Played: A Second Chance Sports Romance (Playing Games Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  TWELVE MONTHS LATER

  Played

  Playing Games #2

  Copyright © 2020 by Rebecca Barber. All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: June 2020

  Cover Designed: KatDeezigns 2020

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  For the girls who love football.

  Whether you’re in it for the game, the short shorts, the speed, the athleticism or the man candy. It’s all good.

  CHAPTER ONE

  BRYCE

  Stuffing my keys back into my pocket, I dodged the people in the crowded alleyway before slipping into the restaurant. I was already running late and knew I was about to cop a whole tonne of shit for it.

  “Can I help you, Sir?” a pretty little blonde in a tight white shirt asked as she stepped out in front of me, blocking my path.

  “I’m meeting someone here,” I offered by way of explanation before moving past her towards the back.

  Even though I’d eaten here a dozen times and never had a bad meal, the atmosphere was crap. It was noisy and crowded and there always seemed to be a kid in here screaming blue murder because chicken nuggets weren’t on the menu. Spying the stunning woman smiling in my direction from the back booth, I wove through the maze, desperate to reach my table and order a beer. Geez I needed one today.

  Reaching the table, I lent down and kissed her cheek, not missing how good she smelt. When the warning growl reached my ears, I pulled back and laughed.

  “Hey, Tash. You’re looking stunning. Why are you wasting your time with this loser? Ready to trade up yet?” I offered, not missing the chance to fuck with Logan.

  “Sit your late arse down, buttwipe,” Logan instructed. “Haven’t you been humiliated enough today?”

  He had to go there. Normally I would’ve laughed it off, but Logan was right. Something I hated more than actually losing the game. Well, losing the game was one thing, being obliterated off the park was something else altogether.

  I sunk into the other side of the booth eyeing the disgustingly happy, loved-up couple opposite me. I’d bust Logan’s balls about being a kept man, but they were safely tucked away in Tasha’s sparkly black bag. He looked happy, though. After finding out Tasha was the one behind the blog which basically talked shit about him every chance she got, they managed to sort themselves out and nine months later, were still obsessed with each other.

  I barely had my butt in the seat when a waiter appeared to take our drink order. While Tasha opted for wine, Logan and I both stuck to sparkling water. It just wasn’t worth having a beer during the season, especially in public. Something we’d both learnt the hard way years before.

  “How’s the shoulder, Bryce?” Tasha asked.

  “It’ll be fine,” I confirmed, shooting Logan a death glare.

  “What’d I do?” he protested.

  “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

  “Exactly!”

  “Children. Can we at least get through our main before you two start throwing your toys?” Tasha scolded, shaking her head. I would’ve argued, but the problem was she was right.

  I didn’t catch Logan’s reply, but I knew he’d conceded when he wrapped his arm around her bare shoulders, not that I could blame him; Tasha was looking stunning. The black dress she was wearing dipped low in the front offering me the perfect view of her perky tits and the lace bra underneath. Once I’d spotted that lace, I had to make a conscious effort not to stare. Logan might be my best mate, but I was under no illusions he’d rip my head off if he thought, for even a second, I was checking out Tasha’s rack.

  “How long are you in town for?” Logan asked.

  “Couple of days.”

  “Going to see the parentals?”

  “Yeah. Mum’s been bitching I don’t come home often enough so…”

  “So, you’re going for Sunday lunch tomorrow to eat her out of house and home?”

  “Pretty much. Jealous?”

  “Hell yeah! Your mum is an awesome cook and her Sunday lunch spreads are worth the food coma and extra laps to work it off.”

  Mum was a pretty awesome cook. There wasn’t a recipe she couldn’t master and, being her baby boy, she’d asked what I wanted, and I hadn’t held back. My stomach was already rumbling just thinking about what was on the menu.

  “Too bad. After today, you’re not invited!” I teased.

  “I didn’t do anything today,” Tasha added, “where’s my invite?”

  “You’re always welcome, gorgeous,” I added with a wink, ignoring the stink eye Logan shot my way.

  “Where are you staying?”

  “At the hotel.”

  “You’re not staying with your family?”

  “Nah.”

  “Come on, Tash. You know Bryce can’t spend a night under the same roof as his mother. Where would he bring all the babes?” Logan offered as his finger traced circles on Tasha’s bare shoulders.

  “Speaking of… where is Giselle?”

  “We’ve talked about this, Bryce. You’re not touching her!”

  “Excuse me?” Tash protested, removing Logan’s fingers from her shoulder. “What’s wrong with Giselle? She’s my best friend and an amazing chick. You’d be lucky to have her in your bed!” I loved it when Tash’s sass came out and put Logan right back in his box.

  “Yeah! Giselle’s hot! She could warm my sheets any day.”

  “Bryce…” My name sounded like a warning.

  Before this conversation could get out of hand, our drinks were delivered and food order taken. With the waiter retreating, I turned back to the happy couple in front of me. Time to cause some chaos.

  “Proposed yet, Logan?”

  He coughed violently, and I swear the sip of water he’d just taken came out his nose. While Tasha handed him her napkin, she looked at me. “You’re evil, Bryce. You know that, right?”

  “What? It’s a valid question. I’m assuming you two have shacked up and are planning on having a little Logan any day now.”

  “And to think, I used to like you.” Tash laughed with a shake of her head.

  “Oh, sweetheart, you know you love me.”

  Wiping his
face, Logan got his breathing under control. “You’re a shithead, Bryce.”

  “You say such sweet things, princess,” I retorted.

  Fuck I missed this. At the end of last season, I’d been traded to Adelaide. Which meant the same time these two love birds were getting hot and heavy, I was packing my bags and heading across the country with a huge chip on my shoulder. Adelaide wasn’t all that bad; my teammates were awesome, and I loved my apartment overlooking the water, but the truth was, I was lonely. Not for female company; that was something I’d never have to worry about, but I missed Logan and the way we busted each other’s balls.

  “What about you? Found a woman dumb enough to put up with you yet?” Logan asked as our meals were delivered.

  Cutting into my steak, I moaned as the first bite hit my tastebuds. This was exactly the reason we kept coming back. The mouth-watering potatoes and perfectly cooked steak.

  “All of this perfection can’t be tamed,” I replied only for Tash to pick up a bean from her plate and throw it at my head

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “And you love me.”

  Tasha just shook her head and focused on her dinner while Logan and I continued to give each other shit about this afternoon’s game. Saturday afternoon football at the MCG had always been my favourite. And until I left for Adelaide, it was my home away from home. Almost every other week, Logan and I would carpool and go have a kick before the gates opened. It was an incredible place to be. Standing in the centre of the field, a hundred thousand empty seats around you and the most perfectly green grass you could imagine. It was hard not to be addicted.

  When the waiter cleared our plates and asked if we wanted to see a dessert menu, both Logan and I quickly declined. Tasha on the other hand, looked like someone had kicked her puppy. I couldn’t stand it. “Actually, yeah we’d love a look thanks,” I told him, my gaze never wandering from Tasha as excitement fluttered across her face. It was no wonder Logan had handed his balls over so willingly. Seeing that look on Tasha’s face, knowing you were the one responsible for putting it there, was a power I wanted in on.

  “What are you thinking, Tash?” I asked as she studied the menu.

  “I don’t know. I can’t decide between the passionfruit and mango pavlova or the triple layered chocolate mousse.”

  “Why not have both?” I offered, not understanding why it was so hard.

  “I can’t have both!” Tash’s voice almost reached banshee level.

  “Sweetheart, if you want both get both,” Logan encouraged.

  “And what then? Listen to you bitch and moan about my big fat arse for the rest of my life? No thank you. I’ll pass.”

  The waiter appeared, looking hopeful. The waiter appeared, looking hopeful. Jumping in first, I went ahead and ordered both desserts, ignoring the shock on Tash’s face and the smirk on Logan’s. He knew exactly what I was up to, and I didn’t give a shit.

  “So, you guys going to make an appearance at Utopia after this?” I asked.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Logan asked, shaking his head. “I haven’t been there in forever.”

  “And look how well it worked out for you last time.” That shut them both up. Well, it was either that or the fancy desserts being placed in front of me. Stabbing my fork into the pavlova, I broke off a flaky piece of meringue and popped it in my mouth. It was so sickeningly sweet I almost hurled. I wasn’t a sweets kind of guy and pavlova was just too much.

  With a mouthful of sugar, I nudged the plate towards a slack-jawed Tash. “Taste it. It’s soooo good.”

  Her eyes flicked from the dessert to mine to Logan’s and back to the pavlova in front of her. “Eat it. If you’re worried about getting fat, I promise I’ll help you work it off later.”

  Now I really wanted to gag. I mean, I knew these two were getting down and dirty but that didn’t mean I wanted to think about it while I ate. It’d taken moving to Adelaide to get Tasha’s moans out of my head, and I still had nightmares about the time I walked in to find Logan bending her over the kitchen bench.

  “Promise?” she asked as she lifted a spoonful towards her perfectly pouty lips. Tash was a phenomenal chick and if Logan hadn’t already called dibs, I’d be more than happy to be banging that. But she was spoken for, and I wasn’t going to fuck that up.

  “Absolutely. I’ll even do that thing you like,” he whispered into her ear but not quite enough that I didn’t hear him.

  “So, Utopia. You in?”

  “Tash?” Logan asked, proving it was her call.

  “Sure. Why not. I had fun last time.”

  After an argument over the bill, I managed to get them out the door and into the back of the Uber as we sped through the wet Melbourne streets. Even though it hadn’t been raining when I’d gone inside, I wasn’t surprised to find it bucketing down a few hours later. That was typical Melbourne weather. Perfect one minute, insane the next.

  As we got closer, I saw the line wrapped halfway around the block; something I wasn’t expecting. “Reckon Jase is still on the door?”

  Waiting for him to detach his lips from Tasha’s, I thanked the driver and climbed out into the rain before opening Logan’s door, letting a gust of frigid air blast in. From what I could see and hear, he definitely needed to cool it a bit before stepping out in public or he’d end up splashed across the front page of tomorrow’s paper. Again.

  “Shit it’s cold,” Tash complained, burrowing in against Logan.

  Walking by the entrance, we spotted Jase standing by the door and, after a few minutes chatting, he waved us past the velvet rope. As soon as I was in the doors, the heavy sound of the bass started pumping through me as I looked around. Nothing had changed. The bar was still busy as people crowded for their overpriced cocktails.

  “What are you guys drinking? I’m buying the first round,” Tash declared, her hips swaying back and forth to the beat.

  “You’re not buying drinks, sweetheart,” Logan informed her.

  Even after being together this long, Tash still hadn’t conceded that fight. I doubted she even knew how to concede. And good on her. I knew too many girls who only saw our wallets and how we could take care of them. Tash fought tooth and nail to pay her way. She’d just proven it at the restaurant. I’d had a bet with Logan that whoever lost today’s game had to pay. As I was pulling my wallet out of my pocket, Tash slapped down some cash, insisting that she wasn’t a party to the bet so therefore had to pay her share.

  “Logan Oliver. If you think you’re getting any ever again, then you’re going to shut up, smile and tell me what you’d like from the bar.”

  I almost pissed myself laughing. Logan towered over her but that did absolutely nothing to deter the spitfire he was dealing with. She was stabbing him in the chest with her finger as she punctuated each word.

  “I’ll just take a Coke,” I agreed quickly.

  “I’ll come with you,” Logan grumbled, leading her through the mass of people towards the bar, leaving me standing alone like a loser on the edge of the dancefloor.

  Edging around the room, I found a high-top table and sat down, my eyes never leaving the dancefloor. I wasn’t looking to pick up. All I wanted to do was enjoy my night with some friends before heading back to the lonely hotel room.

  “Here you go.” Logan hands me my drink and we clink them together.

  Tash could barely sit still. She was bouncing and swaying and wriggling about like she had ants in her pants. When the song changed and she squealed, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to fuck with Logan a little and make him squirm.

  “Hey, Tash?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Going to come shake that booty of yours with me on the dancefloor?”

  Whether or not she knew what she was doing, I wasn’t entirely sure. But after a big gulp of her colourful cocktail, she set it down on the table, told Logan to watch her drink and took my hand, half dragging me across the floor.

  When her arms wrapped around my waist and
her head dropped to my shoulder, I knew I was in all sorts of trouble. I didn’t have to see Logan’s face to know he was about four seconds from turning into the Hulk and smashing me into the middle of next week.

  “You’re going to get me killed, you know that, right?”

  “Nah. I’m going to get me spanked.” She laughed before turning around and rubbing her arse against my thigh. With my hands in the air, I barely had a chance to register what was happening before I was yanked backwards and Tash was hoisted over the shoulder of some Neanderthal formerly known as my best friend, and carried out of the club, leaving me once again standing in the middle of the floor alone. But this time the realisation smacked me up the side of the head; I wanted what Logan had. Someone to be there. Someone to drive me crazy. Someone to fight and argue with only to have wild monkey makeup sex with.

  CHAPTER TWO

  EMMA

  That lady in her perfectly pressed skirt, with her flawless makeup and sensible heels was about to get my muddy sneaker fair up her arse. I was so fucking done with today and this bullshit, and the more she smiled and apologised, the more I wanted to strangle her with the red and white scarf tied around her neck.

  “I’m really sorry but the baggage claim is closed for the evening, but if you call the number on the information packet I just gave you, I’m sure they can help you in the morning,” she reinforced for the fifty-third time. Or maybe it was the second. Who cares anyway? It all ended up with the same result. My bag was somewhere between Sydney and Melbourne and I wasn’t getting it anytime soon.

  “Fine,” I huffed, stuffing the bundle of paperwork into my handbag and heading for the doors.

  As I stomped towards the heavy glass doors, I spied the security guard eyeing me warily. Resisting the urge to give him the finger, I made my way outside and dived into the back of the only waiting taxi before rattling off the name of my hotel and digging my phone from my bag. It was filled with unread messages from my girls.

  Vanessa: Hurry your skanky arse up. You’re missing the eye candy at the bar.

  Sienna: Where the hell are you?