Balls: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (A Cruz Boys Novel Book 1) (14 page)

“Alex!”

She grinned and the joy in her face melted my heart. I wanted to devour that mouth. My cock bulged in my pants.

I wanted to fuck that mouth. Pump it full of hot cum.

She held her arm up protectively above her head as she approached.

I walked over to meet her halfway and spoke into her ear to be sure I was heard. I licked her earlobe first because, why not? I was already in the neighborhood.

She trembled, like I knew she would.

“What’s up with the lawyer luggage?”

“I’ve brought a few thing we need to look over.”

Okay. Maybe she liked porn. Everybody had a deep, dark secret. Maybe hers was watching a filthy flick while I gave it to her doggy style.

Worked for me.

“Leo, why does that thing look like it’s about to take off?”

“That
thing
is an Augusta AW101.”

She looked at me blankly.

“The same chopper as Marine One.”

That got her attention.

“You own the same helicopter as the President of the United States?”

“No, I don’t, but my little brother does.”

“Your little brother?”

I turned and waved at my little brother, Giovanni, sitting in the cockpit. He made a crazy face like he was incompetent. He loved messing with people.

“Yep, Giovanni,” I said. “And it’s not exactly the same. Gio tells me the President’s is one step down from this beauty.”

“You’re insane,” she said.

“Yeah. Most people would agree with that. Ready to go?”

Her face twisted into a grimace of fear.

Playing with a mouse before you sprung the trap was one of my favorite past times.

“You want me to get inside that?” she asked.
 

“Absolutely. Why? Are you scared?”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not scared!”

She furtively glanced back at the chopper and the worry on her face couldn’t have screamed any louder. “Apprehensive, yes,” she said.

I laughed and wrapped my arm around her, then pulled her toward our fairy tale carriage. Though one with more bells and whistles and one that was considerably more costly than a magical pumpkin.

I guided her to duck low as we approached. I opened the door and ushered her into a seat. She froze. She said something lost under the whirring blades.

I pulled out a headset and slipped it over her ears. I helped her buckle in, then jumped in beside her. After securing the door and getting my headset on, I squeezed her knee.

“Alex, let me introduce you to my snot-nosed little brother, Giovanni Cruz,” I said.

Gio looked back from the cockpit and waved. “Nice to meet you, ma’am,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, too,” she said. “Umm, I hate to be picky, but do you know how to drive this thing?”

“It’s
fly
. You
fly
a chopper. And don’t worry. I’ve done this once before.”

Alex’s face went pale and her jaw dropped open.

“Kidding!” he said “Nearly eight years
flying
birds and doing other things in the Marine Corps. Of course, I came home with my brain a bit scrambled.”

Only Gio could joke about something so true.

Alex grimaced. I grabbed her hand and she cupped her other on top. She squeezed a lot harder than I expected.

“Gio, she’s about to jump through the door to escape,” I said. “And she’s about to squeeze my hand off.”

“Oh, sorry,” Alex said.
 

“I’m kidding,” I said. “I like it.”

“Are you two love birds ready to —ck?”

The headset crackled, garbling the last word. I knew he did it on purpose.

Alex’s eyes opened wide.

“Yes,” I said, “we’re ready to
rock
.”
 

Gio laughed and started working the controls.

“Ma’am, I need your verbal consent before we take off,” he said. “You know, for liability reasons, in case this bird ditches and your surviving family members come after my bank accounts.”

Her eyes opened wide with horror.

He looked back and grinned. “I should probably stop joking like that.”

“Keep it up, little brother,” I said, “and I’ll bust your lip the minute we touch down.”

“Alex, will you keep a leash on that mad dog? I’m trying to be a professional here?”

“That’ll be the day,” I said.

Gio did a last check and seemed satisfied that everything was in order.

“Here we go,” he said.

Alex squeezed tight. I kissed the back of her hand. It was a standard Prince Charming move that normally wouldn’t have made the last page of my playbook. But with Alex, it felt right.

“Ready to leave the world behind?” I asked.

Her voice crackled into the headset.

“Yes.”

I moved her hand and wrapped it around the hardness between my legs.

“If you’re going to squeeze, allow me to give you a better target.”

Gio spun up the engine and the powerful beast lifted off the ground. He yawed the tail landward and pointed us out toward the open water.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

I glanced down at the light blue fabric crumpled halfway up her smooth thighs. Another couple of inches would be her panties. And a millimeter beyond that was my destination.

But I didn’t think that’s what she meant.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Should I be worried?”

I gave her a wink as Gio flew us out of the harbor and over the sparkling orange of the waves below, reflecting the setting sun above.

I loved flying with Gio. The quiet comfort of family. We’d often not talk at all, listening to the wind and watching the world slip by. No prying press or adoring fans to deal with. Nothing but the infinity of open air.

A strong updraft hit as we soared less than a hundred feet above the undulating surface. The chopper jumped altitude.

Her hand on my cock squeezed tight.

Alex shrieked. “Don’t do that again!”

“That wasn’t me,” Gio said. “Was an errant gust of wind. But if the result is you manhandling my brother’s package like that, he might pay me to manufacture a few more.”

Alex yanked her hand away looking embarrassed.

“Thanks, Gio,” I said. “You suck.”

“Do not,” Gio said.

“No more of those, please,” Alex said. Then she looked at me with a wicked grin. “I might tear it right off.”

“I’d love to see you try,” I replied.

She smiled in the most drop-dead sexy way imaginable. It was all I could do not to mount her this instant.

I pointed off to the right to a group of low-lying islands that shimmered in the growing darkness.

“The one to the far right is Ibiza, the Mecca of dance clubs.”

“Is that our destination?”

Gio eased the stick to the left and we banked in the same direction.

“Nope. I’ll take you there another time. Tonight, I wanted to have you all to myself.”

“Spare me your pillow talk, bro,” Gio said. “It’s making my stomach queasy.”

“Shut up,” I said.

“Alex, is this what he calls his A game?” Gio asked.

Alex laughed. “I think so.”

“I feel bad for both you,” Gio said.

“No need,” Alex replied, “I like it.”

She snuggled closer to me.

The next while, we simply enjoying the thrill of flight. That comfortable quiet that I’d only ever experienced with Gio before.

A pin-point of light appeared in the distance. Gio straightened up on it and dipped the nose to pick up speed. We raced over the dark water.

She leaned forward staring out the front.

She’d know in a minute.

“Are we going to a boat?”

“It’s a super yacht,” I said. “And yes we are.”

She looked at me. “Isn’t that a little presumptuous? This is only our second date and you assume you can skip the dinner and dancing and take me straight back to The Love Boat?”

I shrugged. “Your hand
is
on my cock.”

She hadn’t noticed when I’d guided it back there earlier.

She yanked back like it was a cobra about to spit venom. She wasn’t totally off base.
 

“I presume no such thing,” I said. “And I liked your hand where it was.”

“I’m sure you did.”

Her hand kept its distance.

“This is so sweet,” Gio said. “You two are like horny teenagers sneaking some action in the backseat while the grownup drives.”

“Don’t you mean
flies
?” Alex said.

“Touch
é
.”

* * *

We swept in over the bow and Gio eased us to a stop above the helipad at the stern. Thankfully the sea was relatively calm. I liked pushing the envelope more than most, but the few times Gio had landed us in rough waters at night were enough to pucker anyone up tight.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t do it again. I would. You didn’t conquer life by submitting to the fears it placed in your path.

Gio eased the chopper to the deck and I felt the reassuring contact of a safe landing. My older brother, Dante, waited at a safe distance, greeting us with a wave. He had on his captain’s hat on and everything.

“Go for exit,” Gio said. “Piece of advice, ma’am?”

“Sure,” Alex said.
 

“Be careful with this one,” he said. “I’ve never seen him latched on so tight to anyone. Don’t break his heart.”

Alex stared at me.

Ugh. Brothers.

“Thanks, Gio,” I said. “Now kindly shut up.”
 

I jumped out and helped Alex exit. She stumbled and fell into my arms. The briefcase landed with a thump on my Italian leather shoes.

I dressed up for once.

“Sorry,” she said. “My legs are a little wobbly.”

“Then let me be of assistance.”

Before she could reject my offer, I swept her up in both arms, snagged the case, and carried her like a bride to our post-wedding suite.

Dante met us at the safe perimeter.

I set Alex on her feet and gestured at my brother.

“Alex, this is my older brother, Dante.”

Dante shook her hand with a ridiculous formality. “A pleasure to meet you,” he said. “Welcome aboard the vessel Liberty. My pride and joy.”

“This is yours?” Alex asked.

“It is. Not a great investment, but a worthwhile one nonetheless.”

Alex grinned and yelled over the bellowing chopper behind us, “Thanks for having me! This is crazy!”

Dante took off his Captain’s cap and tried to hand it to me. “The ship is yours, Leonardo.”

He was so into procedure.

“Keep the hat, Captain Dork.”

Dante’s eyes narrowed an instant and I felt bad for sticking him with a barb that meant nothing to me but ruffled his feathers.

He turned to Alex.

“Anyway, you two enjoy yourselves. It’s a great night to be out on the water.”

“Thanks, Dante,” I said.
 

He hugged me and nodded at Alex.

“Anything for family,” he said and headed toward the chopper.

“Is he leaving?” Alex asked. “Who’s going to drive? Or fly? Or whatever it is you do to a boat?”

“We aren’t going anywhere. And he has another guy that is sleeping over to keep an eye on things.”

Alex looked around at the huge ship. “Where is he?”

I looked around. I’d been on Dante’s obsession a handful of times, but I didn’t know the whole layout by any stretch.

“No idea.”

We descended a flight of stairs to the aft deck.

A single table was set in the center of the large expanse. Everything was arranged immaculately.

I had to give it to Dante. He never failed to deliver.

I helped her into her seat and took my own across the table. We surveyed the offering of small, steaming dishes of local Catalonian cuisine. The rich aroma of sauces and seafood mixed with the ever-present pungent scent of the ocean.

Alex flashed me a twisted smile. “Must be hellacious to get a reservation here, what with only one table and all.”

I helped her into her seat.

“I know the owner. He owes me a few favors.”

I poured a glass of wine for each of us, then took off my coat and tossed it on the couch.

Alex gave me a look. “The owner isn’t going to invite you back.”

“He will if he knows what’s good for him.”

Her smile sparkled like the glowing stars above.

“Your brothers are super nice,” she said. “Maybe we could all hang out together some time.”

“Not a chance in hell. You’re crazy if you think I’ll let those slobbering hounds get close to you.”

“Leo, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“I’m not saying you can’t. But why would you when I can do it for you?”

I raised my glass and prepared a toast.

She clicked open the briefcase and pulled out a thick wad of brochures and other marketing mumbo jumbo.

“I don’t need another condo.”

“Very funny,” she said. “Be serious for a minute.”

“I’ll try.”

It wasn’t my strong suit.

She passed over the pile. I scanned the first page not giving a shit what it was about. Until I read it.

“Artificial insemination!”

She nodded.

“Why are you showing me this?”

I knew how to kick a ball to get it bend like it was on a string, but I’d never seen a bender like this.

“I thought since we were planning on creating a life together that we should look at some responsible options for making that happen.”

I dropped the papers on the table. They may have landed in grilled garlic shrimp.

“Why do we need some hospital to shove a turkey baster up your down-there?” I grabbed my suddenly less rock-hard dick. “My equipment works fine. I assure you.”

She pointedly didn’t look down.

“I’m sure it does. But this is only our second official date, and I’m not that kind of girl.”

I almost fell over, like a tree with my trunk cut clean in half. My balls were in tears.

“Let me get this straight,” I said. “You want to have a baby with me. But you don’t want to have sex to do it. Where’s the fun in that?”

She scraped at her bright blue nail polish like she suddenly decided it was the worst choice she’d ever made.

“I don’t know what I’m saying. It’s been a really long time for me.”

“How long?”