Lucia Jordan's Four Series Collection: Chosen, Whipped, Lick, Risk (36 page)

They lay in silence for a long time. Lacey’s mind whirled as she tried to process everything that had just happened. All the bad thoughts of the day had completely vanished and the only thing that mattered was the pair of arms she was in right then. However she knew tomorrow would bring a different array of emotions.

Trevor took a deep breath and she knew he was about to say something. “So my therapy will be over next week.”

“Yeah. You’re doing very well.”

“Yeah.” There was a heaviness to his voice that wasn’t there before. Turning in his arms and trying to be careful not to land on the floor, she propped her head on her hand.

“What’s that mean?”

“Well I told you I’d been traded. As soon as my therapy is over, I’ll be flying out to Los Angeles.”

Lacey’s heart sank.

Trevor stared at her for a long while before opening his mouth. The words that tumbled out nearly caused her to fall off the table backward.

“What?” she whispered, trying to be sure she heard him right.

“Come with me. Leave Miami and come with me to LA.”

Risk Book 2

Lacey stared at the ceiling, trying to slow her chaotic mind so she might get some sleep. However, she was pretty certain that sleep would not find her anytime soon. With an exasperated sigh, she kicked the sheets free and scooted from the bed. There was no way in hell she was going to sleep after everything that had just happened with Trevor.

She made a quick cup of chamomile tea and grabbed a light blanket from the back of the couch. She needed to clear her head and, in order to do so, she couldn’t be confined in her apartment. Acting out of habit, she grabbed her cell phone off the charger. She wasn’t sure why, because it was 2:26 in the morning. Everyone she knew was asleep. After pushing open the patio doors, she slipped out into the cool night. Below her building was the beach. A cool breeze blew in from the ocean as she settled herself into her favorite chair and pulled her legs up to her chest.

Gently she cradled the tea between her hands and blew across the rim. It was a beautiful night and even though the Miami heat during the day was brutal, at night the ocean brought relief. She stared out into the darkness, the waves lapping at the shore only partially illuminated by a half moon.

The sound of the waves slapping heavily against the beach was lulling. She wasn’t sure why, but just listening to them seemed to calm the storm that raged inside her. As she listened to the pounding waves, she thought about the churning decisions that were rolling around in her head. She thought back to the moment when Trevor had asked her to leave with him.

Earlier

Lacey sat up and looked down at Trevor. Had he seriously just asked her to leave with him? “You’re not serious,” she said, slipping from the table and standing beside it. Suddenly she felt very exposed under his heated green gaze.

“I am
very
serious,” he said.

She could see the look in his eye and she knew for a fact that he wasn’t kidding. “But how can you ask me something like that?”

She fumbled around the room, looking for her clothes. This was not the kind of conversation she could have while standing stark naked, and it was most certainly not one she could have with Trevor sprawled out on the table in front of her. Her eyes flittered back to his cock, which was already becoming erect once more.
This man is an animal.
Her body started reacting to his reaction.

With a huff, she lifted the sheet from the floor and tossed it over Trevor’s lower half. He gave her a bemused smile and sat up on the edge of the table.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he wagged his eyebrows at her.

“I—I can’t have this kind of discussion with that…you…” she sputtered, indicating with her hands to his lack of clothing. She clamored around looking for her shirt, which she found dangling from a shelf on the wall. Feeling flush creep into her cheeks, she tugged it down, sending bottles of oils and lotions bouncing to the floor.

“Damn it,” she muttered as she pulled her shirt over her head. When she turned around, Trevor was slowly pulling his gym shorts on. A part of her was disappointed, but the logical part of her knew that if he didn’t put his clothes back on, they weren’t likely to get any talking done.

As she gathered her thoughts, she tugged her hair into a messy ponytail.

“Leave it down,” Trevor said firmly.

She wasn’t sure why, but she complied, pulling her fingers through the tangled mess. After getting her mane tamed she met his gaze.

“Trevor,” she began with a sigh. She had no idea what to say or where to even begin. The lines she’d just crossed were monumental.

“Just listen before you say no.”

“I don’t know what I want to say,” she began, ignoring his plea. She had a tendency to ramble when she got nervous, and she was most definitely nervous. “You don’t even know me. I don’t know you. Sure I can Google you until the cows come home but that’s not who you are. We just had sex and…well… We’re practically strangers. How on earth can you ask me to give up my life here and move to Los Angeles?”

“You don’t listen well do you?” He snickered.

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m listening,” she said stubbornly.

He chuckled. “I know we don’t know each other well. I’m not asking you to move in with me. I want to get to know you. I would never ask you to leave your life or career behind if I didn’t already have an idea.”

“And when exactly did you come up with this idea?” she challenged.

“About three minutes before I asked you to come with me.”

“That’s a pretty big move for someone you just met.”

“But if I didn’t think you were worth it, I wouldn’t have even mentioned it. There’s something about you that draws me to you. I knew it the first day you walked into that office.”

She snickered and he looked at her, puzzled. “I’m sorry, that was just so cliché.”

He laughed. “I guess it kind of is, huh. But seriously. I mean it. I think you’re pretty amazing and I would love to spend more time with you. I can’t do that on the other side of the country, so I figured I would give this a shot.”

“What do you suggest?” Lacey figured she must be completely out of her mind to be even contemplating moving on the other side of the continent with a man she’d known for only a minute. Then again, the thought of leaving did have a certain appeal.

“Let me talk to my agent and my club manager. I have an idea but I want to run it past them first.”

“What’s this idea?” she asked as she arched a brow.

Leaning forward he pressed a sweet kiss against her mouth. “I can’t tell you that right now, but give me a day to work it out. I’ll let you know tomorrow evening, okay?”

“Okkaay,” she drew out.

“I’ve got a meeting at the clubhouse in thirty minutes. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

She didn’t get a chance to answer before he left the room, leaving her staring at the door with a deep frown on her face. The bastard had better not be lying to her or she’d make him pay dearly on his next therapy session.

***

Lacey came back to the present, wondering if he’d been sincere. A part of her wanted to believe him, but the sadist in her said she was being a fool. It also told her that the pro ball player had just played her. With a scowl, she took a sip of her tea and willed the drink to calm the churning inside her chest.

The idea of leaving was more than appealing, especially after receiving Robert’s email. If she left again, it would be much harder for him to find her. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her it was only a matter of time before he did. Maybe it was a good idea if she left with Trevor.

Then she was faced with the horrifying possibility that Trevor had just been saying random shit to make her feel special after ravaging the hell out of her body. Her mind tried to wander back to what it felt like to have him slamming his cock into her from behind. She frowned when her muscles reacted and clenched. What if he had just been trying to get into her pants? What if he was a player that thought he could do whomever he wanted just because of his celebrity status?

You don’t really think that,
her mind screamed. With a weary sigh she sipped her tea again. She had no idea what to think, and she was pretty sure she wouldn’t know anything until he called her tomorrow.
If
he called at all.

Allowing the tea to do its job, Lacey allowed her mind to still. She focused on the rhythm of the waves while taking deep calming breaths. She was in the process of clearing her mind when she heard a
ding ding
. The screen of her cell phone lit up on the table beside her.

What the hell?

Feeling anxious, she picked up her phone. Who could be texting her at this hour? Her heart hammered through her chest. Surely Robert didn’t have her new number. There was no way her mother could have given it to him.

With great trepidation, she tapped the screen and watched as a message from an unknown number popped up.

Are you asleep?

She frowned and typed her response.

Who is this?

There was barely any time that passed before another response came through.

You forgot me so soon? Lol. I’m hurt.

Trevor?

Who else would it be?

How did you get my number?

I have my ways.

She chuckled. Suddenly all the doubts she’d had about him just using her flew out the window.

Why are you awake?

I’m in pain.

Worry creased her brow. With everything that happened, she hadn’t even given a thought as to how their activities could have hurt him

Oh no!! Did we hurt your arm?

There was a long pause.

Not my arm that is hurting, love. ;)

Moments passed and she was still lost.

?

The response she got was not what she’d been expecting. As soon as she opened the message a picture of a rather large erection filled her screen. Immediately her face flamed red and wetness began to pool between her thighs.

I don’t know how to comment to that.

Wow, way to bruise a man’s ego, sweetheart.

LOL, not what I meant, but somehow I think your ego will survive.

Probably. Anyway. I wanted to see what you are doing tomorrow night.

Mentally she went through her calendar. She had a few sessions at the hospital and a couple at the massage clinic, but nothing in the evening. Bridget was going out of town with her boyfriend, so Lacey was resigned to spending the evening with Netflix and a bottle or two of wine.

Just have to work. Nothing after six. Why?

Her phone started vibrating in her hand, causing her to let loose a tiny yelp of surprise.

“This is much easier to do over the phone than by texting. I’ve dropped my phone on my face three times now.” The sound of his gravelly voice made her shiver.

She laughed. It was so nice to have a guy in her life that could genuinely make her laugh. “So what is so pressing that you need to talk to me about?”

“Well the manager from the Los Angeles is here taking care of all my paperwork and release forms. I talked to him and he would like to meet you tomorrow evening.”

“What for?”

She heard him snicker. “Well now, that’s something that I can’t tell you.”

“I hate secrets,” she complained into the phone.

Again, he chuckled. “I promise you won’t hate this.”

“Fiiine,” she said jokingly. “Where is this meeting going to take place?”

“At
Mon Ami
at eight.”

Wow! Mon Ami was a very fancy restaurant that took weeks to get a reservation for. His manager must have some serious pull if he already had a reservation.

“Guess I need to get fixed up, huh?” She laughed. She was a farm girl from Kansas. The most she’d gotten dressed up for was her senior prom, and that had been held in a barn.

“Do you have anything to wear?”

“I think I can manage something. I think I still have my work boots from the last time I visited the farm,” she said with a thick, fake hillbilly accent.

“Sounds great to me,” he joked back.

There was a short pause.

“So…what are you wearing right now?”

Lacey blushed again. The next thing she knew, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first traces of morning and they were still talking on the phone.

She yawned. “I need to get some sleep,” she said sleepily.

“Yeah. I didn’t mean to keep you so long,” he said sheepishly.

“Talk to you later?”

“Count on it.”

There was a long pause and for a minute Lacey felt like she was in high school again with her first boyfriend playing the whole
, “You hang up. No you hang up,”
game.

“Bye,” she whispered.

“Sweet dreams,” he said softly back to her.

She wasn’t sure how she got to bed because she didn’t remember walking. In fact, she was pretty certain she floated to bed on cloud nine.

She set her alarm for 10:00. That would give her a little over five hours of sleep and enough time to get a quick shower and rush into work. She cuddled close to her pillow, wishing it was Trevor she was holding close.

***

The day passed with agonizing slowness, and Lacey wasn’t particularly sure if it was because she was so tired or if it was because she was nervous about her meeting tonight. Throughout the day she considered about a million different scenarios and reasons as to why Trevor’s new manager would want to meet with her. In the end she came up with nothing.

She made it to the massage clinic and was preparing for her five o’clock when the secretary greeted her with a wide smile.

“You just had a cancelation.”

“What?”

The girl nodded. “Your five o’clock canceled because her daughter is in labor or something like that.”