Win Big: A Bad Boy Sports Romance Read online

  “Evan…oh God.” She clenched like a vice around my shaft, then a wave of ripples from her inner walls gave my cock a sweet and sexy massage when she finally came.

  All that stimulation took me right to my orgasm too. I didn’t fight it anymore. I gave in to the release that I’d been craving ever since she bared her breasts and bent over for me. If she felt like hanging around later, I could rock her world again if nothing else was going on. I roared through this explosive release, feeling like a boss, burying myself deeper and enjoying her pulsating core around me, and that sexy whimpering sound she made. When it died down, I slid out and took a breath.

  She crawled up onto the bed and fell on her side, gasping and moaning like she had no idea what just happened to her. I couldn’t help smiling to myself, the way this cutie looked completely overcome after something this tame.

  “Be right back.” I walked to the bathroom, still wearing my t-shirt and shorts, and cleaned myself up. When I got back to my bedroom, Tina was in my bed, under the covers. “What are you doing?”

  “Recovering. Don’t you want to join me?”

  “You want to stay there?”

  She sat up, holding the covers over herself. “Don’t you?”

  I shook my head. “Not really. There’s still a party happening downstairs.”

  “Oh.” I watched her face fall. She seemed to have confused the word sex with sleeping together. I’d never told her we were actually sleeping together. No one but me slept in my bed. Plus the night had just begun. It wasn’t even midnight.

  “Go on and get dressed. I’ll meet you downstairs.” I shut the door and went down to join the others. A plastic cup found its way to my hand without me even asking for it, and before I knew it, we were pounding beers and celebrating our last two nights of freedom before class started on Tuesday.

  I never did see Tina again that night. I didn’t even think about her again until the party wound down and I took another girl to my room, a girl whose name I never did get.

  2

  Samantha

  “Did everyone sign in?” Dr. Jeffries passed around the form attached to a clipboard. I looked around the room to see if anyone had their hand raised, then I turned back to the department head of my athletic training program.

  This was it. The first meeting of the last semester in a challenging but enjoyable Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training at our college’s School of Kinesiology. Like me, everyone in the room was in the athletic training pre-professional student core, doing highly supervised placements. We’d been waiting for years to hear our names called out as having been accepted into the final clinical phase of the program. My goal was to be assigned to the college baseball team.

  Yes, baseball.

  Not football.

  Why? Simple. Baseball was not football.

  I’d been working my butt off since my first day in the program, learning everything I could, putting in long hours, and kissing ass, all in hopes of scoring this particular position. My end game was to get signed on with a major league team after graduation, and now I was so close I could taste it.

  “You ready for this?” I heard my friend and classmate, Nick, whisper from his seat beside me, and I grinned.

  “As I’ll ever be,” I whispered in reply.

  Nick wanted to work with soccer players, and more power to him. That was one less person for me to compete with around here. He knew how important it was to me that I get the position I’d jockeyed for. We’d spent countless hours together, working on projects and talking about our plans for the future. We were just friends, but he was into me, and had been since junior year. He was a good looking guy—tall, fit, wavy blond hair, big happy brown eyes. He was more like a buddy to me than anything else. Now that our last semester had started, it was clear he was pushing hard to get us out of the friend zone before time ran out. In sophomore year, I’d given him the ‘I don’t want to lose what we have’ talk. He had taken it pretty well, but after exams last semester, I got the feeling he would make a last-ditched effort to win me over. Thankfully, he was not an asshole. He had seen the train wreck of an ‘almost’ relationship I’d had with Austin Grant, my tennis player ex-boyfriend of two months during my junior year. Because of that, Nick pretty much knew I wouldn’t just date anyone, even if the guy happened to be as smoking hot, popular, talented and rich as Austin.

  We settled down, and Dr. Jeffries cleared his throat in the self-important manner he always had. To think I’d had a crush on him when I first started as a freshman. He was tall, lean, and youthful, with that salt-and-pepper look that was so attractive. I’d been drawn to his personality most of all, and also his insanely thorough knowledge of everything related to kinesiology and physiotherapy. I was a child, though, and now I saw him for the self-important, pompous jerk he really was.

  Still, he was the chair of the department whether I liked him or not. So I made nice and forced a smile whenever he was around.

  “I hope you all had a good Christmas break,” he said, smiling. “I’m aware that we made you all come back to school early, but by now you know there’s a lot for us to cover.

  “Like we didn’t have to be back today to listen to your rambling bullshit, Cecil,” Nick muttered the professor’s first name behind his notebook propped up to cover his mouth.

  I snorted, barely covering my raucous giggle. We had to be back the Sunday after New Year’s. We supposedly needed three extra sessions, one on Sunday and two on Monday, to get ready for this final next semester. No one else was on campus today, except for athletes and some of the faculty. The semester started on Tuesday for most everyone else.

  “If you received my email to confirm this meeting, then you’ve been getting my emails for the past several weeks.” Many of us around the room groaned, then laughed politely so as to not get on the man’s naughty list. Dr. Cecil Jeffries was notorious for his non-stop emailing—and for being a general dick to anyone who crossed him. He’d been ‘keeping us abreast of current events’ since the day winter break started.

  Most of it was irrelevant and unimportant.

  Once the forced laughter and eye rolls died down, he continued. “So you know the workout schedules of the athletes in training this season. Baseball, softball, rowing, tennis, football, basketball, track and field, golf and lacrosse. You know what’s expected of you at these practices, meets and games. What you don’t know is where you officially stand with respect to each team’s athletic training and therapy crew. Sure, some of you have a vague idea, but things do change. That’s why I will confirm where each of you stands today.”

  I twirled a strand of my hair between two fingers. I really needed a haircut. I could use a few highlights in my grown out bangs and at the top of my head to lighten up my dull, dark brown hair. Soon. For now, I sat there, trying to look cool when inside I was buzzing, screaming, begging for him to get over with it already. I wanted one of the baseball spots. I deserved that spot. I needed that spot if I was going to sign on with a MLB team after the placement was over. Yes, this assignment was just the beginning, with the potential to lead to an entry level athletic training position here at the college, or in the minor leagues. Those positions weren’t for me. What I wanted was to get to major league baseball. The sooner the better.

  Dr. Jeffries went through track and field, men’s and women’s. Golf, men’s and women’s. Rowing. Tennis. I wanted to scream.

  “Softball will be composed of three students, and the leader of that student team will be Dana Hodgson.” We all clapped for Dana, who beamed with pride. She used to be a softball player in high school, but an injury ended her career way too early. She turned to athletic training as a way to help other players get through the strain she’d experienced. I could relate, and was genuinely happy for her. She looked our way so I flashed her a thumbs-up.

  “There are six spots on the soccer team, which Nick Goldman will lead.”

  I lifted my hand and turned an open palm toward Nick to give him a high
five. He was stoked. We’d all worked hard for this. He deserved that lead spot too. Nick gave me a wink, turning to two students nearby who would be on his team when their names were called out.

  “Baseball will need five students, all of whom have already been given the all clear by the Director of Kinesiology.”

  Yeah, yeah, I knew all that. I wanted to hear my name officially announced with the baseball team. I could have strangled Jeffries for dragging it out the way he did. Nick squeezed my knee under the table, and I didn’t even pull away like I normally would have.

  “The student team for Baseball will be headed up by Samantha Woodward.”

  I almost screamed for real, and Nick threw his arms around me. Again, I didn’t think to cut the hug short. Leading him on was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was so damned excited it was a sure thing. Hearing applause around the room didn’t hurt either. This was history in the making. I was the first female to head up the student athletic training team for baseball in school history. Pro sports was still very much a man’s world, and athletic training was dominated by men for every sport in the athletic program except for softball, tennis, and volleyball. For a woman to deal with a baseball player when some of their more common injuries resided in the leg, groin and hamstring areas, well it was a big deal, apparently. I didn’t see why. It was all anatomy.

  Okay maybe I understood why, but that wouldn’t stop me from being a complete professional if I ever had to help massage around a player’s junk or ass cheeks. I might have enjoyed it, but I’d be sure not to let on about that part.

  I barely heard another word Dr. Jeffries spoke. I was too busy sailing around on cloud nine. I couldn’t wait to call my parents and officially tell them the good news. They were both medical doctors. Pediatricians, to be precise. And although they weren’t ecstatic that I didn’t follow in their footsteps, they were more or less supportive that I would end up working in the general vicinity of the medical profession. It was practically all I talked about over the break.

  When the class was over, Nick stood to give me another hug. This time, I kept it brief. I was more in my right mind.

  “Congrats!” he flashed a broad smile down at me when I pulled away. “I knew you could do it.”

  “Thanks. You too!” It wasn’t easy looking up into his face. What he felt for me was all over it. For a while in sophomore year I actually wished I could like him the way he was into me. He was a nice enough person, and a good friend. The problem was the sparks just weren’t there.

  “We should celebrate,” he declared, stepping out of the lecture hall. “Let’s go back to that seafood place at the waterfront. What do you say? My treat.”

  My mind raced. I was trying to think up some excuse. “How about another time? I just got back to campus today. All my stuff’s a mess in my room. Kristy’s going to go all OCD on me when she gets in and sees it like that. You and I both know how anal she is.” I rolled my eyes, keeping up the act. Sure, I should have just flat out told him no because I’m not attracted to him that way and dinner with him was just going to lead him on, but he was a good friend. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings like that.

  “Come on. We’re worked hard for this.” He looked deflated, and I was about to cave and agree when along came the perfect excuse. The second Nick and I left the building, I caught sight of Austin Grant and his yuppy tennis friends coming right toward us.

  “Just kill me now,” I mumbled.

  “Is he still bothering you?”

  “Not really, but every time he sees me it’s his reminder to pick up where he left off with the hounding.”

  “Maybe I can help.”

  “How?”

  “Follow my lead.” I was not expecting this. Nick slid his hand around my waist, pulled me tight into his chest, and he kissed me. I’d often wondered whether kissing him would change the way I felt about him, except standing here at the top of the steps of the Kinesiology and Athletics Building with Austin headed right toward us, I couldn’t give it a fair assessment if I tried. Nick was going all out, too. He raised his other hand and clutched the back of my head, parting my lips with his tongue.

  The ruse would have worked if I hadn’t squeezed my hands between our bodies and pushed him away.

  “Why’d you do that, Nick?” I asked, gasping for air just as Austin got to the top of the stairs and charged inside the building without saying a word to me.

  “I was helping you,” he said with a goofy grin.

  “It felt more like you were helping yourself.”

  “Come on. You know I’d never take advantage of you. Plus it worked. He left you alone, didn’t he?”

  I took the steps two at a time, with Nick matching my stride beside me. “Maybe it did, but…” I stopped and faced him. “We talked about this. I really like you, Nick…as friends. I don’t want to lose that, you know? Promise you won’t ever try that again.”

  “Tell me you didn’t feel anything just now.”

  I hesitated. I shouldn’t have paused, but I stopped to think about it. I liked it. My lips still tingled a bit, and maybe my knees were shaky. Still, I couldn’t tell him what he wanted to hear. “You want the truth or do you want me to be nice?”

  “That bad, huh?” He started walking again, so briskly I almost had to skip to keep up.

  “No, it’s not like that. You’re a great kisser, Nick. I just…I don’t feel the same.” I hated hurting him like this, but what was I supposed to do? “Please don’t be mad.”

  “I’m not mad. Look, I’ll see you around.”

  “Don’t rush off like that…Nick…Nick wait!”

  He was halfway up the block already. Maybe it was for the best. I took a breath, reminded myself I’d just received the best news ever back in class, then nearly sailed home. Powering down the street in the direction of my dorm room, all I could think of was phoning my mother. I didn’t want to make that call while I was out in public. I might cry or laugh or start dancing.

  My roommate, Kristy, wasn’t in yet. I didn’t expect her until after dinner. Her family always had Sunday dinner, no excuses, and I had the feeling her parents would have guilt tripped her into sticking around until the last dish was washed and put away. Her absence today was all right with me. I wanted a little peace and quiet before my roommate’s energy filled the place. I loved her, but sometimes she could be a real fireball. Which was a bit of a contradiction, given she was working on a double major in French and History so she could become a teacher and follow in the footsteps of a long line of teachers, principals and professor in her family.

  I cleared a space on my messy bed and dialed my house number. Mom picked up.

  “Guess what? I made it!” I squealed, throwing myself back on the bed and kicking my feet against the mattress. I didn’t have to explain what I meant. She knew.

  “You did? Oh, sweetheart, congratulations! I’m so happy! I knew you could do it. It was all a matter of that Jeffries fellow seeing how good you are.” She sounded so genuinely upbeat, my heart almost broke. It wasn’t often we got cheerful in my family.

  “Is Dad there? I want to be the one to tell him.”

  A pause. All it took was that one pause for me to know something was up. “Mom? Is everything all right?”

  “Hmm? Oh, sure. He’s just in one of his moods right now. I’m actually up in the bedroom, to give him his space.”

  I closed my eyes. ‘Giving him his space’ was Mom’s way of saying she was not in the mood to be around him. The man was a doctor and had a nice bedside manner, but when he got home, he could be a loud, mean bastard. Leave it to my father to ruin my natural high without even a word of dialogue. “He wasn’t shouting at you or anything, was he?”

  “No, no, honey. He’s never mad at me or upset about anything I did. You know that. It’s just one of the NFC semi-finals is on today, and he’s…”

  I put a hand on my forehead. “Oh, right. I forgot. And remind me how come you’re both off shift today?”

&nbs
p; “I’m not off all day. I’ll be heading in for seven tonight. Don’t you worry about me. I’m so glad you got the placement you wanted!”

  “Thanks.” I wasn’t as happy as I’d been before getting on the phone, of course, but I appreciated her intentions. “Do me a favor?”

  “Of course, love.”

  “Go to Aunt Aggie’s for the rest of the day. Or Aunt’s Edna’s. Or go to a movie. Just get out of the house. You know?”

  She sighed. “Yes. I have a few things to do, but maybe I will a bit later. You know how he gets when he’s alone and his team’s losing.”

  Yes. I knew. He threw food and empty beer cans at the TV screen, and expected her to clean up after him, even though they had a full-time maid. For a highly educated and intensely trained professional, he really did some downright ignorant stuff.

  “Mom, I don’t like that you’re there alone with him. I know he won’t do anything completely off the charts, but I can drive back now. We can go to an early dinner.” I heard a crash in the background. He was already deep into his nonsense. Sometimes I think he just acted this way to round out the nerd that he truly was. No one could be angry for this long. “I’m leaving now,” I said, getting off the bed, gathering my purse and keys. “I won’t take no for an answer. Just stay in the bedroom and wait for me.”

  If anybody ever asked me why I hated football, I would give them my father’s name. Every time he watched football, attended a college level or NFL game, or even threw around a ball at the park with his physician buddies, he went all Jekyll and Hyde on us.