Hooked Up the Game Plan (5 page)

“Nope.” He hooked a thumb in a belt loop. “I quit that job.”

What?
His gig at one of the premier law firms in the city had been his crowning glory. He’d bragged about it for months, mentioned it to whomever would make eye contact. She glanced harder at him, but he didn’t appear bitter or annoyed
,
or even sad. “Uh, what do you do now?”

Reid shuffled toward the second hole. “I do pro-bono work for a few women’s shelters around the city four days a week. The rest of the time I teach government at one of the high schools.”

Her jaw dropped
.
I
think I’ve just fallen into
bizarre-o world.
She didn’t know which fact shocked her more—that he was a teacher, he voluntarily spent time around tee
nagers, or that he gave out
law advice for free. “Wow.” Shock left her cold. What the hell
had
happened to him? And why did she want to wrap her arms around him and tell him it would be okay? Not able to form any more words, she stood by while Reid set his ball in motion. The putt went wide to the right of the cup and came to rest on a fallen leaf.

“Your turn.” The smile he gave her was so gentle in nature it was if he’d borrowed it from Gandhi. It went straight to her heart and squeezed. As he walked down the fairway, past a skull-and-crossbones flag, he said, “Are you still a biologist?”

“No, I work in vintage clothing.” She set down her ball and frowned at it as if the pink orb would give her the answers she sought.

“Awesome! I remember how you used to dream about that. I’ll bet you’re great at it.”

He’d remembered something she’d talked about? Nisha smacked the ball harder than she’d intended with the putter. It careened down the fairway, hit the metal triangular divider in the middle
,
then ricocheted right off the course
and
roll
ed
under a bush. “Oh, crap.”

Again, the shrill scream from
Hunter’s
coach’s whistle pierced the air. “Nisha’s ball went off the course. Reid gets to choose her punishment.”

Catcalls and laughter broke out among the group as all eyes turned toward her.

Her stomach bottomed out as she looked at Reid. He could choose just about anything and she’d have to do it unless she wanted to forfeit her game. But, she wanted a shot at that
all-expenses-paid
trip. Doing what she loved was great
,
except it didn’t leave much cash for vacations.  And… she forced down a swallow. She really wanted to get busy with Reid for the sheer joy of seeing if he’d changed in
that
way too. “Well, get on with it. We don’t have all night.” She hated the bitchy tone to her voice but couldn’t help it.

Reid rubbed a hand along his jaw. “You have to moon the entire party.”

Hooting and a smattering of delighted laughter cycled through the golfers. “Come on, Nisha, show us your ass!” Trina’s partner Craig yelled.

As punishments went, it wasn’t that bad.
A rush of relief mixed with disappointment cycled through her middle. “Fine, but you all have to get into one place. Once I drop my drawers, I won’t be turning a circle, so if you miss it, you miss it.” While they shoved together, Nisha turned her back on them. As knots twisted her stomach, she flipped up her skirt. A couple of the guys gave wolf-whistles and complimented her on her panties. She ignored them, gritted her teeth, shimmied her underwear down her legs and bent over.

“Damn, Nisha, love your ass.” That comment came from Hunter. “I hope I get a chance at fondling it tonight.”

If God is kind you won’t be the one getting the chance.

Trina chimed in, “Looking good, Nisha. Bet someone here would love to make a play at that back door.”

Nisha’s face heated. Good thing she’d kept off the weight, and all things considered, this punishment wasn’t nearly as bad as last year’s conquering of Hunter’s dick of doom. “Show’s over.” She tugged up her panti
es and smoothed down her skirt.

As she turned, her gaze snagged Reid’s. A flash of desire lit his eyes, gone before she could wonder about it. Just knowing he might have been aroused sent another surge of hot lust through her
,
except it went beyond that. The warmth filling her was bigger than jonesing for a hook-up.
Aw, man, why him, why now?
“Let’s keep playing.” To bu
y some time and to calm herself
, she went in search of her missing golf ball. Finally spotting it nestled in an evergreen shrub, she wrangled it out with her putter before wandering back to the group.

Once again, she found herself standing and waiting with Reid. For whatever reason, the other couples weren’t interested in shooting the breeze with either of them. That was okay with her. No conversation should start with, “So, nice ass. Do you work out?”

Reid cleared his throat. When she glanced his way, he tossed his ball in the air and caught it. It was dwarfed in his large palm and served to remind her what those hands had felt like on her body. “I suppose you’re dating someone?”

Before she could answer, Hunter’s whistle blasted. “I made a hole in one. Everyone lose a piece of clothing.”

“Fuck.” Nisha removed the necklace and dropped it into the laundry basket. Reid took off his sneakers and chucked them into the tub. Her mood tumbled farther downhill. He could have at least lost the shirt. The need to see his skin hit a critical point. Her pussy throbbed. Realizing he still waited on an answer, she sighed. “No. Not married and I don’t have kids either… in case you were wondering.” As nonchalantly as she could, she skimmed his left hand. No ring.

He caught her glance and winked. “Me neither. Actually, our break up sorta killed dating for me.”

“Oh.” Had she made him hate women? Why? She’d only been honest when she
’d
sent him on his way. He’d been the jerk, not her. She rubbed her thumb over the dimples on her golf ball. “Sorry.”

“Not your fault. It was what I needed at the time.”

“I see.” Even though she didn’t.
“Um, I hope you have good luck in the dating department though.”
He hadn’t dated or gotten married. Was he looking, and why did she care? Just because the dude had said he’d changed didn’t make it the truth—no matter how much she wished for it.

“
Thanks.” He flashed
a smile brimming with secrets. “If all goes well, I think I’ll be back in the pool after tonight.”

Another round of tingles zipped through her and hardene
d her nipples. What the hell did
he mean by that?

Once again Hunter’s
whistle interrupted
. “Trina got an ace. You know the drill.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Trina!” She looked around for her friend.

Trina shrugged. “Can’t help it. This one’s easy.”

Nisha removed
her sandals and deposited them into the laundry basket. Reid gave up his socks. Was it too much to ask that he’d show a little skin after the whole mooning thing? She took a deep breath and let it ease out between her teeth.

Hunter’s whistle blew again for an off-course violation from Charlie. The chosen punishment was Trina had to flash her boobs, much to the enjoyment of the guys present—everyone except Reid. He kept his gaze on the sidewalk.

Reid went through with his next
stroke without incident. Nisha followed
,
albeit with frozen breath.
Please
,
no more punishments.
She was on track for another ace but ended up with a leak
when
her ball veered away from the cup at the last second. A sigh of relief shuddered from her. The ball came to rest near the wall. No way did she want to lose her shirt so soon. She waited off to one side while Reid putted again. This time his ball knocked into hers and sent both into the wall.

A whistle blast rent the air. Hunter jumped onto one of the three boulder-like obstacles on the course. “Reid bumped Nisha’s ball. You two have to kiss with tongue. Pucker up!”

She shot a sharp glance at Reid. “Did you do that on purpose?”

“Nope, but I’m glad it happened. I hoped I’d get a chance to make it up to you.”

“Make what up to me?” Nisha had the distinct feeling she had no idea what was going on. But on the other hand, the thrill made up for the confusion.

“Everything.” With a grin he closed the distance
,
yet didn’t touch her. “Ready?”

Her mind reeled. In the past, he’d never asked permission to kiss her or do anything else. He merely took what he wanted. “Okay.”

“Come on
,
guys! We’re burning daylight,” Hunter complained. “I’m one under par on each hole and don’t want to blow the birdie streak.”

Before she could form a comeback, Reid tugged her into an embrace. His hands were hot at the small of her back, but when his lips touched hers, lava erupted into her blood stream. If she’d thought her libido had come awake on seeing Reid, kissing him felt as if she’d stuck a fork into an outlet plug. By the time she clutched his shoulders, he’d slipped his hands halfway under her shirt to tease her nipples with his thumbs. Those aching little buds betrayed her need as tingles swept over her skin.
Maybe he hasn’t changed that much…

For the moment, she didn’t care as he slid his tongue into her mouth to flirt with hers.
And she was once more drowning in a sea of the same but different. No forceful domination. No storming the castle with a scant nod to foreplay. This kiss was strong for the simple fact he didn’t plunder. Nisha moaned and tilted her head for better traction if only to experience the full wonder of his exploring tongue. Rough hands pulled her out of Reid’s embrace, abruptly putting an end to the lip-lock.

“Get a room, you two,” Hunter chided. “If you want to mulligan that smacker, do it on your own time. We’ve got six more holes to play.” He threw a knowing glance to Reid. “Dude, don’t mistake that boner for your putter, all right?”

The rest of the company erupted into good-natured laughter. While e
veryone lined up
at the number four green, Nisha snuck a peek at Reid’s crotch. Sure enough, the outline of his cock was clearly visible against the front of his cargo shorts. Moisture further dampened her panties as she remembered how thick a
nd long he’d felt in her pussy.

Whatever else he’d been, he
’d known
how to work sex to his advantage. Would she let him go that far tonight if things progressed? The intense throbbing in her core said yes as did the weird skipping in her heart, yet too many questions remained.

When answers didn’t come forth, she had no choice except
to
resume the game.
She
com
pleted the
fourth hole in three strokes
,
regardless of the water hazard on the left hand side
,
and
then focused on the skeleton bobbing in a boat while the blue
-dyed water lapped gently at the
sides. She didn’t talk to Reid. What could she say? Her world had slanted sideways from his actions. Was his attitude a permanent change
,
or did he do it only to reel her back into his web? She’d stayed with him while he was a jerk until her limit had hit a boiling point. No way did she want to make the same mistake. But the guy he seemed to be now appealed to her in a major way. It was if he’d become the man she’d wished he was three years ago.

Now what do I do?

Hunter’s whistle yanked her from her contemplative mood.  “Reid’s hit the water hazard, which makes this a two-cup violation. He gets a trip to the shed of shame. Craig, you pick his punishment.”

Craig jumped onto a boulder. “I say he goes down on Nisha.” He leered at her. “
And w
e want all the juicy details.”

Alternate wa
ves of hot and cold crashed over
Nisha’s body. Having Reid get her off orally would be… She shivered while her cheeks heated. Heavenly. Would he agree knowing he wouldn’t get a return favor? She held his gaze. Nothing in his expression gave away his thoughts. The only thing he did was give her another of those sexy “I’m your guy” grins.

Oh. My. God.
“Come on, Reid.” Nisha dropped her putter and ball to the fairway then held out her hand. “Let’s give your boner a reason for being.”

Laughter chased through the company. Hunter examined his watch. “You guys have ten minutes from the moment the door to the shed closes. The rest of us will kick back with a nice, cold beverage.” He snorted. “Don’t get too hot in there, kids.”

Reid rolled his eyes as he laid down his putter. He walked down the fairway. “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, we don’t have to do this.” His voice was a whisper.

I left uncomfortable back at the second hole. This is so much… more.
She shook her head and grabbed his hand. “I know. This is a great test to see if you’ve really change
d.”