Player's Ultimatum Page 17

  “What are you going to eat, babe?” Adrienne asked, slipping her arm around his shoulders.

  Yvonne, if I’m lucky. “I haven’t decided.”

  With a surreptitious roll of his shoulders, Paolo successfully disengaged Adrienne’s slender arm from around him. Anybody’s touch other than Yvonne’s made his dick limp.

  Like everyone else, Yvonne continued to look over her menu. He could tell she was affected by the steady rhythm of his pulsing fingers because her eyelids started to droop and her breasts rose and fell sharply, straining the tenacity of her beautiful silk dress. In mid-stroke, she leaned over to Robbie and gave him her order.

  Pure rage swept through Paolo. Seeing to her needs should be his responsibility! As he talked himself out of upturning the table, she suddenly scooted back her chair and excused herself to go to the ladies room.

  Intent on finishing what he’d started, Paolo stood up as well. “I need to make a call.”

  Adrienne placed a hand on his arm, stopping him before he made his escape. “Do you want me to order you something?”

  “Surprise me,” he said and then made a beeline for the ladies room.

  Paolo prayed there wasn’t a line. In his experience, women tended to live in bathrooms. Paolo’s prayers were answered when he turned the corner and entered an empty hallway containing the VIP section’s private restrooms.

  After locking the door behind him, he barely glanced over at Yvonne who was looking at him like he’d turned green and grown ten feet tall as he walked the entire length of the bathroom, checking the stalls.

  Satisfied they were alone he walked up behind her and slid his hand around her waist. She so thoroughly messed with his head, Paolo had no clue which way was up or down. All he could decipher was if he didn’t get inside her and soon, he was going to so blow all over the slacks of his tailored suit.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Say you did all it on purpose.”

  Confused, Yvonne frowned. “Did what?”

  “Make me jealous,” he said as he kissed a path to her lips.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking ab…ah!” Yvonne gasped as Paolo gripped her ponytail and tugged down sharply. Her clit flooded with heat.

  Why didn’t he do that more often?

  “Stop pushing me. You know how much I want you, desire you more than anything. Seeing you with Robbie, watching you play the attentive lover drove me crazy.” Yvonne heard the sound of his zipper.

  “We are so not going to have sex in this bathroom,” she protested, but it sounded more like a moan as he kissed the side of her neck and slowly lifted her dress.

  What they were about to do was wrong on so many levels, but she could no more resist Paolo than she could stop breathing. He’d become so integral to her general makeup she was beginning to think she couldn’t live without him.

  So much so, she didn’t resist when he set her atop the granite countertop. Since the bathroom was reserved for only their high-end clientele the surface, like the floor, was so spotless she could see their reflection as they strained against each other.

  Not wasting any time, Paolo established a slow driving rhythm that would’ve sent her sliding across the counter if her legs weren’t thrown over his arms while his hands clutched her butt. But something was different.

  “You forgetting something,” Yvonne panted against his ear as he continued to batter her senses with long, sure strokes. “You forgot to put on protection.”

  Paolo bit down on her shoulder. “I didn’t forget. I want nothing between us.” When Yvonne tried to move back, he held her against him. “I have a clean bill of health.”

  Yvonne had no doubts. He along with Robbie and some of their teammates publicly revealed their AIDS test results during their annual youth HIV Day for young fans a little less than a month ago.

  Still, she tried pushing him away. “I’m not on the pill.”

  “I promise,” he said not losing his rhythm, “I’ll pull out.”

  “What about the blonde?”

  “I haven’t been with her in over a year. Even then, I used a condom. Like every woman since I turned sixteen.”

  Surprised he’d never slipped up, she had to ask. “Why?”

  “I was scouted heavily before I even turned twelve,” he grunted. “I didn’t want children or a disease to derail my future. Come on, Yvonne, just this once. I want to feel your hot flesh against my cock.”

  Despite her better judgment, Yvonne allowed her hands to fall from his shoulders. Groaning as if relieved, he pressed his forehead against hers.

  “I love your pussy,” Paulo whispered thrusting deep, practically touching her womb, piercing her very soul. “My pussy.”

  He reached between their bodies to the springy curls covering her sex. A sigh whispered between her parted lips as he stroked her clit. The slow glide of his hard cock and the stroke of his fingers were a lethal combination and more than enough to trigger an orgasm after only a few strokes.

  “Mine, mine, mine,” he chanted while driving into her forcefully.

  Blood pounded through Yvonne’s veins. She became lightheaded and clutched his shoulders to maintain her balance.

  Over and over he pushed her to the inevitable.

  Yvonne gasped as a violent spasm tore through her body, turning her inside out. Oblivious to her condition, Paolo didn’t let up even when she finally tumbled over the edge.

  “Yes! I want my pussy to cream all over me.” Paulo growled.

  As his hips moved against her, he squeezed her butt and sucked on her nipple through her dress. Thinking of nothing but the mind-blowing pleasure rocketing through her system, Yvonne cradled his head in her hands. She kissed him fiercely, hoping to convey two months of pent up emotions and missed opportunities.

  Paulo gasped for air. “You’ve got my knees so weak. I can barely stand.” He grunted, increasing his speed. “I’m going to cum.”

  “Remember what you promised,” she panted on the verge of another orgasm.

  Yvonne gave herself up to his chaotic passions, loving the feel of his hard cock driving into her over and over again. Becoming lightheaded she grabbed onto his shoulders and held on.

  Making good on his promise, Paulo made a move to withdraw from her. “I−” he breathed against her neck, but he did not finish.

  As if possessed, he plunged his cock deep into her and let go, shooting stream after stream of his hot seed into her womb.

  *****

  His heart racing, Paolo staggered back. He was breathing like he’d run the perimeter of Stadio Olympico fifteen times! Still, he couldn’t believe he was growing hard again as he watched her readjust her dress and tried in vain to dry the wet spot on the bodice of her dress where he’d sucked one of her chocolate-tipped nipples.

  Although what they’d just shared had been incredible, he still wanted to bend her over the sink and plunge into her again. To stop the insanity he’d fallen into, Paolo moved to re-zip his pants but not before Yvonne slapped him.

  “Why did you do that?” He asked flexing his jaw. For a woman, she was rather heavy handed. No one would question the few wrinkles in her dress, but he would be hard pressed to explain the hand print tattooed on his face.

  To make matters worse, her aggression seemed to only heighten his arousal. He edged toward her ready for another round. Unfortunately, she held him off with a hand planted in the middle of his chest.

  “I did it for all the lies, the slut you brought with you tonight and for not pulling out!” she hissed, stepping back. “What makes you think I want to have your baby, Paulo?”

  What was so bad about carrying his child? Angry and hurt, Paulo lashed out, “Slut? You’re the one to talk. Engaged to another man yet willing to be my fuck buddy.”

  Paolo instantly regretted his words. They’d been spoken in anger. “Yvonne, I’m so—”

  “I don’t care anymore.” He watched her closely as she adjusted the dress across her shoulders. All the time she kept her
gaze averted. “You can tell Robbie. You can even tell the press because I refuse to be your slut any longer.”

  Unable to respond, with the wind suddenly knocked out of his sails, Paolo let her go. She was right. He’d used her and treated her horribly. If she wouldn’t have put a stop to it, he would have kept using her.

  After gathering his bearings, Paulo made his way back to his dinner table. As he drew near, he immediately noted the two empty seats.

  * * * * *

  “Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

  Yvonne shrugged her shoulders at Robbie’s question. “I thought I could take care of things. I didn’t want to you drag into my mess. I was hoping once all the speculation died down and I returned home, it wouldn’t have mattered one way or another. I guess I’ll be going home sooner rather than later. ”

  “You’re not going anywhere. We’re going to sit this out and see if he has enough balls to go to the media. If he does, we’ll just have to face whatever comes. This might play out to our advantage.”

  Confused, Yvonne turned away from the car window and Rome beyond. “What do you mean it might work to our advantage?”

  “It can help my image if the media thinks I’m the victim.”

  “Robbie it will be to your advantage. Not mine. You’ll be seen as the poor cuckold while I’ll be declared a slut for sleeping with the entire Roma Internazionale soccer team.”

  Robbie’s eyes widened. “You did the whole team?”

  Yvonne punched him in the arm. “No! After the media gets finished with me I’ll wish I had.” Yvonne leaned her head back against the head rest and sighed. She was so tired of being used.

  “I didn’t think of it that way, babe. I’m sorry. When the time comes, we’ll just deny it. Plus, no one has seen you two together, so Paulo doesn’t have any proof of you guys fooling around.”

  Yvonne didn’t want to blow his confidence by mentioning the time on the dance floor or the masquerade ball and not to mention, Paulo’s entire staff and Professore D’Amato.

  Yvonne closed her eyes. All the proof was beginning to give her a headache.

  *****

  Paulo felt like shit.

  Even though he and his teammates had just beaten Munich United in the European Cup’s quarter-finals, securing them a spot in the final round, he didn’t feel like celebrating.

  He was an empty shell both on and off the field. He could barely hold anything down. Sleep had become virtually nonexistent and his short term memory was shot. He was a living zombie and he’d played like one. If it wasn’t for the rest of the team, especially Gutierrez, they would have been shut out of the European Cup weeks ago.

  Paolo knew the source of his ills. He’d even tried rectifying the situation over the past few weeks, but Yvonne wouldn’t return any of his phone calls. And the flowers he’d sent her daily were simply returned to the florist—the card unopened.

  Sighing heavily, Paulo wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the Club’s sauna. He grabbed a second towel from one of the assistant trainers and headed back into the locker room. Greeted by the incessant popping of champagne bottles, some of his teammates were still celebrating today’s victory.

  In order to get to his locker, Paulo had to pass Gutierrez’s. Ever since the night of the dinner, the other man pretty much avoided him off the field and only when necessary while on the pitch.

  He almost cleared the other man’s space, but a large pink baby bottle stopped him dead in his tracks.

  Paulo was used to the team playing practical jokes. He’d been the brunt of many of them over the years. This was something on an entirely different level.

  Paulo grabbed Emmanuel Cruiti and hauled him over to Gutierrez’s locker. “What’s up?”

  Emmanuel flashed him a bright smile. He stepped over to the bench and withdrew the Arriverderci! Magazine wedged beneath the bottle. Paolo’s pulsed raced while his teammate scanned the open page.

  “Robbie is going to be a papa. Here have a look.”

  Suddenly numb, Paolo barely caught the magazine thrust in his hands.

  Gutierrez May Have Another Soccer Star in the Oven!

  The article was accompanied by two very convincing photographs. The first picture was of Yvonne leaving the office of some well-known obstetrician to Rome’s rich and famous. The other featured the happy couple caught window shopping for baby furniture. And all the photos were credited to Joaquin Malfi. Son of a bitch!

  Paolo quickly scanned the article, digesting only the most pertinent information. With every word, he felt like someone was thrusting a red hot poker through his heart. Finally having enough, he threw the magazine down.

  “What’s wrong with you?” The goalie asked, picking the magazine up and placing it back where they’d found it. “If I didn’t know any better, you’re acting like it’s your baby.”

  Paolo ignored him. He stalked over to his locker and dressed quickly. He was preparing to leave when the locker room obtained a semblance of silence. Everyone had stopped to watch Gutierrez as he exited the showers.

  As he toweled his shoulders, Robbie stopped mid-stride. Instead of approaching his locker and the practical joke awaiting him, Gutierrez’s eyes darted around the room until they met his.

  Like a ton of bricks, Paulo suddenly realized Gutierrez knew about him and Yvonne. Why hadn’t he confronted him? If one of his teammates was having an affair with his fiancée, and especially if it were Yvonne, Paolo would have shoved his fist down the other man’s throat.

  None of the puzzle pieces fit! Before the day was over, Paolo was going to find out why.

  * * * * *

  Yvonne pressed the remote button to the entrance gate. She swung her SUV up into the driveway so fast she barely missed one of the many photographers camping out in front of Robbie’s house.

  Ever since they caught them leaving Dr. Forai’s office they’d started following them around like white on rice, attempting to force a confirmation of her pregnancy.

  Of course time would tell, but she’d be back in the states before she started to show.

  Instead of pulling in the garage, Yvonne parked the car in the driveway. She only needed to run in and grab the measurements for the new wall unit Robbie wanted in the media room. When her door was suddenly snatched open, she jumped.

  “Surprised to see me?”

  Yvonne was a little more than surprised to see Paulo. She was downright fearful. There could only be one reason why he was here. She decided to clear the air.

  “I guess you’ve heard about the rumors?” she asked as she stepped down from the car. “Well you have nothing to worry about. Your future is still intact. The baby’s not yours.”

  Paulo pressed her up against the side of the car. His body molded against hers and she gasped. “How can you be so sure, the baby’s not mine? The last time we had sex, you slapped the shit out of me because I didn’t use a condom.”

  “You’re right, but I conceived before that night. I’m due at the end of December. So it can’t possibly be yours.”

  Yvonne regretted the lie the moment it passed her lips, but she’d already made up her mind about raising her baby on her own.

  Paulo let her go as if touching her burned. Yvonne’s heart broke over the obvious rejection. Still, she strengthened her resolve to raise her baby alone.

  “Congratulations,” he ground out as if speaking were suddenly a challenge.

  Apparently struck with the same malady, Yvonne could only nod.

  “I…I,” he paused to rake his hands through his hair. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he pressed his lips together with finality. “I better go before I say something I regret. I’ll see myself out.”

  Paolo stood there a moment longer and then he turned around.

  Yvonne waited until he disappeared through a side door to the left of the gate wall before breaking down in tears.

  * * * * *

  “I’m going to burn in hell.”

 
“You’re not going to burn in hell.” Lying next to her on the bed, Robbie stretched his arms over his head. “He brought it on himself.”

  “You should have seen his face. What I did wasn’t right.”

  Robbie turned over onto his stomach and looked at her. “Then why lie?”

  “I lied to protect you, Robbie.”

  “Are you sure you did it for me, and not out of anger. Remember, he manipulated and blackmailed you.”

  “No…I-I don’t know. Arrgghh!” Yvonne grabbed the nearest pillow and placed it over her head.

  A second later Robbie snatched it away. “Spill the beans, kiddo.”

  Yvonne sighed in defeat. “I didn’t tell him because I was afraid of his reaction. So I beat him to the punch.”

  Robbie tossed the pillow over his shoulder. “Afraid? He helped you create the little tadpole didn’t he?”

  Yvonne rolled her eyes. “I was afraid he wouldn’t want me and the baby. And I couldn’t take that Robbie. Seeing him on a continual basis and knowing I can…”

  “Knowing what?”

  Yvonne turned away. “Nothing.”

  “Dang girl you got it bad for him, don’t you?”

  Yvonne frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean. You’re in love with him.” Robbie held up his hand when Yvonne opened her mouth to object. “You can’t fool me. I know you like the back of my hand.”

  Yvonne looked down at the bedspread, then back at him. “What am I going to do Robbie?

  “As soon as the European Cup is over, you and I are going to meet with Paulo and tell him the whole thing. I’m pretty sure he won’t run to the media because we have a huge bargaining chip. You’re carrying his baby.”

  * * * * *

  “Hey, honey. I just called to tell you the team got here safe and I’m heading up to my room. Don’t worry about calling me back, you need your rest.”

  Robbie sent the voice message then fished in his pocket for his room key. Once inside, he threw his sport bag on the floor. He grabbed the “welcome” basket off the bureau and began rifling through the contents.