Hard Ball

by Heather Stone

  “I know and I love you for it, but Damon I am so happy. I want to live in my bubble for as long as possible.” He nods.

  “It’s not the bubble I’m worried about. It’s what happens after that bubble bursts.” He says wearily. “But hey. It might not so let’s go with that.” I bite my lip at his words.

  At that moment Reed walks by winking in my direction. My insides melt and all talk of this not being anything goes to the wayside. I’m back on cloud nine.

  “Can you head to VIP three and clean it up?” Damon requests and I oblige. Even though I work in the office, I also still help out around the floor and bartend when Damon needs me.

  I wipe at the same spot on a table in VIP room three. Despite the fact that this could crush me if it goes south, I can’t help but reflect on how good things are now, and I continue to wipe at the same spot with what must look like a Cheshire cat smile.

  I hear voices right outside giggling about something. This place is full of floozy waitresses gossiping about their trysts with the high-end clients. Apparently they didn’t get the memo that it only makes them sound like high-end prostitutes. I move closer to the door frame to ease drop on their conversation. I’m interested to see what has them giggling like high school girls.

  “He doesn’t want anyone to know.” The hushed voice is hard to hear, but it sounds like Monica’s whiny vocals.

  “How long has it been going on?” another voice chimes in. I recognize it as Ashley’s.

  “Just about two months. I have a key to get in here at any time. We’ve christened this entire place.”

  This information has me ramrod straight. She can’t be talking about this place, right? The only person who would have access to another key around here would be Damon, and unless she’s sporting a dick under that too-tight skirt, she isn’t his type.

  “I came in early today to help him relax. Reed is insatiable.”

  I round the corner ready for blood. This is total bullshit. “Monica, you are delusional. There is no way Reed is sleeping with you,” I say tersely. She straightens at the sound of my voice. Turning to me, a wide grin takes over her entire face.

  “What’s got your panties in a twist, Bailey?”

  “You spreading lies about Reed, that’s what,” I seethe.

  “You’re new here so let me clue you in. Reed is a playboy and he happens to love playing with me.” She looks to Ashley and giggles again.

  “That’s a lie,” I say through clenched teeth.

  “You obviously don’t know how our fearless leader is. I’m not the first, but I’m working on being the last. I have him so tied up, he won’t even look in anyone else’s direction. You’re safe from him Bailey.” She grins and Ashley chuckles.

  Her smug face has me on the edge of losing it, and tears begin to flow without my permission. This, right here, is exactly why any type of relationship, sexual or otherwise, is bad news for me. The inevitable pain that follows makes my blood hum for a bump of coke.

  “Are you okay, Bailey?” Ashley asks. Clearly she has no idea why I’d be acting so irrational.

  I shoulder past her, trying to make my escape. I need fresh air. I’m not paying attention when I run straight into a hard chest. I know without looking who it belongs to. The one person I really don’t want to see at this point.

  He grabs my shoulder to steady me. “Whoa, Bailey.” He chuckles. I will myself to look up at him, and the smile immediately leaves his face. “Baby, what’s wrong?” he whispers so only I can hear.

  How convenient. The fact that he’s trying to hide what we are from Monica stings. “Don’t call me that. Get your hands off of me.”

  “Bae, calm down. Come to my office.” He looks panicked. Good. He should.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you. How was your rendezvous with Monica today?”

  The asshole looks confused. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t with Monica.” I watch as his face turns from confusion to realization to… amusement? “Bailey Jameson, are you jealous?”

  He’s laughing at me. The dickhead is actually laughing.

  “Fuck you, Reed,” I spit in his direction.

  “Babe, come to my office and take a breather. I don’t know what you heard from Monica, but I absolutely did not touch her. You can ask Damon. She ambushed me and he came to my rescue.”

  I consider what he’s saying. It does sound like something that slut would do. She isn’t exactly subtle in her ways. I brush his hands off me and stalk toward his office. I pass Monica on the way and watch as she takes in the scene, but I have a one-track path straight to my answers. However, what Reed says has me stopping in my tracks.

  “Monica, have you met my girlfriend, Bailey?”

  My heart skips a beat. Did he just say that?

  “What?” Her tone is cold. Deadly.

  “Bailey and I are dating. In fact, as of today, she no longer works on the floor. She’s my executive assistant. I’m moving her to my office.” Monica’s face is red in anger. “Come on, baby. We have stuff to do.” He grabs my hand and walks away from a gaping Ashley.

  I’m walking on air at this point. When we reach the office, I hear the door shut and lock behind me.

  “We won’t be interrupted.”

  “Girlfriend? Since when are we labeling this?”

  “What? I thought you’d like that touch. Did you see her face? She got exactly what she deserved,” he says vehemently.

  “Tell me what your history with her is?”

  His back straightens. “Bailey, I don’t think you want to know everything about my past.”

  “Um, yes. Yes, I do. If it involves you sleeping with half the staff I work with, I absolutely want to know. It’s not fair that I have to listen to this shit, Reed. We may not be in a relationship technically, but I don’t share. If you’re sleeping with other people, then you aren’t sleeping with me. Period.”

  He smiles. I want to wipe it off his face. “Since the first time I had my head in your pussy, I haven’t touched another woman.”

  He walks to me taking me into his embrace, and his touch sends heat directly to my center. It turns me to molten. I see the corner of his lip raise into a grin, and it literally makes my knees go weak.

  “Does that make you hot, baby? Do you want me to prove that you’re the only girl I’m fucking? I will. Right here on this desk, I’ll show you that there hasn’t been anyone else.”

  I need him to show me I’m the only one.

  I don’t fight it. My body willingly calls to him as my nipples harden and the smell of my arousal permeates the air.

  “I can smell how much you want me, Bailey. I’m so hard for you. Feel.” He grabs my hand and moves it to his cock. He’s practically bursting through the seams. I stroke his length through his pants, eliciting a groan from his lips. I’m feeling brave. I need to show him that he doesn’t need anyone else. I can be everything he needs.

  “Do you like that, Reed? Do you want me on my knees?”

  “God, yes. On your knees, Bailey.”

  I drag my hands down his sides as I slowly drop to my knees in front of him. Looking up through my lashes, I lick my lips. Gradually, I pull the zipper down, allowing his cock to spring free from its confinements. His length is so impressive it gives me pause. I lean in and run my tongue along the tip. He moans which only encourages me to go further. I take the tip into my mouth and gently suck.

  His hands go to my head, helping to push him further down my throat, and I relax my jaw, taking as much as I can. I knead and cup his balls in my hand as he begins a punishing rhythm in my mouth. I feel his balls tighten, telling me he’s close. He goes to pull out, but I grab his ass keeping him in place. He groans louder. A few more pumps and his hot liquid is hitting the back of my throat. He sighs in contentment as the last drop leaves his dick. I take my mouth off him and gently wipe him my lips.

  “Baby, come here.”

  “No, tonight was for you. I have work to do.”

  “Your wo
rk is up here now.” He quirks his eyebrow in confusion as to where I’m going.

  “I can start that tomorrow, Reed. I can’t leave Damon on his own without a backup bartender.” He chuckles at my defiance.

  I stand on my feet and make my way out of the office. As the door opens, Monica is on the other side, hand raised ready to knock. I look back toward Reed and see he’s zipping his pants. He doesn’t even try to hide what we were just doing from Monica. It gives me sense of possessiveness, but at the same time I pity her. Up until his declaration, Monica was unaware of our relationship. I decide in this moment to give her the benefit of the doubt.

  I turn back to Monica. “I’m sorry if you feel like I took him from you. I didn’t know you two had any sort of a relationship. I hope you can respect the fact that I’m with him now.”

  I look back to Reed smiling to show that I’m not concerned. As I make my way down the stairs, I hear the door close behind me and know that Monica is stalking in my direction. With nothing more to say to her, I keep walking. She doesn’t stop as she rushes past me and out the door. I feel bad, but he’s mine now. There is no room for someone else in our relationship. She’ll find the right person someday.

  *Reed

  After a long shift of watching her shimmy her ass through the club, I had to have Bailey, so we came back to my loft and fucked into the early morning hours. This thing with Bailey is getting serious despite my earlier insistence against it. Now we are officially in a relationship and I’m out of my element.

  After the shit with Monica tonight, I need Bailey to know how serious I am about giving this relationship thing a try. With my focus entirely on her tonight, Monica is never mentioned again. Thank fuck.

  I listen to Bailey breathe. It’s so melodic and peaceful. If I lie here and listen to her for a while, it might lull me to sleep as well.

  “What are you doing, Mr. Lawson?”

  I’m caught. “Just thinking. Go back to sleep.”

  “What are you thinking about?”

  What should I say? I’m not about to tell her. I’d sound like a fucking pussy. So I say the next thing that comes to mind. “I have dinner tonight at my mom’s and I’m dreading it.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “My mother can be a bit much at times. I’ve been avoiding her.”

  “I could go with you if that would help.”

  I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t put her in that awkward position. My mother would eat her alive. “Thanks, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I feel her deflate beside me. Clearly, I’ve said the wrong thing. “Bailey, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “I guess I’m just wondering what we are.”

  “What we are?” I repeat.

  “I’m not trying to put a label to it, Reed. I’m just not sure what’s going on. You told Monica I’m your girlfriend.”

  “We are sleeping together.”

  Wrong answer. She flies out of bed and begins throwing on her clothes.

  “Wait, what are you doing?”

  “We’re sleeping together? So I’m just like Monica?”

  Oh fuck, here we go. “No, no. I just mean we’re not sleeping with anyone else. We’re exclusive in that sense.”

  “Fabulous, so I’m your play thing then.”

  It’s not a question. She’s throwing her skirt over her legs, and not gracefully, I might add.

  “Stop, Bailey. We are exclusive, period. Do you want me to say you’re my girlfriend? Fine, you’re my girlfriend. Is that better?”

  She stops and looks at me. “You don’t have to classify me as anything, Reed. I’m sorry I put you on the spot.” She looks defeated, and I feel like an ass.

  I practically crawl across the bed to her. Grabbing her by the hips, I bring her back into my arms. “I want you to be my girlfriend. I haven’t said that to a girl in a long time. I didn’t know if I would ever say that. But I do. I want you to be mine.”

  She melts into my arms and I feel the tension leave her body. She grabs the sides of my head and kisses me with abandon. When we finally come up for air, we sink back into the bed.

  “Reed, now that I’m your girlfriend can I meet your mom?”

  Fuck. Me.

  “Bailey, we just got over one fight. Can we not do this?” I’m whining like a fucking girl.

  “Are you embarrassed of me?” Her voice is small.

  “No, baby, I’m not embarrassed of you at all. My mom is just…difficult. We’re so new that I don’t want her scaring you off. I think we need time to grow in our relationship before you have to endure a dinner with her.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  I sigh with relief.

  “I’m going to go shower. Is that all right?”

  “Want me to join you?” I smirk.

  “As amazing as that sounds, I don’t think I’d actually get clean and I need to get going. I have some errands to run. I also want to catch a meeting.”

  I nod my head and let her get up from the bed, watching as she sways toward the bathroom. I look at the clock. 10:40am. I should probably get up as well. I grab my phone and see I’ve missed a call from the devil herself. I decide to call her quickly to see what she wants. If I’m lucky, she’s calling to cancel dinner.

  “Reed, darling. Are you among the living or have I caught you in bed?”

  “I’m up, Mother. What’s going on?”

  “I was calling to remind you about dinner since we know how flaky you can be at times.”

  I cringe. “No, Mother, I haven’t forgotten.”

  “See you soon.” She hangs up before I can even respond.

  Hours later, I’m walking into my childhood home. It’s more like a museum filled with antiques, priceless paintings, and stiff furniture adorning every corner of the pretentious estate.

  “Reed,” my mother croons as she waltzes into the room. A beautiful blonde follows closely behind. I have no idea who she is, but she pursues my body boldly.

  “Reed, you remember Allison Estep. Her parents are Susan and Allister Estep.” Her brows rise as if to indicate that I should absolutely know who these people are, and I do. Old money with trusts to rival the Hiltons.

  “Yes, of course. Allison, it’s nice to see you.” I smile.

  Allison gives me a sheepish grin. She knows what my mother is saying, and she enjoys the praise her family name brings. My mother is obviously up to her matchmaking.

  “Mother. A word, please.”

  She looks from me to Allison and frowns. “Reed, that’s rude. Can we at least eat first?”

  I don’t give her a second to continue. I walk briskly out of the room with my mother right on my heels.

  “What’s the meaning of this, Reed Lawson?”

  “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t be a pawn in your games. I’m not interested.”

  “It’s time for you to start thinking about your future. I want you to be happy.”

  “What if I am, Mom? What if I like my life?”

  She scoffs. “Your life is a train wreck. You live at the club pining over a girl who died of a drug overdose.”

  The mention of Lexi has my blood running cold. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You blame yourself for that girl’s death. It wasn’t your fault that she was an addict. Her parents are to blame.”

  “It was my fault. She was with me.” I stress the last word.

  “I just want you to be happy.”

  Her sad eyes have me softening. “I am, Mom. I promise.”

  “Will you at least talk to Allison? She’s such a pretty girl and from such a well respected family.”

  “No, I’ve got places to be.”

  Without another word, I walk out.

  Bailey

  I’m mildly hurt that Reed didn’t want to take me to meet his mother, but I understand. I need to proceed slowly with this. Going too fast isn’t good for either of us. To keep my mind off Reed, I call up Leah and invite her
over for sushi.

  “This is nice,” Leah says around a mouthful of California roll.

  “Mmmm,” I say in return.

  “So, what’s new at the club?”

  I advert my eyes. I don’t want to have this conversation with Leah. I know how she feels about Reed, and she can’t know about us right now. “Everything is good. How is Cal?” I ask despite the fact I don’t care. He’s not my favorite person, but I’d never tell Leah. She loves him and that’s good enough for me. I think he’s a pompous ass. There is something slimy about him. Leah is happy, though, so I put up with him.

  “He’s Cal. He’s always working,” she says dejectedly.

  “I can imagine.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean, Bailey?”

  “Nothing. Sorry, Leah, I just don’t trust the guy.”

  “I love you both, and I just wish you would give him a chance.”

  “Okay. I’m done. No more bashing Mr. Wonderful.”

  “Bailey…”

  “All right, all right. I’m sorry.” I put my hands up in surrender.

  “I actually wanted to ask you to be my maid of honor.”

  My chin hits the floor. “Wha-what? You want me to be your maid of honor?”

  “Of course. You’re my only sister. I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

  Her words have me in tears. My sister is too good to me. With all the lies between us, I feel horrible. “I don’t think you want me to do that. I’m not the best person for that job.”

  “You’re the only person, Bailey. I want you. Please stand beside me.”

  She looks at me expectantly. I can’t let her down. I nod in affirmation. Leah squeals and tackles me to the floor. We laugh, eat, and talk the rest of the evening away until my phone beeps and I look down.

  Get your ass to my place. I need you.

  I look up to Leah’s baffled face.

  “What’s with the goof-troop grin?”

  “Just a friend.” I shrug.

  “A guy friend? Spill it.”

  “Nope, nothing to spill. He’s just a friend,” I lie.

  “Fine, but I know you’re holding out.” She smiles. “But I should get going. Cal wants me to meet him back at his place later.” She grabs her stuff and makes her way toward the door. Leaning over, she smothers me in an embrace. “Thanks for tonight. I miss you.”