Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(15)

Teddy raises his glass and does a mock bow. My stomach grumbles again, we all laugh. Just then Ellerie and Brielle walk over with big smiles on their faces. They are just coming back from watching a little magic show that was put on for the children.

Ellerie wraps his arm around me and kisses my forehead. “Maybe I picked the wrong two to keep an eye on my little sister,” Ellerie says with feigned suspicion as he looks between Teddy and Eric.

“Don’t look at me,” Eric snorts. “Your sister has that look in her eye that you get on the field. I am in favor of my life, thank you.”

“Oh Eric, and I thought we were going to run off into the sunset together,” I tease and give Eric a coy smile, batting my lashes.

“See she’s dangerous I tell you,” Eric says with a hand to his chest and a mock look of horror.

“Stop torturing my friend, Tam. Eric doesn’t know how to act around pretty women,” Ellerie chuckles.

“Mommy, your tummy is talking,” Brielle giggles as my stomach speaks again. All the guys laugh.

“Go eat something,” Ellerie leans over to whisper. “I have Ellie we’ll be right here.”

“Are you sure? You took her to the show. I can take her with me. She doesn’t want any of it but maybe I can trick her into eating a little something,” I whisper back.

“I’ve got her. You will just be starting a war trying to get her to eat here, now go,” Ellerie says and gives me a nudge.

“You’re the best big brother in the world,” I chime and kiss him on the cheek.

“Whoa, are we starting a line for those,” Teddy says and bends down pointing at his cheek.

I swat at his arm and bend to run my hand over Brielle’s hair and kiss her on the cheek before straightening and walking toward the food spread. I have perfect timing. I noticed when we were joking around that the crowd had shifted toward the other side of the tent.

I guess the new player creating all the buzz must have arrived. I found out it’s a new QB but I never got a name. Each time I thought I would I got interrupted or the subject was changed without me getting to ask. I am just really excited for Ellerie. This could be big for him as a wide receiver. The old quarter back was one of the biggest issues for him the last two years. Their on field and off field relationship was tumultuous and the team wasn’t willing to part with either of them until recently.

I load a plate up with finger foods while the coast is clear and I don’t have to fight a food crowd. I spot a table where I can rest my feet and eat in peace and set off to the corner to have a moment to myself. I don’t get many with Brielle and work constantly tugging at me.

B

With the big upset of my free agent signing with a Texas team I was expecting the big press turnout. Today would be the official announcement confirming the rumors of my new contract. While I’m excited to be home and on a Texas team it’s bittersweet that they choose to make the press conference today at a family meet and greet function.

My brother and sister couldn’t make it because of their family’s schedules. My mom and dad just aren’t up to such an event, five years ago maybe but not today. Tiffany has been calling again and for a moment I was tempted to invite her out but then she would think things have changed. She would definitely want to meet my family if she was in town, not going to happen.

So here I am alone playing nice with my smile painted on, pouring on the charm. To the outside world I am doing great, but inside this is the last place I want to be. After sitting down with the press I am ushered to the main tent where the food is set up with all the families and important people to brush shoulders with.

I have shaken more hands than I can count and had more conversations than I can remember, but still can’t remember what any of them were about. I laugh in the right places and respond in like manner, but I am somewhere else. I’ve spent the last twenty minutes trapped listening to one of the sponsor’s daughters complaining about her trip to Paris last week or last month, whatever.

The general manager’s wife dumped me off with this group before whispering to play nice. Guess news of my break up has hit. Suddenly inviting Tiff out doesn’t seem like it would have been a bad idea. At least that would have kept the vultures at bay. I wouldn’t have to play nice with this group of women I have absolutely no interest in.

As that thought runs through my head I hear a chorus of laughter. There is the distinct tinkling of laughter that throws me back in time. In that moment, I was back in bed with her it was after the second time we had made love.

I figured out she was ticklish. So I was tickling her beautiful little feet. I loved how the moonlight spilled into her room making her brown skin glow.

Her flat stomach taunted me as she laughed and scrambled away from me. She was looking up at me with her eyes sparkling. The joy I saw there turned from laughter and amusement to lust and desire. Her laughter made my heart swell so much I had to have her again and I did.

I reached for her ankles and dragged her back down the bed toward me. I kissed my way up her belly pausing to suck at her smooth stomach. She squirmed beneath me and sighed her pleasure. My eyes flicked up to lock with hers, watching her face as I branded her with my mark.

I pulled her thighs apart and climbed up her body not breaking eye contact. My whole body quaked as I slipped into her warm heat slowly. Her shapely legs wrapped around my back and I felt her little feet lock over my butt cheeks. She dug her heels in urging me to go deeper as she rocked her hips up into me.