Page 1 of Tempting the Player
Prologue
10 years earlier.
“Let me know when you’re leaving because I'm coming with you.” He shouts over the loud thumping music. I look at him, my eyes widening in surprise - I didn’t see him approach.
He leans in to speak in my ear. “I've been watching you all night, and Ireallywant to know what it would be like to fuck you. I can promise you that if you say yes, you won’t be disappointed.” His voice is so low and near to my ear that it sends vibrations through my body. His hands go on my hips to pull me towards his body, and then his lips are on my neck. His body feels delicious pressed against me. His fit, broad, lean, toned body and his gorgeous, soft but firm lips.
I place my hands on his chest to push him away from me, arrogant man! He knows he’s God’s gift to women - the effect he has on every woman, but shit, what a gift it would be. I want to hate him for his cockiness, but I kinda like it, and his confidence goes with his reputation. I should be ashamed of myself, but I want him to do what he’s offered. Should I? Ireallywant to. I never do anything crazy... ever. Surely, I should allow myself this one little thing... or a big thing, as the case may be. I'm sure it would definitely be big!
Nathan ‘Gingerbread Man’ Harris wants to come home with me (I’ll get to the Gingerbread Man part later!). I’ve had my eye on him for a while… my secret crush. Typical broad and lean rugby player physique that goes with playing rugby and training as much as he does. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much morethan that for me. I love the sport, and I love the men who play it even more. If the fact that he's a rugby player isn’t enough, his body is teamed with that gorgeous brown curly hair that he keeps short, but not too short that I couldn’t run my fingers through it… or grip onto it when I needed to. He has dark blue eyes that seem like he’s baring his soul, but here lies the problem - he’s not the soul-bearing type - He’s a player of the worst order. He’s aware of where his looks get him and takes advantage of every available opportunity. It doesn’t help that he gets plenty of opportunities... too many. I'm not the only rugby groupie around here, our town is full of them, and he's the hottest one I've seen. He needs a shave, as usual, but it adds to his appearance. To top it off, he shows me his wide smile, which reveals two perfect dimples... dimples for crying out loud! I don’t know if dimples should be sexy, but on him, they work. He has tattoos along his arm that go under his shirt. I’m done for - one-night stand or not - I’d have to be mad to say no to this guy - unless you’re insane or madly in love with someone else – you don’t say no to Nathan Harris! I already know I’m not going to say no. Will doing this make me feel used in the morning? I know what he is, and what he's offering when he says he wants to come home with me, so maybe if I feel used tomorrow, that’s my doing, not his. I either take him up on his offer of sex - but I bet it's fantastic sex - or say no. My choice. I'm leaning towards the fantastic sex option.Reallyleaning towards it.
His nickname is The Gingerbread Man, but they call him Ginger or Ging. He is so fast on the pitch that once he gets the ball and takes off on a run, no one can catch him. I've no idea how it began, but when he runs, the crowd chants, ‘Run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch Nate, he’s the Gingerbread Man!’
The atmosphere at a rugby match is an atmosphere I haven’t been able to match anywhere else - the beer-drinking loud men mixed with the families and the little kids that are growing up with the sport in their blood, the girls who go along to ogle the players, dolled up as though they're ready for a night out, hoping to catch one of their eyes. I'm somewhere in the middle. My dad and brother have always followed our local town. When I was around twelve, I started going with them to the home matches, and I was hooked. Thanks to my family, I'm always in the ‘beer drinking, loud men’ stand. It's one big family at a match. The fighting - and there is usually a fight at some point - stays on the pitch. Rugby is a gentleman’s game through and through.
The trouble is, as with many rugby players in this town, along with the looks, body, cheeky personality, and nicknames, you also get the cockiness, the unwillingness to form a relationship, and the urge to sleep around. Nathan excels at that image, taking advantage of every opportunity he gets. I’ve seen this guy on the field, I’ve seen what he can do - his speed, his agility, his strength - he's impressive and he knows it. Unfortunately, the girls who fall at his feet make him feel more and more omnipotent every week.
There’s something about a man having all that power, it’s alpha, and of course, those short shorts don’t suck, showing off their gorgeous legs and bums beautifully! Watching a load of hot men rolling around in the mud, being manly, what’s not to love?
Nate is a head-turner at around 6'4". His broad shoulders taper into a neat waist, and those thighs... Jesus, those thighs. Just wondering what those thighs would be like without those jeans on gets me going. So what if he presumes I’m a slut? He’ll think I'm the same as the other girls in this town – he doesn’t need to know that I don’t sleep around. This guy isn’t settlingdown any time soon, so I might as well have fun while I’m still young. Besides… Ireallywant him!
From the beginning of tonight, he planned on taking me home, he’s made sure I was aware that he's seen me in every pub we’ve been in, with copious amounts of obvious eye contact and fuck me looks, he's even come over and made conversation a couple of times, one time asking if he can buy me a drink. Since we’ve been in this club, he’s made sure he's been nearby.
I'm not complaining, but I can’t help but wonder why he picked me tonight. I'm okay to look at. I felt hot tonight before I came out, but a few hours and a lot of alcohol later, I will not be as fresh. My long red hair complements this purple body-con dress, which falls above the mid-thigh. It has a plunging neckline that shows my very average-sized boobs, which donotlook average-sized in this push-up bra that I have on, false advertising. I have larger than average eyes but a dull brown colour – I hear that I'm pretty, but I'm just ordinary - but he isn’t making me feel ordinary tonight - he's making me believe that he's singled me out from all the hot women in here and it makes me special.
He's watching, waiting for an answer. I tilt my head to the side and give him what I hope is a flirty smile. He takes that as the green light. Stepping in close again, he gives me a wide grin before leaning in to kiss me. When his mouth makes contact with mine, I sink into him, opening my mouth to let his tongue inside. He possesses me with his mouth, his lips soft, and my hands automatically go around his neck - his tongue finds mine - he tastes of whisky. The kiss deepens, making me forget where I am, as I finger the hair at his nape. Electricity, chemistry... something hard to explain is running through me, it’s hot, whatever it is…from this kiss alone I’m getting turned on. Heatbuilds between my legs, making the rest of my body tingle as I press myself into him - I stiffen as the extent of his excitement presses into me. Oh yes, I want this man.
“Get a room!” Someone shouts from behind, forcing me to reluctantly break off the kiss. My best friends, Karen and Amanda, are grinning at me.
“That’s the best fucking advice I’ve had all night,” Nathan says gruffly in my ear. “Come on, let's go.” He grabs my hand and pulls me along with him, but abruptly stops, as though he's thought of something, and turns back to me.
“One thing I should be clear on though - if you want a good night that’ll leave you with a smile on your face, I’m your guy - but if you’re looking for boyfriend material - the whole white picket fence scene - you’re barking up the wrong tree with me,” he shrugs “it’s only fair to warn you before I go home with you.”
He doesn’t need to explain. For weeks, I've sat back and watched him pick up a different woman every weekend. Maybe I should turn him down, but why do the guys get to have all the fun? I know what I’m getting into, and at least he’s being honest, not like some men. The thought of having one night with this man, one of the hottest men I've ever seen? His body on top of me, covering me . . . driving into me. Shit yes... Sign me up, please!
I lay my hand on his chest, hmmm... very hard! “Don’t worry, I know exactly what you are, Nathan Harris, and that’s fine with me. Let me tell my friends we’re leaving.”
He winks at me and nods. “I’ll tell the guys I’m leaving too – don’t go anywhere, I’ll be back in a minute.”
I watch him walk through the crowds, a couple of guys slapping him on the back in recognition, and a couple of the women watching him walk past with predatory gazes. Well, back off, ladies, he's mine tonight.
“Got lucky, I see?” Karen says, nudging me.
“Yeah... but have you seen who I’ve got lucky with? I get it’s a one-night thing, but I don’t care, he is HOT and I’m going to make sure I take advantage of that hotness tonight!”
“Be careful.” Amanda says warily, “You’ve got condoms, right?”
“Yes, Mum.” I say laughing, “I promise I’ll be good.”
The three of us shared a house at Hull University - we’ve been best friends ever since and live close to each other. We were inseparable throughout university and still are now. The three of us couldn’t be more different if we tried - we’re an odd trio.
Amanda is curvy…slightlyoverweight - with the way she talks about herself, you’d think she was twenty stone. She is 4'10 "with long, brown hair. She’s pretty but doesn’t believe it. She doesn't have a nasty bone in her body.
Karen - a different species altogether - speaks her mind, regardless of whether people want to hear it. No filter whatsoever, but her heart is in the right place. Towering above the two of us at six feet, with naturally blonde curly hair and striking blue eyes. Eyes are on her everywhere she goes, but unfortunately for the men, she prefers women.
This is our once-a-week night out at ‘Pulse’. It’s run down, it's scruffy, full of unsavoury characters and cheap booze, but it’s the only club in town, so no one has much of a choice but to go there if they want to keep their night going.
Nathan comes back into view a few feet away from me, making my stomach flip. He leans back on the wall and raises an eyebrow at me in a ‘you ready’ motion and waits there for me to go to him. I turn to say my goodbyes to the girls, excitement brewing inside me.
