Sugar and Spice by Kat Baxter

Chapter 2

Sam

She’s looking for a weekend rendezvous.

It is a goddamn miracle that I haven’t made a complete ass of myself. The curvy bombshell has me tied in knots and I don’t understand it one bit.

I’m not that guy. You know the horndog that’ll chase any woman within reach.

Don’t get me wrong, I love sex, but I’m not a hit it and quit it kind of guy. I’m more of a serial monogamist. Only without the actual relationship. My life is too complicated to be weighed down with a demanding relationship.

The world thinks I’m a player and that’s okay because people are going to think whatever the hell they want to think. The truth though is that I’m not, nor have I ever been, a player. That’s not how my parents raised me. They have the forever kind of love.

And it’s what I’ve always wanted. So no, I’m not a one-night-stand kind of guy. But this woman makes me want to break all of my rules.

All.

Night.

Long.

I know what I want in the long run. When my body gives out or when the next star linebacker comes along, I want to retire. I want to teach History at the local high school and come home to one woman for the rest of my life. I want to fill her belly with my babies and then I want us to drive our fucking minivan to Disney World for summer vacation.

Right now though I’m one of the most sought after linebackers in the NFL. I’m here in New York, with one of my teammates, because we share the same sports agent. We’re both being wooed for different endorsements and so my quick trip in and out of the city might end up being more complicated than I’d intended. Because I cannot let this woman fall into just anyone’s bed.

There’s something about her.

What I want to do is grab her and take her up to my room and show her just how much adult fun she can have in the Sex and the City city.

It’s completely for her protection that I slip the front desk lady an extra hundred to give me the room next to Isabel’s.

A woman as hot as she is does not need to be wandering the city alone, looking for a hookup. Thankfully, she seems to stick closely to the schedule she outlined on the phone. The first night, she doesn’t leave her room. By the time I’m up for my meeting with my agent on Friday, she seems to be gone.

And, yeah, I hang out in the hotel lobby all afternoon until I see her return mid-afternoon. A few hours later when I hear her door open, I leave to meet her at the elevator and hope like hell that it looks like a coincidence. The metal doors are sliding closed when I slip a hand in between them to open them back up. Then I step inside and we’re alone.

And fuck me if she doesn’t look gorgeous. She’s wearing some tight red number that hugs all of her thick curves.

“Well if it isn’t Mr. Judgement,” she quips, her brown eyes narrowing on me.

“What does that mean?” I’m having a hard fucking time keeping my eyes off her incredible cleavage. I could spend hours with tits like that.

“I saw you downstairs yesterday,” she says.

“Yeah,” I say hesitantly. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she called me out for following her.

Instead she rolls her eyes. “I know you overheard my conversation while I was waiting to check in. I know you were judging me for wanting to have a weekend fling.” She jabs me in the chest with one of her red-tipped fingers. “But I bet you wouldn’t have looked at a man the same way.”

Jesus. She thinks I’ve been judging her?

That couldn’t be farther than the truth.

The truth is, I’m dying to offer myself up on the altar of her weekend fling. But what the hell do I know about flirting with women?

On the football field, I’ve got all the moves. Off of it, not so much.

“I most definitely would not have looked at a man the same way.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”

“So your plan is to just have a one and done?”

“Yes, that’s my plan.” She plants her fists on her hips. “What is your problem with that? Because I know that no man would worry about having a one and done in a strange city. You’re probably planning to do the very same thing.”

I lean closer to her, knowing full well that I’m looming over her more petite frame. “I don’t have a problem with it.”

She bites down on her lip and looks up at me. “I mean, not with you. I’m not hitting on you or anything,” she says, her voice breathy.

I take a step closer.

“You do know men though, right?”

It’s my turn to narrow my eyes. “Yeah. Cookie, I know men.”

“I mean, you know men here. In New York, right? You could introduce me.”

I shake my head and step back from her. “No. I’m not going to do that.”

Her eyes brighten and she smiles.

Goddamn, she’s pretty. Her front teeth are just a little crooked and she’s only got one dimple, but that smile is everything.

“Wait! Maddox!”

Her words are a kick to my gut. She’s not hitting on me, but she wants my best friend. Fuck that. “What? No. Maddox is not the guy for you. Definitely not. He’s very busy. He has his kids with him.”

She laughs and smacks my arm playfully. “You’re funny, big guy. I didn’t mean Maddox for my one and done. But he knows all the same people you do. He’ll introduce me! I’m pretty sure he’s not going to be all weird and judge-y about this.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m not being weird or judge-y. I do think you should be more careful. You’re a beautiful woman alone in a big city.”

Her head tilts and she gives me another smile and this one nearly drops me to my knees. This woman. Fuck!

“You think I’m beautiful?”

“Come on, Cookie, I’m pretty sure when you put on that red dress that hugs every fucking curve, you knew you looked beautiful. You don’t need a man to tell you that.”

She lifts a shoulder. “Still nice to hear.” Her brown eyes look me over. “Where you going all fancied up?”

“Stupid party.” I hate these things. It’s not that I’m anti-social, I just prefer to talk to people one on one and talk about real things instead of spitballing about the weather and dumb shit.

Isabel’s eyes sparkle. “Me too. Maybe it’s the same party. Are you here for the Le CRV Magazine Women of the Year?”

“I don’t know what that is.”

She laughs and my dick twitches. Seriously, what is it with this woman? As corny as it sounds, she has totally bewitched me.

“It’s a magazine for plus size women and I won a contest with them. I’m one of five women here for a special photo shoot and then I’ll be on the cover.”

“Wow, that’s amazing, Isabel. Tell me why you won.”

“I own and run a mail-order chocolate company that specializes in chocolates blended with peppers. So it’s sweet and hot.”

“Like you.”

She points at me and wiggles her eyebrows. “Exactly!”

“Where do you live?” I ask.

“Small town on the coast in Massachusetts called Starlight Bay. And you?”

“Austin, Texas.”

She laughs. “I have heard that everything is bigger in Texas and you definitely prove that.”

The elevator dings and the doors open. My party is on the hotel’s roof top patio. Hers is on the floor just below it. She moves to walk out and I loop my hand around her elbow and stop her. “Come to my party and I’ll introduce you to people.”

“Men?”

I nod. The least I can do is make sure she doesn’t end up with someone dangerous.

“I should probably make a showing at my own party though.”

“I’ll add your name on the list as my guest.”

She eyes me with open speculation, like she’s trying to decide if I’m on the up and up.

“Thank you, Sam.” Then she steps out of the elevator and I watch her walk away. Even going so far as to hold the elevator door open so I don’t miss a moment of her plump ass encased in that red, sparkly dress.

I spend the next hour and a half doing my best not to roll my eyes at the all the ass kissing going on at my party. My agent, Tim, is never the guy I want to hang out with, but he gets me the money I’m worth. And his agency represents a lot of impressive talent. Even though I know being seen at these things is important, they always rub me the wrong way.

There’s a line of athletic clothing that wants me as well as an energy bar. I won’t do endorsements unless I would legitimately use the product, which Tim already knows. So he should have just told these people to send me samples. Instead I’m here trying to concentrate on these people’s words while my mind is completely consumed with a voluptuous brunette.

I’ve tried to set my own interest in Isabel aside and look for a guy she might be interested in. Yeah, it feels like bullshit, but she doesn’t seem interested in me and it’s not like I want her picking up some random stranger.

I’ve honestly looked at the guys here and tried to think of one I’d feel comfortable setting her up with. There are even some decent dudes, but the thought of any of them touching her makes me want to pound their faces in. So as much as I want to spend more time with her, I’m relieved she hasn’t shown up.

The relief, however, is short lived when I see a flash of red from the entrance to the rooftop lounge. I head in her direction since I’ve put her down as my plus one. She’s already gathering attention and I get to her side right as Joe Malone, a professional pitcher known for being a total fuckboy, reaches his hand out to her.

“Not this one, Malone, she’s mine,” I growl as I put my arm around her waist. I pull her away from the offensive baseball player and head to the bar.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she snaps.

“He’s an ass.” I lead her up to the counter. “What do you want to drink, Cookie?”

“Prosecco?”

I nod to the bartender and he pours her a glass of bubbly drink. I get another club soda, then put my hand on her lower back as we step away.

“How was your party?” I ask.

“Good. I met the other women and they’re all amazing.”

“Tell me about them,” I say.

“Madeline owns a swimwear company and I love her swimsuits, they’re totally my favorite brand. Trinity was such a huge name as a plus size model herself and now she owns her own modeling agency. She was so sweet and down to earth. Then there was Mari who is a total badass. She’s this amazing music producer. I mean they’re all doing these super cool things and here I am just making candy.” She rolls her eyes. “I still can’t believe I’m one of their cover girls.”

I don’t know any of these other women, but I googled Isabel. I’ve read up about her business and she’s a badass in her own right, so if these other women are in her league, they must be doing some important shit.

“So when do I get to try some of your chocolate?”

She lifts a shoulder, as if it’s no big deal. “I have some back in my room if you want some.”

I’m immediately filled with the image of eating chocolate off of her skin. My cock jolts.

She takes a sip of her drink, then licks her lips and I’m pretty sure I groan. Her expressive brown eyes scan the room, then she stills. Her hand grips my forearm.

“Oh my God, is that Tony Morelli?”

I glance over to where she’s staring and sure enough the Ice Hawk goalie is standing there talking to Tim.

“I had no idea we shared the same agent,” I muse.

“Can you introduce me?”

“Maybe later. I don’t really know him. But I can introduce you to some guys over here.” I lead her in the direction of Seth McNamara and John Craven. They’re both decent guys and they both happen to be happily married, but I’m hoping Isabel doesn’t realize that.

So I introduce her and they’re friendly and ask about her trip and the magazine. Then I drag her to meet Eric Wilder, the tallest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. I’m a big guy, even among professional athletes, but this guy is at least half a foot taller than me. Works well for him in the NBA.

After they chat for a bit, Isabel turns to me, her eyes narrowed. She grabs my tie and drags me to a quieter place in the room. She might as well be pulling me by the dick because this woman fucking owns me already. Which still doesn’t make any sense, but my dad always told me that when I met the right woman, I’d just know. I think he probably meant that once I’d gotten to know a woman, I would figure out she was the one. Instead I’m like a fucking caveman and I want to club her over the head (gently, of course) and bring her back to my hotel room and do filthy things to her.

Finally when we’ve reached a bank of windows that looks out at the night sky, she drops my tie and glares at me.

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

“I feel like this is trick question.”

She pops her fists on her hips. “The only men you’ve introduced me to are married.”

“Wilder isn’t married,” I point out.

“No, but he’s one of the few openly gay NBA players. I do watch TV and follow social media.”

“You don’t know who I am.”

“Is that what this is about? You’re butthurt because I don’t recognize your giant ass?” She rolls her eyes. “You’re ridiculous. I mean it’s obvious you’re an athlete because you’re enormous. I’m guessing you play hockey or rugby or something.”

She’s wrong, but they aren’t bad guesses so I just give her a tiny nod. “Do you want another drink?”

“No, I think I’m just going to go to bed.” She turns to leave and I grab her arm.

“I’ll walk with you. I’ve had enough people for tonight.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard.” She opens her arms wide. “As you can tell, none of the men in here are interested in approaching me. You might as well have just pissed a circle around me to let everyone know I’m off limits.”

I grunt.

“Did you just growl at me?” she asks, her tone incredulous.

“I was just trying to protect you.”

“I know you were, big guy, and as irritating as it is to have a giant cock-blocking me, I know you’re just being a good guy.” She shoulder bumps me. “Still annoying as fuck.”

I grin at her. “Aww, Cookie, I can live with that.”

“Stop calling me that.”