Play Me (Brit Boys Sports Romance Book 4)

by J. H. Croix

  I threw on my clothes snagged my phone to check it on my way to find Zoe. Only to discover a text from her first.

  I saved myself the bother.

  For a beat, I was confused. Saved herself the bother? Of what? Then, I recalled my last text telling her to save herself the bother of wearing panties. Fuck me. That’s all it took, and blood shot straight to my groin. Zoe had me wrapped around her finger, and she had no idea how much power she had over me.

  I was almost running down the hall when I heard my name. I spun back to see Tristan behind me. He caught up to me in seconds.

  “What’s the rush, mate?” he asked.

  I had too much pride to admit I’d been running to find Zoe as fast as I could, so I shrugged.

  “Liam’s rounding us up for dinner. He thinks Alex needs a few beers,” Tristan continued.

  Bloody hell. I couldn’t bow out of that. We often got together after games. Usually, I was an easy yes. But I wanted to see Zoe. Now. And I didn’t want company. I was formulating some kind of excuse when I heard my name and glanced to where I’d been running to see Zoe walking between Olivia and Harper.

  She was wearing that black skirt that swung around her knees with tall black boots. Fuck me. Now I knew she had nothing on underneath that skirt, and all I wanted was to find a place where I could bend her over and sink inside of her. Instead, I was in the stadium hallway and voices were coming our way from the other side as well. I did some fast talk in my mind to get my cock back to half-mast. That was as good as I could get for now.

  Next thing I knew, we were moving as a group toward a diner nearby. Harper had announced Alex liked the place, so that’s where we were going. Zoe walked beside me, and it took every ounce of restraint I had not to slide my hand down over her bottom. If I did that, I didn’t think I could control myself. I made do with holding onto her hand as if my life depended on it.

  She seemed unaffected and chatted graciously with Harper and Olivia about something they must’ve started talking about before. I had no idea what it was because I was busy trying not to have a cock stand. I was usually the master of fun and games and never one to lose control, but I could barely keep my shit together around Zoe.

  I breathed a sigh of relief once we were seated in the diner in a giant booth in the corner with Zoe pushed up beside me. Perfect. Tristan was across from me, his perceptive gaze flicking from me to Zoe, but he didn’t tease. In fact, he ended up being distracted by Daisy who was mashed between him and Olivia. I distantly wondered what was up with them, but didn’t think much of it. Daisy was plenty beautiful with her blonde hair, wide brown eyes and curves that went of forever. At one time, I’d had it in my head I should go after her. But there was no spark there. In fact, Daisy had announced I felt like the brother she never had. Seeing as she felt like a fifth sister to me, we’d laughed about it and stayed friends ever since.

  Once drinks were served and conversation was meandering, I couldn’t resist sliding my hand between Zoe’s thighs. I bit back a grin when I heard her breath hitch. Good. She could suffer as much as me. It’s not that I doubted her when she implied she hadn’t worn her panties, but I was still jolted when I pushed the soft fabric of her skirt out of the way and discovered she definitely was not wearing any. The inside of her thighs were damp.

  Nudging her knees apart just barely, I stroked a finger through her folds. I expected her to resist, but she didn’t. The feel of her got me so hard, I almost stopped. Almost. With us tucked in the corner and the table completely hiding anything my hands were doing, I set out to tease her. It was additionally convenient to have her skirt shielding my hand from anyone who happened to look down at her lap.

  “Eh, well, Ethan’s the one who got that speeding ticket,” Liam said, his eyes catching mine with a wink.

  I knew I’d better manage to converse or the fact I was trying to drive Zoe wild might become obvious.

  “I wasn’t going that fast,” I countered with a grin. I honestly had no fucking clue what Liam was talking about. But I had gotten a few speeding tickets in my lifetime, so I could play along.

  Olivia pursed her lips and nudged Liam with her elbow. “Stop deflecting. I bet you got more speeding tickets than Ethan. My point was our car insurance went up again because you got another ticket. That’s all,” she said with a low laugh and a roll of her eyes.

  “Right luv. I was just trying to say I’m not the only bloke who speeds,” Liam said with another grin thrown my way.

  I shrugged just as I sank a finger knuckle deep into Zoe. Liam said something else, and I managed an answer. I was relieved when he turned his attention to Tristan and chided him for spending too much time studying. I glanced to Zoe and saw her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink. I loved when she flushed because her freckles stood out then. Her channel throbbed around my finger, and I beat back the urge to make her come right there. I wanted to, bloody hell did I want to, but more than that I wanted to tease her to madness.

  Dinner carried on. I occasionally toyed with Zoe—stretching her and savoring her slick heat on my fingers. I teased light circles around her clit with my thumb and loved how flushed she was. Every so often, her breath would catch. At some point, she reached down and tried to nudge my hand away. This was in the midst of a light-hearted argument between Daisy and Tristan.

  When I felt her hand against mine, I grabbed it and held it still. I knew she wouldn’t want it to be obvious and start wrestling me right here at the table. I leaned over, just close enough so only she could hear me.

  “I want you to touch yourself.”

  Her eyes whipped to me and away. “We’re in public. No,” she whispered fiercely.

  I scanned the table. No one was paying a bit of attention to us. The waiter had arrived and was stacking empty plates. Liam was jabbering on about something, Alex looked plain tired, and Tristan was caught up in whatever he was talking about with Daisy. In short, we might as well have been alone.

  Zoe’s pulse fluttered in her neck, and her breath came in short little pants. Even though she’d just tried to dissuade me, she didn’t move her hand away.

  “You are so fucking wet. I bet you played with yourself earlier,” I murmured.

  I was out of my fucking mind, and I didn’t even care. I wanted to know she was as lost and adrift in this madness as I was.

  I forced myself to drag my fingers out of her. It was almost painful, but I managed. I glanced to her. The sight of her flushed cheeks and the knowledge of how wet she was had me hard as a rock. What she did next nearly made me lose it. I felt her hand shift and her finger slide through her folds. She bit her lip and a little sigh escaped. She quickly moved her hand away and glanced to me.

  “I can’t. I’m too close,” she murmured.

  “Too close to what?”

  She glared at me. I looked away to scan the table again. Alex was getting up and saying something to Liam.

  “To what?” I repeated.

  “Oh my God. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she said with a huff.

  Then, she pushed my hand away and snapped her knees together.

  Oh yes. Game on.

  Chapter 22

  Zoe

  The door to my apartment slammed shut behind us. I was in a fog of need. My entire body was thrumming with it and had been for hours. It’s a miracle I didn’t have an orgasm right there at the diner. I managed to walk halfway normally across the room and flick on a lamp. I felt Ethan come up behind me. His hands slid down my hips. A prickle of heat raced down my spine. His lips landed on my neck with hot, wet kisses while he dragged my skirt up.

  I could feel his cock—hot and hard through the denim of his jeans pressing against my bare bottom. The friction of the rough fabric against my skin was unbearably arousing. My pulse was racing wildly, and I could hardly catch my breath.

  “I meant to drag this out, but I don’t think I can.”

  His lips moved against my ear, his breath gusting across the sensitive skin there. The
gruff whisper was enough to nearly send me over the edge. We were standing on the far side of the living room where I’d gone to flick on the light. Thank God there was a wall beside us because I nearly collapsed when he spread my cheeks and dragged a finger down to dip into my folds.

  I moaned, and my knees buckled, my palm slapping against the wall to catch my balance. Everything blurred. I dimly heard the sound of a zipper and then felt the hot velvety skin of his cock against me. He teased me, dragging the head of his cock back and forth through my slippery folds. I’d been wet for hours now, on edge with my control shredded.

  “Ethan, please…” I murmured, my voice pleading.

  I couldn’t even recognize who I was. Out of control with need pounding through me so hard, everything narrowed to the intensity of this moment. I cried out when he sank inside me. He surged in hard and fast, filling me completely in one stroke. I leaned both hands to the wall and arched back as he began to rock into me. One of his hands gripped my hip, his fingers digging in. The other slid up my back in a heated pass. He wound my hair around his hand and tugged lightly on it, pulling me into each stroke. I was so close, it was mere seconds before pleasure lashed me like a whip, hitting me so hard I’d have collapsed if he weren’t there to hold me up.

  I heard his rough cry mingling amidst my own and the heat of his release fill me. Our breath heaved together. My pulse gradually slowed, and he eased his grip on my hair. He drew out and spun me around, pressing me against the wall and kissing me. This kiss wasn’t like most of our kisses. Oh, it was wet, and it was deep, yet it felt as if he was sinking into me. He kissed me with slow strokes, gentle nips and dusted kisses along my jawline before coming back to my lips. Soft shudders wracked me, echoes of my orgasm. When he drew away, his eyes met mine. What I saw in his gaze took my breath away and set my heart to pounding again. He brushed a loose lock of hair off of my forehead.

  Without a word, he lifted me into his arms and carted me into the bathroom. I wasn’t accustomed to being carried. Being as tall as most of them, that wasn’t a surprise. I’d never have guessed I’d enjoy it, but because it was Ethan I did. He did it so easily and held me close against him. I’d have happily stayed there, but I didn’t mind him peeling my clothes off and dropping his to the floor before tugging me into the shower with him.

  Drifting into sleep later, I should’ve been wondering all kinds of things, but I wasn’t. It felt too good to be curled up against his heat and strength and feel his fingers sliding through my hair.

  Chapter 23

  Ethan

  “Excuse me?” I asked Sarah Dutton.

  Sarah glanced up from a document she’d been reading on her desk. “I’m not sure why, but Ted Duncan’s saying now he’d like to meet again. He’ll be here in a minute.”

  “Didn’t you just tell me the charges were formally dropped yesterday?” I countered, instantly annoyed she saw fit to think I needed to sit through another meeting.

  She nodded and adjusted her glasses. “I did, but it’s good form to follow up with a meeting request, so we will.”

  Sarah was my new attorney, the one Zoe made me accept. I still wasn’t happy about that. Sarah was nice enough and was even pretty with her shiny blonde hair. I objectively considered I might’ve been interested in her once upon a time. She was on the flashy side for an attorney. As the case had been ever since I’d first kissed Zoe, no other woman had any attraction for me. All I could do was dispassionately notice them. I was fairly certain a woman could walk around bare ass naked in front of me, and I wouldn’t be tempted. Unless the woman in question was Zoe. With her, she could wear a shapeless sack, and I’d want her.

  I’d had it in mind I’d show up this morning and walk out of here with this finally behind me. Now, Sarah was telling me I had to meet with the other guy’s attorney. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

  Within minutes, Ted Duncan was lumbering his way into Sarah’s office. I’d had the displeasure of meeting him once before. He was a blowhard if I ever met one, all bluff and gruff and loud. We were seated at a small circular table in a conference room at Sarah’s office. Ted sat down across from me, making an ungodly amount of noise for a man taking a seat. He thunked a briefcase on the table, adjusted and readjusted the height of his chair and somehow managed to catch his sleeve on the arm. Sarah quietly kept her eyes trained on some papers in front of her. Far as I could tell, she wasn’t reading a damn thing. My guess was she knew Ted’s routine and was waiting for him to be done making a mini-ruckus.

  Blessedly, Ted finally leaned back in his chair and glanced from me to Sarah. “Well, thank you for taking time to meet with me.”

  Sarah only now looked up and adjusted her glasses on her nose. “Of course, Ted. The court formally dismissed the charges yesterday. I’m not sure what you were hoping to discuss today.”

  Ted cleared his throat and looked over at me. “Perhaps Mr. Walsh could fill you in.”

  My gut tightened. I had a clue where he might be going with this, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit. “Pardon?” I asked.

  “I don’t suppose you consider it a problem you were involved with Ms. Lawson the entire time she was representing you,” Ted said, barely concealing the smarmy gleam in his eyes.

  I’d done a bit of my homework here and knew the one tiny detail that kept Zoe on the right side of the ethics was the fact I’d kissed her before she became my attorney. Now, I knew we hadn’t been ‘involved,’ but as far as I was concerned, that kiss met the standard of commencing our sexual relationship before her representation of me. In any other setting, I’d likely laugh about it. But right now. I was red hot furious. I opened my mouth to say something, only to pause when Sarah cut right in.

  “Ted, that is completely irrelevant,” she said, her voice crisp and clear. “These charges were dismissed due to the fact your client punched my client first. The police made it clear that after they reviewed the security video they had no grounds to charge Mr. Walsh when your client initiated the interaction. As to your implied threat, I know Ms. Lawson very well. She and Mr. Walsh were…”

  The slightest hesitation occurred, and I jumped in. “We were involved before she took my case,” I said firmly, leaning heavy on the haughty. I was so bloody mad, I wanted to lean across the table and shake Ted Duncan with his rumpled hair and smarmy presence.

  Sarah seemed to sense I was about agitated and placed her hand on my arm. “Thank you, Ethan. I was about to say the same thing.” She squeezed my forearm slightly. I supposed it was her polite way of telling me to shut the hell up. So I did.

  She looked straight across the table at Ted. “Nothing improper there. As you know, attorneys can and do represent those with whom they’re involved as long as it began before the course of the case. What is your point in bringing this up, Ted?”

  He adjusted the lapels of his jacket and huffed. “Whether or not it meets some silly standard doesn’t change the fact it looks improper. My point in bringing it up is simply that. If you’d prefer I keep this quiet, then you might want to consider agreeing to a settlement with my client.”

  Bloody fucking hell. I saw red. I was about to stand and reach across the table to yank Ted-fucking-Duncan out of his chair. Sarah put her hand on my arm again, and damn did she have an iron grip.

  “Ted, that sounds an awful lot like extortion to me,” she said, her voice clear and commanding.

  Ted’s face reddened. “Now Sarah, that’s not what I meant. I’m just saying that it won’t look good for anyone to misunderstand Zoe’s relationship with Mr. Walsh here.”

  “There is nothing to misunderstand, you fucking asshole,” I said, cutting in even though I knew Sarah preferred me to keep my mouth shut. “You can pretend like that wasn’t blackmail, but it bloody was and you know it. If you dare to start throwing dirt around about Zoe, I’ll make your life hell.”

  I didn’t wait to hear what he said and shook Sarah’s hand off my arm before storming out of the confere
nce room. It was either that, or I’d pummel Ted’s face.

  I fumed as I stalked out of the building and nearly sprinted down the street to Zoe’s office. I didn’t know what the hell she’d want to do about what the bloody jerk had just implied, but I figured she’d want to know.

  I slowed to a walk when I entered the reception area of her office. Odd, but I relaxed the second I walked in there. Solely because I knew I was about to see Zoe. Jana glanced up from her desk and held a finger up.

  Jana nodded along with whomever she was speaking to and said, “Ms. Lawson is tied up in meetings for the rest of the day. She’s already clarified her decision about your case, but I’ll pass on your message.” She tapped a button and ended the call before looking over at me and rolling her eyes. “That was the asshole Mark. He’s not happy Zoe isn’t taking his case. He’ll get over it,” she said with a shrug.

  I stepped to her desk. “Tell me something, what do you think Zoe would do if she knows it’s out that we’ve been seeing each other?”

  “I didn’t know it was a secret,” Jana said with a puzzled glance at me.

  I quickly summarized the meeting with Sarah and Ted. It took no more than a minute, and Jana looked furious. “Fucking Ted Duncan. He’s such a sleaze bag. Of course that was extortion. Ted’s such a shithead, he’ll find a way to spread rumors anyway.”

  She stared at me for a few beats. “You think you have to tell Zoe about this, don’t you?”