"What do you mean you're breaking up with me?"

Derek Donovan shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned up against the far wall in Kallie Wintor's sun—lit penthouse apartment overlooking the French Quarter. The building only had seven floors, but the view was spectacular. He'd expected some dramatics but the venom in her voice was unexpected. Especially considering she was sleeping with someone else. "I think that's pretty self explanatory. This isn't working out. You and I had an agreement. When it wasn't working anymore, we walk away. It's not working for me. I'm walking away."

"So you think I'm just going to let you go? I have plans for us. For you. You can't just leave me."

The woman had never been told no in her life. This was what happened when someone was given everything they ever asked for. She thought she could control every outcome to her favor.

And that was the main crux of the problem. Well, one of two anyway. She had this roadmap in her head of where they were going and he liked his independence far too much. After two months, all of a sudden she'd started making plans for them months in advance. And coming from a woman who had signed on the dotted line for a no strings, keep it casual fling, it had surprised and irked him. He understood just a little too late that she'd said whatever she needed to have him.

That alone made him twitchy. He hated liars. And more importantly, he liked his freedom. He'd been looking for a way out for a few days and the opportunity had presented itself yesterday when he'd come over, unannounced. From the street, he'd seen her naked tits pressed up against her floor to ceiling windows while some guy fucked her from behind.

When she'd approached him at the All Star Game a couple of months ago, he'd told her he wasn't looking for anything serious. He always made it clear when he started to date someone. Made sure they knew it wasn't going anywhere. And Kallie had said she was down for that.

His only request was that while they were hooking up, they kept it simple and didn't sleep with other people, because he really preferred to avoid nasty dramatics. He should have known that shit was too perfect to be true.

Sure he'd had his reservations. There were always groupies at those kinds of baller events. And, as the trainer for the NBA team, the New Orleans Jaguars, he got some of the residual perks, but so many of those chicks had a long term goal and paycheck in mind. And his playing days were long past thanks to his ACL injury. He'd never play basketball for anything more than recreation now.

He'd thought himself immune to the groupie girls with a five—year plan. And Kallie Wintor was beautiful. The classic southern belle with corn silk hair and bright blue eyes but with a dirty side. "I am leaving, Kallie. But you shouldn't worry about that too much. I think the guy I saw you fucking last night can probably help sooth any ego wounds you have.

Her beautiful eyes flared wide. "What?"

"Oh yeah, I should have mentioned I saw you yesterday. I mean, I probably should have taken it personally that you never let me fuck you against the window, too worried that people would see, but I can't muster the energy to give a shit."

She stumbled forward, changing tactics. "Derek, I'm sorry. It was stupid. A one time thing. I never should have——",she blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Let me make it up to you. I'll blow you. Remind you why we're good together."

Usually, when a woman so generously offered to wrap her lips around his cock and suck him into her sweet warmth, he wasn't ever turning her down.

Except for now. In this case, with this woman. So. Not. Even. Happening.

She sidled up to him and tried to wrap herself around him boa constrictor style, and Derek wished he was anywhere but here.

He gently removed her arms from around his neck. "Kallie, not gonna happen."

She pulled back with raised brows. "You're seriously turning me down?"

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the incredulity in her tone. Might not be a good idea to laugh in her face. She wasn't used to hearing no. "I'm sorry, Kallie, but yeah. I'm not even mad about that dude. Truth be told, it was nearing time for this to be over anyway."

"Why can't you see that we'd be good together?"

"No."

He had no delusions about why she wanted him. It wasn't his looks, though they probably didn't hurt. He was just starting in his career so he didn't have money. No, Kallie wanted a project, and he was damned if he was going to be anyone's damn boy toy. He wasn't a doll she could dress up and parade around and would jump when she said.

She glared at him as she stepped back. "I know your reputation, you know. The girls you've been with. Women talk. Derek Donovan, the devil himself in the sack. I made a mistake last night. But you can’t walk away from me. We're not done, Derek."

His stomach knotted. She wasn't wrong, there had been a string of women. More than he could remember. It wasn't something he was proud of. After the injury that had sidelined him, his friends had been getting NBA offers. The jealousy and despair had made him spin out and he'd gone a little bit out of control. The guy he'd been then would have taken the blow job and walked away. But he wasn't that person anymore. Especially not if it meant relinquishing his freedom. "Goodbye, Kallie."