by Liz Lincoln
But her friend’s face glowed with excitement as she danced in her chair. Even in a wheelchair, Reina was more of a club girl than Bree.
“Let’s get drinks and head to the VIP lounge,” Bree said with her mouth nearly against Reina’s skin. “Marcus said he’d put us on the list.” Hopefully there would be a chair or a couch Bree could sit on so she could talk to her friend without contorting herself.
She ordered pints of beer for each of them and carried them as they worked their way to the back of the club. Reina needed both hands to work her chair.
The VIP lounge was partially walled off, and a set of three stairs with a rope across it set it apart from the rest of the club. A thick Latino man stood at the bottom of the stairs. He looked like he could be a Dragons player, with his wide shoulders and muscular arms. He held a clipboard in one hand. The other rested on the hook holding the velvet rope in place. Nerves tightened Bree’s chest as she approached the intimidating man. “Hi, um, my friend, he was going to, um—”
“We’re on the VIP list,” Reina interrupted. Bree envied her friend’s confidence and general lack of anxiety disorder.
“Name?” the bouncer asked, his face remaining stoic.
“Uh, Bree Novak. Reina Elizondo.”
The bouncer consulted his list, then nodded sharply. He unclipped the rope and held it open for them to pass.
Bree took one step, then stopped. She looked back at Reina, who was frowning at the stairs. “You don’t by chance have a wheelchair ramp?” she asked, her voice overly sweet. Because of Reina, she took lack of accessibility very personally.
“Yeah, it’s—”
“Hey, ladies, you made it.” Marcus appeared at the top of the stairs. Addressing the bouncer, he said, “They’re with me, Raúl.”
Raúl let Marcus through the rope, then Marcus started off along the half wall separating the lounge. “I’ll show you where the ramp is.”
“I’m impressed you have a ramp,” Reina said as they followed him. “Most restaurants and clubs have areas I can’t access.”
Marcus gave her a heart-stopping grin over his shoulder. Or at least it stopped Bree’s heart; Reina’s was probably still functional. “My teammate’s brother is in a wheelchair, and Matt points out places he couldn’t go whenever we go out. When we were building this place, we figured we better make sure he couldn’t whine to us about accessibility.”
He played it off as a small thing, almost a joke, but Bree knew what it meant to Reina not to be excluded. Bree’s heart melted into a giant puddle, right there on the ramp.
Sexy and thoughtful was an unfair combination. Not to mention she knew he was smart, despite his struggles in her class. He was amazing at math, probably because of his business background. It was more the abstract concepts he didn’t quite grasp. Even the smartest people had weak spots. She’d hated every second of her history classes.
Sexy, kind, and smart. She was in so much trouble.
Once they got to the lounge, Marcus led them to a grouping of couches and chairs around a low table. Six large men and two women were there, drinking and talking. Bree recognized the three white guys as quarterback Matt Baxter, kicker Jeremy Trask, and receiver Ricky Donovan. One black guy was runningback Jaron Edmonds. The other two guys, one white, one black, looked familiar, but she didn’t know their names or positions.
Marcus made a round of introductions, and the two men Bree didn’t know were a defensive back named Kendall Allen and tight end Vince Gibbons. Jaron’s wife, Tanisha, was possibly the most beautiful woman Bree had ever met, her smile wide and welcoming. Celia, Matt’s fiancée, was a friendly looking woman with pale skin, long auburn hair, and a sprinkling of freckles that made her look younger than she probably was. Her hands rested on her pregnant belly.
Bree didn’t miss the tightness that passed over Marcus’ face as he introduced Vince Gibbons. The guy was a rookie and had been headed for the practice squad. He was only signed after Marcus went out with his knee injury. Though it was understandable, Marcus didn’t need to worry about losing his starting job next season. Vince was playing well, but he was nowhere near as skilled as Marcus.
Still, had to suck to be hanging out with his replacement. He’d only mentioned it in passing when they had lunch, but Bree knew Marcus hated being out for an entire season. His complete love for his job was apparent in everything he did.
Bree sat at the end of one of the couches so Reina could roll up next to her. Vince scooted his chair over to make room. Marcus sat on Bree’s other side, not close enough that he touched her, but she felt his presence like there was a current stretching between them, keeping her constantly aware of his nearness. It was the same thing she felt when they had lunch together, but magnified, since he was usually across a table.
The lounge was quieter than the dance floor, making conversation easier. Vince and Tanisha chatted with Bree and Reina, asking how they knew Marcus, were they from Milwaukee, and other small talk. Bree sipped her beer and answered, asking them questions too, all the while pretending she wasn’t hyperaware of the man next to her. He’d shifted the other way, talking with Matt and Celia. But the low timbre of his voice had Bree on constant alert, even if she wasn’t making out his words. It made it hard to concentrate on the conversation.
“So physics, huh?” Tanisha said. “I loved physics in college. Chemistry too. I thought about going into engineering.”
“You should have,” Reina said “We need more women in all the STEM fields.”
Tanisha made a face. “I was on a basketball scholarship, and that was a major time commitment. I’d probably still be there if had. And I love doing PR. Different skill set, but hey, I’m great at telling people they need to pay attention to sports.”
“She got me to buy basketball season tickets,” Vince added. “She’s good at her job.”
“Damn right I am.”
“You girls should come to a game sometime.” Vince looked directly at Bree as he said it.
He had a nice smile, but it did nothing for her. He might as well be one of her brothers, for how interested she was in his invitation.
No, she’d actually want to say yes to them, because they were her brothers. The point was, she didn’t feel even the slightest attraction to Vince. Which was a shame, because he was objectively attractive, with thick auburn hair and clear green eyes. And she was usually a sucker for a warm smile.
But Marcus had an even better smile.
“My boyfriend isn’t much of a sports fan.” Reina wasn’t at all subtle about dropping her taken status. Judging from Tanisha’s smirk, she was as amused as Bree.
“What about you, Bree?” Vince asked.
Marcus chose that moment to turn back to their conversation. “What about Bree?” He stretched his arm across the back of the couch. Not putting his arm around her, exactly. But not not putting it around her.
She shouldn’t, but she wanted him to move it all the way around her. Rest his big hand on her upper arm, slide in close until his side pressed hers, hold her in the crook of his arm.
“I’m really more a football fan than basketball.” She gave Vince her best apologetic look, but her focus was 90 percent on Marcus, on how close he was but without touching her. It took concentration to stay where she was and not recline into his very solid-looking chest.
“Tell me he’s given you some tickets,” Tanisha said, nodding at Marcus.
Bree glanced at Marcus, mostly because she could never tire of looking at him, then back to Tanisha. “No. He most definitely has not made that offer.”
“What the hell is wrong with you, James?” Tanisha’s voice was stern, but her dark eyes danced with humor.
“Hey, I don’t want no one accusing me of bribing the professor. I earn my grades the old-fashioned way.”
Tanisha smirked at him. “What, paying a freshman to do the homework for you?”
“Hey, worked for your husband, didn’t it?”
“Oh, you better not
—”
“Oh, I think I did—”
Marcus and Tanisha went into a playful insult war while the rest of them watched. It was clear they were close and had been for quite a while. It made sense, if Jaron was Marcus’ best friend. Marcus had told Bree he was their son’s godfather.
After a few minutes, Tanisha declared Marcus insufferable and refused to engage anymore. Jaron shot a raised eyebrow in their direction, an indication that this had happened before.
Marcus leaned closer to Bree. His arm brushed her shoulder and sent an electric jolt through her. She stiffened at the contact, which only rubbed her against him more. She burned everywhere.
It was so unfair he was her student.
“She adores me,” he said, voice low and right next to Bree’s ear.
She couldn’t hold back a shiver. His hand dropped off the back of the couch and settled on the cushion inches from her hip. Bree tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry. But she didn’t want to reach for her beer and lose the sensation of his breath against her ear.
It was so unprofessional, but she didn’t even care. Since she’d had maybe two ounces of beer, she couldn’t even blame alcohol. She was drunk on attraction. Very inappropriate, very delicious attraction.
She turned her head, his face so close to hers that she would barely have to lean in to kiss those full lips. Lips she longed to taste.
Dammit, this was so bad. But the way her skin buzzed and her head floated felt too good. “Yes,” she said softly, her gaze jumping back and forth from his eyes to his mouth. “Clearly she gave up the ridiculous argument because she knew she couldn’t possibly compete with your master debate skills.”
“Obviously.” Like hers, Marcus’ gaze moved from her eyes to her lips, then back.
They stayed like that far too long, the connection between them a tangible presence wrapping them in their own bubble. For that long, charged moment, nothing existed beyond her and Marcus and how alive he made her feel.
“Bree.”
Reina’s voice jerked Bree out of her lust fog. She sat back and turned away from Marcus. “Yeah?”
“You have a text.” Reina’s frown said there was more going on with her interruption.
Vince, who’d gotten up at some point during Marcus and Tanisha’s play fight, sat back down with a full beer. “You wanna dance after I finish this?” he asked.
Caught off guard, Bree looked up from digging in her purse. “Sorry?”
Vince gave her a flirtatious smile. “You want to dance? It is a club.”
Dance? With Vince? Not even a little. Bree wasn’t much of a dancer, and only one Dragons tight end would be able to convince her to get out there.
“Oh, I, well, I don’t…” She took her phone out of her purse and glanced at the notification on the screen. Her text was from Kevin. Her eyes snagged on the words Dr. Bryant and she looked back at Vince. She wasn’t thinking about her awful advisor tonight. “I should probably just stay here.”
“I can’t really dance and I’ll be pissed if she abandons me.”
Reina to the rescue.
Bree nodded like that was the excuse she’d been trying to get out, rather than, I’m a sucky dancer and will only make an exception for Marcus. “Sorry.”
“So if Marcus is gonna be an ass and not hook you up for a game, you need to come with me,” Tanisha cut in.
Bree shot her a relieved look to let her know she appreciated the subject change. “That would be great.”
Tanisha waggled her fingers in Bree’s direction. “Gimme your phone. I’ll put my number in. We’ll hook it up.”
Bree unlocked her phone and handed it over.
“I usually sit in a box, with other wives and girlfriends and kids and stuff. It’s a good time,” Tanisha said as she typed. As she handed Bree the phone back, she looked at Reina and said, “If you want to come too, I think it should be fine for you. One guy’s mom broke her hip last season and was in a wheelchair. She didn’t seem to have trouble getting around.”
“I appreciate that. I’m not a fan like her.” Reina nodded toward Bree. “But maybe I’ll tag along for the free food. There’s food, right?”
“Tons.”
“That’s like the grad student siren song. You have free food, we’ll be there.”
“You coming to a game?” Marcus cut back into the conversation.
“Maybe,” Bree said. She didn’t want to be presumptuous. Tanisha could be offering just to be nice.
“Hell yeah, we are.” Reina looked at Bree like she was crazy. “As if you’re not going and sitting in a box with players’ families, Miss Superfan.”
Bree’s cheeks flamed. Yes, she was a big Dragons’ fan, but did Reina have to announce it in front of a bunch of players?
“Superfan, huh?” Marcus bumped her shoulder with his.
“You can both be quiet.”
Marcus leaned close again, his voice dropping. “I would love to have you come to a game. Though I’d rather I was playing.”
“How’s the knee doing?” Jeremy Trask asked from next to Tanisha.
Marcus bent and straightened his leg. “A lot better. PT’s been good. I feel like I should be able to get out there.” His frustration was palpable, his voice tight.
“We wish you could too, man,” Trask said.
Bree glanced toward Vince, but he’d again vacated his seat.
“In fact, it’s feeling so good I thought maybe I’d do a little dancing,” Marcus said.
Bree’s stomach tightened to the point she almost felt sick. She didn’t want to watch him dancing with some other woman, even if he was off-limits for her. But she had a perfect view of the dance floor beyond the entrance to the VIP lounge. Maybe Marcus would get swallowed up by the bodies and she wouldn’t have to see him.
He stood and she sank back on the couch. Except he didn’t walk away. Instead, he held out his hand.
To her.
“Join me?”
He phrased it as a question, but to Bree’s body, it was a direction she couldn’t disobey. Without her brain’s permission, she stood and her hand slid into his. Electricity zinged from her fingertips to her shoulder. When she looked up and met Marcus’ gaze, her whole body went hot.
“I guess I could for a little while.” She didn’t enjoy dancing and wasn’t good at it. Typical white girl problem, she had no rhythm. But at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to join Marcus. Maybe she couldn’t date him, but there was no rule against dancing with someone.
Just a song or two. Then she’d come back and hang with Reina the rest of the night.
Shit. Reina. The excuse she’d used to avoid dancing with Vince. She looked down at her friend, who was grinning.
“Go. I’ll be fine.” With a corny wink, Reina jerked her chin in the direction of the dance floor.
Marcus used his wide shoulders to cut a path through the crowd until they were engulfed by gyrating bodies. Bree couldn’t see the lounge entrance, couldn’t see much past the handful of people surrounding them.
With the ease of someone who used his body for a living and who spent a fair amount of time in a club, Marcus started to dance. He moved with effortless grace, the roll of his hips and dips of his shoulders blending into the pulse of the music.
And with the ease of someone who used her brain for a living and who spent most of her time at a computer or in a lab, Bree also started to dance. Her grace was entirely absent, her movement more like spasms than dance. She could only blame about 10 percent of her awkwardness on being so close to the object of her lust.
To his credit, Marcus didn’t laugh in her face. He smiled, the wild overhead lights causing shadows that emphasized his smile lines, making him even hotter. How was that possible?
He moved closer, using what was technically a shuffle but was as smooth as an Olympic skater. He leaned in close, his mouth at her ear. Bree shuddered; fortunately, it blended right in with her dancing. His arm came around her and settled at the s
mall of her back.
“Relax,” he purred in her ear.
OK, maybe he didn’t actually purr. But it felt like it. Like she had any hope of relaxing when dancing with Marcus James.
His other hand settled on her hip. “Feel the music. Then move with it. Find the rhythm of the song and let that guide you. Just like you find other rhythms and move to those.”
Oh God. He was talking about sex, of course. And now she was thinking about the two of them finding a rhythm together, with far fewer people and far fewer clothes involved.
They kept dancing and her body began to move in reaction to his. Maybe she couldn’t quite find the beat in the song, but she could find his rhythm.
“That’s it, baby,” he said.
Maybe it was a strand of her hair, but she could swear his lips brushed her temple. She wanted to melt into him. Completely.
Her hips got out of sync and bumped his thigh. In unison, they sucked in their breath. Marcus looked down at her. Their gazes locked and held while their bodies moved together. One song bled into another and they never stopped dancing, yet they hardly looked away from each other.
His thigh ended up between hers, so that with each movement they slid against each other. Her hands went to his waist, feeling his movements, letting them flow into her. When she hooked her finger into his belt loop, he lifted one side of his mouth in a smile that was all lazy seduction.
And damn if he wasn’t seducing her more thoroughly than any guy ever had before. She’d never wanted to get naked with a man as much as she did in that moment. Her mouth watered with the need to kiss him. Had she really convinced herself she could dance with him and it wouldn’t cross any kind of line?
The music pulsed on and on. Time lost meaning as they ignored the rest of the people around them and danced. He kept getting closer, until their bodies brushed with every movement. Every inch of Bree hummed with sexual desire, her body reaching for Marcus in a way that was totally foreign to her. Even though she knew it was a bad idea, it felt so good, so delicious, so right, she couldn’t make herself stop.
