Playing to Win (The Players #3)

by Monica Murphy

His confidence practically resonates throughout the room and it doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous. His best feature is his beautiful smile—it’s broad and friendly and slightly mischievous. From where I’m standing, he appears to have a beautiful everything.

that’s all I’m looking for. A connection. Someone who gets me. Right now, that feels like an impossible feat.

I can’t help but smile when he laughs, the pleasant rumbling sound drifting over to where we stand, and I’m suddenly compelled to walk over to him and introduce myself. But would he care? Maybe not. He seems preoccupied enough. What’s one more girl in the mix?

We stop in front of the newly, publicly launched couple, a pang in my heart when I see the way Cam looks at my sister. As if the sun rises and sets on her head. Like she’s the only person he sees.

What can I say? Attractive, confident men must be a weakness.

“Introduce me, future brother-in-law. I want to meet that guy.” “Ruby.” Blair’s eyes are wide, like she hates that I just said that, but I couldn’t resist. Cam doesn’t appear to mind though. The smile on his face is soft, like he might even enjoy the idea of being part of the Maguire family,

I just want to have fun. With a guy. Who isn’t afraid to give me what I want when I ask for it. Or when he just…takes it. Takes me.

Is Knox really that much of a threat? What does he say to these guys to keep them away from us?

I have a thing about hands. A man’s hands. I don’t know what it is. I love a smile and a handsome face and a hard body but what really gets me? Ace’s hands are…perfect. I bet he knows just how to touch a woman. Hands cupped around my cheeks, holding me in place, or even better? A hand around my throat. Gentle yet firm. With just enough pressure to show his strength, though I know deep down he would never harm a single hair on my head.

“You should join me.” He taps his fingers against the back of the couch. “It’s probably safer if I stand,” I say. I get the feeling if I snuggled up close to him on the couch, I might end up doing something I’ll regret. Oh, who am I kidding? I wouldn’t regret spending a little time with this man.

Maybe I can have some fun with Knox’s little sister. I might be an idiot to even consider it, but as I sit here listening to her explain her situation and how she doesn’t even go to this school, she’s sounding more and more… Perfect.

“You’re a giant flirt,” she tells me, and I open my mouth to argue with her, but she keeps talking. “Which is fine. I like it. You’re actually just my type.” “You’re just my type too,” I tell her, leaning into her so I can murmur those words close to her ear.

She’s hot. Pretty. The dress she’s wearing has a low-cut neckline that shows off the tops of her tits and I can tell…she’s not wearing a bra. Nice. Easy access. I’m all about that. The dress hits about mid-thigh and when she sits, the hem rides up, showing off her slender legs. Wonder if she’s got panties on. Wonder if she’s going to let me check.

it’s like I got close to him and he put his hands—wait, only his finger—on me and my senses went haywire. Completely out of control. It’s weird. I don’t like feeling out of control. I sort of hate it. I also sort of want it—that moment between Ace and me—to happen again.

“Three, two, one…HAPPY NEW YEAR!” The sounds of cheers and party horns blaring fill my already ringing ears as I take in what’s happening directly in front of me. It’s another cramped bathroom and Ace is in it, and this time the redhead who busted up our earlier encounter is the one in his arms, her lips fused with his. His broad back is to me and her hands are buried in his hair, long pointy red nails stroking through the short strands. When she breaks the kiss, our gazes meet, the triumphant smile on her face telling me she’s absolutely thrilled I caught them together. That she’s the one who got to kiss him at midnight and not me.

I hate losing control of a situation, and I hate even more looking like a fool. Right now, I feel like the biggest fool out there.

I don’t hate Ace Townsend. Though I am still pissed over what happened on New Year’s Eve. I thought we had a connection. We definitely had chemistry. That almost kiss in the bathroom still ranks as one of the hottest moments I’ve ever experienced, but then he had to go off and ruin everything. Kissing another girl on New Year’s Eve isn’t necessarily a crime, but I don’t want to deal with a guy like that. He can’t commit. Not even to a kiss at midnight. And that sucks.

At the time, my thoughts were all about someone temporary. The good-time guy who knows how to have fun. But he couldn’t even manage that and over the last eight months, I’ve had some…thoughts. No more settling for the guy who obviously doesn’t want to commit. I deserve a man who’s totally into me. It should be painfully obvious. Which means Ace definitely isn’t the guy for me.

I’ve never let my insecurities get me down. Throughout high school, I was a total overachiever, both in class and in my extracurriculars. I love a schedule, staying busy, creating things, doing things. But the moment I graduated high school and went away to college, I’ve felt…wayward. A little lost. Unsure of myself. I can’t explain why. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing here, if that makes any sense. What’s my purpose in life? Why are we expected to have our life plan in place at eighteen and know what we want for our future career?

Ruby feels like the one who got away. The one I blew it with. That tantalizing moment with her in the bathroom on New Year’s Eve still lives rent free in my head and I can’t shake it. I didn’t even kiss her. It’s one of my biggest regrets—that I don’t know the taste of Ruby Maguire’s lips. I should’ve tried to explain myself better after she caught me at midnight with someone else. I should’ve never let that girl drag me into the bathroom in the first place. Talk about a colossal mistake.

But now with Knox and Blair gone, I’m the lone Maguire left. Do they even care? I know there’s one who might, but from the vibe I got from him that night at the New Year’s party, I’m sure he’s already moved on. I don’t matter to him. And he doesn’t matter to me either. Considering I’m going to avoid Ace Townsend at all costs, I’m not too worried about this. At all.

The other half of my brain is wondering how I’m going to deal with seeing Ace tomorrow. Am I making a bigger deal about this than I need to be? Probably, but that’s always been my mode of operation. I sort of make a big deal over…everything. I guess Ace is no exception. He definitely blew it that night. I would’ve done pretty much anything with him to experience that heady, all-consuming chemistry I felt with him during that moment in the bathroom. I haven’t experienced something like that with a guy before or since. And it really better not be a one-shot moment only with that guy. If that’s the case? I’m freaking doomed.

I really hate it when he calls us boys, but I live for putting on a show and I’m ready to perform. Especially for Ruby Maguire. Is she on our social media team? Looks like it. How fucking lucky can I get? From what I remember last year, we had a lot of interaction with them. After a while, we didn’t even notice they were there, because they were always around. Don’t know how that’ll be possible with Ruby. I mean, look at her. How can I not notice her?

Ruby Maguire is sexy as fuck and she’s not doing a damn thing. Just standing there, while my body reacts like I’ve just been completely overstimulated.

This man is off limits. I can’t think about doing anything with him because it puts my job at risk. And I like my new job. I don’t want to lose it for some dumb jock who’ll eventually disappoint me anyway.

Ace nods, drumming his fingers on the table. I stare at those fingers. They’re long and almost elegant and they can throw a ball like no other. I wonder what else they can do? My body goes warm, thinking nothing but dirty thoughts. His fingers undressing me. Sliding around my neck. Pinning me in place…

I lean back against the booth, knocking my knee into his, slightly taken aback by how warm he is. The man is a furnace. “You’re staring.” “You’re hot.” I’m taken aback by his blatant statement. “Seriously?”

“I have a feeling we’d be really good together.” I hate how rattled his words leave me. How intrigued I am by him. Maybe we would be good together. In fact, we might even be freaking fantastic together. I get the sense Ace knows exactly what he’s doing sexually. He’s in peak athletic form. I saw the way he moved out on that field earlier. If I let him, I’d bet he could fuck me into oblivion and I’d die happily satisfied.

He’s the type of guy who pulls you into his orbit, makes you feel like no one else matters but you, and then promptly dumps you without warning when someone else catches his attention. I’ve dealt with this sort of thing—this sort of guy—before. I’m not interested in putting myself through that again.

Okay, specifically I’m eyeing Ace’s happy trail and it’s making me feel very, um… Happy.

Here’s the thing when it comes to Ruby. I like her. A lot. I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m dying to spend more time with her. How do I convince Ruby I’m not such a bad guy?

I have a legit fan club for God’s sake, and while I love that those girls love me, they’re not anyone I can take seriously. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone can take me seriously.

Ruby Red is pretty damn cute in those glasses, though I bet if I told her that, she’d roll her eyes and blow me off. She’s good at that. Blowing me off. Too bad she won’t give me a shot and just blow me…

No. I don’t miss him. That’s just weird. How can I miss someone who irritates me every time I talk to him? Hell, I look at him and I’m irritated. I definitely don’t miss him, but I do miss his…smart mouth and charming smile.

“We should catch up.” “Catch up about what?” I ask warily. “Anything. Everything. I like talking to you, Red.” He reaches out, his fingers curling around my chin, tilting my face up. “I like looking at you too. Whatcha think? Tonight, say around nine?”

He presses his thumb to the corner of my mouth, his gaze hot as it lingers on my lips. I wish he wouldn’t stare at them. Fine, I like it when he looks at me.

“Can I confess something?” he murmurs. “Okay,” I say, suddenly breathless. “Can’t stop thinking about you since our last encounter, Red. I missed having you on the sidelines.”

Ace nods, his gaze locked on my mouth. As if he’s thinking of the many things he can stuff in it. Or maybe that’s me having those filthy thoughts.

don’t need some girl stringing me along. Even if she’s hot. Even if her skin is kitten soft and her greenish-hazel eyes were eating me up earlier. Even if she’s the reason I play that much better whenever she’s close by.

“Come on, Ruby Red. Just sit down and let me stare at you for a minute.” She pauses, her eyes wide and I realize what I just said. Feels like I gave something away. Like my feelings. Fuck.

I can smell her perfume, the bare skin of her thigh pressing against mine and I remind myself that I can’t touch her. All I wanna do is touch her. It feels like a switch flipped on inside me and it pounds out her name with an incessant drum.

She’s teasing, her lips curved into this sexy little smile I want to kiss off. No. What the hell am I thinking? There’s no kissing this girl. That will only lead to trouble. I need to just—fuck her hard once. From behind? Yeah, that sounds perfect. Tugging on her silky hair and making her moan with every thrust… That should get her out of my system once and for all.

Shit, where is this coming from? I blame it on Ruby. She makes me feel…I can’t even explain it. I just know one thing. I want her. I want to spend more time with her. I want to kiss her and talk to her and get to know her better. I want to strip off her clothes and fuck her nice and slow. Then fuck her hard and fast. Make her come. Make her shout my name. Stuff her mouth full of my dick. Go down on her until she’s coming all over my face. Yeah. That’s what I want. With her. Ruby.

“I don’t really know you either,” Ruby points out. “You know me better than any other woman does.” I curl a few strands of her silky blonde hair around my finger and gently tug. “You actually have conversations with me.”

I like the way my fingers look, curled around her throat. It’s fucking sexy. She’s sexy. I have a feeling we’d be so damn good together. Like we have the potential to burn down the world, if she’d just let me show her.

And while I shouldn’t look too much into it, this guy was most definitely just feeling low because he thought I was going to reject him. I’d bet big money women don’t reject him. I mean… Look at him. What rational woman would reject him?

I loved the way Ace grabbed my face without asking. My neck. Like he wants to claim me. As if he might already own me. I wanted to melt, it felt so good.

His fingers are light, yet exert enough pressure that I know he’s there. That he has the power to crush me. But he never would. Ever.

When Ace’s hand falls away from my neck, I miss his touch so bad, I physically ache from the loss. I’m reaching for my beer, drinking as much as possible, because I remember I told him I wanted to finish my beer first. And now I’m desperate to finish it so we can get out of here. Together.

“You wanna play nurse for me, Red? Make sure I’m feeling okay?” He’s teasing, his eyes sparkling and I can imagine tucking him into bed. Just before I slip in between the sheets and maul him. Take care of his…other needs. And my own. Okay, I am not one to just wallow in my dirty thoughts but being this close to him and all the innuendo in our conversation, has me fantasizing about him putting his hands on me again… It’s got me thinking all sorts of thoughts. None of them proper.