Player: A Secret Baby Sports Romance (10 page)

“Who were you with before?”

I wrinkle my brow. “Excuse me?”

“Which
player
, honey,” she says pointedly.

I shake my head. “Oh, uh, none?”

She scowls and then rolls her eyes in an exaggeratedly bored way. “Well, I don’t know
how
you did it then, but honey, you got a good one.”

I channel my years of etiquette classes and smile pleasantly at her. “Well, thank you, he’s-”

“
Oh
yeah. Rich, handsome-” She snorts a bitter laugh, her eyes narrowing at me and her lips curling wickedly. “
Great
lay.”

My face goes bright red, and I frown as I quickly look away from her. “Oh, I-”

What am I going to say, ‘I wouldn’t know’?

I can feel the flush blooming into my face when I suddenly realize I’m not embarrassed, I’m
mad
. I don’t for the life of me why, but there’s this possessive thing that comes roaring up inside. Because without really knowing why on earth I should be, I’m mad that this girl apparently knows that.

And I don’t.

God, what am I,
jealous
? I mean this is
Austin
, the famous player, the infamous womanizer, the legendary man-whore. Of course there are pretty - if not trashy-looking - girls in LA he’s slept with.

I just want to be anywhere in the damn world but standing right in front of one of them right now.

“Oh,
honey
, the things he can do with that mouth?”

She’s grinning wickedly at me, baiting me, waiting for a reaction I can’t - and won’t - give.

“Yeah, Austin’s-”

“Oh
Lord
,” She steps even closer as she cuts me off, getting right in my face with that bitchy little smile on her face. “And that thing he’s got between his-”

“Oh,
sweetie
,” my words are dripping in honey as I smile as sweetly as I can at her. “I know.” My lips curl into a big smile as I wink and suddenly hold the giant, glittering, gaudy diamond ring on my finger up to her face.

“
I
married him, remember?”

Her Botoxed lips snap shut as she goes quiet, and her eyes flash jealously over the ring on my finger as I gloat and smile sweetly at her.

Take that, bitch.

Because two can play this game, and I’ve been around enough catty, biting, awful socialite-type girls in my day to know exactly how this game plays out.

So, one of Austin’s ex-skanks wants to play?
Game on, honey.

“Guess a guy as great as Austin just couldn’t get pinned down until he found the best girl for the job, huh?” I smile a big toothy smile at the bitch in front of me as her face goes dark.

“Yeah, well-”

“So
listen
girl, I’d
love
to talk more and maybe hear all about the time Austin never called you back or whatever, but I really need to get inside and say hi to my husband, ‘
kay?
”

Tina scowls at me as her lips purse tight, before she abruptly brushes past me and clip-clops her way across the cobble-stone driveway in her heels to the Honda parked to the side.

I wave brightly as she slams the door. “
So
good to meet you!” I call out cattily as she starts up the car and starts to pull down the driveway, leaving me with the smug look on my face.

And it’s stupid, and I
know
it’s stupid as I turn and stomp into the house. But that doesn’t change the scowl on my face. Yes, we’re not
really
a couple, and he’s not “mine” or anything like that. But God, at least make an
effort
to hide it from me.

And all of a sudden, I’m thinking of Vince, and that stupid secretary of his - laughing at me, humiliating me.

I quickly shake my head, rolling my eyes at myself. No, this is
nothing
like that. However classless it is for Austin to have girls over like this when we’re supposed to be married, I’m not
mad
, because there’s nothing to be mad about. He and I are just-

The car comes screeching to a halt, and I turn to see Tina stepping out of it and fixing me with a wicked look.

“Oh, and
hon?
” She smiles sweetly at me. “
So
good hear that you’re married and all, but just thought you should know something else.”

I roll my eyes as I shake my head “Look, Tina, I-”

“I’m
pregnant
with his kid.”

The words hit like a slap to the face.

Quite suddenly, I have nothing to say.

Tina smirks and gets back in the car as I stand there like a complete ass just staring at her car as it pulls down the long winding driveway and speeds away.

I whirl towards the house, dropping the shopping bags right there in the driveway.

H
e’s
shirtless in the living room, wearing just a pair of jogging pants as he lounges on the couch with a beer in his hand. I can feel the rage spike a little higher at the thought of
her
, sitting there on the couch with her hands all over him, or her mouth, or-

“Have a little fucking
class
, Austin.”

He jerks his head up. “Excuse me?”

I glare at him, shaking my head. “You know what I’m talking about.”

He frowns. “You…want me to put a shirt on or someth-”

“I just met
Tina
outside.”

Austin rolls his eyes as he chuckles. “Oh, that.”

“Yeah,
that
.” I narrow my eyes at him as he grins at me. “I mean, a
little
respect would be
great
, you know! I didn’t sign up to be humiliated with your fucking
affairs
, and I did
not
sign up to be a part of whatever trashy Kardashian tabloid story you’ve got going on with
Tina.
”

Austin shuts the TV off and stands as he shakes his head. “
Relax
, it’s not what you think it-”

“She’s having your
baby?
” I hurl at him, hating how emotional it sounds.

“Well, that would be a fucking miracle, because I never
touched
her, and I certainly didn’t fuck her.”

I wrinkle my nose. “I do
not
need to know about-”

“Nat,
nothing
is happening, or has ever happened, with Tina.”

“And why would I
possibly
think there is, Austin? Her leaving just as I come home, you practically naked lounging around the couch?”

His face suddenly splits in that wide, white, cowboy grin.

“
What,
” I mutter.

He
laughs
.

“Oh fuck off.”

“You know, I think I like you angry.”

“Why, so you can feel vindicated about screwing around with-”

“Because you look hot as hell when you’re jealous.”

His voice cuts across the room, silencing me as my lips snaps shut. Heat blooms in my face as I feel his eyes burning right into me, his chiseled chest rising and falling as he inhales deeply.

Austin steps closer to me, my pulse pounding in my ears. “I’m
not
jealous.”

“No, I like this ‘jealous wife’ version of you,” he says darkly, moving even closer to me with his eyes locked right on mine.

I swallow thickly. “I’m not your wife,” I say quietly.

He stops right in front of me, so close that I can feel the heat from his bare skin, the scent of him filling my senses. His hazel eyes pierce down into mine, and I shiver as his hand suddenly comes up to cup my jaw.

“Yes you are.”

And suddenly, he’s kissing me -
hard
- and I’m melting right into him.

I’m throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him back before I can even second-guess any of this. I’m moaning into his mouth as he pulls me into him, cupping my jaw with one hand as the other slides down my back to palm my ass and grind me against him.

His kisses are hungry and demanding - insistent and needing.

Needing
me
, and I know right then that whatever the hell this is, I need him back.

I kiss him hungrily, my hands sliding up and into his hair as our tongues swirl.

And that
is when reality hits me like a big slap in the face - I’m making out with a man who in all effects is
paying
me to do so.

I gasp as I pull away, bringing a hand up to touch my bruised lips as I step away from Austin.

“No,” I say quietly, shaking my head, my fingers still tracing my lips and my eyes locked on his.

This can’t happen. Because me kissing Austin is quite suddenly Vince’s secretary kissing him. Because at some point, that’s how that whole thing started - a woman kissing a man who signs her paychecks.

I will
not
be that girl.

“Nat-”

“No,” I say firmer this time. I take another step back before I shake my head, turn away, and run out of the room.

“
W
ait
,
what?
”

Natalie scowls at me through the half-open bedroom door. I’m almost impressed she’s even opened it after our, well,
thing
downstairs earlier. Of course, she’s more scowling past me, since she’s also not meeting my eyes in the slightest bit.

I clear my throat and repeat myself. “My mom’s house.”

Nat’s brow shoots up. “Your mother lives
here
, in LA?”

I moved my mom into a house down in the valley when I got recruited. Home might’ve been fucking terrible growing up with her
always
going back to my shithead of a dad no matter how many times he walked out on us or slapped us around.

But it’s my mom, and you’ve gotta take care of family, even when they’ve fucked up more times than you can count.

I shrug as I lean against the doorframe. “Yeah, she obviously heard about our whirlwind of a romance-”

Natalie rolls her eyes.

“
And
she wants to meet her new daughter-in-law.” I wink. “She’s
really
excited to meet you.”

Natalie scrunches her face up. “You want me to go lie to your own mother’s face about us being married.”

“That’s the general plan, yeah.”

She wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “No way.”

“Look, it’s not a favor for me, it’s for her. She’s sweet, you’ll love her.”

Natalie blows air through her lips and runs a hand through her deep brown hair. “I can’t believe you want me to lie to your mother.” Her eyes dart in the vague direction of my face before looking away, which only makes me grin since she still hasn’t looked me in the eye since opening the door.

“It’s a white lie.”

“White lies are
small
, this is
kind of
a bigger deal.”

I sigh. “Look, it’s just-”

“We’re not actually
married, Austin.”

I grin. “You know, you keep saying that, but I’ve got a little piece of paper from the State of Nevada that says-”

“
Ugh
,” she groans. “You
know
what I mean.” And this time her eyes do meet mine.

“We’re not in
love
or anything.”

I stick my bottom lip out and make the sad puppy eyes at her. “Aww, you sure you don’t
lurrrrv
me?” I say, drawing out the L-word cartoonishly.

“I’m
quite
positive.”

I grin. “I mean that kiss a few hours ago sure seemed like
lurrrrv
to me.”

Natalie’s whole face goes fucking crimson, and her eyes go wide before they narrow at me. “That was- I mean-” She stammers before holding her head up high and regal-like. “Enjoy dinner alone, Austin.”

She starts to shut the door, but I jam my foot in it. “Okay, okay, lighten up.”

Her eyes are still glaring at me, and her face is still stewing this adorable pink color. But she eases up on the door.

“Look,
please
come to dinner with me at my mom’s house.” I flash her a grin. “I’d totally do the same for you.”

Natalie barks out a laugh. “Yeah, you’ve never met Loraine.”

“Should I?”

She raises her brow and lets her gaze do a once-over before she drags them back to my face. “No, probably not.”

I laugh. “Hey, moms love me, you know.”

“So I’ve read,” she says curtly as she smiles sweetly at me. “And that is
exactly
why you won’t be introduced.”

I grin as I rake my nails across my five o’clock shadow. “That tabloid stuff is
mostly
just rumor and garbage you know.”

“Mostly or entirely?”

“Taking the fifth on that one, princess. So, dinner? My mom really is a sweetheart.”

She sighs heavily before I finally watch that last defense of hers drop from her face.

“Okay,
fine.
But I’m doing this for your mother,
not
you.”

“Thanks, dear.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “So what time are we leaving for dinner then?”

I shrug and look down at my watch. “Like, ten minutes?”

Natalie’s jaw drops as her eyes go wide. “
Seriously?!
”

I frown. “What?”

“You’ve
clearly
never lived with a woman before, that’s what.”

I snort. “Well, yeah, obviously. Why?”

“Because I’m about to meet my fake husband’s
mother
for the first time and I need to get ready!”

I make a face. “What’s wrong with that?” I nod at the tank top and jean shorts she’s wearing. “She’s
cooking
dinner, you know. We’re not going to the opera,
Madame
Ames.”

Nat gives me a ‘watch it’ look. “I’m going to need at at least thirty minutes.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine, just-”

The door slams in my face.

Welcome to your married life, Austin,
I grumble to myself as I head downstairs to grab a beer.

* * *

“
O
h well now you
are just
sweet
as pie, sugar!”

Natalie doesn’t even have a chance to say anything back before my beaming mom wraps her up in a big bear hug.

“I am
so
glad you found my boy and got him to settle himself down!”

Mom pulls back to beam at Natalie, her rosy, dimpled cheeks and the smile lines around her eyes pulled tight with her delight. I’m always amazed that my mom even
knows
how to smile with the shit we put up with growing up with Dad.

“Oh now, Mrs. Taylor,” Natalie’s voice adapts a “folky” tone similar to my mom’s, and she cocks a hip to the side in this casual way I’ve never actually seen her stand. “I think
Austin
is the one that found
me
, actually!”

I raise a brow. Country-bumpkin Natalie is making an Oscar-worthy performance.

Mom snorts a laugh and bats a hand at Nat. “Oh,
please
, this boy couldn’t find his own ass with two hands.”

Natalie cracks up right alongside my mom, hamming it up like the two of them are old bridge partners. “He sure can’t, Mrs. Taylor!”

“Oh now, please, it’s just Bernadette, we’re family now.”

She turns back to me, beaming like I haven’t seen her in years - even when I “made it” and bought her this house.

“I’m
so
proud of you, honey,” she says in that gushy mom way as she reaches up to pat my cheek. “Now, c’mon now, let’s get fed, huh?”

Natalie starts to follow her into the house, but I snag her arm and hold her back.

“Since when is Ms. Natalie Ames a little ol’ country girl?”

She grins and shrugs. “It’s
proper
to put people at ease when you meet them for the first time.”

“By imitating them?”

She frowns. “No, God, of course not,” she says primly. “Meeting someone new for the first time is putting aside showing who
you
are and letting
them
be who
they
are.”

I blink. “
Wow
.”

“Eddington Hill Preparatory Day finishing classes,” she says with another shrug.

“A what now?”

Natalie grins. “Rich kid school for learning to be fancy.”

“Sounds awesome.”

“Oh, a blast.” Natalie winks. “If you ever want to go ballroom dancing, by the way, I’m kind of
really
good at it.”

“I’ll have to check my schedule.”

“C’mon now, you lovebirds!” Mom’s voice calls out from the kitchen.

“Your mom is kinda great, by the way,” Natalie whispers before winking and turning towards the kitchen. “Just makin’ sure this big goof remembers to take his boots off before traipsing through the house, Bernadette!”

Mom hoots from the kitchen.

* * *

“
N
ow I’ve been
dyin’
to know, honey.” Mom puts her fork down and grins eagerly at me across the dinner table. “How exactly did y’all meet?”

Shit
.

I probably should’ve expected questions like this, and really, we probably should’ve gone over this at some point. Hell, we’re going to need this story for the media any-

“Dance class.”

I snap my eyes over to Natalie, who’s grinning impishly at me over a bite of chili.

“Dance class?” Mom’s brows shoot up. “Well you
don’t say.
”

“Yes ma’am,” Natalie winks at me across the table, ignoring the hard look I’m trying to shoot her. “Ballroom.”

“Oh how sweet!” Mom turns and wags a finger at me as she smiles. “You are
full
of surprises, honey now aren’t you? Now, did y’all go as a couple?”

Natalie answers for me, of course, because she’s enjoying this too much. “Oh, we were both there solo and Austin came over and asked me to dance.”

I silence the laugh that’s threatening to come spilling out with a giant spoonful of chili. The idea of
me
, going alone to some ballroom dance class doesn’t make a
damn
inch of sense.

Mom is head over heels though, beaming between the two of us as if she can’t make up her mind who she wants to smile at more.

“I just
knew
you were more than just some sports guy, Austin.”

I roll my eyes. “I mean, sports guy Austin was able to buy this house, mama.”

Mom grins slyly at Natalie. “He did, you know. Just the
sweetest
boy getting his mama a new house like this in the city so I could be near him.”

She neglects to mention that doing so keeps her
away
from my dad, wherever the fuck he is these days, but that’s just as well.

“More cornbread, honey?”

Natalie chuckles and pats her stomach. “Oh, no thank you, Bernadette, I-”

“Oh I’ll get you one more small piece then.”

I shrug helplessly at Nat as Mom walks back to the kitchen.

“God, I can’t believe you’re lying to my
mom
like that,” I whisper, leaning close to her.

Natalie elbows me in the side.

“Do
not
start with me,” she says, grinning.

“
Dance
lessons?” I snort. “Hardly a believable backstory.”

She turns and smiles sweetly at me. “Well it’s hardly believable that I’d marry a guy like you, isn’t it?”

Our eyes lock for a second, and then another, even though we’re saying nothing.

I
like
this sass.

Mom steps back into the dining room and stops at the head of the table, eyes darting between us with this mischievous look on her face.

“What’s up, Mama?”

“Now, look, there’s something-” Mom shakes her head. “Oh, never mind, it’s silly.” She grins at me, like she’s
dying
to spill whatever it is she’s about to say.

“Mom-”

“Oooh, okay! It’s silly, but, well-” She turns to Natalie. “I know you kids already went and got hitched, but I have
always
wanted to see my boy up there at a real proper alter with a girl like you, honey.”

I frown. “Mama, I don’t-”

“You want us to have a real wedding, Bernadette?”

My head jerks towards Nat as my mom nods.

“It’s silly isn’t it?”

Natalie shakes her head. “I think it’d be a
lovely
thing to do, actually. What do
you
think, honey?” she says, grinning at me.

I scratch my chin. “Hey, why not.”

“Oh honey that would just make my whole dang life!” Mom throws her arms around Natalie, and I arch my brows at her over my my mom’s shoulder.

“Well lordy, I went and forget your cornbread!”

“Oh, Bernadette, that’s really-”

“Nonsense, nonsense,” Mom waves her off. “Now, us girls will have to set aside some time to go shopping soon,” she says, eyeing me with a smile as she bustles back to the kitchen.

I lean into Natalie, whispering out of the corner of my mouth. “
What the hell have you gotten us into?
”

She elbows me again, giggling. “It’s going to be
fun!
”

“Yeah, a blast.”

“Oh, honey?” My mom’s voice drifts back from the kitchen.

“Yeah?” I say, reluctantly pulling my eyes away from Natalie.

“Set another place at the table, would you?”

I freeze, the smile instantly dropping from my face.

You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.