An older couple walked the beach as I spread out my towel to sit in my summer dress. I’d left my heels in the car. The sun shimmered across the water, and the starbursts it caused reminded me of the year Bryce and I went to D.C. to see the Fourth of July celebration. The fireworks had gone on for at least an hour while we sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Bryce had his arms around me as I rested my head against his chest. As big and tough as he acted while we were dating, it was times like sitting on those steps, watching fireworks that he would whisper things in my ear. A poem, occasionally something dirty, but usually something loving. He built me up every opportunity he had. And, of course, he told me how much he loved me.
“Madison?”
I looked to my left and saw a god-like image running toward me. His golden-skin shimmered with sweat. Muscles danced and flexed. His hair fell in waves over his face. His shorts were short and hugged his crotch.
“RJ?” I questioned. The sun made it hard to see his face.
“Missed you last night,” he said. “Thought you were stopping by?”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I had a headache,” I said, lame. “Maybe another night.”
He sat in the sand next to me. The smell of sweat and deodorant created a dangerous elixir. The man was a few years younger than both Bryce and I. He didn’t mind being one of those players who let his personal life interfere with his professional life. I was doing the same thing with Bryce.
“Some of the guys were telling me you and Bryce were once a thing back in college,” RJ said. Sweat ran down his chest and his speed bump-like abs. I was sure he had no problem finding a date. Or several.
“This is true,” I said, dreading where the conversation might go. I decided to be proactive. “But I don’t believe in mixing my professional and personal life.” Liar. I fucking loved Bryce. Never quit loving him.
“I see,” RJ said, looking out across the water. I could tell I’d hurt his feelings. But like all the rest of us, he needed to put on his big boy pants. Why was he even flirting with me in the first place? A challenge? Probably. Guys like him enjoyed the hunt, but they enjoyed the kill much more.
“You run every morning?” I asked. “Half-naked?” I needed him off the topic of Bryce.
“Yes, and yes,” he said. “Clears my mind. You come out here very often?”
I nodded. “Clears my mind.”
“Looky there, we have something in common,” he said. “Well, maybe other things too.”
“Such as?”
“We both love the Hurricanes.”
“Do you?” I asked. “Or do you just love the paycheck?”
“Can’t put anything over on you,” he said. “And of course, we both like Bryce.”
“I doubt that,” I said.
“You don’t like him?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“I see.” He paused for a moment. “And of course, we both like my body.” He looked toward the ocean, having used one of what I assumed of many pickup lines.
“I should be going,” I said. I didn’t move, hoping he would. I didn’t want him walking me back to my car. Then he would want to open my door. And if he were as immature as he seemed, he would want a kiss before I got in. I glanced his way and realized he was actually right. We both did love his body.
He stood, statuesque. Maybe if Bryce wasn’t in the picture and maybe if he played for another team, RJ might be a fantasy. One of those guys a girl could take a chance on for one night or even a weekend, knowing you’d have to throw him back in before he threw you back in. But not today. Hell, he could play on my fantasy team, though.
He started to walk away but then stopped. “Nothing wrong with mixing business and pleasure as long as you do it the right way. I know I’m not the poster child for morality, but I know how to get it done.” And there it was, his way of saying he could make it happen if I were game. He could make all my wildest fantasies come true, and then move on to the next woman, making the same promises.
He ran back toward the water and then down the beach, picking up speed as he ran. For a dumb football player what he had said made a lot of sense. Maybe I just needed to do it the right way. Maybe Julie was right. I could have my cake and eat it too.
I gathered the towel and Starbucks cup and headed back to Orlando. The hour-long ride allowed me time to question every decision I’d made since leaving Bryce. Could I have done anything differently? Part of me always thought somehow, someway, we’d end up back together again, but never had I dreamed we would be connected by the Hurricanes. The day my father told me they signed Bryce, I sat in my living room and cried, knowing we’d have to face each other again, unsure I would know how to do the right thing.
Tonight, I would set things straight. Bryce needed to understand why I made the decisions I had. He needed to know it was nothing against him personally. He needed to know that I loved him with my entire being. Sometimes life threw you a curveball, and you did your best to hit the pitch you weren’t expecting.
I pulled into the training facility and headed to my office, trying hard not to interact with anyone. I didn’t want to people. My head needed to be clear when Bryce picked me up for dinner. As soon as I sat, my phone buzzed.
“What time is the star picking you up?” Julie asked.
“Sixish,” I said. My mind took a dive. I should’ve never agreed to meet him. Only one thing could happen, and it wasn’t the thing to help me keep my job. “I’m afraid it’s going to happen. He’s going to ask me to sleep with him.” I moved from my chair and looked out the window toward the practice field.
“And?” Julie asked.
“I’d lose everything. I can’t do that.” A headache pounded at my temples. “You’ve gotta help me with this, Julie. I need your strength.”
Julie said nothing for several seconds. “Okay,” she finally said as if a plan had suddenly formed in her mind. “Where’re you going for dinner?”
“Sicilione’s.”
“Damn, that’s romantic,” she said. “Nice move on his part. Gotta give him credit. It’s inside the hotel.”
“So?” Damnit, he was setting me up. “I’m not going.”
“You are,” Julie said. “And I’ll be there to support you. Incognito, of course. The minute he starts to lead you upstairs, I’ll play defensive lineman. It’ll be the hardest hit he’s ever had on or off the field.”
“You’re going to embarrass me. I don’t need that publicity either.” I paced the room, picking at my nails, stopping to look at a picture hanging on the wall of my mother. I missed her. I missed talking to her about things, about life, about Bryce. She adored him. Even once told me she couldn’t wait for us to have kids. I moved away from the picture when the tears started to build.
“Trust me, Madison. I got you. See ya tonight.”
Julie ended the call, and I buried my face in my hands.
And then when things couldn’t get any worse, they did with a knock on my door. “Come in.”
“Madison,” May said. “Everything okay?”
I took my face out of my hands and nodded.
May looked around the office, and I could see a huge amount of satisfaction on her face. “Your father would be proud.”
“Thank you, May. Did you get settled in?”
“It feels good to be back at it. I hated spending all day around sweaty, smelly men.” She glanced at the door and then closed it. Something was up. “I got a call from a friend down at the Hyatt. She told me your boy Bryce was down there this morning. He asked to see the room he would be staying in tonight. Said he stayed in there a while.”
I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. The man always had an ulterior motive. “Does she know why he wanted in the room?”
May shook her head and sat in the leather chair across from me. She leaned forward and whispered as if Gus had bugged the place before leaving. “Said he had a box with him, and he was acting weird. Said he stayed in the room for about an hour and th
en left. He had the box with him when he left. She searched the place but couldn’t find anything.”
“She recognized him from being the Hurricanes’ quarterback?”
“Not at all. Well, sort of.” May scooted the chair closer to the desk, and I leaned forward, paranoid. “He’s known to frequent the hotel and the penthouse. Last year she sent me a picture asking if I knew the man. Asked if he was famous. I told her.”
“Thanks, May.” He was taking me to the same place he took his one-night stands?
“She called Sicilione after he left. Found out he has a dinner reservation tonight. He always takes them there before heading up to the hotel.” May seemed to notice the frustration washing over me. She shook her head, emphatically. “You’re not going down there to have dinner with him, right?”
“Yes. He wanted to talk about his contract and how we could move forward with our relationship. I made it perfectly clear where I stood concerning our working together.”
“Be careful, Madison. That man has the charm of George Clooney, the voice of Barry White, and the body of a Spartan. Don’t let him fool you. Don’t listen to his talk. And whatever you do, don’t look him in the eyes.”
“It’s okay, May. I will have a friend down there with me. I know he probably has something planned. I’ll be okay. ”
May sighed and eyed her buzzing phone. “It’s Henry. He can’t last two minutes at home without me. The man should have never retired.” Her face shifted to concern. “Be careful. And remember what your father wanted.” She answered her phone and left the office.
***
Bryce
From the penthouse, I could see both Disney and Universal Studios. Orlando was a land of fantasies for both young and old. My fantasy was ten hours away, and it was only for adults.
I strategically placed cameras around the room: the vent looking down on the bed, beneath the TV, in the light hanging from the ceiling. I’d also seen the woman from housekeeping eyeing me when I entered the room earlier. The same woman who had taken a picture of me a few months ago. Which was why I returned to the room to make sure she’d not jacked with my plan.
While in college, Madison and I got into some pretty strange shit, but one thing stayed consistent—she loved toys in the bedroom. It didn’t really matter the size, color, or use; she was down with whatever. So, I stuck a couple of her favorites in the nightstand and then laid on the bed. As far as I knew, everything was a go for the evening.
I started to doze off, but the buzz in my pocket brought me back to life. “What’s up, Clarissa?” I said when I answered, seeing her picture on the phone when it rang.
Clarissa and I had been close friends ever since I helped her get a job as Gus’ assistant. I'd saved her ass on a number of occasions. I watched out for her and, in return, she watched out for me. I knew about the team changes long before the rest of the team. In return, I was to help her climb the executive ladder. She seemed to be as driven as Madison. I felt bad she had lost her office when Madison was appointed to replace Gus, but luckily she remained with the Hurricanes and stayed by Gus’ side. I didn’t think that would last much longer.
“Madison’s calendar is blocked out this evening from six to eight with a private meeting. A few minutes ago, she scheduled another meeting right after. It says visiting William.”
“What about tomorrow morning?” I asked. “Free or meetings scheduled?”
“Just says hold.”
Fuck. What was she doing? “Keep an eye on her calendar, and let me know if anything changes.”
I ended the call with Clarissa, struggling to get Madison out of my head. From the moment I saw her, all I could think about was making love to her. And not just once. I wanted one of those weekends we had spent together back in college. I wanted my hands all over her body, to remember what that had been like. I wanted to go down on her and remember the taste, the feel of her lips. I had been with a number of women since, but none of them compared to Madison. None could create the type of world Madison and I shared.
Madison was a sharp, intelligent woman with an intelligent mind. She wouldn’t show up without a plan B. I needed something different, an Ace up my sleeve.
***
Madison
“Too conservative,” Julie said. “I can barely see your ankles. And why the hell are you wearing flats?” Standing behind me, she looked over my shoulder and through the mirror. “And you’re not showing near enough cleavage. It’s not like you have a date with someone’s grandfather.” She shook her head. “No. This isn’t going to work, I’m afraid.”
“I don’t want to give him the wrong idea,” I said. “Cleavage will definitely give him the wrong idea. It’s already giving me the wrong idea.”
“Take it off,” Julie said and left me alone in the bathroom. Actually, I wanted to give him the wrong idea. I wanted him to take me to the penthouse. I wanted those college days. “Try this.” Julie handed me a short red dress that I had worn six months ago to a charity event in Miami. I thought I looked like an expensive call girl.
“This will give the wrong idea to every man in the restaurant,” I said. “I’m trying not to draw attention to myself. You’re not helping.”
Julie frowned as she stared at me in the mirror. “Don’t put it on yet. We need to replace your grandma’s bloomers. And your bra is holding you up like an eighty-year-old man’s nut sack.”
I cracked a smile and then the two of us laughed uncontrollably. My eyes watered, and mascara ran. When we finally caught our breath, Julie disappeared into the bedroom and came back with a thong and bra set that left little to the imagination.
“Holla when you’re dressed,” she said and left the room.
I changed the bra and saw in the mirror the girl I'd been back in college, the one who had spent hours preparing to meet Bryce. My brain and heart were in a battle against each other. I wiped away the first tear and took a deep breath. You got this, I said to the woman in the mirror. You’ve waited your entire life to run the Hurricanes. Don’t fuck it up. Don’t let Bryce fuck it up.
I changed clothes and twisted side to side. I looked fucking gorgeous and had no doubts Bryce would have trouble keeping his hands off me. The man needed to learn restraint, and I was just the woman to teach him. Right.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Julie said when I entered the bedroom. She patted me on the ass. “He’ll never be able to control himself. I can barely.”
“You do know this is completely the opposite of what we intended to do?”
Julie nodded. “You changed your calendar, right?”
“Yeah, but I still don’t understand why.”
Julie laughed. “Cause snitches be bitches, that’s why.”
“May would never rat me out for anything,” I said. “She wouldn’t.”
“I’m just saying, the woman has complete access to you. Watch your ass.”
The doorbell rang, and the show began. Julie, giddy like a child at a birthday party, hugged and kissed me.
“My reservation isn’t until six-thirty, so you need to stay in the restaurant at least until I get there,” Julie said. “Don’t let him charm your panties off. Got it?”
“Yeah,” I said, unsure. He’d already done that, and I’d yet to leave the house.
I headed down the steps and hit the foyer when the doorbell rang for a second time. I opened the door and felt my entire being on the verge of being swept away.
The sun was at Bryce’s back. A gigantic, golden halo surrounded him. “I’m early,” he said. “Hope you don’t mind.”
“You always are.” I looked him up and down. “You look very nice.”
“Just nice?”
I held up my hands in surrender. “Okay, Bryce, you look fucking gorgeous.”
“I’ll take that,” he said. He held out his arm. “Shall we?”
“I’m not holding your arm. This is strictly business.” I grabbed my purse and walked to his car with him trailing behind, knowing exact
ly what his eyes were doing. Despite him reaching for my car door, I grabbed the handle and opened the door myself. He managed to close the door with his eyes still on me. He whistled as he rounded the Audi.
“Not going to let me be gentlemanly?” he asked.
“Can we just go?” I lowered the window and let the breeze warm my skin.
Bryce pulled from the driveway. I glanced his way and hated the way he looked. Delicious. Always fucking delicious. His shirt always unbuttoned one button too far. The muscles in his chest flexed every time he turned the wheel. His casual suit certainly didn’t have a casual price tag. He had gone all out to impress me. And it worked!
“I’d like to renegotiate my contract,” he said. “Three other quarterbacks in the league are making more money than me who didn’t even make the playoffs last year.” He dropped a hand to the gearshift and gave me a sideways glance.
“I need to review contracts and salaries. There may not be enough room under the salary cap to give you more money.” I gloated on the inside. He definitely hadn’t expected me to suggest that the all-star quarterback wouldn’t receive a raise. “I mean, there are other players on the team. And once your new salary hits the news, other players are going to start grumbling. I can’t give everyone a raise.”
“I’m the only one who needs a raise from you, Mads.”
“I’m serious, Bryce.”
His jaw clenched, and his foot pressed a bit harder on the gas pedal. “You’re right. There are other players on the team, but none have put in the work and all the extra hours I did in order to bring the Hurricanes their first trophy. I gave, and now I’m asking to receive.”
“I give you my word I’ll review contracts.”
“There’s only one you need to review,” he said.
He took the next left instead of the next right he should have taken.
“Thought we were going to Sicilione’s?” My heart sped father than the car.
Bryce shook his head, and I noticed the smirk working across his lips. “I thought we needed a change of scenery. I booked a reservation at Le’Mone in Cocoa Beach.” He looked between me and the road several times. “That’s okay, I hope?”
Inheritance Goals: A Sports Romance Page 6
