Quarterback's Surprise Baby (Bad Boy Ballers Book 2) (6 page)

“You better watch out for that Gryphon,” says Nanette. “From what I hear, he really likes your type!”

“He can get in line,” I joke. I pick up the fresh gin and tonic that is just placed in front of me. “But seriously. You ladies are never going to believe that I just work for him, are you?”

“We prefer to keep life interesting. As you can see,” Nanette says as her eyes twinkle. “But sure,
just
a client,” she singsongs. “Just the
sexiest
client ever.”

Happily for me, we’re interrupted by the excitement of the crowd, and considering I don't know too much about football, I'm pretty lost. Luckily the two players' wives are easily following every play despite only half paying attention, and they’re kind enough to keep me informed as to the play-by-play. Apparently Griff is the absolute star player in this franchise, and it would be more than obvious even if they didn't say so—his every move is lauded, filmed and replayed over and over, more than anyone else’s. What's worse is that his stats are continuously being displayed, giving me the perfect opportunity to check out the perfect still shots of his body and his gorgeous face, which in turn reminds me of the nasty things we did to each other in his oh-so-comfortable bed.

I begin to think by the way that they're speaking so admiringly about Griff that perhaps I gave him too hard a time.

“So, uh, you guys know so much about Gryphon, do you know anything about any ex-girlfriends of his?”

They both look at each other.

“Sabrina? Bitch!” they say at the same time. “Total bitch,” Nanette continues. “She was the worst. Total worst. All she cares about is money.” She takes a sip of her drink.

“For sure, and she was always trying to take advantage of Griff in every possible way.” Ayesha shakes her head and puts down her glass, leaning forward.

“Remember that time that she went out on the town and took his credit card, and racked up all those charges?” Nanette’s voice drips with disdain.

“And then Griff actually paid?” Ayesha shakes her head. “He should have taken her to court, not the other way around.” She eyes me. “Wait a second…Sabrina’s accusation isn’t why you're working for him, is it?”

“Well as I said, I can't really say anything about an ongoing case, but...” I trail off. “It's just helpful to know something about a person’s character. Hear what people say about him. You never know when you might need a character witness,” I finish lamely. “I’m still in an information-gathering stage.”

Nanette nods. “Well I don't know if I would date the guy, but it's not because he's some kind of monster. It's more that he is absolute eye-candy and every woman in town would be after him. And
is
after him.” She nods to herself.

“Well you can't exactly blame them. I don't know how you're resisting, Odell, but I can imagine if I were the lawyer the briefs would be out of control!” Ayesha and Nanette laugh while I blush again.

“So you guys think he's a good guy?” I cautiously venture.

“I dunno if I would have him take care of my sick grandmother or anything, but yeah, he's a good guy,” says Nanette thoughtfully. “He was really good to Sabrina. I think when he really likes someone, he’s pretty devoted.”

“Why wouldn’t you ask him to look after your grandma?” asks Ayesha.

“He's just kind of a lone wolf,” Nannette says. “He's more bad boy than family man. But you know, in a fun way. Besides, he’s too important for that.”

“Interesting,” I say. Maybe I
was
too hard on him. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed the worst of him when he showed up at the firm, and when he pinched my ass and winked. He could have just been flirting. We do come from different worlds. He might have been just as surprised as I was. Maybe it's the gin and tonics, but I'm starting to think that I shouldn't have been so rude in the meeting. Dammit, Carlton was right. But I was nervous. It was my first day, for crying out loud!

“Hey, do you want to come out with us afterward?” says Ayesha. “We're all going to a bar for a drink, us and some of the players. Would that be against the lawyer-client confidentiality thing?”

“Oh that's so nice of you,” I say just as the crowd roars. I guess there was another touchdown? “I'll think about it. As I said, I'm his lawyer, and I don't want to impose on Gryphon's good time. But I’ll talk to him after the game and probably just go home for the night.”

“Sure, we get it.”

“You would be our guest,” grins Nanette. “If that makes any difference to you. Our treat!”

“And if we know Gryphon James, he is not going to mind one bit seeing his hot-ass lawyer sitting across the table!” They laugh like sisters, and for a second, I feel like one of them. A player’s wife. What would that be like?

Still, Sandra’s voice is still in my head, with her constant refrain: “hold out for a lawyer.”

“
A
mazing game
, Griff,” says the running back as he pats my ass on the way by. I can never seem to remember what that guy’s name is.

“Yeah, he ain't fixin’ to get fired yet!” yells Drake. He's defense. “Man wants to keep his job!”

I laugh, but inside, I know I just might get sacked if I don't win this ridiculous lawsuit. “You guys aren't so bad either,” I toss out gamely. “I’ll let you stay for another season.”

I gotta keep a good face on especially considering how badly I fucked up in that meeting this morning. It occurs to me that you should find out if a woman is practically in charge of your destiny before you fuck her, or fuck with her, not after. But I don’t know if I could have resisted her body in either case. And I can’t change anything now.

Her sweet round ass, and those doe eyes. There's not much that will get me hotter than a woman who looks like that, and if I’m honest, she might be the best-looking woman I’ve seen in a long time.

I get in the shower, turning inward toward the spray because my cock is getting a bit hard at the thought of her. Think of baseball, I tell myself. I turn the taps to cold to keep myself and my cock under control.

The water feels great against my steaming body, running down the back of my neck onto my back, my pecs, my thighs. This is one of my favorite parts of the game, just relishing the feeling after a good game—the feeling of pushing myself to the limit, working up a sweat, winning, and washing it all off. But today I can’t forget everything— there's still something nagging at me, and it's the thought of Odell.

Truth be told, it’s the way she held me and touched me, and how I felt toward her. It was hot, yeah, but it was also something else. Like there was real potential there. We were banging for fun and because we were attracted to each other, and I would do her again any day of the week—no problem—but there was also that feeling that it could grow into something real. If only I were someone and not just trailer trash. A high-priced stuck-up lawyer, and already a partner in a firm even at her clearly young age, and I'm just a guy from the wrong side of the tracks who got lucky and learned to throw a ball.

Feelings or no feelings, it would never work between us.

I suppose it's better just to wash my hands of the whole thing. Show up for the meetings, force myself to act professionally, and get the fuck out of there. I probably should stay away from her anyway. It’s the right thing to do.

I grab a couple towels and, still dripping, walk back to my locker. All around me the team is celebrating, going wild, dancing and cheering our victory. I'd get into it, considering I'm more than responsible for the win—but I can’t get into the idea of partying tonight. My emotions are too turbulent, and I can’t get away from them. I wipe my face hard with the rough towel.

Then I open my eyes, and who's standing in the doorway, jaw on the floor, but Odell. My lawyer.

And more importantly, my beautiful one-night stand.

“Did you get a good look, honey?” I ask, as I lazily wrap the towel around my waist to cover my naked length.

“I'm so sorry,” she chokes. “Uh, I don't know what to say!” She puts her fingers in front of her eyes, but immediately spreads them so that she can half see me. “Actually I was coming here—”

“To sneak a few peeks, yeah, I get it,” I say. I'm starting to enjoy her reaction. Gives me a little payback for the way she treated me today. A grin stretches across my face.

“No!” she says, and her eyes shut tight. “Not at all! In fact I was coming here to… to apologize!”

“Apologize,” I repeat. “For what?” This should be good. “For staring a little too hard? Because you might want to add that to the list.”

“Apologize for not treating you right today.” I look at her a little more closely, her glowing skin, her flashing dark eyes. Those full lips. Good thing my towel is wrapped tight, because all I can think about is grabbing her and putting her up against the locker and taking her in my arms, and I’m already practically naked.

“Hey, that's ok,” I say. “Don’t worry about it.”

“No, actually—it really wasn't ok.” She looks around at the team, whooping it up in the club house. “Is it all right if I come in? I don’t want to intrude.” She pointed averts her eyes away from my body, staring at the row of lockers.

“Sure,” I say. She stands beside me and her sweet scent fills my nose and I’m brought back to last night. It hits me hard and for a second I lose my cool and just breathe her in. Odell.

“Look, I was a total jerk today, I was completely and utterly unprofessional, and my colleague gave me a really hard time for how I treated you. And deservedly so. I’m really sorry—I guess I just thought you were tricking me somehow, after what we'd been through, just showing up like that as my client.” Her voice is soft, and her lip is quivering a bit. It’s all I can do not to trace it with my thumb and touching its trembling with my mouth. But the sincerity in her voice softens my heart, and I know she’s telling the truth.

“How do you think I felt?” I say, gruffly. “I thought the same thing, that you had targeted me and slept with me. I was wondering if maybe Sabrina was behind it all.”

Drake sticks his head in between us. “Who is this fine vision of a lady?” he asks. “You got visitors in the club house, Griff?”

“Mind your own,” I tell him, with a look in my eyes that he knows means business.

“Yes sir,” he says, jumping back in a comic way. “I'm sorry, we just don't see such perfectly lovely ladies as yourself every day in the locker room.” He does a quick bow and turns around on his heel. “I’ll leave you two alone!”

“That's fine,” Odell says, smiling at him perfunctorily and then she turns back to me. She sticks her hand out. “So, anyway, are we friends?” She tilts her head, and flashes those eyes again at me. I'm powerless to resist such a pretty smile.

I grab her hand to shake it, and the electricity between us burns both of us. She jumps back, but I don't let go.

“Griff,” she says.

“Odell,” I answer.

“What is this?” Her eyes are wide, and her voice shakes.

“You feel it too,” I say.

“I do,” she answers.

We hold hands for a moment and then reality hits me and I let go. What good is it to bother trying to impress her, to try to be with her, when it is doomed from the start? I can’t forget that this girl's important, and I'm just a low-class hooligan in what amounts to a temporary job. A gladiator for the masses. And besides, I have a lawsuit against me. And she’s my lawyer. Who do I motherfucking think I am?

She brushes a strand of hair out of her eyes, and blinks a few times. I turn toward my locker, trying not to let her see the darkness that has undoubtedly flashed across my face.

“Well in any case,” I say, my voice sounding oddly formal in my years, “it was nice of you to come in and apologize. I apologize as well—I should have behaved better. It’s all a misunderstanding. Water under the bridge. I ought to get changed now, Odell.”

“Griff,” she says. Her voice is halting.

“Yeah,” I can’t help but turn to her and again I’m snared by those dark eyes, with their mesmerizing flash.
I want you,
I think.

“I was invited to go out with your friends tonight,” she starts. “Are you going to go?”

“Oh yeah? I hadn't decided.”

“Ok,” she says. “Or... maybe we could just go back to your place.” She's whispering now, and I’m thinking of nothing but taking that body in my arms and having my way with it. As soon as possible.

“Meet me outside here in ten minutes,” comes out of my mouth before I can stop it.
I have to have you.

“Okay,” she turns and I watch that perfect round ass walk out the door. What the fuck am I doing? Having sex with the one woman who can get me in or out of the worst situation I’ve ever been in? But there’s something about her I can't resist. A magnetic pull that she has on me. How am I supposed to fight that?

I grab my clothes and slip them on as quickly as I can, before the guys can rib me too much about her, or about going out with them to celebrate. But I don't feel like celebrating—all I want to do is bend her over and get inside; grab her hips and pull her ass towards me. I have to get to her as soon as I can.

“Who was
that
?” says the running back, sticking his face in mine. “She was fine!”

“That's my lawyer,” I tell him.

“Lawyer!” he looks at me. “I would adjourn to the bedroom! I'd be working pro-
bono
!”

“Shut up, man,” I look at him. “Give me a break.”

“Are you sleeping with her, my man?” he asks. “Because if you're not, I'd be glad to take her on. She can rest her case on me anytime! Maybe she could get me off too!”

“Look man, knock it off,” I say, slamming the door shut. He's not a small guy, but I stand over him, practically growling in his face. My fists are curling at my sides.

“Hey man, he’s just joking,” says Drake. “Take it down a notch, you two.” He waggles his finger in our faces.

Running back puts his hands up. “Just kidding, man, nice game tonight,” he adds.

“You coming out for drinks?” Drake asks.

“I have to talk to my lawyer, so not tonight,” I say.

“Gotta go through her briefs?” Running back asks slyly, then steps back, grinning. “I kid, I kid! Look best of luck to you, Griff,” he says, turning back to the party. “You killed that touchdown!” He stops for a second. “You sure you don’t want to invite her?”

Shaking my head, I take the opportunity to grab my bag and leave the locker room before I end up doing two things I'll regret tonight—sleeping with Odell, and punching out a member of my team.