Playing to Win (The Players)
Playing to Win: Chapter 16

I’m coiled tight, waiting for her answer. Anticipating a no because she’s probably come to her senses by now and figured out a thousand reasons why we shouldn’t do this.

But I’m dying to fuck her. Though it’s more than that. I haven’t even kissed her yet and I want to know what she tastes like. I want to see if her lips are as soft as they look and what might happen when I get my hands around her neck again. That’s a turn-on, knowing she likes that. I’ve never been into that sort of thing. Never even really thought about it.

Now Ruby’s got me thinking all sorts of things, all of them filthy, and feature me dominating her. Holding her down while I fuck her hard.

Or nice and slow.

I’ll take it any way I can get it.

Swear to God I’m breaking out into a cold sweat just thinking about it.

“Should we leave? Together?” she asks, her voice so soft I almost didn’t hear her.

“I thought that was the plan. I’m too drunk to drive,” I remind her.

“Are you too drunk to do…anything else?” She bites her lower lip, her eyes wide.

Fuck me, she’s sexy as hell.

“I’m up for whatever you want to do.” I’m leaving this up to her.

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath, glancing around the bar before her gaze returns to me, her expression dead serious as she murmurs, “Let’s go.”

I don’t hesitate. I’m urging her out of the booth with one hand against her lower back and she moves just as fast, the two of us slipping out of the booth and walking away without a backward glance. No one says a word to us, not even Derek, as we move through the crowd toward the front door, my focus on nothing else but her.

Ruby.

Girls don’t wave or say hi. Guys don’t stop me to talk about football. Only when we’re outside can I breathe easy, fucking thrilled that this girl is standing next to me in her DUMP HIM T-shirt, looking hot as fuck and a little frazzled. Like I might leave her on edge.

The feeling is mutual.

“Where are you parked?” I ask once we’re outside and staring at the parking lot full of cars.

“Come on.” I follow after her, my head swimming and I keep my gaze on her blonde head, which helps with the spins.

Clearly, I drank too much. It’s been a while, but it’s kind of wild that four beers would trash me so completely.

Or was it five?

Damn, I lost count.

“My car,” she says as she hits the key fob and a sleek white BMW makes a chirping noise, its yellow lights flashing.

I whistle low, shaking my head. “Damn, Red. That’s a nice ride.”

“It was my mom’s car. She gave it to me.” Ruby grabs hold of my hand and leads me over to the vehicle, stopping at the passenger side and opening the door. “Get in.”

I do as she demands, sliding into the passenger seat. She shuts the door and rounds the car, climbing behind the steering wheel and starting the engine with a push of a button before she grabs her phone. “Give me your address.”

I rattle it off and she punches it into her maps app. Setting her phone in the cupholder of the center console, a map shows up on the built-in screen on the dashboard. She pulls out of the parking lot seconds later, tapping at the screen when we stop at a light and bringing up a playlist on her Spotify account.

Taylor Swift’s voice booms from the speakers and I slide lower in my seat, closing my eyes. I don’t mind that this girl is a Swiftie, but I don’t really know much of her music. And women who are Taylor Swift fans always get offended when I admit I don’t know whatever song is playing.

I brace myself for Ruby to do the same.

“Don’t like it, huh?” She’s smiling as she hits the gas when the light turns green, her fingers tapping against the steering wheel.

“I don’t mind it. Taylor has a good voice.” That’s not a lie. “But it’s not like I’m a secret Swiftie or whatever.”

“That you even know the term ‘Swiftie’ earns you a point.” She laughs, turning up the music louder as she starts to sing along.

She’s no Taylor, but Ruby’s voice is actually pretty good and she knows all of the lyrics. She’s singing about a lavender haze and 1950s shit, and I have no idea what she’s talking about but it’s fun to watch her get into it.

“I like your voice,” I tell her when the song is over.

Ruby laughs, shaking her head. “You really are drunk.”

I frown. “Hey, I take offense to that.”

“I’m just okay.” She shrugs.

“You need to learn how to take a compliment, Red.”

She’s quiet for a moment, her fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel and when she finally murmurs, “Yeah, you’re probably right,” I realize something.

That took a lot for her to say.

Huh.

We’re at my apartment complex in a matter of minutes because I don’t live too far from downtown and I’m relatively close to campus. The majority of the football team lives in this complex, which makes it convenient for us to commute together to school, practice, or the bars.

“That’s my building,” I tell her, and Ruby pulls into an empty parking spot directly in front of it, putting the car in park and turning toward me with an expectant look on her pretty face.

“This was a fun night,” she chirps and I frown at her.

“Yeah,” I say slowly, reaching for the handle, my fingers curling around it but not opening the door.

“Is your car still downtown?”

“It is.” I nod.

“If you need help getting it tomorrow, just give me a call.” She smiles.

“But I don’t have your number.”

“Oh.” With a frown, she reaches for her phone and pulls up a new contact. “Give me yours.”

I tell her my number and she enters it into her phone, then sends me a quick text.

Hi.

“You’ve got this?” she asks hopefully.

“Got what?”

Ruby rolls her eyes. “You’re drunker than I thought.”

“And you’re trying to get out of going to my apartment,” I throw back at her, calling her on her shit.

Her face falls but only for a brief moment. She schools her expression and it shifts into neutral. No emotion showing. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

I ignore her cautious tone and open the door. “Fine. I’ll just stumble to my apartment by myself, though who knows what might happen. I could trip and bump my head. Get a concussion.”

She makes a scoffing noise. “You will not.”

“You don’t know that for sure.” I climb out of the car and slam the door, fighting the disappointment that threatens to consume me as I make my way toward my front door.

I hear another car door slam and the sound of footsteps, then Ruby’s voice.

“Wait up, oh my God.”

I stop and turn, watching her approach as I wait. I shouldn’t have pulled that kind of shit but she’s the type who lets her doubts get in the way of a good time. I didn’t realize she was that kind of girl, but apparently, she is.

At least when it comes to me.

“You’re annoying,” she mutters when she’s close enough that I can hear her.

“It’s part of my charm,” I say drolly as we resume walking, Ruby following me to my apartment. I sort of want to shout in triumph that I got her to come with me but that might be a rash move.

She can still bail. And seriously, I’m not going to push a girl to do anything she doesn’t want to do.

I’m not a total asshole.

It’s just that every girl I end up with is always willing.

Always.

Is that part of Ruby’s appeal? That she pushes me away instead of always being so accepting?

Maybe. I don’t know. I might just be a sucker for a pretty face and bad treatment. A girl who gets off on me wrapping my hand around her throat. Never was my kind of thing but now I can’t help but think…

New kink unlocked.

We’re standing in front of my door and I’m digging in my pockets, looking for my keys. The worried expression on Ruby’s face says she has zero faith in me and when I finally pull them out, I’m smiling in triumph.

“Got ‘em.”

“Thank God.” She snatches them from my hand and unlocks the dead bolt, opening the door for me. “It would’ve taken you five minutes to manage that.”

“No way,” I say with confidence, grabbing her hand at the last second and dragging her into the apartment. She goes willingly, not saying a word when I gently shove her against the door once it’s closed, reaching around her to turn the dead bolt back into place. My body brushes against hers, keeping her in place and I swear sparks light up between us.

“Ace—”

“Ssh.” I rest my index finger on her plush mouth, silencing her. It’s dark inside, but light still shines through the small half-moon window that’s at the top of the door, enough to see Ruby’s eyes are wide as she stares up at me. “I want to test something.”

Her delicate brows draw together. “What do you want to test?”

My gaze drops to her lips. “To see if we’re truly compatible.”

She swallows hard, I note the movement in her throat, and when my gaze shifts to hers, I lean in closer, until I can feel her breath feather across my lips.

“And how are you going to test that?” she whispers.

“Like this.” I press my lips to hers, keeping still for a beat. An electric current pulses through me the moment our mouths touch, settling in my dick, and when she pulls away slightly, I fight the disappointment.

But then she’s back, her mouth somehow even softer when it reconnects with mine, her lips parting, catching around my upper lip and I put more feeling into it. Returning the kiss, brushing my mouth across hers again and again, my lips a little firmer with every pass.

When I sneak my tongue out to trace along her upper lip, her tongue teases mine. And when I cup the side of her face, my fingers drifting downward to curl around the side of her neck, it’s on.

The kiss turns wild, our tongues sliding. Circling. A soft moan escapes her and I groan in return, my other hand landing on her waist, pressing her against the door, pinning her there and she doesn’t seem to mind.

No, from the way she’s reaching for me, her hands curling around my shoulders, clinging to me, I’d say she likes it.

Eventually she ends the kiss first, her breaths coming fast, her gaze fixed on my chest. She slides one hand down, her fingers slightly curling, gathering the fabric of my shirt and clutching it in her fist.

“You’re so warm,” she murmurs, her gaze fixed on my chest, and I wish there was a light on in here so I could see her clearly and stare at her pretty face.

I don’t answer her. Instead, I curve my hand around her cheek and tilt her head back, kissing her again. Devouring her mouth, plundering it with my tongue. She kisses me with the same enthusiasm, a low hum leaving my throat when her hand drops and slips beneath the hem of my shirt, her fingers brushing against my stomach.

My dick leaps to attention at her bold touch and I press more firmly against her, letting her feel what she does to me. Her hand shifts to my side, sliding up and around to my back, her mouth never leaving mine, and I skim my fingers down her throat, giving her what she wants.

When I wrap my fingers around the front of her throat, she gasps, her lips falling from mine. I pull away slightly so I can look at her, noting her wild eyes, her swollen lips. Her heavy breaths.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” I whisper.

Her face flushes and her eyelids flutter. “Such a flatterer.”

“I’m serious, Red. You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.” I press her more firmly against the door, my fingers still around her neck, and fuck, I swear she goes limp. “You like this?”

She nods, her lips parting, her eyes fully closing.

Leaning in, I press my mouth to her ear, whispering, “Are you wet, Red?”

Her head barely moves in answer, a shuddery breath escaping her.

“Because of how I’m touching you?” I tighten my grip slightly, not wanting to hurt her but still testing her.

“Because of everything,” she admits, her eyes still closed.

I go silent, studying her face. The way her chest rises and falls, her nipples hard beneath the T-shirt. Pretty sure this girl’s got it bad for me.

Fairly certain I feel the same way about her.