“You don’t have to worry about any past conquests, Destiny. These bedroom eyes are exclusively for you from here on out. I suggest you drop the Mr. Townsend bullshit and get used to saying my first name. You’ll be using it a lot more frequently from now on.”
“Townsend! Let’s go!”
I bit back a curse toward my coach as I lifted my gaze to see them staring expectantly at me. I dropped my eyes again to Destiny who’s dark, umber-colored irises were pinned on me. I forced myself not to lean down and take her lips the way they were begging to be taken. I squeezed her elbow before releasing her and heading over to where my coaches stood. If it wasn’t for the cup I wore during practice, I was pretty certain the entire team would’ve noticed the semi hard-on I’d earned just from that little exchange.
****
Destiny
Stay away from boys like that.My daddy’s warning rang in my ears as I watched Tyler jog off in the direction of his coaches. The man had left me at a loss for words, and that was no easy feat.
I needed to pull it together.
But even as I stared at his tall, strong frame beginning to run drills with a few other players, I couldn’t pull my eyes from him. He was magnetic. The exact type of boy my father warned me about way back in middle school when I’d developed a crush on the school’s bad boy.They’ll ruin your life, he’d said. I hadn’t listened that time around, and again, years later, upon entering college, my father’s advice faded by the wayside and I’d fallen for the ultimate bad body, and still had the emotional scars to prove it.
“Nope,” I mumbled out loud, shaking my head. I wasn’t going down that road again.
“What’s up, Ms. McDonald? Scoping out your next meal ticket?”
My head swung around and instantly my hackles rose at the condescending remark and expression on Leonard Riggs’ face.
“What was that, Mr. Riggs?”
Leonard slowly eyed me up and down before turning toward the football field in the direction Tyler had jogged off to. He turned his gaze back to me a smirk on his lips.
“You heard what I said. Checking out your next meal ticket?” He made a laughing sound and shrugged his shoulders. “You might as well hang that up. That whitebread, rich boy ain’t going there with you. He might fuck you though. Hell, if he don’t I might let you get a taste.” His brown eyes narrowed lasciviously.
My head jutted back and disgust rolled through my belly at his remarks. Unwittingly, I took a step back to create more distance between our two bodies.
“I’m going to do us both a favor and pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”
“What’s the matter? Truth hurts?”
“Truth is relative, Mr. Riggs. And your truth isn’t necessarily my truth. Like, for instance, you believe that because you make a few million a year, you’re doing well financially and can spend as lavishly as you want.Mytruth is that I know, if you keep up the way you’re going, you’ll be lucky not to be working, bagging groceries once you hit forty. Do yourself a favor and worry about your own damn life and not mine.”
Leonard took a threatening step toward me. “Listen, bi—”
“Everything all right over here?”
I looked up to see Kelvin Maynard moving in front of me, between Leonard and I.
“Everything’s great. Just informing Mr. Riggs of the financial planning services I offer.” I gave Leonard a scowl.
He worked his lower jaw, obviously pissed. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s copacetic.”
I pushed out a breath, rolling my eyes.
“I was just askingMs. McDonaldwhy she’s even here. Her services aren’t needed. My agent hooked me up with a dope ass financial advisor. Has me earning double my money each month.”
I furrowed my brows. “No one doubles their money in a month.”
“Ha! See, I knew you was a phony. My financial advisor did. So you can take your—”
“Hey, man, how about you head back on over to the field? Coach looks like he wants us all to huddle up anyway,” Kelvin interjected, patting Leonard’s chest with the back of his hand.
“Yeah, whatever,” Leonard stated as he backed up and eventually turned and headed in the direction of the rest of the players.
“Hey, you all right?”
