Playing the Game Read online

  “I will always be here for you,” I whispered. “Whatever happens, whatever you need, I will be here for you always.”

  Her eyelids fluttered closed as she drank. I lifted my arm slightly and gently kissed her forehead as I breathed in her baby scent. Everything I did from that moment on was going to be for her.

  As she slept in my arms, I looked around the nursery. On the wall was a collage of nursery rhyme and story images. A flying pirate ship caught my eye and I smiled as her name came to me. I set the empty bottle aside and stroked her plump cheek.

  “I love you, Wendy.”

  Present Day

  “Daddy? Hello, Dad!”

  I blinked as I focused back on Wendy lying on her bed. It seemed like no time had passed since she was born, yet in front of me was a girl and not a baby. I smiled at her as I pushed a stray hair out of her eyes.

  “Sorry, I was thinking,” I said.

  “About what?”

  “How would you feel if I started dating?” I asked. “I promise I won’t take any time away from you. I’ll still be there to pick you up from school and we’ll still have dinner every night.”

  “You met someone, didn’t you? When can I meet her? What’s her name?” she asked excitedly.

  “Cassie,” I said with a smile.

  First thing Monday I would make things right with Cassie and if I was lucky, she'd finally say yes to a date.

  Chapter Nine

  Cassie

  I spent the rest of the weekend playing over in my head what I was going to say to Gabriel the next time I saw him. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

  Wearing a pair of black pants I thought hugged my ass nicely and a teal blouse that showed off a little cleavage, I walked the block from the apartment to the gym. I wanted to make sure that I looked good when I told Gabriel that I did have a choice.

  Gabriel’s limo drove past and stopped in front of the gym. Gabriel got out and turned towards me. I was surprised to see him arrive at the gym in a suit and had to force myself to not mentally undress him. The nice thing about the gym was getting to see him half naked a lot of the time.

  As I approached, he gave me a crooked smile with a look I remembered from the locker room. Staying angry at him was going to be harder than I thought.

  “You look stunning,” he said.

  “Don’t talk to me like that. You said you wanted to keep things professional, remember?”

  He opened the side door to the gym and held it open as I entered.

  “We need to talk,” he said as I walked past him.

  No! I thought. This has to be on my terms.

  “Maybe later,” I said. “I’m very busy.”

  “Now,” he said as he moved his hand to my lower back and guided me to his office.

  I folded my arms in front of me and tapped my foot as Gabriel closed his office door. He stood in front of me and lowered his head to my height.

  “Now isn’t the time for short jokes,” I said as I turned my back towards him.

  I wasn’t really angry with him anymore, but I didn’t want him thinking he got off that easily. He needed to learn he couldn’t change his mind about me from one day to the next. I wasn’t a toy or a game for him to play. That might have worked with his other women, but I was going to be different.

  “Cassie, please listen to me. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past couple of days.”

  “Good for you.”

  “And I made a mistake.”

  “Wait. What?” I said, spinning around to face him.

  “I made a mistake when I said we shouldn’t be together. Since that first day when you yelled at that fighter, I knew you were different. I knew you were special. But there’s something I need to tell you.”

  He took my hand and pulled out a chair from in front of his desk. As I sat down, he sat on the edge of his desk in front of me.

  “Is this about the women? There’s someone else, isn’t there? Mack warned me about you. Is that what it is?”

  “No, it’s not that. All of that is in the past. I’m not that man anymore and haven’t been in a long time,” he said quietly. “But there is someone else.”

  My heart sank into my stomach. I was glad I was sitting when he said that because I was sure I would have fallen over.

  Gabriel stroked his chin as he paced the room. I was waiting for his big reveal--he was married. Or maybe he had a fiancée, or a live-in girlfriend in his big mansion or wherever it was he lived.

  The longer he paced, the more anxious I got. I couldn’t take the silence anymore.

  “I’m moving out,” I said as I rose to my feet. “I never wanted to live in that big ass apartment in the first place. And I’m sorry, but I think it’s disgusting that you keep a place in the city like that. How many other women have you moved in before me?”

  Gabriel looked stunned. I guessed he never had a woman say anything back to him about it before.

  “Cassie--“

  “No, just stop,” I said, interrupting him. “Do not answer that question because I really do not want to know the answer. I’m leaving.”

  I stormed out the door as my legs shook underneath me. I felt weak and vulnerable, but I hoped he didn’t see any of that. His memory of me had to be that I was strong.

  “Cassie Monroe,” Gabriel’s voice boomed in the hall. “I am not done talking.”

  His voice stopped me and I spun on my heel to face him. I was so angry that my hands were curled up into fists at my side and I shook with rage.

  “I've heard enough,” I said.

  “Do you want to hit me?” he said as he walked down the hall towards me. “Would that make you feel better? You didn’t give me a chance to explain.”

  “You said there’s someone else!”

  “I chose the wrong words.”

  “That’s exactly what a cheater would say. You’re just playing games with me,” I said as my fist shot into his stomach.

  His eyes widened as his hands covered his stomach. He had a twinkle in his eyes that made me want to punch him even harder.

  “You hit me,” he said, laughing.

  “You deserved it,” I said.

  I turned away from him and walked as fast as I could towards my office. Is he following me? Is he still laughing at me? There was no way I was turning around to find out.

  Entering my office, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it as I dropped my face into my hands. I felt ridiculous, asinine. I had never felt so out of control or unlike me as I did these few weeks I had been working at the gym. But I never felt as at ease as I did when I was with him.

  I was sure he would follow me. Any minute now I would hear his knock. Any second now I would hear his footsteps. Any second now...but I didn’t hear anything except for the casters of my chair against the floor.

  Opening my eyes, I peeked through my fingers. Gabriel was sitting at my desk.

  “How the hell did you get here before me?” I demanded as I crossed the room to him.

  He pointed to a door in the corner opposite my desk. A door I had always assumed was a closet.

  “That’s my office,” he said. “Now please sit and listen to me. That’s all I’m asking.”

  He looked pitiful. His eyes were tender and his face soft. I knew whatever he had to say, he had no intention of hurting me. This was a man who cared about me. He held his hand out to me, and I placed my hand in his and everything felt right.

  “You’re in my chair,” I said with a grin.

  He tugged me onto his lap and pulled me close. As he tilted his head towards me, I moved my hand onto his broad shoulder, over his suit jacket.

  Our eyes met and he smiled before kissing my lips. He touched my cheek then pushed my hair back, over my shoulder, and kissed my neck before his lips traveled up towards my ear.

  “If you were in a skirt right now, I’d have my way with you,” he whispered as he squeezed my thigh.

  “Not here,” I said, giggling. “I
didn’t even know about your secret door there, for all I know, I’m being recorded too.”

  “The door was right there. How did you not see a door?” he said, laughing. “Fine, then not here. Let me do this right then. Seeing you every day has made me forget one simple thing. We still haven’t gone on a date. So how about a late dinner Friday night?”

  “Why wait until Friday? Worried about school the next day?” I joked.

  “You could say that,” he said.

  “Okay, well, I know it’s my fault we haven’t been on a date yet, so how about I make you dinner?”

  “Only if you let me take care of dessert,” he said with a raise of his eyebrows and a smirk.

  “It’s a deal,” I said.

  “Cassie, about what I said before--”

  “No, I don’t want to hear it. Not now,” I said. “Just tell me, can I trust you?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Then that’s all I need to know.”

  The look on his face was enough to tell me he was being honest and that I could trust him. It didn’t matter what Mack said about him or how he ran out that night at his apartment, it didn’t even matter that he said there was someone else.

  Thinking about his words, I remembered him saying he wasn’t that man anymore. I couldn’t believe one thing and ignore the other, but I trusted him. Deep down I knew he meant it when he said he chose the wrong words, and that was all that mattered. He would tell me everything when he was ready.

  Chapter Ten

  Cassie

  “Dammit! Why does time have to move so fast,” I said, looking at the clock in the kitchen.

  It was almost time for Gabriel to arrive and I wasn’t dressed. I ran up the stairs, through the master bedroom, and into the bathroom where I hung my favorite dress. It was a burgundy-colored halter dress with a flared skirt that ended just above my knee.

  Every time I wore it I looked fabulous, but it had been a long time. The dress had been folded in a box for months since I didn’t have a closet at Becca’s. Had I been thinking, I would have had it dry cleaned so it would look perfect for Gabriel. Instead, I had the shower running on hot so the steam would take the wrinkles out. I didn’t trust myself with an iron.

  As I tugged on the soft fabric, my phone rang. Glancing over, I saw ‘Mom’ flitting across the screen.

  “Crap! She’s got the worst timing,” I said before answering. “Hi, Mom, I don’t have a lot of time.”

  “Of course you don’t,” she said. “Ever since you moved to that damned place, you never have any time for your mother.”

  “What are you talking about? We still talk every day.”

  “Well, it’s not enough. I haven’t seen you in months.”

  “I know and I’m sorry, but Crosswicks is a little far for just a day trip.”

  “Then spend the weekend,” she said. “Or better yet, a week. Are you coming home for the holidays?”

  “Umm, about that.”

  “What? Don’t tell me I’m not going to see my baby for Christmas.”

  “Please don’t be dramatic, Mom,” I said, knowing that was impossible for her. “I don’t have any vacation time yet and I wanted to save some more money.”

  “Work? That again? What about your friend there, that man you told me about. Isn’t he your boss? You can’t blow him or something for a few paid days off?”

  “Mother!” I said, surprised to hear her speak like that.

  “What? Back in my day, they called me--“

  “No, I do not want to hear that. Please stop.”

  “Suit yourself,” she said. “Maybe I sheltered you too much. Your cousin Ashley bagged herself a billionaire in Canyon Cove. Maybe she got the Monroe gene you’re obviously missing.”

  “I’m not going to talk about sex with my mother.”

  “I was a popular girl back in the day, that’s all I’m saying.”

  I shook my head, glad we weren’t having this conversation in person.

  “Can we talk about something else?” I asked.

  “Something else? I thought you said you didn’t have time for me.”

  “I didn’t say that. I said I didn’t have a lot of time. Gabriel is coming over and I’m making him dinner. It’s our first date.”

  “Dinner? It’s nine o’clock in the evening.”

  “I don’t know, he chose the time. I think he has late afternoon meetings.”

  “Well, I’ve been looking him up since you started talking about him and trust me, he has more than enough money to take you out to dinner. Why are you…oh, wait a minute,” Mom said, chuckling. “You are a Monroe! You did get that gene!”

  “I’m going now, Mom. I love you, bye!”

  “Have fun, sweetie!”

  Laughing, I hung up and finished my makeup and got dressed. My dress wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough and I still thought I looked fabulous. It showed off just enough cleavage and hid my ass, which was perfect.

  As I came downstairs, I found Gabriel sitting in an armchair in the living room, looking at the fireplace. He was in a black suit with a black tie with tiny white dots. When he saw me, he stood up and smiled.

  “You look amazing,” he said as he walked over and kissed me. “What are you cooking? It smells great.”

  “Lasagna. It’s an old family recipe,” I said as I looked around. “I thought you were bringing dessert. Where is it?”

  “Don’t worry about it, it’ll come,” he said with a sexy smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  * * *

  After dinner, Gabriel cleared the table and, holding my hand, brought me back into the kitchen. He was still in his suit and I thought about how good he looked both dressed and half naked when he was working out in the gym.

  My eyes moved along his tall frame and his wide shoulders, where the fabric on his jacket folded and pulled each time he moved. He had a square jaw and full lips that gave me goose bumps whenever I imagined them on my body. His smile spread across his face and was contagious, but when he wasn’t smiling, his blue eyes gave away his thoughts.

  His arm went around my waist and he pulled me tight against his strong frame. It amazed me how he could be so strong yet tender at the same time. I was reminded of the chokehold he put on Ryan and smiled.

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I said, looking down, trying to hide my grin.

  “Want to know what I’m thinking about?”

  “Yes.”

  “Dessert,” he said as he raised his eyebrows.

  His finger followed the seam of my dress from my shoulder down towards my breasts, and my body shivered in anticipation.

  “What’s for dessert?” I whispered, barely able to speak.

  “You,” he said as his eyes locked onto mine. “Do you trust me?”

  My lips parted to answer, but I couldn’t speak. Gabriel released me and stepped back, moistening his lips.

  “Take off your dress,” he said.

  I slid the dress off my shoulders then let it drop to the floor. Standing in my black lace bra and panties, I was willing to do anything he said.

  His eyes soaked in every inch of my body as he removed his suit jacket. His hand reached up to his tie and with a hard tug, he loosened it and pulled it out from under his collar, wrapping it in his hands.

  He stepped behind me and held the tie with both of his hands out in front of me. His lips brushed against my ear.

  “I’m going to make you come so hard, you’ll be begging me to stop,” he said. “But I’ll just be getting started.”

  The tie moved closer and Gabriel placed it over my eyes. I reached up to touch it, feeling the silky thread against my fingers as he tied it behind my head. As I lifted an edge, Gabriel moved my hand away.

  “Don’t touch,” he said, sternly.

  With the tie so dark, I couldn’t see anything so I closed my eyes. I felt on edge but excited, thinking about his words. Where was he? What was he doing? I listened an
d tried to make out what I heard.

  The whoosh of the stove lighting. The pantry door opening. The clatter of something as it dropped into a pan. The refrigerator door opening and closing.

  Is he cooking?

  I started to feel bare so I folded my arms in front of me. Then I felt Gabriel come closer. His lips closed over mine as his hands pulled my arms down. As his lips moved from my lips to my neck, his hand unhooked my bra.

  My breath caught as he slipped the straps off my shoulders and the bra dropped to the floor. He pressed me against him and I felt his bare body as he firmly squeezed my butt.

  “Relax,” he whispered.

  He lifted me onto the island and spread my legs as he stepped between them. The granite felt cold against my skin. His warm hands moved over my breasts slowly, roughly, making my nipples harden.

  His lips closed over mine again and I pulled him close as his tongue explored my mouth. With his hand behind my head, he leaned me back slowly as he kissed down my neck and my chest until his mouth closed over my nipple.

  As I lay down, I felt a towel underneath me, making the counter softer and protecting me from the cold. Gabriel sucked on my nipple while he tugged the other one between his fingers.

  He slid his hand down over my hip and thigh then slowly moved it between my legs. As he moved aside my panties, his fingers grazed against my wetness.

  With both his hands, he slowly pulled my panties down, leaving me naked on the counter. I held my breath, waiting for his next move as my body throbbed, ready for him.

  “Open your mouth,” he said.

  I opened my mouth, unsure what to expect. A spoon touched my lips and as I tasted melted chocolate, his fingers pressed against my wetness. I gasped as I felt the drizzling of chocolate onto my breasts.

  Gabriel’s fingers slid over my clit as his mouth slowly licked and sucked the chocolate from my skin. The spoon touched my lips again and as the chocolate entered my mouth, his finger slipped inside of me. I moaned as my hips rocked against his hand. His lips brushed against mine and I sucked his lips, tasting the chocolate.