Worth the Trade (More Than A Game) (12 page)

“Watch out for that one. She may look sweet, but she’s not afraid to bust your balls.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sounded like Bryce had some experience with her.

“So, you coming out with us tonight?” Bryce leaned against the locker next to Marco’s. “Celebrate a little?”

Marco was just about to make his excuses, when Hunter walked up to them, with a congratulatory smile on her face.

“Sounds like fun. You boys have a good time.” She gave Marco a small nod. “Just make sure you’re in bed by midnight.”

She tapped Bryce on the shoulder, causing Marco’s gut to tighten in jealousy. But she gave him a sultry glance as she walked away.

He was following Bryce to the parking lot when his cell phone chimed with a text from Hunter.

My bed. Midnight. Don’t be late.

Not a chance.

Marco joined Bryce and a couple of other players who’d been picked up at the trade deadline. They had drinks. The two younger guys hooked up with a couple of women they met at the bar. Bryce asked Marco if he wanted to share a cab, but Marco had someplace to be. And he’d better hurry if he was going to get there before midnight.

* * * *

“You’re late.” Hunter opened the door just before midnight. She stood in the doorway in a gray flannel robe, her arms folded across her chest. Her hair was contained in a low, loose ponytail, and Marco itched to bury his fingers in its silky strands.

“I still have three minutes.” Marco didn’t wait for an invitation to enter. He followed her inside and as soon as the front door was closed, he pressed her against it. He kissed her. Hard. Hurried. Hungry.

“We haven’t made it to my bed, yet.” Hunter squirmed, as he trailed kisses from her lips, to her neck, to that delicate spot just behind her ear.

“Lead the way.” Marco reluctantly took his mouth off her skin.

“Upstairs.” She tugged on his arm and he followed until she pushed open the first door on the right.

He moved her toward the bed. Pulled at the tie around her waist. The robe fell open, revealing the hot pink lingerie he’d had delivered.

“Oh, yeah. That’s more like it.” Marco uttered his appreciation. “Damn. You’re beautiful. So, so, beautiful.”

Hunter’s cheeks stained to match her underwear.

Marco lowered his head to take her nipple into his mouth through the silky fabric. She moaned as he suckled. God, she was so responsive. Her taut nipples jutted against the damp cloth. He slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her closer. Closer. But not close enough.

As lovely as her sexy new underwear were, they were in his way.

Marco shoved the robe off her shoulders. He slid his hands beneath the satin top. Moving the material out of his way, he returned his mouth to her breasts, savoring each perfect mound. Her little groans of pleasure encouraged him to move faster.

He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of the little shorts that matched the top and slid them down her hips. His pulse rate skyrocketed at the sight of her luscious, naked body.

“Hunter.” His voice was thick, almost inaudible. “Damn, woman. You are so sexy.”

“Marco.” Her skin flushed, not just her cheeks. “Please.”

She tasted so good. Felt so good. How could she not know how hot she was? How hot she made him?

She tugged at his jeans, fumbled with the button, before sliding the zipper down.
Oh yeah.
Her touch was nearly enough to send him over the edge. She snaked her fingers down below the elastic of his boxer-briefs and he groaned.

He still hadn’t made it to her bed. He’d have to fix that.

Together they tumbled to the mattress.

Marco lifted his hand to the back of her head and loosened the rubber band, setting her hair free. Long, silky strands of brown and gold and copper shimmered in the lamplight.

“So beautiful,” he whispered, marveling at the goddess before him, with her hair down, flowing across the pillow, and her luscious curves spread out before him. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed. A nervous titter, showing her insecurity. “You don’t have to flatter me. I’m already yours.”

“Yes. You are mine.” He kissed her, claiming her with his mouth. “All mine.”

He trailed kisses down her body, lingering at her breasts for a while before making his way down. She moaned in appreciation as he savored her soft silky skin.

Until he dipped his head between her thighs.

She whimpered, and then tensed as he dropped a delicate kiss on her inner thigh.

“Marco.” She grasped his hair, holding him back. “Please.”

The desperate plea was not an encouragement.

“You don’t have to do that.” She squirmed, uncomfortable with the direction he was heading.

“You don’t want me to kiss you there?” He couldn’t quite understand her hesitation. Her insecurity.

“It’s just too…much.” She shifted, moving her body away from him. She was uncomfortable.

“Tell me what you want.” He slid his body so they could talk, face to face. Eye to eye. “Tell me what you need.”

“Just, kiss me.” Her voice quivered with uncertainty. “On the mouth.”

“You’re the boss.” Marco placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He followed her lead. And when she parted her lips, he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He kissed her until her hesitation dissolved. Kissed her until her need overpowered her insecurity.

He slipped his hand between her thighs, stroking her gently, taking cues from her. When she bucked against his fingers, he plunged deeper inside her. Drawing her out of her inhibitions.

He stroked harder, faster, deeper, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.

“Come for me, sweetheart.”

Her breath quickened, the little sounds escaping her throat telling him she was close.

“That’s my girl,” he coaxed her into a climax.

“Marco. Please.” She moaned. “
Please
.”

He positioned himself over her. She reached for him, demanding.

“Is this what you want?” He teased her opening with just the tip of his penis. Her insistent grunt told him plenty.

He pushed inside, just a little and she bucked toward him. Greedy. Needy.

He pulled out and she whimpered. Then she grabbed his ass.

“Oh, you really want it?” Marco eased inside slowly, before withdrawing again. “You’re going to have to beg.”

“Marco…” Her voice was desperate. “Please.”

He couldn’t deny her any longer. He plunged deep, deeper than he thought possible. He moved with her.

He could feel another orgasm building. Her breath coming faster. Her moans becoming more insistent. Her inner muscles tightening. Gripping him. Holding on to him. Taking him to the point of no return. Finally she cried out his name. Her whole body shook with her climax and he followed almost immediately after.

He lay there, still inside her, aftershocks pulsing around him. Marco felt a seismic shift in his heart. He wanted this. What he had right here. Right now. Hunter. In his arms. In his life.

He looked around the room, the realization that this had been her childhood bedroom hitting him as he took in the whitewashed window seat with stuffed animals lined up at the corners. The bookcases filled with a mix of hardcover and paperback books, handmade ceramic figurines and baseball memorabilia from the last twenty years or so.

A twinge of envy swept over him. She had grown up here, in this very room of this very house. She’d gone from a girl, to a teenager, to a woman right here.

He felt the urge to protect the girl this room revealed. The woman who tried so hard to keep herself hidden from the rest of the world.

“Hunter.” He stroked her hair and dropped delicate kisses along her neck. “My sweet, sweet Hunter.”

Marco felt a sense of gratitude at being let in. At being one of the few who saw her like this. Vulnerable. Naked. Stripped of all her armor. He understood that her gray suits, her masculine clothing were nothing more than a shield against the world.

And she’d allowed him to break through her defense.

“So tell me, have you had many boys sneak into your room?” Marco asked playfully. Hoping he already knew the answer.

“Boys?” She shifted beneath him, pulling away. Putting up her defenses. “No boys.”

“Okay, so how many men?” he teased, pretty confident he was in elite company.

“Just one. Just you.”

“I thought you said you weren’t a virgin.” A slight worry tickled his chest.

“I wasn’t. I went to college.” She tried to sound so worldly. But she wasn’t fooling him.

“Stanford, right?”

“Yes. I know, didn’t exactly travel far from home.” She laughed, as if she had settled somehow. “How did you know where I went to school?”

“I met your father when I was still in college. He came out on a recruiting trip.” Marco tried not to think about what would have happened if Texas hadn’t had the higher draft pick. Would the Goliaths have drafted him in that round? Signed him to a long-term deal?

“I didn’t know you’d met him.” Hunter’s voice held a note of sadness. “I knew he always thought highly of you, but… Did he really talk to you about me?”

“Yes. He bragged about you to anyone who’d listen.” Marco propped himself up on one elbow. “He talked about how smart you were. And how you knew more about the game than the commissioner himself.”

“He did not.” Her cheeks flushed. But she looked…happy. A little surprised, but overall, it was a positive thing to talk about her father in that way.

“He did. He bragged about you to the point that most of us couldn’t help but think you were…” Oh, hell, how did he describe the image that he’d conjured up in his mind? Basically a younger, female version of the commissioner of baseball. Certainly not this beautiful, sexy, sensuous woman who was passionate about baseball, and passionate about him.

“I was what? A tomboy? Just one of the guys?” She rolled over onto her side, her lush breasts heaving with indignation.

“No, Hunter. You’re more woman that most men can handle.” Marco gave her one last kiss before falling into a blissful, worn out state of slumber.

* * * *

Hunter woke to find Marco still in her bed. He hadn’t snuck out at dawn like she’d done the day before. He looked so peaceful as he slept. Content. Gorgeous. His dark hair mussed from sex and sleep. His whiskers rough against his jaw. His skin was flawless, so smooth stretched across the muscles of his back, the color of salted caramel. She wanted to eat him up.

Hunter settled for tasting him. A flick of her tongue on his neck, a press of her body against his skin. Yum.

Marco roused from his slumber. He turned over and opened his electric blue eyes. A slow smile spread across his face. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him.

“You just can’t get enough of me, can you?” He groaned as she stretched out on top of him. “You’re addicted to me.”

“Shhh.” She covered his mouth with hers and positioned herself over him. “Seems I’m not the only one who’s ready for more.”

“More.” He moaned as she eased down over his morning erection. He tried to pull back, but she had him right where she wanted him. She brought her knees up so that she straddled him. She was in control. Except she wasn’t. Not really. He drove into her, sending her spiraling out of control.

“Marco.”

He held her hips, keeping her in place as he thrust. Again and again. Then he stilled. She was so close, tottering at the edge of insanity. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to move again. He let go of her hips, and she started to pick up the pace.

Hunter moved her hands across his chest. Down, down lower, caressing his abs. He groaned, grabbing her wrists and guiding her to the spot where they were joined.

“Show me.” His voice was rough, barely more than a whisper. “Show me how you want to be touched.”

But she already had what she wanted. She clenched around him and he dropped her hands. Clutching her hips, he thrust hard one more time. An explosion of color and sensation and ecstasy clouded her mind.