Player Loves Curves Box Set #4-6 by Hope Ford
Dusty
I almost skippedout on tonight. It’s a Fourth of July party and fundraiser to raise money for food banks. I could have just sent a check in, but my agent thought since I just got traded to the Mavericks a few months ago it’s important for me to show up. Plus, I don’t want to screw this up. Being traded to the Mavericks also means I’m closer to my family. There’s a lot of players here, I know, but there’s a lot of players from other teams too. I’ve only been here an hour and already I’m sick of the uptight, pretentious show. Even though it’s outdoors, next to a pool, the atmosphere is pretty intense. This really isn’t my thing. I’d much rather spend an evening at home than do this.
Of course, then I’d have missed meeting Serenity. Just remembering the way the man positioned himself against her makes me want to punch something. I’m sick of the men that treat women like objects. I have three younger sisters and just the thought of them getting treated like the way Serenity was has me seeing red. I hope I never forget who I am and start acting like some of the assholes I’m surrounded by at this party.
The waitress that was fending off three different guys earlier had been calm, but when the douchebag by the pool went after her, I had enough of standing by. I just couldn’t stomach watching and doing nothing. Now I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. She’s working the crowd, smiling at everyone, but I can see the guarded way she carries herself. I hate that she feels like she has to. How many other men here feel they have the right to touch her? She has on black pants and a white button-up shirt. Her blond hair is in a long ponytail that swings back and forth as she walks. All in all, she looks conservative, but her curves are what’s causing the men’s tongues to wag. Just watching their reaction to her as she walks by is telling. And she doesn’t seem to have a clue how she affects people. It’s almost like she doesn’t know how beautiful she is.
I take a drink of water as someone slaps me on the back. I start to cough and turn to greet Henry, one of the pitchers for the Mavericks.
“I’m outta here, man,” he says.
I point my water bottle at the crowd. “Is it always like this?”
Just as I say it, there’s a squeal. A man has a woman in his arms, and he pulls her with him as he jumps into the pool. The woman punches him in the face before dragging herself to the edge.
Henry shakes his head, and we watch as Jasper Reilly, another pitcher for the Mavericks, and his wife help the woman out of the pool. “Most of the Mavericks have calmed down. I think with this being a league party, it’s getting the competitive juices going. They’re going to act out, ya know, see whose dick is bigger.”
I just shake my head in disgust and look around the room to find Serenity. Henry holds his hand out to me. “I’m out. You staying?”
I fist bump him. “Yeah, I’m going to hang out a while.” Henry walks away and it’s then I find Serenity again. She’s walking back toward what I’m assuming is the kitchen with an empty tray.
As soon as she disappears, I hear the men behind me talking. “That one would be perfect for our extended party. We’ll get her high and she won’t even know we’re passing her around. Plus, she’s a fat ass. Women like her are easy anyway.”
I stare down the pompous ass that said it. I recognize him from the Rebels we played a few weeks ago. I can’t get into a fight here, no matter how much I want to. My only choice is to stay until the party ends and make sure Serenity makes it home okay.
When she comes back out with another full tray, I weave through the drunk partygoers. She looks around, and I’m pretty sure she’s looking to see if her boss is around. Holding the tray out to me, she asks, “Carmelized onion on goat cheese bread?”
I scrunch my nose up. What’s up with the fancy food? “Um, no, thank you. I’m wondering if I can come back after clean-up and walk you to your car to make sure you’re safe.”
She tries to hide her surprise, but I can see it plainly on her face. I’m sure by this point she probably thinks I’m stalking her, but I’m not. She just shakes her head. “No, it will be late. One of the girls will walk me out. Thank you though.”
She smiles at me, letting me know she appreciates the thought or is just softening the fact that she’s turning me down. She starts to walk away, but I stop her. I don’t want to worry her, but I feel she has a right to know. “Look, I overheard some men talking about you. I promise, no funny business. I just want to make sure you make it to your car.”
She laughs at me then, like I’ve just told a joke instead of letting her know that something bad could happen. “Trust me, I’ve dealt with it all. I’ll be fine. I’m not going to have you come back to walk me fifty feet to my car. I promise I’ll have someone walk out with me. Thank you again. Seems you’ve saved me twice tonight.” And before I can stop her, she walks away.
My stomach tightens into knots, either from the fact that she doesn’t want me to come back or the fact that she deals with this shit all the time. Regardless, I’m coming back. I won’t be able to rest not knowing if she’s okay.
