Steamy Dunk (F*** on the Court)

Chapter Two

This was the worst idea Parker Blakeman had come up with in a long time.

He didn't mind doing local charity events and his Chicago Ignition basketball team even encouraged it. Tonight, he and some other players were going out to support the children's hospital in the city. Parker even volunteered to help with the auction to help raise extra money.

All that was great.

But what wasn't great was Katherine. His ex.

There was a reason he had to move into a new apartment in Chicago. His ex broke up with him and started dating a doctor in the same building they lived in - or rather he lived in. It was his damn place that she moved into before cheating on him.

He saw Katherine and Dr. Whatever in the lobby together too many times. It was just too much.

And yes, Dr. Whatever was a pediatrician who worked at the children's hospital he was raising money for tonight.

So yes, Parker did something stupid and irrational and invited a hot woman from his apartment building to be his date tonight.

Parker took one more look at himself in the mirror to make sure everything looked good. It wasn't easy to find someone who could properly tailor a tuxedo for a six-foot-ten basketball player but Del was the best in the city and there was a reason the entire team went to him for suits. He did an amazing job with this one. Velvet collar on the jacket and a velvet stripe down the side of the pants. It was a little different than a typical tux, a little more modern but still sharp.

Parker wondered if Violet would like it.

He had thought about maybe canceling on her. Maybe he could ask Charlie at the front desk which apartment she lived in so he could let her down in person. But the look on her face when he said the event was at The Cheshire Cat tonight made him realize he couldn't break her heart like that. She seemed more excited about going there than going with him for some reason. He wouldn't read into it.

The elevator took forever to get to the top floor of his apartment - he would have to remember that for the future - and dropped him off in the lobby with its cushy dark chairs to match the deco of the old building.

That's when he saw her sitting in a chair checking her phone. Long green dress that looked kind of slinky and silky, red shoes with red soles that stood out in the dim light.

Violet looked up and saw him and he could tell she gave him a once over before a smile crept across her face. Then she stood up and holy crap. That dress was a slinky column dress with draping over just one shoulder and a flow to it that made him briefly wonder what was under that.

"Hello," she said with a smile as he approached.

"Hi." He leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You look lovely."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Little better than the sweatpants this morning, right?"

Um, alot better. Who knew she was hiding this body under those sweatpants? But he just met her today so he wasn't going to say that just yet.

"It's an upgrade," he told her instead with a teasing smile. "You ready to go?"

She nodded and slid her hand into the crook of his elbow as if it just naturally belonged there. It felt nice to feel like he was wanted again even if it was for a brief moment and this was just a date of convenience.

The black SUV was already waiting outside for them and his usual driver was standing next to it and opened the door for him. The company always made it a point to accommodate the basketball players by moving the seats around for extra legroom, which is why Parker always made sure to book a car with them.

Violet settled into the seat next to him and pulled her phone out of her purse. "I know this is weird that I'm asking now considering I'm all dressed up and everything, but can you give me your phone number?"

"You're not going to give it to some company trying to sell me a car warranty, are you?"

She laughed. "No, just thought I would need it if we get separated tonight so I can text you things like the guy with the meatballs is following me, please help ."

"That sounds delicious. I would totally help you with that." Violet smiled at him and he couldn't help but be smitten. "Alright, give me your number."

She rattled off her digits and he had to do everything in his power to go along with her as her phone was lighting up her cleavage in the darkened car and it was distracting.

Then he heard her phone ring, the screen brightening, her breasts bathed in light, and...

"Is that the Game of Thrones theme song?"

"Maybe," she answered demurely as he pressed some buttons to save his number in her phone.

"OK, favorite character?"

She turned and gave him a confused look. "Are you trying to test my Game of Thrones knowledge?"

Parer shrugged. He didn't mean to make it seem like he was flirting with her, but Violet's eyes went a little bigger, a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

But so what? So what if he was flirting with her? She was gorgeous and liked Game of Thrones and had actually agreed to go on this date with her.

And he was walking her into a trap.

Parker could feel his smile fade, and it must've been obvious to Violet too by the way she looked at him and turned back to her phone.

He had to tell her about Katherine before they got there. He couldn't just walk her in without knowing anything. She would come up to him to ask questions and check out Violet. It would be inevitable.

"So about tonight--"

Violet took a deep breath and turned with a plastered smile on her face. "It's going to be fun."

"Um, yeah, I guess." He didn't like this not-so-flirty thing after all. "So my ex is going to be there with her new boyfriend. And I'm not using you or anything. I really did have an extra ticket and it seemed like we could have a fun time. It's just..." He took another breath. "My ex is going to be there."

That small smile returned and Parker couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Maybe they could make this work. Maybe she wasn't totally turned off by him after all.

"Can I be honest with you then?"

Well, now this was either going to be something good or something bad. He knew that because he actually heard that line before from a woman. But a woman telling Parker she wanted to go out with him to see if his dick was proportional to the rest of his body wasn't as much of a turn-on as men would expect it to be for him. He had heard it before. It was nothing new.

"The only reason I agreed to go with you tonight was because you said The Cheshire Cat was gorgeous inside."

Huh. Well, that wasn't what he expected. Sure, it's a nice place and he could totally see a woman wanting to go there for the food and the cook cocktails they make.

"So you have a thing for sleek bars?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I have a thing for guys who like my sleek bars."

He still wasn't following and that must've been obvious by the way he was looking at her now. But Violet's smile seemed to grow wider as if she was about to spring something strange and new on him. It was turning him on in a way that was getting embarrassing in the back of this SUV with a chauffeur up front.

Violet leaned back and bit her lip for just a moment in a sultry way that made the predicament in his pants even worse.

"I designed the three bars at The Cheshire Cat."

"Designed how?"

She laughed. "I'm an interior designer. I work on restaurant interiors."

Well, that was new and not what he expected and... Wow. That was impressive. He had been there one time before for a teammate's birthday party and everyone had raved about it. The place was just cool and there were a few players who were even whining about doing the charity event tonight until they heard it was at The Cheshire Cat. There were plenty of takers after that.

And then he remembered something.

"Remind me to introduce you to Shalee tonight."

That skeptical look was back on Violet's face. "The ex."

"Oh yuck, no. She's my teammate's wife. The last time we were here, she couldn't stop talking about those uh... What are the lights that are attached to the wall by the bar with the mirrors?"

Violet smiled. "Sconces."

"She wants them for their house."

"I can help with that."

The buildings of Chicago were slowing down as they got closer to the restaurant and Parker started asking Violet questions about where she was from and how long she had lived in the building. She asked him why he moved there.

"My ex was cheating on me with another man in my building."

He could hear her sharp intake of breath. "Awkward."

"Tell me about it," he said. "Anyway, she's here tonight because he's here tonight since he's a pediatrician at the children's hospital that's putting this whole thing on."

Even though it was getting dark, Parker could see Violet's eyes go wide as she looked at him. He probably shouldn't have gone through with this. He was realizing that this really was a bad idea to walk her into an awkward situation when he had only met her this morning.

"OK, so I have questions."

She said it so matter of fact that Parker was ready for whatever vitriol she sent his way and he knew he would deserve it.

"How are we playing this then? I'm your girlfriend? We just met today? What are we doing?"

Parker just stared at her. "Um..."

"Did you not think this part through?" she asked teasingly.

"I'm still just shocked you said yes to me this morning."

"Ah."

She turned to look out the car window and the lights from outside cast a glow on her face. She seemed to be amused by this and he wasn't sure if that unnerved him or turned it on. Well, probably turned him on.

It also gave him a moment to finally notice her. It seemed like they had rushed to get out the door and rushed to get in the car and then he rushed through all this conversation. But now, in the quiet, he had some time to really look at her.

Violet's dress shimmered in the light and the dark green was sultry without being overboard. It wasn't a bright red dress that screamed "Look at me," but more of a subtle look that still looked gorgeous on her. Her brown hair was down and cascading over her shoulders and had some body to it. It looked soft and made him wish he could run his hand through it, but they didn't know each other like that.

He had noticed her make-up when he saw her in the lobby. He was sure she had taken some time to make it look good, but it seemed so subtle and effortless.

Effortless.

That was the word to describe her. She wasn't going to be make this a drama about dating a basketball player. She was coming to have a good time, enjoy herself tonight, be an effortless date, and Parker would have to step up to her level.

Violet turned, her hair falling over her shoulder again in a way that made Parker want to reach out and grab a handful, but he had to control himself.

"So here's the plan: we live in the same building and that's how we met even though it's a little weird that you've met more than one woman this way."

Parker shrugged. "Sorry?"

She waved her hand in the air. "We'll discuss that later," she said dismissively. "Anyway, I saw you needed some help when you moved in and we've been hanging out since then. When was what by the way?"

"What?"

"When you moved in?"

Parker had to think a bit. Days sometimes run into each other when you're on the road for games all the time. "Two weeks ago maybe."

"Sure, we'll do that."

"OK, but I was on the road this week."

Violet scrunched her face up in frustration. "Everyone there knows that too, right?" Parker nodded. "No biggie. People start new relationships all the time and there are plenty of ways to stay in touch even if you're on the road."

A sly smile spread across Parker's face. "True."

"No dick pics though!" she quickly added. "We haven't been dating that long and you are a gentleman."

Parker couldn't help but continue to smile at her and she let a bit of her cool exterior shine back at him. This would work and it wouldn't be that bad.

The car finally pulled up to The Cheshire Cat with the front of the restaurant decorated with some banners with the name of the children's hospital and some balloons or something. He wasn't really paying attention as he slid out of the seat and then turned back to help Violet out of the car.

Her red high heels were bright in the dark night and that green dress shimmered as she stepped out. He never would've thought the woman in the pajama pants and messy bun this morning could end up looking like this.

There's no way this could go bad when he had someone like Violet with him tonight.