Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(21)
“My dad, he took care of selling my place when I moved here,” I murmur.
He looks up at me and closes the distance between us cupping my face. “You’ve been here all this time, in Texas?” I nod and he shakes his head, closing his eyes. “I’m so sorry. She’s mine, Brielle? She’s really mine?” His voice holds so much awe.
“Yes,” I whisper.
He shocks me when his big arms wrap around me and he lifts me from my feet spinning me in the air. His face buries into the crook of my neck as he squeezes me tight. He murmurs my name over and over, his laugh vibrating through my body as he holds me tight.
I wrap my arms around his neck not knowing what else to do. I am still unsure where this is going. I don’t know if he will hate me for not telling him once the shock wears off. He still smells the same. I remember his cologne from crying over the pillow he slept on. It is like a blast from the past, citrusy and musky.
He slides me down his body and I feel the evidence of his arousal press into my stomach. I can see the heat in his eyes as he looks down at my lips. I step back quickly surprised by his reaction to being close to me.
He clears his throat and looks into my eyes. “I want to be a part of her life, to get to know her,” his brows draw together. “I missed four years. Please, I want to spend time with her.”
I nod. “Sure, that’s fine. I just want to take things slow though. She can be sensitive as you can see. I don’t know how she will take this. She is very smart, but this can be a little confusing.”
“Okay, I understand. You have done such a good job with her. I’ll do this your way, just tell me how,” his eyes pierce mine as he speaks with sincerity.
Chapter 9
The last two weeks have been physically and emotionally exhausting. Between going back to work, Bri going back to day care, and Brad integrating into our lives I am spent. There hasn’t been a day when Brad hasn’t been to my place.
Bri is beside herself with the idea that her new best friend comes to play with her every day. I didn’t think it was possible for Brad to be in my house more than Ellerie but he is. I have been cooking larger amounts of food, because those two eat like each one of them is an entire football team by themselves.
I laughed when Brad told me that he was now on an organic diet. I supported my brother when he was conditioning for the game so I have been eating organic for some years now. So Brad fits right in.
I can’t seem to keep him off my mind. When I’m trying not to think of him Brielle is bringing him up with, ‘oh Mommy Brad said this,’ or ‘oh Mommy Brad did that.’ Sometimes I want to scream Bri please give Mommy a break with Brad. But when I see her little face light up, and I know she has no idea that she is talking about her father, it crushes me and I let her talk all she wants.
It still doesn’t help me to focus on anything other than him. We had a business lunch last week to talk about me representing him, and I spent most the time squirming in my seat. He makes those tailored suits look like the most delicious candy wrappers ever.
Here I am at a kiddy party and I’m supposed to be taking pictures of my daughter, but my panties are soaked. I can’t stop thinking about Brad in my back yard in a pair of swim trunks. Bri begged him to come over to swim with her yesterday and he dropped everything to make her wish come true.
Oh, the man is sin on legs. His body is so ripped and huge. He was not that big or chiseled five years ago. Can feet be sexy? His are, I watched him padding around the pool wondering how that is possible. Then there is the hair. I would never have thought I would get used to it so long or like it, but it works on him. What doesn’t?
He didn’t have ink when I met him, but now he’s covered in it. Tattoos were never my thing, but Brad is a canvas worth staring at. He has this intricate one on his chest over his heart that I couldn’t make out without him catching me staring. The bicep of his right arm has a half sleeve with an amazing depiction of piano keys wrapping the arm under a time piece, and a hand holding an Ace, King, Queen, and Jack of hearts. On his back and across his shoulder blades he has an angel rising out of a football field.
Whoever does his work is incredible. It was so cute when Bri asked him who drew on him and why’d he let them. Neither my brother nor I have any tats that Brielle has seen. Brad laughed really hard and told her he was stupid enough to let a friend draw on him, but her skin is too pretty to ever think about letting someone draw on her.
“Mommy, look how high I can jump,” Brielle squeals drawing me back to the moment.
“Good job, baby,” I beam and shift on my heels.
Ugh, I have on mile high heels at a kiddy party. I have to do something to get Brad’s attention. He promised Brielle he would meet her here to meet her other friends. At first he told her he would swing by after and pick her up to hang out with her. When I told him other adults would be here including me he was all for it. That’s why I’ve been standing off to the side, further away from the other parents waiting for him.
The man has been driving me insane looking so good and forbidden. However, since I backed away from him in the locker room he hasn’t tried anything. He has asked if I am seeing anyone, using the excuse that he wanted to know if Brielle had any other father figures in her life other than Ellerie.
I was too chicken to ask him the same question. Instead I have started to stalk my baby daddy on the internet. I know… it’s sad. Supposedly, he recently broke up with some platinum blonde chick. She used to be a model or something. There haven’t been any new pictures of them. I wonder if that is because he moved here or did they really break up like the rumors say.