Balls (Ball Games #1) Read online

  'Once a month. That's the thing with blokes. Mothers let them get away with murder. As long as I show my face monthly, she's fine. My sister, however, especially since having Max, well she's there all the time.'

  I watch him take a gulp of his tea. His Adam’s apple bobs. 'You've got to factor some downtime into your day. Maybe we could go to the cinema or you could come round for a drink one night?'

  'Do you want to be called a knobhead again?'

  'I didn't say it would be an alcoholic one, did I?'

  I gaze into the distance. 'Well, I usually see Beth on a Friday night, but she's blown me off this next week. She's started to make her own chocolates. I think she's hoping it can be a small business. I know she gets frustrated that she's not using her brain at the moment.’

  'Rejected for chocolate? Wow.'

  'Chocolate is an amazing substance. I'd happily spend a night with chocolate.'

  'Well come around to mine after you finish work on Friday. I'll serve you tea and chocolate.'

  'Sounds fun. I promise not to call you a knobhead. Oh, and Dylan?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Can you wear proper clothes on Friday?’

  ‘I’ll do my best.’

  Tea finished, I say goodbye and head back out into the street with the apple pie back in my hand. I don't want to eat it having had a quarter of it forced down me by my mother. I decide to drive to Beth's and drop it off for her and Trey.

  Bored with driving around, I decide that once I've dropped this off I'm heading home, getting my pj's on and watching a film. No doubt Bob will curl up on my knee like a living hot water bottle.

  Once again I head up to a door bearing apple pie. I knock. Again I’m left waiting a minute or two. The door opens and a dishevelled looking Beth answers. Another one who couldn’t be bothered to get dressed or brush their hair today.

  'Camille. I wasn't expecting you—was I?'

  Her face is flushed. She obviously thinks she's forgotten a plan.

  'Oh, no, nothing like that. I had extra pie from my mums and thought I'd drop it off for you and Trey. It seems a shame for it to go to waste. Where is the little monkey anyway? He's usually come to see his Auntie Camille by now.'

  'He's at my mum's. I was having a kip.'

  'Oh, no. I'm so sorry. The first time you get a chance for a laze around and I interrupt. Well, I'll leave this and be off. I'll ring you tomorrow.'

  'Thanks. I'd invite you in but…'

  'No problem. Get back to sleep if you can.'

  And there would have been no problem had I not looked at the hint of purple stain at the corner of her mouth. Why has Beth put lipstick on if she’s having a nap? Then I'm transported back to the play centre and a vision of the smudged lipstick on Jack's face with a feeling of puzzlement I couldn't place. My lipstick was dark pink, but what was smeared on Jack was more purple—this same purple.

  My heart thuds in my chest. 'Oh my God.'

  'What?'

  I step away from the doorway. My finger pointing at her. 'You. You and Jack.'

  Her eyes widen. 'Camille. Please don't be mad.'

  I put my hand up as thoughts hit my mind like a freight train. If Jack hadn't kissed me, who had?

  Fucking hell.

  ‘I've got to go.’ I turn on my heel and run to the car. Beth is yelling that she didn’t mean it but I couldn't care less about Beth and Jack. There's something I need to know.

  Pushing the speed limit, I once again find myself outside the townhouse where once again I ring the doorbell.

  Dylan opens the door, scratching his head.

  'Camille. What's wrong? Is everything—?'

  'Shh.' I push past him and walk into his living room. He follows me in, his brow furrowed.

  'Close your eyes,' I tell him.

  ‘What?’

  'Close your eyes,' I say louder.

  He rolls his eyes at me and huffs. 'Okay, crazy woman.'

  I walk over to him, lift myself up on the tips of my toes and I place my lips upon his. Upon the warm mouth that my body immediately recognises. Sparks shoot up my back as corded arms come around my torso and I’m pressed against that warm chest. Once again our tongues dance.

  I break off and stand back.

  'It was you!'

  'Guilty as charged,' says Dylan. Then he licks his mouth like he’s tasting me again. He raises an eyebrow. 'So what's my punishment?'

  My breathing is ragged. I decide to live in the moment. 'Drop those bottoms,' I tell him as I nod toward his PJ pants.

  He widens the elastic with his hands and they drop to the ground. His erect penis waves hello.

  'Fuck me,' I say aloud.

  'I thought you'd never ask,' replies Dylan.

  Dylan grabs my hand and leads me upstairs to his room. He turns on a small lamp. Then he stands as if he’s unsure what to do. I pull back the quilt. He smiles, gathers me towards him and kisses me again. He picks me up and places me on the bed. I help him to undo my jeans. He pulls them off my legs. I thank God that my pants are reasonable today, plain black minis. He helps me pull my tunic top over my head and that hits the floor, along with what looks like a weeks’ worth of washing. Men.

  I’m wearing just my underwear. Dylan stares at me. ‘Christ, you’re beautiful.’

  Before I know how to reply Dylan pulls down the front of my bra and sucks a nipple into his mouth. I almost come from that alone. I realise it’s been a long time since a man went anywhere near my lady parts. The only pussy that's had any play lately has been Bob the cat and his carrier bag.

  Dylan breaks off to remove my bra. He traces the outside of my breasts with his fingers.

  'You are so fucking gorgeous. Even lovelier than I imagined. I wonder what you taste like?' With that, Dylan lowers himself between the juncture of my thighs. He pulls off my panties and then licks me right there.

  My hips rise off the bed. I'm going to explode.

  'Oh, my God!'

  His tongue teases and I realise the sparks don't only come when it tangles with my own. He licks and fucks me with it until I'm on the precipice of an orgasm.

  'Oh, I'm going to—Oooh.' I explode over Dylan's mouth. He rides the wave, continuing to lick me until I have to push him away gently as it's too sensitive.

  I lie back, head against his pillow. My body assumes a rag-doll position. 'Jesus. Dylan. I'm spent. That was… well… whoa.'

  'I've barely started with you yet,' he says.

  'Really?'

  'Really.'

  His dick nudges against my entrance. I open my legs wider and wrap one around him, using my foot on his very firm backside to encourage him.

  'What's your rush?' he says, 'I've wanted to do this for years. I'm going to take my sweet time.'

  I want to ask him what he means by years but he chooses that moment to push his dick inside me.

  'Oh my Lord, that feels so fucking good.'

  'Like I said, I'm just starting with you.' Dylan pushes his tongue in my ear, making goose bumps rise over my body. Then he lives up to all his promises as he fucks me over and over until my body can take no more, and exhausted I curl up in his arms and fall asleep.

  I hear an annoying beeping noise and raise my head off the pillow. There’s movement at the side of me and I turn to find Dylan naked at my side, hitting the button on his alarm clock. Memories of the evening come back to me. I'm in Dylan Ball's bed. We fucked like rabbits all night long. It's six am. Shit. It’s Monday. Wow, Dylan's hard.

  Dylan strokes his cock. 'Good morning. Here's your early morning wake-up call,' he says, pushing me back onto the bed.

  We shower separately, conscious that we both start work early. After, he heads to the kitchen to fix us tea and toast. As I eat, I lean against his breakfast bar and watch him fix his tie in the kitchen mirror.

  'What did you mean that you’ve wanted to fuck me for years, Dylan? You hated me.'

  'I did not hate you.'

  'You made my life hell.'

  'I fancie
d the pants off you, Camille. Did from being about thirteen and discovering what my penis was for.’

  ‘What?’ I nervously play with my ponytail.

  ‘I didn't know how to get your attention so I tormented you. You'd get so annoyed with me and come seeking revenge. I loved it. Unfortunately, at sixteen, you grew a fantastic pair of tits and then my friends noticed you too.’

  ‘No, they didn’t.’

  ‘Are you kidding? I wanted to throat punch them all. That's why I started the toe thing. Only it went too far. It wasn't meant to hurt you. It was supposed to make my friends see you as uncool and encourage them to move to the next girl.’

  I take a seat at the breakfast bar.

  ‘If it’s any consolation, I've never forgiven myself for what I did. When you came back, I saw a chance to make amends and be friends. I didn't for one minute think we'd end up here.'

  'Me neither.'

  He stares at me. 'I really am sorry.'

  I nod. ‘Let’s leave it in the past. It's the thing I don't talk about, and if it's okay with you, I'd like it to remain that way. Let's forget it.'

  'Are you sure?'

  'When I used to think of you, all I could see in my mind were the Facebook posts. I hated you.'

  'I know. And now?'

  'And now when I think of you all I can think about is that hard cock filling me and you making me come again.'

  My tea and toast are moved. Dylan grabs me by the waist and lifts me off the stool. The breakfast bar is used for something else entirely. We barely make it to work on time but I don’t think either of us cares.

  Chapter Eight

  My mobile phone had run out of juice overnight. As I plug it into the car charger, it beeps several times. I ignore it until I reach Kid Zone's car park. Eight texts and six missed calls. All Beth.

  I phone her back as I walk towards the entrance of the centre.

  'Hey, you. Sorry, I wasn't in touch.'

  'No. I'm sorry. Do you hate me?'

  'For what?'

  'Pinching Jack.'

  I sigh. 'You didn't pinch Jack. I hardly said two sentences to him all night. He was never mine to pinch.'

  'Are you all right? You seem rather calm about it.'

  'Never better.'

  'What's going on?'

  'What do you mean?'

  'You were lusting after Jack. Now you don't care that I slept with him. Hang on. Where did you go rushing off to when you left mine?’

  'Dylan's.'

  'Oh, my God, please tell me what happened.'

  'Like what?' I tease.

  'Did Dylan finally tell you he has the hots for you? He bored me to death when we were out. Camille this, Camille that.'

  'What? I was the person he was talking to you about?'

  'Yes. Oh my God, sometimes you are so dumb. Who else has he been stalking lately?'

  'Why didn't you tell me he'd kissed me when you knew it wasn't Jack?'

  'Tell you I’ve snogged your date? The man you’d lusted after for years. I wasn't going there. You were hammered. I didn't want thumping. As it was, you threatened to cut off Dylan's testicles.'

  I sigh in a happy way. 'Well, I won't be doing that again. I like sucking on them too much.'

  'Camille. Oh my God, you dirty bitch. Are you absolutely sure you don't mind about Jack and me?'

  'I couldn't care less. Just in future, if you have the hots for my dates, can you please be truthful with me? If I wasn't in lust with Dylan, I doubt I’d be as charitable.'

  'How about chocolate samples as a friendship bribe?'

  'That'll work for me. Right, I'd better go and get this place open. It looks like it might rain again.'

  'I know. Thank goodness you let Trey and me in for free. I feel sorry for other parents. These holidays must cost them a fortune.'

  'Yeah, but their loss is my gain, so I can't be sad that we're having a miserable summer. I'll see you soon.'

  'Well, if you can drag yourself away from Mr Ball's balls.'

  I'm smiling a really pathetic smile as I hang up the phone. Then I walk into my building feeling a delicious ache between my legs which reminds me of what a good morning it was.

  It's the afternoon where it all goes to shit. First of all the clouds clear and a heatwave hits. The first hot sunny weather in weeks means my centre empties faster than a bath and by the time lunchtime has passed, there're about three children left in the building. Myself and the rest of my team are standing around bored. There are no parties booked in for that evening either so there’s no preparation to do. Gemma insists on staying in case there's a rush of children but I let the others go early to enjoy the sunshine. I ask them to keep their mobile phones on in case I need them, but tell them I don't expect I'll have to call them.

  I look at Gemma worriedly. 'What if the rest of the summer holidays are like this?'

  'Cross that bridge when we come to it, hey? You must have known that there was potential for summer to come and attendance to slacken.'

  'I did, but I still expected there'd be some trade.'

  Gemma places a hand on my arm. 'It's the first of summer anyone's seen. They're all out there in case that big yellow thing never appears again.'

  'I guess so.'

  'It'll probably piss down again tomorrow.'

  I raise an eyebrow. 'Have you seen the weather forecast?'

  She sighs, 'Yep. It says it's in for the week. Sorry.'

  ‘Who’d guess I’d be moaning that the sun is out?'

  Gemma laughs. ‘Anyway while it's so quiet why don't you go and do your paperwork in the office and I'll keep things running out here?'

  'You're a star.'

  'I know. That's why you gave me the job.'

  I laugh and head for my office, taking a pre-prepared children's cheese lunch box with me. I consume a plain cheese sandwich on milk roll and a bag of quavers but forego the juice box for a nice cuppa. Then I switch on the computer to check my emails.

  After an hour or so I'm bored with Kid Zone paperwork, so I check social media. These days I love Instagram so I tap the app on my phone and swipe through the images.

  There's a picture of a girl in a similar situation to what I was in years ago. I immediately pity her. There's a close up of her front bottom encased in jeans that are tight over her minge, so her camel toe is visible to all. Then I read the caption.

  Camille Toe is back in town.

  What the fuck? I study the photo up close and recognise my cords. The ones I wore on ball pool night. The photo shows the slide underneath me so I can see what happened. As I've ridden the slide, my cords have pulled back. The picture has been shared by an old school friend. How did they get it? Then I come to a horrible realisation and put my head in my hands.

  Dylan tricked me. How fucking stupid am I? I slept with him for God's sake. What a joke. I fell for him and slept with him and then this very morning he's shared a picture guaranteed to take me right back to when I was sixteen years old. Nausea threatens and I realise that I will physically be sick. I run into the staff toilet and bring back all my lunch.

  I walk outside towards Gemma. My body is shaking.

  'Oh, my God. Are you okay? You look like death.'

  'I need to go home. Can you ring one of the other girls and bring them back in? Tell them I'm sorry.'

  'I'll deal with it. Get yourself home now, you look terrible.'

  I don’t remember driving home. When I get in Bob is disgusted that he hasn't seen me for almost twenty-four hours and won't meet my eyes. Guilt consumes me. I've never left him on his own for that long before. It was wrong. I let all sense leave me. What a stupid bitch I am. I get clean cat bowls and put a treat meal down for Bob. The smell makes me nauseous again. Then I head upstairs. Removing my clothes makes me recall my recent trysts with Dylan again. My eyes hone in on a love bite on the side of my nipple. A mark of betrayal. A mark to show how idiotic I am. I climb under the covers and pull the duvet over my head. Tears fall until I can barely catch my breath t
hrough the outpouring of the emotion. I hear my phone beeping downstairs but ignore it. I don't want to see or speak to anyone today. For the rest of the day, I will give in to the shitness of my life because tomorrow I'm determined to grow some balls and stand up to my bully.

  I don’t want to get out of bed and snooze the alarm twice. My eyes are swollen and puffy but I have responsibilities and need to get to work. I do the best I can to cover up the redness with a white eye pencil that is supposed to brighten my eyes and some erase paste concealer. My hair gets tied back in its regular ponytail. I resemble a white rabbit with my bloodshot eyes. At least I've covered the puffiness. I'm just going to have to blame the rest on no sleep.

  Even drizzle hitting my face can’t cheer me up this morning. I open up the centre. It's Gemma's day off and the rest of the staff stare a little but don't ask questions. As it reaches time to open to the public, there are parents waiting outside, ready to offload their energetic bundles. The sun is due to re-emerge this afternoon, however, so I'm expecting it to quieten off again. If it does, I plan to let this lot hold the fort and escape into my office once more. There are two parties at five so the staff are needed. From a business point of view, I realise I shouldn't have let them go early yesterday. While it was a nice thought, I can read in their faces that they're wondering if I will do the same today. I’ll find other jobs they can do. Before I escape to my office this afternoon I must make this clear. Rookie error. I'm done letting people take advantage of me.

  When I look at my phone, there’s a text from Dylan. It says he can't stop thinking of between my legs. Is he fucking kidding me? Can't he just let the whole camel toe thing go? I delete it.

  In the afternoon, I tell the others I'm not to be disturbed unless it’s an emergency. At just after five I walk out to make sure the parties are being run correctly. The staff are busy so I stay out and assist. The better we handle these parties, the more repeat business. They’re over by seven and everyone is out of the door by eight. I do my final search of the building and get ready to lock up.