ROMANCE: MC BIKER ROMANCE: Hooked (MC Biker Pregnancy Romance)(Bad Boy Motorcycle Club Romance) (Contemporary Military Romantic Suspense Thriller) (47 page)
Authors: Carly White
Chapter 7
Curt
I had to get a manager the last week before the draft. There was just too much information and people trying to talk to me at once and a manager seemed like a good filter to most of the mess. I had too many things on my mind and Lana was one of the big ones.
I wanted to go local or as local as the team in our state, but they weren’t as excited for me as Texas. Houston would pay twice as much for twice as long and it was by far the best deal. I wouldn’t have minded going to Texas, but I wanted to see what happened with Lana. When I mentioned this to Leo my new manager, he just looked at me like I was crazy.
“You can’t give up your career already for a female. Do you know how many women are going to be throwing themselves at you, trying to get a piece of what you got?”
I shook my head. I did know and that was one of the main reasons that I wanted it to be Lana by my side. She had several more years of school though and I didn’t know if she would move all the way to Texas. It was a lot to ask someone without some guarantee of forever. While I may have been ready to take the plunge, I didn’t think that she was ready. If I asked and she wasn’t, I would have gone too far and there is no going backwards in a relationship. I hadn’t even asked her to go out with me officially, let alone moving in together across the country and marriage.
He was looking at me with that superior, you are just a dumb kid look and I shook my head again. “That is why I want to stay. She was there before the money and all of the rest. That’s how you know it is real, Lana is different.”
Leo wasn’t going to argue with me, but it was almost like he was just going with it. I realized he had to. He worked for me as it were. “It doesn’t matter my reasons, they are mine. What matters is that you get me a better deal with Charleston.”
“I will do what I can, but they already have two quarterbacks on contract for three more years. Unless someone gets injured, there isn’t going to be a whole lot of need for you.”
I knew that, I had seen the same information that he had, but I wanted to stay close to home. The money never really did matter. I would be close to family and not completely out of the loop. Then there was Lana. She was there and I knew that I didn’t want to go too much further away from her. She was the real reason I was so interesting in staying close to home and though nothing was official, I had to make it happen, which meant that Leo had to make it happen.
“If that is the best you can get for them, than it will be better than nothing.”
He looked incredulous and I almost felt sorry for the guy. He worked on commission, but he was still going to get a hefty fee, the math didn’t lie. It wouldn’t be as big as Texas, but nothing ever was.
“I will do what you want. I guess if you look at it like that… Can I be frank with you Curt?”
Here it comes I thought. I was waiting for it so it was better to let him get it off of his chest. “I think you are making a big mistake. I know that you are feeling very strongly for this girl and maybe you will end up together, but with this kind of money, maybe you should talk to her about it, see what she thinks. Sleep on it and then call me in the morning. If that is what you want to do, I am here for you Curt.”
I thanked him though I didn’t think that my mind would change. I hadn’t thought about asking Lana about it. It put too much pressure on something that to me was still too delicate, but maybe Leo was right. Maybe I should talk to her about it and see what she thinks.
“I will do that Leo. Thanks for the advice. I will give you a call in the morning.
***
“Lana can I come see you?”
“Um, sure. Where are you?”
“Outside.”
“Oh, okay. Well I just got back from work so I am not looking very good.”
“I bet you are as beautiful as ever.”
“Yeah right. I will be out in a minute.”
I waited for her in my car and she still had her uniform on from the diner, though I was right, she was just as pretty as she always was. Now that I knew what was possible between us, I was more nervous than ever. I was the smitten one, when usually it was the other way around. Smiling as she got in, she looked over at me. “Are you sure you don’t want me to at least change first?”
I leaned over to give her a light kiss. It quickly became more as I tasted her softness and I wanted more. She was the one that pushed me back, reminding me that we were sitting in her parent’s driveway.
“Sorry, you’re right Lana. You just make me so crazy.”
“Uh huh, so what are we doing?”
“I want to ask you something first.”
I could see her getting ready for a serious conversation. It must have been my face that gave it away, telling her that it was time to pay attention. “Okay, what’s up?”
“You heard who is offering for me, right?”
“Yeah I heard about Texas, that they were making a big bid. They didn’t back out, did they?”
“No, but it is really far away.”
“You have to go where the money is. You only have a few good years to play, so you might as well make it count.”
“I know, but it is a long ways away.”
She looked away for a minute, out the window and towards where she had come from. “Yeah but you can’t stay here forever.”
“I like what is going on here though.”
I touched her arm and when she looked back I could tell that something was bothering her. “I like what is going on here too, but I don’t want to stand in your way. That is just silly and we barely know each other.”
“I know about the spot on your neck that drives you crazy.”
She pushed away and sighed. “Yeah, there is that, but it’s not worth the millions you would lose not taking the deal.”
“I think it would be worth it.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine and I knew then that I was going to have to go wherever I needed to. As long as I got to stay with her, then none of it really mattered. Either way it would be more money than I would need or spend in the end.
“You’re crazy. That is a lot of money to pass up.”
She didn’t seem to be getting the connection or she was being purposefully obtuse. “I don’t want to lose you Lana. If I move to Texas, I will never see you.”
“I am sure you will find another girl to fill your time.”
Lana moved to get out and I stopped her. She was mad or upset, something and I wasn’t sure why. The conversation was not going as I had hoped it would and I couldn’t help but curse Leo in my mind. I had a feeling that asking her so soon would not be a good idea.
“Wait Lana. What just happened? Why are you upset?”
“I’m not. I just don’t want to talk about you leaving.”
I was confused or she was purposefully doing it. “I was saying that I was going to stay.”
“But if you do, you will resent me for it later. You have to do what is best for you. We had a good time together and all, but it was just a fling.”
Now I was the incredulous one. “Just a fling? I am thinking of marrying you and walking away from five million dollars and you are calling what we have a fling?”
“Marry me?”
I smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. She didn’t kiss me back, still too shocked from our conversation. “See? That is what I mean. I say five million dollars and all you hear is marriage.”
“Money is just paper. Why would you think about wanting to marry me?”
“Because I love you.”
“You do?”
“How could I not?”
“So why are you going to lose that money?”
“Because you have three more years of school here. I can’t ask you to leave your life for me.”
“I would.”
Her words stopped me and I realized I was still holding her. Lana’s eyes were bright and she had happiness on her face that I had been feeling well up inside of me for some time. It was good to see that it wasn’t only me mad in love. “Would you?”
She nodded her head slowly, leaning towards me for a kiss. It was the first one that she had ever initiated and it made it that much sweeter. Everything was changing for the best and I couldn’t believe that I had almost just walked away from it all without even asking her what she wanted to do. It was clear to me now that I was going to get it everything I had ever wanted and more. I no longer wanted to live the players life. I had Lana and she was all I could ever want.
High Stick
Chapter 1
“If Claus would ever stay out of the penalty box long enough to play, we might actually win one of these games.”
Jeff looked over at the blonde man sitting down in the plexi-glass box. He should have been comfortable there. It was his third time in ten minutes and if he kept pushing he would be out of the game for good. It was the last thing the Thundering Cats needed, but to Claus it didn’t matter. He caught his eyes when he looked over and Claus just kind of smiled back.
“I don’t think that he is here to play,” Jeff heard himself saying. His friend was more worried about getting some of his aggression out and could have cared less that there were recruiters in the stands. He was already set to go to a major NHL team. All the fighting just got him more publicity for when he left college. It was clear to everyone that Claus Mathers just couldn’t be bothered.
He cemented the idea in everyone’s head when he got out and immediately punched one of the opposing parties. Jeff sighed to himself and watched the best player get kicked off the ice. It was what he wanted and though they had been friends for years, Jeff had no idea what was going through Claus’ mind anymore. All he knew was that Claus was on a mission to screw it all up. Even though there were talks with a team, no one wanted a trouble maker and that was exactly what his friend had become. Jeff just didn’t know why, what had happened.
When he tried to catch up with him in the locker rooms, Claus was already dressed and about to leave when the rest of the team started to file in. He got a few dirty looks from his teammates, but not enough for him to say anything to them. Claus just didn’t care and though he had a couple months to his last semester, he just couldn’t be bothered to care anymore.
“What happened, Claus?”
“Just didn’t want to play. Coach told me I had to, so that is what he got.”
Claus just walked past and met with a petite blonde that was waiting for him. He turned back to Jeff. “I told him that I had plans, but he didn’t want to listen. I did what I had to do.”
Jeff didn’t say a word. There was nothing to say and no one to say it to. He had watched his friend destroy everything going on it his life and though he wished he could stop it, he knew that it wasn’t going to be fixed overnight. Claus needed a reason to do better, but Jeff didn’t know what reason it was that he needed. All he knew was that if the team did not get Claus in the game, they would not being going that far that year. It wouldn’t just be done to spite the coach, but all of the players would lose.
***
“You looked good out there Claus.”
The blonde next to him had his hands all over him. Her hands were in his lap and rubbing on his thigh. It didn’t turn him on as he figured it was supposed to. Instead Denise was just aggravating him, constantly touching him and gushing about how great he was. Claus wanted more than anything to pull over and let her out. If he couldn’t find a good use for her soon, he would do just that.
“Thanks Denise. We aren’t going to be there for another ten minutes or so. Why don’t you do something to keep your mouth occupied?”
She didn’t need more than a hint. The fact was she was looking forward to it, doing anything to feel him. Denise liked being needed and for Claus she would do anything. He leaned back to give her room, his jaw tightening as her hungry mouth did more than irritate him for once. He tried to focus on his driving, suddenly thankful that they were not as far as he had told her.
They were going to a party. It was the only time he felt like doing anything was when his blood was filled with something to make him feel better. Anything to make him forget about her.
He pulled up to the house party and put the car in park. His eyes finally closed as his hands pushed her down further. Claus just needed a moment of her devil’s tongue before he tightened and released into her mouth. She was always good to have around, her lips and tongue weapons of some type. “Alright Denise. You got it all. We are here.”
She sat up and moved to kiss him. Claus kissed her on her cheek instead, pushing her away slightly as he got out. He ignored the look of hurt on her face and the whimper in her throat. He didn’t have time to make her feel better and he didn’t care enough to do so. When they got in the sprawling old Victorian, he sent her away towards her friends with the promise that he would see her later. Claus would undoubtedly have use of her later.
Claus watched her look back once with a touch of pain in her eyes. She was too needy for him and though he had only just started messing with her, he was already bored. Denise was vapid and though he liked to have his ego stroked once and a while, it felt faked and thus didn’t mean much to him. She said what he wanted to hear and that did him no good. Claus had enough people doing that, never knowing who and what could be trusted because of it.
He saw Jeff by the refreshment table and grabbed a beer after he said hello. Jeff was pissed at his friend for throwing the game, but unlike the rest of them on the team, he would say something about it. That is why Claus liked him so much. Everyone needed checks and balances in the form of friends. There was something to be said about such honesty and it was invaluable to the man that lived such a dishonest existence.
“So that was a great game there Claus. Single handedly pissed off for the rest of us.”
Maybe Claus wasn’t ready for that much honesty. If he hadn’t just been sucked dry from the blonde, he may have been less than excited to talk to him. But Denise was good at what she did and he had no anger left in him. She had hoovered it out and he just smiled back at him.
“This can’t still be about Ashley, Claus. She was months ago.”
His jaw tightened and his brown eyes turned black. “Don’t say her name Jeff.”
Taking a drink of his beer, he walked away from Jeff and his friend was left staring at him. Claus had a tendency to not let go of things. Even if those things were driving him crazy and letting go would have been the best thing. Some things Claus just couldn’t let go of and Jeff wished that his friend could. It was going to ruin him if he let it.