The Player Gets Coached

by Janet Nissenson

  “Leave him be, Jordan,” advised Max. “Finn’s right. You and I aren’t in a position to judge his relationship with Delilah, except to advise him again not to mess up what seems to be a very good thing.” He smiled at Finn. “I know the pair of us have been nagging at you for some time now to grow up and realize you aren’t twenty-five any longer. And I’m pleased to say that you’re finally growing up into the man I always knew you could be. Not to mention how relieved I am that I’ll never have to worry about bailing your sorry arse out of jail ever again.”

  The three friends shared a laugh, and then thankfully Jordan changed the subject to something other than Finn’s relationship with Delilah. But he couldn’t stop himself from reflecting on the things they had discussed, in particular the fact that neither he nor Delilah had yet to utter those three magic words - “I love you”.

  It was all too true, what Jordan had taunted him about. The real reason he hadn’t said the words to Delilah was because he was more than half-afraid that she didn’t fully reciprocate his feelings. And if he was going to take the big plunge for the first time in his life and tell a woman he was crazy in love with her - well, he damned well wanted to be sure she felt the same way before he made a fool of himself. Or had his heart broken.

  So he would continue to play the waiting game, he decided, and keep things status quo, just like he’d told Jordan and Max. And hope that for once in his life, the tables didn’t get turned, leaving him to be the one with a broken heart when Delilah decided it was time to call it quits.

  Well, that time wasn’t going to be anytime soon, Finn decided fiercely, and definitely not tonight. With that thought firmly in mind, he went to find his errant girlfriend, who had evidently been bolting back shots of some revolting looking purple liquid with Aubrey and her two former roommates from Hawaii. All four women were more than a little tipsy by now, which made his arrival all the more timely.

  “Hey, baby!” greeted Delilah cheerily, reaching up to plant a rather sloppy kiss on his cheek. “I was just telling the girls about how much you spoil me.” She clutched his arm as she babbled rather drunkenly to the three women, “You would not believe how good this man is to me. He brings me lunch almost every day, and coffee in the afternoon when I’m ready to crash. He cooks me dinner, too, which is so sweet because, well, he can’t cook very well, though he tries super hard. And he gives the best foot rubs, Omigod, like orgasmic good. Best of all, he lets me be on top whenever I want.”

  Finn choked on her last words, coughing and sputtering until out of desperation he grabbed one of the shots that had been lined up on the bar and downed it in one gulp. Fortunately, it tasted a whole lot better than it looked, with some sort of raspberry liqueur being the main ingredient. As he set the empty glass back on the bar, he met the amused glances of the other three women, plus two of the bartenders and several other guests who had overheard Delilah’s gushing praise.

  Astonishingly, he felt his cheeks grow warm with embarrassment, and hooked an arm around Delilah’s waist, preventing her from grabbing another shot. “Uh, thanks for all the compliments - I think,” he mumbled. “And maybe, just maybe, you might have had one too many of these little purple drinks. What’s in them anyway?”

  “They’re called Purple Hooters,” chimed in one of Aubrey’s ex-roommates, the cute Hawaiian girl whose name Finn couldn’t recall. “Vodka, lime juice, and some sort of yummy raspberry liqueur. Before that we were drinking Blow Jobs, but the bartender ran out of whipped cream so we had to switch.”

  He shuddered. “I know I’m really going to regret asking this, but what’s in a Blow Job?”

  The other former roommate, the one with curly red hair, giggled at his question. “Baileys, amaretto, and whipped cream. And the real reason they ran out of whipped cream is because Jenna stole the can from the bartender and sprayed half of it into her mouth. Sorry we didn’t save any for you!”

  Finn didn’t bother to hide his distaste. “That’s really, really okay. Sounds a little too sweet for my taste. Not to mention there’s no way I’m ever drinking something called a Blow Job.”

  He wrinkled his nose, which made all four women laugh hysterically, none louder than Delilah. She stumbled on her sky high heels, clutching the fabric of his shirt to keep herself from falling. Finn wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest as he whispered rather urgently, “Looks like someone’s had a few too many shots this evening. You want me to order you a cup of coffee or something?”

  Delilah turned to face him, sliding her arms up to clasp around his neck as she smiled at him drunkenly. “I am not drunk,” she announced rather loudly. “And I did not have that much to drink. Finn, did you see the size of those glasses? They’re like - this big,” she insisted, holding her fingers apart a scant inch to approximate the size. “How could anyone get drunk drinking from such a tiny little glass, hmm?”

  He laughed in spite of himself, because he had never seen her this inebriated, and it was somewhat comical to see her loosen up this way. “Baby, those glasses are several inches taller than what you just showed me. And my guess is that you’ve belted back at least a dozen of those cute little drinks, maybe even more. And that’s in addition to the champagne and wine you had earlier. So, yeah. Hate to break the news, but you are definitely drunk. Which means we should get you home, and make sure you drink a few glasses of water and take some Advil. Otherwise, you are going to be a very, very unhappy girl in the morning.”

  “Pshaw,” scoffed Delilah. “I am not drunk. And we can’t leave yet, Finn. The band is still playing and you’ve only danced with me two times. You promised you would dance with me again, and I’m not leaving until you do.”

  “Fine. One dance,” he told her firmly. “Then we get you a cup of coffee, we say our good nights, and get a cab home. Agreed?”

  She smiled at him sultrily, batting her long eyelashes as she deliberately pushed her breasts against his chest. “Maybe,” she replied naughtily. “Or maybe I can talk you into two dances. Oh, and I haven’t danced with Max or Jordan yet.”

  “They’ll survive,” replied Finn dryly as he escorted her onto the dance floor. “And it looks as though Jordan is going to have his hands full with his bride-to-be anyway. I’m pretty sure Aubrey and her two friends just started singing. Very loudly, I might add. Exactly how much did you ladies have to drink, anyway?”

  Delilah gave a careless little shrug as he took her in his arms. “Who knows? After the first six or seven I sort of lost count. And I am not drunk, Finn McManus. Just a little tipsy is all. This has been a great party, you know. I can’t remember when I’ve had this much fun, even without doing shots with Aubrey and her friends.”

  He smiled down at her tenderly, tucking a long, glossy strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad, baby. And you’re right, it has been a real nice party. I’ve had a great time, too. In spite of having to sit next to Max’s date.”

  “He should never, ever date her again,” declared Delilah a bit too loudly. Fortunately the music managed to muffle her voice to a degree. “In fact, I’ve decided I’m going to give that Max a talking to one of these days, just come right out and ask him what happened in Seattle and who the bitch was that broke his heart. And unlike you and Jordan, I’m not going to ease up on him until I get some real answers.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that,” muttered Finn. “Not that your heart isn’t in the right place, babe, but getting Max to open up about much of anything is a Herculean task. Though I suppose if anyone can get him to talk it just might be you.”

  Fortunately, Delilah was content with just the one dance, and obediently drank the cup of coffee he insisted on ordering for her. By that time, the party was beginning to break up, and most of the guests were bidding each other good night. The coffee evidently hadn’t been nearly enough to sober Delilah up, however, as she made her way around the room giving almost everyone she saw a hug and kiss good-by, even going so far as to smooch Jorda
n and Max, and even Aubrey and her two ex-roommates - Delilah’s mischievous new drinking buddies - full on the lips. At that point, Finn didn’t hesitate to practically haul her out of the club, fully prepared to carry her fireman-style if necessary.

  He had chosen not to drive this evening, knowing that he’d be drinking more than what was normal for him lately, and had the doorman at the club summon a taxi. Thankfully, it was a fairly short drive home from the club, and the traffic was relatively light given the lateness of the hour - thankfully because once inside the taxi Delilah turned amorous, insisting on sitting on his lap and pressing kisses along his face and neck despite his subtle attempts to dislodge her. Finn was all too aware of the smirking cab driver who kept sneaking little glances at the back seat and winking at him knowingly. He didn’t want to think about all the times he’d been all too happy to have a drunken make-out session with one of his pick-ups in a cab or Uber. But Delilah wasn’t like any of those nameless, faceless women, and despite her uncharacteristic tipsiness this evening, he wasn’t about to take advantage of her. And unlike all of those other women, he was both possessive and protective of Delilah, and wasn’t going to allow the driver to keep gawking at her.

  Finn was half-afraid he’d have to carry her through the lobby to the elevator, shuddering at the thought, since he knew Delilah would be mortified once she was fully sober if the night concierge were to see her that way. Fortunately, she had sobered up just enough to walk on her own two feet, albeit with his arm firmly wrapped around her waist to support her. Once inside the elevator, she yawned sleepily, resting her head on his shoulder and letting her eyelids droop shut. He figured he’d have to help her undress, a prospect that normally would have aroused him instantly. But he wasn’t about to take advantage of her in this state, when she was practically ready to collapse into a dead faint.

  He was shocked speechless, therefore, when Delilah dropped to her knees in front of him just after he had locked the door to his condo. She ran her palms up the sides of his thighs, running her tongue around her glossy coral lips as she stared up at him sultrily.

  “Since you didn’t get to drink one of those Blow Jobs at the party - and they were really, really yummy in spite of what you might think,” she purred throatily, “I think it’s only right that you get a blow job of your own, don’t you?”

  “Delilah,” he croaked, his hand reaching down to clamp over her wrist as she began to unzip his slacks. “Baby, as much as I appreciate the thought, maybe this isn’t the best time. You’re pretty wasted, you know, and about ready to fall asleep on your feet and - ah, fuck!”

  Finn emitted a long, low groan as she deftly unzipped his pants and drew out his cock, stroking him with her soft, cool hand. He knew that he should protest further, should be a gentleman and insist that they continue this another time when she wasn’t so buzzed. But then her tongue began to flutter over and around the broad head of his penis, plunging inside the slit, and then licking up and down the rapidly hardening length. And though he might now consider himself a gentleman, he was still a rutting pig and very much a man, and if she was offering there was no way in hell he was going to refuse such an unselfish gift.

  With fumbling hands, he helped her unbuckle his belt and shove his trousers down his legs, freeing his cock for her voracious hands and mouth. Finn threaded his hands into her hair, though he was content for her to control the rhythm tonight, to let her do whatever the hell she wanted to him. He leaned back against the wall for support as she took as much of him as she could handle, until the head of his dick was partway down her throat, and then slid her lips back down to the root. She repeated this action over and over, until the need to climax became overwhelming, and he sensed he couldn’t take much more. Only then did he hold her head still, fucking her sweet, eager mouth with quick, shallow strokes. And when she slipped her hand between his legs to gently squeeze his aching testicles, it was all the encouragement he needed to come, emptying himself like a glutton down her throat, crying out her name hoarsely over and over.

  When his legs felt steady enough to support him, he swiftly removed the rest of his clothing, leaving it where it landed in the foyer, and then scooped Delilah up in his arms. She looped her arms around his neck, her head falling limply against his shoulder as though it was too much effort to hold it upright. He carried her to his bed, setting her down with exquisite gentleness, and smiled as she curled up instantly into a fetal position.

  “Hey,” he told her smilingly, sitting down next to her on the bed. “Just let me wash up real quick and then it’ll be your turn. Can you undress yourself or do you need me to help you?”

  Delilah yawned, burrowing her head against the pillow. “I think I’ll definitely need help,” she mumbled sleepily. “And as far as it being my turn next, I should probably take a raincheck on that offer. Is that okay?”

  “Of course it is,” replied Finn tenderly, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t being greedy by not reciprocating. That was, uh, quite an unexpected pleasure a few minutes ago. Not that I’m complaining, of course.”

  She smiled, her eyes already starting to close as she gave his cheek a soft caress. “It was my pleasure, too, you know. And just a little way to say thank you for all the nice things you do for me all the time. No one has ever tried to take care of me the way you do, Finn.”

  Her sweet words tugged at his heart, and he couldn’t resist kissing her again, on the lips this time. “And I love taking care of you, baby. Maybe because I love you so damned much.”

  The words just sort of slipped out without any conscious thought, because it seemed at that particular moment like the most natural thing in the world to say. Finn held his breath in mingled fear and anticipation of her reaction, but as it turned out there was absolutely nothing to have been nervous about.

  Because Delilah merely beamed at him in reply, murmuring, “Yeah, I already sort of knew that. I think I figured it out right around the same time I realized I was in love with you, too. Good night. Love you.”

  And before he could quiz her further, to his complete and utter astonishment, she curled up into an even tighter little ball and promptly fell fast asleep.

  Chapter Eighteen

  August

  “Welcome to Caesars Palace, Mr. McManus. Have you stayed with us before, sir?”

  “Huh?” mumbled Finn as he scowled a bit at the overeager front desk clerk, not particularly in the mood to be sociable right now.

  The smartly dressed, impeccably polite clerk showed no reaction to Finn’s less than amiable attitude. “I was just asking if you had stayed at the hotel before today, sir.”

  “Oh. Sorry. Yeah, I’ve been here before, a few years ago,” he replied flatly, eager to get the formalities over with so that he could head to his room and crash for a few hours. Unless he decided to get drunk first. And given his mood right now, he was pretty sure the order of things was going to be drinking first, nap second.

  “I see that you’re staying in one of our Augustus Premium Suites,” the clerk prattled. “One of our nicest rooms, Mr. McManus. Now, your room is prepaid for the three nights, I believe by the organizer of the event you’ll be attending, but I will need a credit card from you for any incidental expenses.”

  Finn dug out his wallet and plopped his AMEX Centurion card down rather ungraciously, thinking sourly that there would likely be a whole lot of incidental expenses charged to his room, starting with the entire contents of the honor bar.

  “Thank you, Mr. McManus,” replied the clerk primly, clearly having gotten the message that the guest she was trying so hard to be nice to wasn’t in the mood to make polite conversation. “Now, will you only be needing one key, sir?”

  He stopped himself just in time from growling out his response. “Yeah, just one,” he mumbled, then practically snatched the key envelope out of the clerk’s hand as she handed it over.

  Finn waved off the bellman who would have taken
his luggage up to the room for him, not wanting to make any more polite conversation for the foreseeable future. Besides, he thought dourly, it wasn’t like he couldn’t handle the single rolling suitcase by himself. Now, if Delilah had come along, they would have definitely needed a luggage cart for the three or four different bags she would have insisted on taking with.

  ‘And here you go again thinking about her,’ he scolded himself as he stepped inside the elevator. He ignored the curious stares of the other occupants, thankful he’d worn an oversized pair of dark sunglasses plus a baseball cap in an attempt to remain incognito. He just wasn’t in the mood right now to make nice with fans, sign autographs, or pose for pictures, though he knew he was going to have to snap out of it sooner than later. Like it or not, he was contractually obliged to remain in Vegas for the next seventy-two hours or so, most of which would be time he’d have to spend socializing at one event or another. Finn had in actuality been looking forward to this weekend for months now, the official kickoff of the NFL season, and hanging out with dozens of his friends and co-workers. But he hadn’t counted on coming alone, and that was the sole reason behind the black mood he had sunk into ever since Delilah had once again refused to accompany him.

  “Come on, baby,” he’d pleaded. “I know how busy you are right now, but you really can’t get away just for a night or two? I have to be in Vegas on Thursday to attend a network dinner, but you wouldn’t need to get there until Friday night. The big event doesn’t happen until Saturday night. And I was really looking forward to having you there with me, Delilah. To introduce you to my bosses at the network and my co-workers and a bunch of the players.”