surrender right away, his beautiful girl. She tried pushing him away, tried to cripple him, but every time she did, he retaliated by pulling her closer, angling her body so his cock would throb right between her folds. It had Lace biting her lip very hard, which of course made him want to bite her beautiful lip, too. It was clear in her bright blue eyes she was confused by the way her body was betraying her.
Silver badly wanted to teach her what it all meant, then and there, but he knew it was still too early.
His rebellious lamb had to be wooed very gently and carefully. If he was too aggressive, he would risk having her run away, and he didn’t want that.
When the music ended, Lace was wide-eyed and trembling, but her chin was up and her stance defensive. Little rebellious lamb was not going down without a fight. And hell if that didn’t make her hotter in his eyes, didn’t make him imagine how wild she would be in bed when all her passion was focused on pleasing him.
“Thank you for a wonderful dance, Wyndham.” He had a hard time struggling to keep a straight face at the way his words threw her off. She had expected him to come on strong, but now, when he wasn’t
saying or doing anything to confirm it, she was starting to doubt everything, wondering if she had imagined it all.
If she did end up thinking it had been all her imagination, Silver didn’t mind. What mattered was that she now knew what she felt about him.
She wanted him.
Now, it was only a matter of waiting for the right time and place for him to make his next move.
First Kiss
Lace arrived at exactly ten minutes before seven. Except for that first practice, she had been remarkably punctual, something he learned she actually felt strongly about. In her opinion, no coach worthy of self-respect could ever be late. Ever.
Since he was observing from the balcony, she didn’t notice him at first. A good thing since it gave him the rare pleasure of savoring the sight of his rebellious little lamb. She looked like a goddess, blessed with the most divine curves. It was too bad she also happened to be cursed with two left feet. After their first dance rehearsal, he had stopped counting the number of times she had stepped on his feet.
A smile touched his lips at the way she marched even in her three-inch heels, but he also ended up cracking his knuckles when he saw the way the other men in the suite couldn’t take their eyes off her form.
Like the other bridesmaids, she was dressed in a strapless mauve gown, its low-cut neckline giving everyone a more than ample view of her cleavage. She was easily the sexiest girl in the room, but it was clear in the way she kept fidgeting and pulling her gown up that she hated the way the men were staring at her.
He smiled humorlessly. Well, at least she was not alone in hating it. He goddamn hated it, too.
God, if his siblings could see him now. They’d likely die laughing. If Silver didn’t feel so damn jealous, he’d probably find it funny as well. People had always said he was the most laidback guy they had ever met. Someone who could always be counted on to smile. To charm. To dazzle. It was, in fact, why Silver and his older brother worked well together. Steel fought ruthlessly and head on. Silver preferred to be in the shadows, a spy in the guise of an irreverent playboy.
