Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Chess stops by a big pedestal table that holds football equipment: pads, footballs, our team helmets, even some shin guards and tape.
I guess we’re doing dress-up, only I don’t see any uniforms. The back of my neck begins to tingle the way it does when I’m about to get sacked.
A slim guy with a bushy red beard hustles out of the bathroom. He’s wearing a yellow fedora and a lime-green skinny-pants suit with brown pinstripes. Nothing out of place for NOLA. In an odd way, it makes me relax a bit.
“I’m James, Chess’s assistant. Sorry about the delay. We were on the balcony having a smoke.” He grins, and his gaze slides over Jake nice and slow. “Or I was. Chess was just keeping me company.”
Jake frowns in obvious confusion, as if he’s not sure if he’s being checked out.
“They don’t need a play-by-play excuse, James.” Chess doesn’t glance our way as she inspects the props. “Changing room is to the left. Strip down, and James will get you oiled up.”
All the air sucks out of the room, and I hear a distinctive pop in my ears. My guys stiffen as well, their eyes going wide with obvious shock.
“Oiled up?” I can barely get the words out from between my clenched teeth. This is just fucking peachy. PR failed to mention anything about stripping. “You fucking with us?”
Her expression is bland as ever. “When I fuck with someone, he knows it, Mr. Mannus.”
Oh, I bet they do. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s left claw marks on some poor chump’s balls. My own balls tighten in sympathy.
Jake, who has never been one for self-preservation, laughs. “I love this chick.”
Green eyes flash beneath severe brows of justice. “I am not a chick, Mr. Ryder. I am a woman.”
Rolondo makes a faint, mock crowd-roar, and Dex elbows his side to shut him up.
“With a job to do,” she adds with such disdain that I can’t keep quiet.
“Let me guess,” I drawl. “You’re obsessed with finally finding One-Eyed Willie.”
Jake chokes on a smothered laugh, and Dex runs a hand over his beard, clearly hiding a smile.
“Man,” Rolondo mutters. “You’ve gone and done it now.”
I’m pretty sure I have. A hint of warning trickles down my spine, but I’m too irritated to heed it. We’ve been played, and now we’re expected to strip like good little boys? I don’t think so.
Chess slowly walks my way. I’ve had offensive coaches stare me down with less intensity, but they’ve never made my heart rate speed up and my skin heat. It’s unnerving, but damn if I’m going to let it show. I set my hands low on my hips and wait for the inevitable explosion.
She stops in front of me, close enough that I catch a faint whiff of sunshine and earth, as if she’s been sitting in a garden, soaking up the light. Our gazes lock. I expect her to rip into me, and maybe she’s going to—her lips part as if she’s about to. But she doesn’t speak. She just stands there as if frozen in place.
A weird shift pushes through the room. I don’t know what the fuck is happening. My focus narrows down to her, nothing else. The warmth of her body radiates outward and buffets mine. It’s as if she’s easing a hot hand down my abs. The sensation is so intense, my balls lift and my dick grows weighty and full.
What the actual fuck?
I can’t move. All my brainpower has gone south to take orders from my rising dick.
Said dick is insisting that we get closer. He wants a formal introduction.
No, no, no. Not happening.
I pull in a deep breath, and my brain gets scrambled further by her scent. I am in serious trouble here.
I’m almost grateful when she finally speaks, but her bedroom voice doesn’t help matters much. “Let’s be clear, Mr. Mannus. You’re in my house now. We have a job to do. I’ll do my part, and you do yours.” Her dark eyes search mine. “Make all the dick jokes you want. They won’t save you.”
No, I suspect they won’t. Like an inevitable collision with a charging linebacker, I suspect Ms. Chess Copper is going to take me down and make me feel it. Bitch of it is, I’m not sure if I hate the idea or kind of like it.
Two
Chess
Work flows as it always does. I cajole the shy, quiet big guy Dex into relaxing.
The showboat Rolondo, I simply shoot while he poses in as many ways as he can. I manage the flirty one, Jake, until he settles down. It’s fun, all of it.
And, yes, James is a stammering, blushing mess the whole time. The guys take it in stride. It’s clear they’re used to walking around naked, and they view their bodies as machines . . . for the most part.