Rosalie's Player (6 page)

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He lowered his lips to her jaw as he took her waist in his hands, pulling her soft form close to his. The silky material of her dress left little to the imagination. She wasn’t wearing a bra, he would bet his salary on it. “About that kiss.” He tilted her chin, focusing on her mouth. “I’ve been thinking about doing it all day.”

“Stop thinking.”

“Eager?” He took her bottom lip between his teeth, gently tugging on it. When she shivered, the urge to kiss her became even more prominent, but he had to control his actions. This was about seducing her slowly, making her give in to his way of thinking. “Just a quick one.”

She leaned into him, connecting with his mouth before he could make the move. He smiled against her as she slipped her tongue inside, seeking out his. Their bond was slow, tender, and sensual. Sliding his hand from her chin to her hair, he massaged his fingers through her long locks. It all ended much too soon when the ding of the elevator indicated the door would be opening in a matter of seconds.

She stepped back, holding his gaze in her haunting charcoal-colored eyes. They seemed darker in the dim lighting, filled with a desire he hadn’t noticed before. Maybe it was his desire. She had his thoughts jumbled. He’d kissed many women before, but every time he locked lips with hers, he hated when it ended. Their interactions were never long enough. He had to have her. Patience wasn’t one of his better qualities.

“Was it worth the wait?” She wiped the smeared lipstick away from his mouth with her thumb.

“Huh?” When she touched his lips, the urge to kiss her again overtook him.

“You said you’d been thinking about kissing me all day. Was it what you expected?”

“You’re never what I expect, sweetheart.” He led her into the restaurant. “That’s what I like about you.”

“The unexpected?”

“Unexpected is always better than the same old story. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Are we back to romance novels and fairytales again?”

“You’re a smart girl.” He took her hand in his because he wanted everyone to know she was with him. “You’ll figure it out.”

“I’m trying to figure you out.”

“What do you mean?”

“The date, the fancy restaurant. For a guy who only wants physical, why are you going through all of this trouble?”

“I’d hardly call you trouble.” That wasn’t true. She made him do things he’d never imagined doing for sex. She was a hell of a lot of trouble, and that fired him up. Once he caught her in his trap, she wouldn’t be going anywhere and that was worth all of it.

“You don’t know me that well.” She grinned. “There’s more than meets the eye.”

“From where I’m standing...” His gaze traveled her slender form, taking in every luscious inch of her, right down to her glitter-covered toenails that sparkled as they peeked out of her ‘please fuck me’ heels. “...everything looks delectable. If you’re telling me there’s more, I can’t wait to find out what else you have for me.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She shot him a kissable little smirk. That one look went straight to his dick, reminding him just how much influence she had over him.

Trouble...definitely trouble.

Chapter 5

Dinner was more interesting than Rosalie thought it would be. She hadn’t expected to have such stimulating conversations with Holt. Not that she thought he wasn’t capable of intellect, but until tonight, all he ever tried to do was put his hand in her panties. She’d been resisting him at every turn, but now she saw him in a completely different light.

Unexpected.

“Would you like dessert?” he asked.

“I can’t eat anything else.”

“How about another martini?”

“I’ve already had two. I shouldn’t.” Her head buzzed all through dinner. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the nervous energy that had been coursing through her all day while she waited for this date. “If you want to have another beer though...”

“I’m good.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “I have to be in the locker room by nine tomorrow morning. We have a team meeting, and then we have to warm up before the noon game.”

“I watched you pitch last night.” She wouldn’t be attending every away game, but when Sage showed her the schedule, Rosalie strategically chose as many games as she could when Holt was starting. “Did you always want to be a pitcher?”

“Not until my junior year of high school.” He traced his fingertip over her knuckles as he stared into her eyes. “I was a center fielder, and I was happy with that. I love catching fly balls.”

“So what happened?”

She couldn’t stop stealing glances of his strong, prominent jaw and the dusting of stubble that covered his chin. She’d never seen him in anything but jeans or baseball attire, but tonight he wore a sleek black suit, black dress shirt, and a matching tie with shards of silver—her favorite color—swirling through it. He looked like a cover model for one of those high-end magazines. He cleaned up real nice.

“The pitcher blew out his arm in the middle of a crucial game and his relief had the flu, so the coach was desperate and threw me in. I had done it some during little league, but it wasn’t my thing.”

“Seriously? You’re the best pitcher in the league.”

“Funny how that worked out, huh?”

She liked the sound of his throaty laugh. He wasn’t being cocky. There was a modesty in his eyes. A quietness she noticed when he had to talk about himself. Sage said when she interviewed him, he never offered more than he had to. He was reserved and possessed a respect for the other players both on and off his team.

“What about you, Ms. Yale? What are your plans?”

“I don’t have any.”

“You’re just going to hang that fancy degree on the wall?” He trailed his fingers to her wrist, sending a shiver along her back when he brushed his hand across her skin. “Live off your trust fund?”

“That’s not my plan.” At least she hoped it wasn’t. “I just graduated a few weeks ago. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving myself a couple of months to figure things out.” She had worked hard on her education. She graduated with all A’s and several recommendations from her professors. She’d find her way.

“Whoa.” He held his hands up in an ‘I surrender’ move, breaking the connection he had with her hands. Her skin burned for his touch. “I’m just teasing. I have a trust fund too.” He shrugged. “Don’t use it, but I have one. I know where you’re coming from.”

“I don’t know about your dad, but my father isn’t happy about me hanging out and not working. He said my first real job should build character. He’s just mad because neither Sage nor I wanted to be a doctor.”

“My dad thinks after my baseball career is over I should go into politics.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s not happening.”

“You don’t like politics?”

“It’s not for me.”

“But you must be proud of your dad. He’s one of the most vocal and popular people in the senate.”

“He’s popular, all right.” Holt finished the last of his beer without elaborating on his dad any further. “You want to go for a walk along Broadway? People watch? This city is pretty interesting.”

“Can you do that without being the center of attention?”

“What’s wrong with being the center of attention?” He reached across the table and tucked her hair behind her ear. She’d become accustomed to his subtle touches; craved them even. “You’re too far away. I can’t kiss you.”

“That’s disappointing.”

“I can’t have you being disappointed on our first date.” He stood and made his way over to her chair. Bending down, he cupped her chin in his hand until her lips were close to his. “I never want to disappoint you.”

“How could you?”

The clatter of the restaurant faded into the background, and all she could hear was the pounding of her own heartbeat as it strummed loudly between her ears. The intensity in his smoldering blue eyes told her what he wanted. Pressing his lips to hers, he kissed her, not bothering to take his time deepening the connection, but she didn’t care. She was just as eager as he was. His desire for her drove her insane. No one pursued her like he had. Every time he grazed her skin, she could feel the sexual energy that surrounded them. They were engulfed in raw hunger. All she had to do was give in. She squirmed in her seat when he threaded his fingers through her hair.

“Mr. Clemson.” The waiter spoiled the moment. “Can I get you anything else?”

Holt broke the kiss, breathing hard as he leaned his forehead against hers, taking his time to answer. “Just the check.” He kissed her lips, softer this time, never looking at the waiter as he spoke to him. “Thank you.”

“They’re probably not used to people making out at the table.” She pulled her dress down over her thighs and straightened in her chair. “The things you make me do.”

“I was thinking the same thing about you.” He sat back down, this time he moved his chair closer to hers.

“I have a hard time believing you don’t make out with girls in public all the time.”

“I’m not talking about that.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet when the waiter brought the check to the table. “You can take this,” he said as he slipped his credit card inside the black leather sleeve.

“What were you talking about?” She swirled her finger around the rim of her martini glass. “What kind of things am I making you do?”

“I’m wearing a suit.” He motioned over himself. “I’m on a date.” He playfully tugged on her hair. “With you.”

“Did you like our date?”

“Very much.” When the waiter brought the check back, Holt quickly sprawled his signature on the paper and pushed it out of the way. “I hope you enjoyed it.”

“It was wonderful.” She moistened her lips with her tongue when she thought about that kiss. “Thank you.”

“I want to take you back to your room now.”

He’s wasting no time.

“No walk along Broadway?” She wasn’t in the mood for a walk either. Tonight she wouldn’t push him away. It was time to take this to the next level.

“I changed my mind.”

“That’s fine. I’m ready to go upstairs too.”

“What are we waiting for?”

He stood and when he took her hand, her stomach flipped. They were going back to her room. If the night in the foyer of the cottage was any indication of what being with him was like, they were going to have one hell of a time.

As they walked to the elevators just outside the restaurant, Rosalie’s mind flew in several different directions. Was it right for Holt to assume that after one date she’d be willing to sleep with him? Didn’t he say he was going to try a different approach with her? Did she care anymore? The scent of his aftershave had her panties damp all evening, but after that kiss at the table, she couldn’t deny her arousal and wanted nothing more than to share her bed with him. Screw the fairytale. Princes were overrated anyway.
Dirty talking baseball players is where it’s at.
She was ready to admit she wanted him in every sense of the word.

When they stepped onto the elevator he asked, “What floor?”

“Forty-three.”

The elevator was empty because they had taken it from the restaurant and not the main lobby. She inched closer to his side, wanting to feel him against her skin. Her flesh spiked with goosebumps and her nipples hardened when he looked at her.

“When we get back to Kingston, I want to see you again.” He swiped the back of his hand down her neck and along her collarbone, eliciting a shiver from her. “I’ll be on a ten day home-stand so that will give us plenty of time.”

“I’d like that.” She bit her lip when he lowered his mouth to her jaw, working his way to her throat.

“You smell like berries.” He trailed his tongue along her neck. “It’s very enticing.”

She thought she’d explode from the sheer pleasure of his attention. When he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, her knees buckled, causing her to fall into him.

“The martini.” She laughed, trying not to appear embarrassed. “It must be going to my head.”

“The martini?” He arched a brow at her. “I would have hoped it was my lips, my tongue, and my fingers.” He dug his fingers into her hip. “You sure it’s not me making you lightheaded?”

“It might be.”

“Hmm...” He placed slow, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw until the elevator doors opened to her floor. He led her into the hallway. “Which number is your suite?”

“4315.” She searched her clutch and retrieved the keycard.

He guided her in front of him so he could put his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck as they made their way down the long corridor to her room. They stumbled a couple of times, but he caught her and regained their footing. Agility was definitely his thing.

“It’s right up here.” She pointed to the last mahogany door at the end of the hall. When they got to it, he pressed her against the cool wood.

“This dress...” He slid his hand under the silky skirt and toyed with the string from her panties that rested on her hip. As he twisted his finger around the elastic, his breathing picked up. “...is fucking amazing. I love the way your tits bounce.” He kissed her neck as he continued to tug at her panties. “How the silk clings to your ass. Your nipples have teased me all night too.”

“Ahh.” She moaned when he placed his free hand over her breasts, squeezing them. “Holt.”

He covered her mouth with his, kissing her hard as he pressed her into the door. She lifted her leg over his hip, rocking into him. When his erection pushed into her thigh, she wanted to beg for more. Abandoning the side of her panties, he lowered his hand, allowing his fingers to seek out her covered slit.

“You’re bare for me, aren’t you?”

No one had ever spoken to her this way before. The sound of his voice, the way the dirty words rolled off his tongue, was the hottest things she’d ever experienced. When she was alone, she was certain she’d hear his raspy, southern voice call to her.

“Uh-huh.” She couldn’t focus on anything but his touch on her most intimate of areas.

“Did you wax for our date?”

“Yes.” Her answer came out low and breathless. “I thought you’d like me that way.”