Parker (Face-Off Series Book 1)

by Jillian Quinn

  He pushes my thighs together to remove my shorts and panties in one swift motion, throwing them on the floor behind him, before he gets on his knees in front of me and spreads my legs wide. One night with Alex makes up for all the months I’ve gone without sex. Hell, this is better than all the sex I’ve ever had combined.

  Now, I can see why girls line up and down the block for a chance with him. I’d gladly wait, like a contestant standing in line to audition for American Idol.

  Alex throws my right leg over his shoulder and kisses my inner thigh, just enough to torment me. Like a magician, he expertly works his magic, placing me under a spell that makes my head spin and my body numb, as his tongue brings me to the point of another mind-blowing orgasm.

  Alex looks up at me and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Then, he sets my leg on the couch, still holding on to me. “Don’t move,” he commands as he uses me for support and stands. “I want you just like that.”

  I smile when I see the effect I have on Alex and the bulge in his boxer briefs. He looks like a very big, very hard model that just stepped out of a magazine. And he’s all mine. He struts into his bedroom and comes back a few seconds later with a handful of condoms.

  I guess he’s an overachiever after all.

  Without wasting time, he pulls his boxers down, his massive erection springing free, and kicks them behind him. I gulp at the sight of him. Then, he opens one of the packages, dropping the rest onto the coffee table, and rolls the latex down his length. He positions himself between my legs, and I close my eyes as he pushes into me, my entire body clenching as he fills me.

  “Fuck, Charlotte,” he says, his big, strong hands gripping my hips as he moves faster. “You feel so fucking good, baby.”

  I moan in response, too focused on the heat spreading from my cheeks to my toes. It doesn’t take long for Alex to make me melt beneath his bulky frame. After another earth-shattering release, I’m riding a sex high that has me teetering on the edge.

  Can I even handle more?

  My body feels as though it could snap in half.

  Alex pulls out, and before I even have time to react, he flips me over and onto my stomach and pulls my butt toward him. I lean on my elbows and bury my face in the cushions as he rocks into me, fucking me like I imagined the first time we met. He’s an animal on the ice. But he’s even more of one in bed, and now, he’s thrusting into me, our bodies slamming together, as if he were knocking me into the boards.

  My favorite part of watching hockey is fantasizing about all the ways I’d want to be overpowered by a guy like Alex. This is better than I ever dreamed.

  He mumbles a series of groans and curses under his breath, gripping me hard as his body spasms. Even the sounds he makes when he comes are sexy, which excites me even more.

  I’m completely spent after several orgasms, ready for another shower and a long nap. Alex’s chest rises and falls against my back, his breathing still labored.

  He kisses my shoulder blade and slides out of me. My knees are practically smacking together without Alex stabilizing me.

  I hold on to the couch and flip myself over and onto my back with Alex’s help. My legs are like Jell-O.

  “That was…” I can’t even formulate a complete sentence. For the first time in my life, I’m utterly speechless.

  Our eyes meet for a second, and Alex winks at me and says, “I know,” before walking into the hall bathroom.

  Not until he disappears do I realize what we just did. Overwhelmed by sexual desire, all I could think about at the time was Alex fucking the tension from my body, and now that it’s over, I’m left wondering if I made a huge mistake. He’s my boss’s favorite client, a player I’m supposed to be coaching, and instead of helping him curb his appetite for alcohol, I’ve replaced it with sex.

  While he’s still in the bathroom, I pull my panties and shorts back on and turn off the television. I’m not completely steady yet, and my mind is still whirling from our encounter, but…

  What the hell did I just do? How do we go back to a normal agent-client relationship after this? Did we ever really have one?

  No matter how many players hit on me, I never acted upon it. And I was never once tempted—until Alex.

  Unsure of what to do, I lift the empty popcorn bowl from the coffee table and take it into the kitchen to rinse it out. I don’t look up as I hear him enter the living room. The snap of the elastic band hitting his waist startles me for a second. I take only a quick peek and see he’s in boxers again. Taking the dish soap and a sponge from the edge of the sink, I focus on cleaning, my fingers working feverishly as I scrub the butter from the bowl.

  “What did it ever do to you?” Alex asks, wrapping his arms around my stomach and pulling me against his chest. He plants a kiss on my neck that makes me drop the sponge into the soapy water. “If you get it any cleaner, I might be able to see my reflection.”

  I take a handful of bubbles and rub them in his hair, laughing. “Keep talking shit, Parker, and watch what happens.”

  He spins me around and tickles me, driving me crazy. “You think you’re funny, but you won’t be saying a word when I bend you over this counter and fuck you senseless.”

  My insides ache at the promise, but I’m too sore already, and the thought of more Alex at the moment is exhausting.

  And I’m not sure how we’re going to navigate this situation in the morning. Sex with a client, even if he’s not one I directly signed, is not only against Mickey’s code of conduct, but it’s also unprofessional. No one in the country would want to hire me if news broke out that I had sex with players. Or maybe they would, depending on the client. None of that is important right now. My reputation and my relationship with Mickey are what matters.

  I slide along the counter until our bodies are no longer touching and slap Alex on his ass. “Good work tonight, Parker.”

  His eyes flash with uncertainty. “Um…okay, Coach.” He clears his throat. “Yeah, you, too.”

  I know he’s confused, but so am I. I have rules for a reason. Rules I just broke. I’m an idiot.

  “Well, good night,” I say with an awkward wave and just about run out of the kitchen.

  The sad part is, if the nightmares continue, it will only be a few more hours until he’s in my bed again, and I want him there even though I shouldn’t.

  I can hear him sigh with disappointment. “Night.”

  Alex

  Women are crazy. That’s the conclusion I’ve drawn after rocking Charlotte’s world, only to have her go back to being Coach, my agent. She spouted off a list of instructions for me to follow while I was on the road, two of which were obvious—no drinking and no whoring around. After spending one of the best nights of my life with Charlotte, why would I even want to hook up with another girl?

  I never thought much about what I wanted in a woman until I realized that she checked off the mandatory boxes—smart, beautiful, confident, and independent. Can I add pain in my ass to the list? Because we’ve texted and talked on the phone over the six days since we’ve had sex, but she’s not the same. I have to get her to start talking to me.

  I’m lying down on the bed in my hotel room, a towel still wrapped around my waist from the shower and my cell phone pressed to my ear.

  “I’m sleeping just fine, Alex.” Charlotte yawns. “You worry too much about me.”

  I grunt in frustration. “Someone has to. You know, the problem is, you’re not used to having anyone take care of you. I can tell that you haven’t slept since I left, and I feel guilty that I’m not there with you. Every night we talk, you sound like you’re going to pass out mid sentence, so I know you’re still having the nightmares. I bet you were up half the night, crying. Talk to me, Charlotte.”

  She sighs loudly into the phone. “Fine, you win. I haven’t slept more than three hours straight since you left. Is that what you want to hear? Are you happy?” Her voice lowers to a whisper. “I need you, Alex, and I’ve never needed anyone before.
This thing between us scares me.”

  “I’m scared, too, baby, but don’t let it get in the way. Okay?”

  “What happens when you find another girl you want more than me? You haven’t committed to a girl since you were in college. That is a long time to be single, don’t you think?”

  “Not if it’s for the right reasons,” I say, defensive.

  She snickers. “Oh, please. Now this, I’ve got to hear. What are your reasons?”

  We’ve shared so much of our lives already, there’s no point in stopping now. Our emotional connection is just as strong as our physical one. Charlotte needs to know that she can trust me before she’ll let her guard down.

  “When I was in high school, my mom cheated on my dad with his close friend and colleague at Boston College. Dad found out and Mommy dearest went to live with her new boyfriend right after. The day she moved out was the last time I ever saw her. She didn’t want me. I was just a bargaining chip and a way for her to cash out her prenup. My dad gave her the money because that was all she ever wanted to begin with, and he got full custody of me.”

  “So, would you say that you have issues with trusting women then? That’s what it sounds like to me.”

  I shove my face into the pillow and groan. For the twenty minutes I get to talk to Charlotte each night, I’d prefer to spend that time going over our day and not our past. Chicks always want to know things about my previous relationships in hopes that they can fix me.

  “I don’t know. Maybe. I also didn’t see the point in committing to one person. My mother didn’t exactly set the greatest example. I liked how things were with just my dad and me, and he thought women were too much of a distraction. It was easier for me to hook up and not become involved. That way, there were no feelings or attachments, if that makes sense.”

  “Actually, that makes perfect sense. I haven’t dated many guys. You know I have rules, Alex, and I broke them for you. I live a very controlled life, and you know why. I’ve spent years trying to rebuild a new life for myself, and I can’t take the risk that it will be ripped away from me because we have a connection. You understand where I’m coming from, right?”

  “Of course. I don’t want our relationship to affect your ability to do your job. Do you know why I like you so much?”

  “Why is that?” She sounds entertained.

  “Because you remind me of my dad, always telling me what I need to do.”

  “And you remind me of mine,” she says, the sadness in her voice evident. “That’s why I’m so worried about you. Look how he ended up, Alex. You are so talented. Most guys would kill to be where you are in your career, but you almost pissed it all away with binge drinking and skanky women. I know you’ve been completely sober. You’re doing great. I’m really proud of you.”

  That makes me smile.

  “There were times when my parents would get clean for a day or two, only to come home a few days later, whacked out of their minds and sleeping half of the day. I’ve had too much disappointment in my life.”

  “I miss you,” I mutter without thinking because it’s true. I miss the smell of her shampoo on my pillow and the way her body feels pressed against mine.

  “I hate this…but I miss you, too.”

  “Stop fighting it, and let this happen. I won’t speak a word to anyone. I promise. When you’re ready to tell people, we can do it together. Sound fair?”

  “Mickey will never approve. It specifically states in our company handbook that employees of DMG cannot fraternize with other employees or clients.”

  “We did a lot more than fraternize,” I say, laughing.

  “Not funny, Alex,” she huffs. “This is serious. I can lose my job if anyone finds out. Even if Mickey were willing to let it slide, he’d have no choice but to fire me. He has a no-tolerance policy, and if he made an exception for me, no one would respect him.”

  “Yeah, but he needs you. We can talk to him together and ask him to change his stupid policy.” This feels a lot like begging, something I normally don’t do when it comes to women. Charlotte is worth it though.

  “Don’t you think we’re getting ahead of ourselves, Alex? We haven’t known each other long enough to be so…serious. Let’s just see where this goes and take it from there. If it doesn’t work out, then neither of us will have anything to worry about.”

  I’m so annoyed with her attitude that I want to drink, but I won’t. She’s become too important to me to let her down. Charlotte deserves everything I have to offer and more, and she needs me sober. So does my team.

  “You were incredible last night, Alex. I caught most of the game while I was working on a new deal. The training is really helping. You looked so much faster off the breakaway than you did last week, and I see that Kane has really taken a liking to you. I’m glad this is working out so well for you because, when I first negotiated the deal, I wasn’t so sure that you would mesh well with the guys.”

  “Is that so? And why wouldn’t I get along with the team?”

  “Because the old Alex had an ego so big, it could fill an entire room.”

  I laugh into the pillow. “He’s still there, sweetheart, trust me, except now, he has this sassy brunette telling him when to eat, sleep, and train. She’s kind of bossy.”

  “Someone has to keep you in line, Parker.”

  “I like it when she tells me what to do. It’s sexy as fuck.”

  She makes a humming sound into the receiver.

  I instantly think of sex and the last time we were together, and my dick grows hard beneath my towel. “What are you wearing, baby?”

  Charlotte bursts into laughter. “I’m sorry, Alex, but your hand is going to have to do the job for me.”

  “Jesus, Charlotte, don’t say shit like that when I’m already hard.”

  She snorts. “From what? I didn’t even say anything remotely sexy.”

  “You don’t have to. Everything you do is sexy.”

  “If you were here, just know that comment would’ve gotten you a nice eye roll. You only have a few more days until we can see each other. Patience is a virtue.”

  I grab ahold of my cock and close my eyes. There’s no way I can hang out with the boys later when I’m this fucking horny, and wherever Donovan and Kane go, bunnies follow.

  “Will you just yell at me or something?” I breathe into the phone, moving faster. “Tell me what you want me to do to you the next time I see you.”

  “Are you…” There’s an awkward pause. “Alex, are you jerking off right now?” When I don’t answer right away, she says, “Oh my God! Parker, you are a dirty boy.”

  “Keep that up, babe. Don’t stop talking.” She stops speaking because phone sex is clearly not her thing, so I need to take the lead here. “Did you like it when I fucked your pussy?”

  She giggles to hide her embarrassment. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe, my ass. You loved it. How many times did I make you come?”

  “A few,” she says without hesitation.

  “Touch yourself, sweetheart. C’mon, do it for me. I want you to come with me. What are you wearing?”

  “My usual,” she says, nonchalant. “Just a tank top, shorts, and a silk robe.”

  I start thinking about her long legs, but I need the complete visual. “The thin underwear you wear to bed or gym shorts?”

  “Underwear,” she whispers, her voice soft and sensual, and now, I’m hoping she’s finally into this. “They’re pink lace.”

  After sleeping in bed with her for a week, I have those little shorts imprinted into my mind. “Take them off, and spread your legs for me, and then I want you to finger your pussy.”

  I hear a rustling on the other end and assume she dropped the phone.

  Then, she moans, “Alex,” and I know for sure that she listened to me, so I pick up the pace and stroke harder.

  “That’s it, Charlotte. Come for me. I want to hear you scream my name, baby.”

  A minute passes where her breathing speeds up,
and she whispers my name. She’s there, so close, and so am I. We finish almost at the same time, out of breath and unable to function, taking a few seconds to compose ourselves.

  “I wasn’t expecting that,” she mutters. “How do you keep talking me into things I never did before I met you?”

  Cleaning myself up with my towel, I sit up and check the clock on the nightstand. “In case you haven’t noticed, you have the same effect on me. And I’m on the road a lot, so you’ll have to get used to phone or Skype sex.”

  “That’s a big fat no to the Skype sex.”

  “But you didn’t say no to phone sex,” I say, feeling victorious.

  I never know when Charlotte is going to pull back from me and take this all away. Every time I get her to open up, our relationship finally developing, she takes a step back, as if she can’t handle the thought of us being together.

  “Alex, I have to take a shower and make a few phone calls before the office in Los Angeles closes, so I’m going to have to hang up now. Good luck tomorrow. Try to get some sleep tonight. Are you staying in and ordering room service again?”

  “No, I’m meeting Kane and Donovan in an hour for dinner. There’s a steak house downstairs that’s supposed to be as good as Bobby Flay.”

  I stand and then walk toward the bathroom with the towel in my hand. I throw it on the floor, so I don’t end up using it again on accident. Then, I turn on the shower.

  “That sounds nice.”

  There’s a shuffle on the other end that sounds like papers and a slight pause before she finishes, “I probably won’t talk to you until before or after your game tomorrow, depending on my schedule. As of right now, I’d say before is more likely, but who knows what will happen in the next twelve hours? All right, well, behave yourself. Have a good night.”

  She doesn’t go into detail, but I know exactly what she means. No drinking, no women, eat right, and get to bed on time. Blah, blah, blah. I know the drill. If anyone else were telling me what to do, I’d tell them to fuck off, but coming from Charlotte, it’s like my dad giving me an order and not following, which never would’ve happened. I respect the shit out of this woman.