by Terry Towers
The game got underway and was more exciting than I expected. While Justin didn’t get much field time, he did do well for the amount that he got. I was proud of him. There was that hope in the back of my heart that he’d get a touchdown and be the star of the game. You know, like how it happens in the movies, but that wasn’t the case. He played solidly and that was just as good in my book. He would get his chance at being a star, just not today.
When the game wound down, it had been a landslide win for Justin’s team. As predicted, Alexander had been the star of the game and already a celebrity in his own right. Over and over I heard people around me talking about the football prodigy that Alexander was.
I stood and cheered with all the others in the stands as the clock ticked down and the buzzer sounded. The boys from both teams all ran onto the field and did the customary handshakes. While the visiting team left the field, Cole and the home team stayed.
Why were they staying on the field? Cole’s players all lined up on the field behind their coach. I squinted at Cole. Was he holding a microphone?
“Welcome everyone to our first game of the season,” Cole said. His statement was greeted by a loud roar from the crowd around me.
Aww, just a thanks for attending speech.
“I’d like to thank you all for your attendance today. Your team and your children played hard and deserved their first win of the season.” More cheers and whistles.
“The reason we’re still on the field is for a more personal reason.”
Huh? My ears perked up and I concentrated more intently on my boyfriend.
“Not too long ago, I met a woman by the name of London Kennedy.”
What the fuck…
“She was this sweet, shy, amazing woman that I stumbled across more by accident than anything else. But from the moment I met her, I knew one thing… that I needed her in my life.”
A wide smile spread across my lips and a warmth spread through my body. I wanted to yell out to him and tell him how much I loved him, but didn’t want to draw attention to myself so I made due with simply watching him.
“London, baby. I need you to come down here on the field with me for a second.”
Umm… I froze like a deer in the headlights.
Cole must have anticipated my freeze reaction because their school mascot, a moose, was standing at the end of my row motioning for me to come with him. Everyone around me began to stare and cheer me on.
Cole, what have you done? I silently asked him having no choice but to follow the big-headed moose down the bleachers and then out onto the field. I scanned the crowd from the field. It didn’t seem like this many people when I was up in the bleachers cheering, but with them all looking down at me it felt like there were tens of thousands of fans.
I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
“Come this way,” the moose said, taking my hand and leading me the rest of the way to Cole.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I got within earshot of Cole. The crowd started to get loud. I tried to drown them out by focusing all my attention on the handsome, grinning man before me.
“You’ll see,” he replied before bringing the microphone back up to his mouth.
I’ll see?
Closing the distance between us, Cole put his arm around my shoulders and spun me away from the boys and redirected my focus from where I’d just came from. The cheerleaders were now behind me.
“I have something to ask you London and asked the cheerleaders to assist me with it.”
A hush took over the crowd and it became deathly quiet as the girls began to cheer.
“Gimme an ‘M,’” one pretty little blonde girl yelled out. Her voice was much more powerful then I would have imaged from someone so small.
“M!” The rest of the cheer squad screamed out followed by a clap.
“Gimme an ‘A’”
“A!”
“Gimme an ‘R’”
“R!”
“Gimme an ‘R’”
“R!”
My mouth dropped open. This was so surreal. Surely I was dreaming and I was about to wake up. When the girls finished the “E,” they called out, “What’s that spell?”
He spun me around again and the boys had all put on T-shirts. Each one contained a letter, spelling a very important question.
“Marry me, London,” I whispered reading the t-shirts. The girls, accompanied by the several thousand people in attendance screamed in union, “Marry me!”
Giving my hand a squeeze, Cole redirected my attention to him. When he knew he had my full attention he spoke. “London Kennedy, you’re the light of my life. You’re the first person I think about when I get up in the morning, and the last person I think about when I go to sleep at night. I don’t want to spend another day without you as my wife.”
He lowered himself to one knee as he produced a ring from his pocket.
Time felt like it was slowing down and everything around us faded out, it was just me and Cole knelt before me, bearing the most exquisite diamond ring I’d ever seen. “London, I love you. Will you marry me?”
Ohmygod. I couldn’t believe this was happening. He hadn’t even mentioned the idea of marriage. But here he was on bended knee. The shock was so intense I wasn’t sure if I was going to squeal in excitement, or faint.
“London?” he prompted, his gorgeous smiling face beginning to look concerned.
“Yes!” The word came out as barely a whisper. But it was the only answer possible, because I loved him to, more than I ever thought I could love a man.
His smile returned as he slipped the ring onto my finger and rose to his feet. “I love you,” he whispered as he stood and cupped my cheek in his hand.
“I love you too.” As I said the words, he lowered his head and captured my lips with his own. The kiss broke the trance I was in and I became aware of the roar of the crowd around us. People cheered, feet stomped, hands clapped.
As he pulled back, the love he felt for me seemed to radiate from him. It was an exact reflection of what I had in my heart for him. Cole Grant, football legend, high school teacher and now my future husband.
The End
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Excerpt From
Billionaire Playboy
By
Terry Towers
Chapter 1
Abigail
This is fucking stupid! Who does he think he is anyhow? I shook my head as I walked into the master bedroom of real estate mogul, Devon Townstead. What is it with rich people? Just because they have money they think they can live like pigs and us little people come behind them and clean up their messes for a pittance?
Of course, in my situation I was being paid half-decently well to clean up after him, and I had agreed to the terms thinking it would be awesome to clean a billionaire’s mansion. Then again, I didn’t expect this. And I did need money for school and to support my five-year-old, Isabella. College wasn’t cheap, and neither was trying to make a go as a single mom while attending school. I was taking this semester off to raise money. But this was my life, at least for now. Three more years and I’ll have graduated with a degree in social work and the next stage of our lives would begin.
I sighed as I put on a new pair of plastic gloves and pulled back the blankets, so I could start making the bed, which was left in a disarray – as usual.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I groaned out in exasperation, looking down at the black lacy thong and giving my head a shake. Did the tramp he brought home last even realize she’d left without her underwear? And why was it always thongs I found in or around the bed. Hell, once I found a bra in the kitchen! I hated thongs - who wanted to spend the day picking a fabric string out of their ass? And for what? To impress some man, who may or may not bother calling you back the day after? Boy s
horts for me, and if I were in a sexy mood then I’d go for a pair of Brazilian cut bikini underwear.
Grabbing the pillows, I pulled the cases off them. One had numerous long blonde hairs on it. The night before last, it was red hair. Last week, black curly. Guess I was going to have to be replacing the bedding completely since there was no doubt their sex juices were all over the bedding. All the washing was seriously killing the beautiful fine-quality sheets. Not that he cared; I was sure that he’d have no issues spending the money to replace them when the time came.
Did these women even know they were just the flavor of the night? Or maybe they just didn’t care. Perhaps they thought that they would be the one who tamed the playboy billionaire? Like they were the one with the golden cooch to make him go gaga over them. Placing the stripped down-filled king-sized pillows on the arm chair next to the bed I tugged at the corner of the fitted sheet and pulled it off.
Who cared that he was a sexy big-shot billionaire? He was also a dick. Okay, maybe I hadn’t actually met him, despite working for him for a few weeks now, so I was making an assumption. He’d hired the agency I worked for and they sent me. Though any man who went through the number of women he did would have to be a swell guy. Womanizers were always high-brow people.
Bundling up the linen in my arms and keeping it away from my face, I left the bedroom with the mountain of linen blocking my vision, but I didn’t need to see to know where I was going. Making my way down the hallway to the large walk-in linen closet, I dropped the linen in the dirty linen cart, tomorrow was laundry day. The linen closet was as big as the living room in my apartment, which wasn’t saying much. All the linen was organized by color and material type, fleece, cotton etc. Opening the closet, I grabbed a sheet set and made my way back into the bedroom.
I stopped halfway back to the bedroom as I jolt of pain shot through my mouth. Damned tooth. My tooth had been aching for weeks. Unfortunately, Anytime Maid Service didn’t offer very good dental coverage. But I’d managed to save enough to get the work done, it was just a matter of finishing off my prescription of antibiotics and then getting the root canal. The pain killers they’d given me were working pretty well, but if I wasn’t taking the pain killers religiously then the pain would come back with a vengeance – like now.
Pulling the bottle of pain killers from my apron pocket, I opened the bottle and shook a capsule from the bottle. Popping it into my mouth, I dry swallowed it and carried onto the bedroom.
Walking into the bedroom, I placed the linen on the chaise at the foot of the bed and grabbed the first pillow case. I was in the process of pulling the case onto the pillow when my ears perked up at the sound of movement behind and to the right of me – near the door.
My entire body froze up, my hand in mid-reach for the second king-sized pillow.
Another footstep.
Oh shit! Someone broke in! While I knew I should have turned and faced the intruder, I couldn’t. I was suddenly starting to get a better understanding of the whole deer in the headlights concept because I was frozen.
“You’re the maid, I assume.”
Crap. It was worse than an intruder: it was Mr. Townstead. I’d wondered about him and by God there were plenty of times I’d wanted to give him a solid piece of my mind. How can a man be so neat and organized in the entirety of his house, except for the bedroom? It was like he wanted me to find the underwear and condoms and assortment of sex toys. That was sick, truly.
Spinning around to face him, I straightened up, squaring my shoulders, lifting my chin, and eyed him. The few pictures he had on the walls of him and various high-profile people didn’t do him justice. They didn’t come close to conveying the amount of charisma and sex appeal that was emitting from him right now. His dark hair was brushed back, short on the sides and a little too long on top, yet it worked for him. His cheekbones were high and chiselled, accented by a strong dimpled chin. But God, his grey eyes were what really captivated me, boring right into my brain and turning it to jelly.
Okay, I was beginning to get why women flocked to him. Based on looks, he had the vast majority of men beat, hands down. Standing in front of me with his tie undone and his navy blue shirt unbuttoned displaying a smooth chest of muscle, he could easily grace the cover of GQ magazine.
Dang!
“Are you deaf or just not sure if you’re the maid?”
I could hear the amusement in his tone, but still the question pissed me off. “I turned when you spoke, so I suppose you could cross deaf off the list.” There was curtness in my tone and didn’t feel a damned bit sorry for it.
He smiled, not seeming to notice my annoyance. “Then I guess you’re confused on whether you’re the maid?”
“I’m about to change your bedding, so unless I’m a burglar that gets off on cleaning the place they’re robbing, who I am should be pretty apparent.” I gave him a smile, but it was forced. I refused to allow myself to be swayed by his sexy smile or those captivating grey eyes. Those eyes drew me in, making me want to lose myself in them.
“I see.” Removing his tie fully, he shrugged his shirt off his shoulders. “You seem a little agitated.”
My eyes shifted to the bra I’d placed on his night side table and the anger that I’d been feeling raced through me again. Planting my hands on my hips, I stared hard at Mr. Townstead, narrowing my eyes to show I meant business. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Oh.” He didn’t appear concerned that I was angry. More amused then anything.
“Yes.” He didn’t ask why I was upset, but he damned well was going to find out. There was a little voice in the back of my head that was screaming at me to shut my mouth, I needed this job, because rent wasn’t free. And I had a little girl to think about who needed food and clothing and… Ugh.
But, I couldn’t. For my own sanity, I needed to address this issue, and what better time than with the culprit standing before me.
“So, I’ll bite.” As he asked me the question, he began to undo his belt. “I can tell you’re just itching to tear into me. What’s bothering you?”
Holy shit, was he planning on undressing in front of me? I could feel my cheeks burning and as much as I wanted to shift my gaze, I didn’t. I refused to give him the satisfaction. If he wanted to pull his whole damned whang out in front of me, then so be it. As long as I didn’t have to touch it.
Looking him square in the eye, I continued, “I would greatly appreciate it if the ladies you bring home at night would take with them all the undergarments they brought with them.” Walking over to the nightstand, I gingerly dangled the red lace bra from my thumb and index finger.
He didn’t respond, but his smile did grow wider as he pulled his belt from the loops.
“Also - ”
“Oh, so there’s more…” Cocking a brow up at me he continued to grin.
“Also.” Not to be deterred from my tirade, I continued, “I want to discuss the used condoms.”
“Safe sex is very important.” He began unbuttoning the front of his pants. Wouldn’t what he was doing be considered sexual harassment? Shouldn’t he be scared of a lawsuit?
My mouth was open preparing for the rest of what I had to say, but as his fingers went for his fly, I froze.
“Go on. I’m curious to see what you have to say.” Pulling down his zipper, he hooked his thumbs into his belt loops and tugged down his trousers, leaving him in a pair of red boxer briefs.
It was taking every ounce of willpower not to let my gaze drop and sneak a peek at the package that was offered beneath his boxer briefs. What did he have to offer the women he brought home each night?
“I’ve found used condoms all over this room.” I waved my arms, frantically, around me. “All over!”
“Is that so?” His smile didn’t fade; if anything, it grew wider.
“Yes, quite frankly, it’s disgusting. You have emptied waste baskets in virtually every room of this place for a reason. I know they’re empty because I empty them… Every. Sing
le. Day.” I jabbed my index finger in his direction with each word to ensure he got the point. “Would it be so much to ask for you to dispose of them properly?”
“You have my apologies, sometimes in the heat of the moment it ruins the mood to get up and throw out a condom properly when she’s waiting for a second round. Hampers the flow, you know.” His apology seemed far from sincere. “Afterwards, I will admit to sometimes forgetting.”
Whoa. Hold up. Wait. Was he serious? I’d never been with someone who could go twice in a row without a rest period. I couldn’t resist any longer – call it weakness – whatever. My gaze lowered to his groin. The bulge in his boxers was impressive. There’s no way he was flaccid right now. He had to at least be sporting a semi.
Had to…
“Seeing something you like?” he asked, breaking me from my pondering. Busted. Oh crap, if someone could die from embarrassment then I would have dropped dead right on the spot. Would that mean I was now the one who was the harasser?
“No. What?” I raked a hand through my hair. My gaze shifted so that I was staring at a painting of a landscape over his right shoulder and then out the window over his left. I looked everywhere but at him. Why couldn’t I have worked quicker and avoided all this hassle? I was fully within my allotted four-hour window, but still. Better yet, why couldn’t I just have kept my big mouth shut, finished my work and left?
“You didn’t.” He frowned, but it was a mocking frown. “Usually, it impresses. Maybe you just need the full effect to really judge for yourself.” He stepped over to his dresser and began rummaging through the drawers. With his back to me I was safe to get a good look at him from behind without him seeing me.
His shoulders were broad, but not body builder thick, just thick enough to have nice definition. Slowly my gaze lowered down his back and to his ass. Damn, he had a sweet ass. I could see the hard lines under the briefs that turned into thick and powerful thighs. He certainly would have the stamina to go round after round if the woman could handle it.
