by Ali Parker
“Afraid I’ll steal your lady, Easton?”
I laughed and poked him in his not so flat belly. “Nope. Not even a little bit.”
* * *
It was almost two years ago that Jerry and I had that conversation. I had no clue then that the girl I would meet throughout the Casanova process would do a number on me and leave me a much better man than who I’d been when I first met her.
I wasn’t angry anymore. I didn’t think the world was trying to screw me over. She’d shown me that I could trust people—I could trust her—and it felt damn fucking good.
But now that I was only five days away from losing her, it was hard to stop myself from feeling those negative things again. I had no idea how I would handle saying goodbye to her or who I would become once she was gone.
I was terrified that I would revert back to who I had been. The asshole with a chip on his shoulder and an axe to grind with everyone.
No, I wouldn’t fall victim to that bullshit again.
If my old self came knocking, I would keep the door locked and shut. He wasn’t coming back. This version of me was better. Stronger. Smarter. Kinder. This version of me was loved by the girl who had softened my edges. I was sure of it.
And if she didn’t love me?
Well, I would deal with that when the time came at the end of the year, just like the other guys would have to. There was no doubt in my mind that each and every one of them would figure out pretty quickly how special Piper James was. And how lucky they were that she managed to get her foot in the door with the club and join the process at the last second.
Piper and I stopped in the middle of the field. I dropped my duffel bag from my shoulder and bent down to pull out my football. Piper turned in a slow circle, gazing up at the bleachers all around, and then finally stopped when she was facing me again.
“This must feel so surreal with thousands of people watching you and screaming your name.”
I nodded. “It took a long time for me to get used to it, but I did eventually.”
“I think I’d throw up before a game.”
I chuckled. “Some of the guys do. Don’t tell him I told you this, but Brodie throws up before almost every game. That’s why he eats so much afterward.”
Piper covered her mouth with one hand and tried to suppress a giggle. “Really?”
“Yeah. It’s actually a pretty common thing for athletes and performers. There’s a lot of pressure on a guy’s shoulders to win. To perform. To be better. It can all be too much for some people.”
“But not for you?”
“I think I enjoy playing too much for it to make me sick. Besides, once the ball comes to me for the first time and I start to play, I forget about the crowd entirely. It’s just me and the boys on the field. And the scoreboard.”
“Maybe they’ll make a movie about you someday,” she teased.
“Don’t patronize me.”
Piper threw her head back and laughed as I gestured for her to back up.
“How far?” she asked, stopping when she was about fifteen feet away. “You’re putting a lot of faith in my throwing and catching abilities here, you know?”
“A little farther. Go on. No, keep going. There you go. Stop.”
Piper stopped when she was twenty-five feet away. She clapped her hands together. “All right, now what?”
I threw her the ball. It was a perfect throw of course. They always were.
She let out a shriek but didn’t flinch away. She cupped her arms together to try to catch it like a baby, but it bounced right out of them to roll across the turf.
Piper hung her head. “That’s harder than it looks.”
I jogged over to her and picked up the ball on my way. Then I told her about the laces and where to put her fingers for a throw.
“It gets easier the more you do it. Like all things.”
“That’s what she said.” Piper snickered.
“You’re a child.”
She beamed at me. “I’m hilarious.”
“Right, hilarious. Here, take the ball. Position your feet apart and square with your shoulders. When you throw, you want to twist your torso. That’s where the power comes from. No. Keep your back foot on the ground. You have to keep your balance. There you go.” I nodded approvingly when she managed to find the right position.
“Wait to throw it to me,” I said, and then I jogged down the field about thirty feet. I had faith she could throw it that far. At least, I hoped she could.
Piper set her sights down the field. She wound back with the ball and followed the instructions I’d given her. Then she let it fly.
The throw wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t great, either. It wobbled rather than spun, and I had to hurry a few paces forward to catch it, but I caught it, and it went in my general direction, and that was enough for Piper to let out a victory cry and throw her fist in the air.
Laughing to myself, I tossed it back. This time, she caught it.
We continued to pass the ball back and forth for about half an hour. By then, she could throw it straight and put a bit of a spin on it. It was nothing to write home about, but I hadn’t expected to get to that point. I just wanted to play the sport I loved with the girl of my dreams before she left.
I packed the duffel bag up, and we went and sat in the bleachers for a little while. I showed her the best place to sit behind the bench and up a few rows. From there, you could see every part of the field no matter how packed the stadium was. It was also a great spot to be for halftime shows and the cheerleading routines.
“You’re full of hot tips,” she said, gazing up at me and smiling. She shimmied closer across the bench, and I lifted my arm for her to settle under it. I held her close to me and rubbed her shoulder.
Piper sighed. “I could stay here forever.”
I kissed the top of her head and gazed out at the field lit by the stadium lights. “I’d have you,” I whispered.
I thought she might say something else, but she didn’t, and the two of us sat in comfortable silence as the minutes steadily ticked by toward our inevitable goodbye.
Chapter 24
Piper
I woke to the sound of rain. It pattered against the window in Easton’s bedroom. The sound was soothing and reminded me of home in New York City.
I loved waking up on rainy Sunday mornings. I’d put on some cozy PJs and fuzzy socks before making myself a cup of tea, which I’d sip while I sat near the window and read a good book. Something with a bit of adventure and excitement. And love, of course. There always had to be love.
I rolled over in bed to face Easton. He was sleeping on his back. The blankets were down around his ribs, exposing his bare, full chest and thick muscled shoulders. He had one hand resting on his stomach while the other dangled off the edge of the bed.
He looked so vulnerable. So peaceful. I sighed and nuzzled my cheek deeper into my pillow.
February had been one hell of a whirlwind. I’d arrived on Easton’s doorstep without a clue of what to expect from the all-star athlete. It hadn’t been to be ignored on my first night there, brushed aside like an unwelcome guest left to fend for herself in his massive luxury home. But everything after that moment had been a pleasant surprise.
Easton was not the man I initially thought him to be. The rough, tough, angry, mean exterior he first portrayed was nothing like his true self. He was kind, thoughtful, and funny. A lot funnier than anyone gave him credit for, in my opinion.
Now that I felt like I knew him, I hated that I had to leave him. We had just gotten started, and everything was clicking and falling into place, and now I had to pack up and move on to the next man.
It was a sobering thought. I had to do this all over again. And again. And again. Until I reached the end of the year and the money with my name on it. The money seemed farther away, though, not closer. And I knew it was because I’d fallen for both of the men I’d spent time with so far on this journey. How that was possible, I had no idea, and
I didn’t have energy left to try to figure it out. It was what it was.
I was fairly certain that I was in love with two men. Two completely different, handsome, smart, accomplished men. I was also certain that they both loved me back, which only complicated things more.
What if I fell for more of the guys? What if they blew me away just like Joshua and Easton had? How the hell was I supposed to accept the money at the end of all this if my heart was with someone else?
Easton drew a deep breath, and I reached out to run a hand along his chest. We only had one night left together. My heart ached.
I rolled over and slid off the bed. I collected my clothes from the floor, where they always seemed to end up every time Easton and I went to bed, and then I slipped out of the bedroom with my phone and went into the living room.
I curled up in one corner of the sofa and called Janie. Hopefully, she would answer. It was early, just after seven o’clock. She would be up getting ready for work, probably having just gotten out of the shower. I hoped she’d be able to talk to me while she made her morning cup of coffee and prepared breakfast.
“Why hello there, best friend.” Janie’s voice filled the line. It made me smile right away. “How are you, stranger? I was hoping to hear from you.”
“I’m good.”
“You’re lying.”
I sighed. Janie could see right through me—even when we weren’t in the same room and she couldn’t physically see me. She had a way of always knowing when something was up.
“I have to come home tomorrow,” I said.
“I know. I’m excited. But why don’t you sound excited? Did something happen? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I promise. I just…” I trailed off.
Janie was in our kitchen. I could hear her opening drawers and sifting through the cutlery. She was probably pouring herself a bowl of cereal or maybe settling down to have yogurt and granola. She was a creature of habit. “Take your time. I’m here.”
I rubbed my temples. “I really like him, Janie.”
She didn’t laugh like I thought she might. “That’s all right, isn’t it?”
“No. I mean, I don’t think so. Because I feel this way about Joshua too. Maybe more. Maybe less. It’s so confusing. I haven’t seen him in a month, and I’ve spent every day with Easton, so it’s impossible for me to make sense of what my real feelings are. And I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to do this again. I just want to stay here and forget about this whole thing.”
“Forget about the money too?”
I closed my eyes. “No.”
Janie was quiet for a minute. I listened to her chew something crunchy—granola, most likely—and then she took a sip of coffee. “Piper, I know this is really hard, and it’s not going to get easier. But you knew this going into the Casanova Club. It’s not supposed to be easy. And getting your hands on a million dollars shouldn’t be, either.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“You’re very lucky to be in your position. A lot of other girls would kill to be where you are now. You have to go through with this and keep your chin up. I know you can do this. And you know you can, too. These guys are going to put you through the wringer. The whole point is that they’re all men worth falling for. Well, give or take a couple maybe.”
“So, what you’re saying is, I should stop being a little bitch and just suck it up?”
“More or less.”
I smiled. It was what I needed. “You always know the right thing to say, Janie.”
“I try my best. I wish I could be out there with you through all this.”
“Me too. You could have come on the yacht with us.”
“Yeah, I’m still bitter about that.”
I played with a loose thread on my fuzzy pink socks. “Will I get to see you when I come home tomorrow night?”
“Absolutely. I miss my bestie. And your folks said it was fine if I got you in the evening and they got you in the morning. I have snacks and wine already on the kitchen counter awaiting your arrival.”
“You’re the best. Did you get any—”
“Brie? Of course I did. Who do you think I am?”
I laughed. “Awesome. I can’t wait. I apologize in advance if I’m a blubbering mess and I drown my sorrows in ice cream and wine.”
“I did not buy ice cream.”
“I’m going to need it,” I said.
Janie took a slurping sip of her coffee. “Chocolate chip mint or triple fudge?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Both.”
“Oh shit. You really like this guy. All right. Both it is.”
“I love you, Janie. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“See you tomorrow night, Pipes. Try to have fun today, okay? You and Easton both deserve it.”
After I hung up the phone, I stayed on Easton’s sofa by myself for a few minutes listening to the rain. Janie was right. Easton and I had twenty-four hours left in each other’s company, and I had no intention of wasting that time feeling sorry for myself.
I hopped off the couch and returned to the bedroom, where I paused in the doorway. Easton was still sound asleep on his back. I smiled to myself as I watched him. His head was turned slightly to the side, almost like he was listening to the rain, too. His jaw was shaded in stubble because he hadn’t shaved in the last couple of days. Apparently, that was normal after the season ended. He went from having to shave all the time to shaving only every few days.
He rocked the stubble very well. Of course, he was such an attractive man that he could probably rock a mullet and a handlebar moustache. Well, that might be a bit much. That mix didn’t look good on anyone.
I padded silently across his bedroom floor and stood at the end of the bed. His chest rose and fell with each deep breath.
“Easton?” I whispered.
He didn’t stir.
“Easton?” I called again, a little louder this time.
He moaned softly and turned his head to the side, but his eyes didn’t open. I put a hand on his shin and shook him. Easton cracked an eye open to peer down at me. “What do you want, woman?”
I grinned. Then I leapt up onto the bed, climbed on top of him, and bounced up and down, jostling him beneath me. He laughed and grabbed hold of my thighs, holding me down on top of him so I had to stop bouncing.
I switched strategies and tickled his ribs instead.
Easton let out a sharp and startled laugh, which made me laugh, and then he went in and tickled me back, holding on to me tightly so I couldn’t squirm out of his grasp. He tickled until I was breathless and screaming for mercy, and then he stopped, giving me a warning look.
“Truce?” he asked.
I nodded and tried to catch my breath. “Truce.”
“Now. What did you want?”
I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Get up.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Someone’s bossy this morning.”
I pushed down on his chest. “Come on. It’s our last day. I want to spend every minute together.”
“What did you have in mind?” he asked, running his hands up my thighs to rest them on my hips. The way he looked at me made my skin burn.
“I was thinking we could watch movies all day and make yummy food and cuddle.”
His smile broadened. My insides melted. “Sounds like a dream,” he said.
“Should we go pick up some groceries? I want to make guacamole to go with some nachos.”
Easton patted my hip. “How about we get the groceries delivered? I have some great suggestions of what we can do while we wait for them to arrive that are much more fun than driving to the grocery store.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked coyly.
“Yeah.” He nodded, holding on to me as he sat up.
I looped my arms behind his neck. “Something tells me we’re going to do one of those suggestions before we even get around to ordering groceries.”
Easton’s eyes moved to my lips. “Very clever, Piper. Very cl
ever.”
And then he was kissing me, and all the dread I’d felt moments before slipped away, and I was left feeling full and content.
That was enough for now.
Chapter 25
Easton
February twenty-eighth. Doomsday.
That line of thinking was dramatic, but it was how I felt. That was why I hadn’t been able to bring myself to go to the guest room where Piper was packing her bags. Instead, I lingered in the kitchen, hoping she would come out and sit with me. But she didn’t, and she wouldn’t. She had less than half an hour before she had to go.
And I was out here being a pansy, all because I was afraid to say goodbye.
“Get your ass in there, you jackass,” I muttered to myself.
Knowing I would regret wasting any more time not in her company, I went down the hall to the guest room door. It was closed.
I raked my fingers through my hair and lifted my fist to knock. When my knuckles hit the wood, the door opened. Apparently, it hadn’t been latched.
Piper looked up at me. She was bent over her suitcase, which was up on the bed, and she was zipping up the inside compartments. The smile she gave me was sad. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I said. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.”
I slipped into the room and felt instantly out of place. She was leaving. Leaving Miami and leaving me. I had no idea what things would look like for us the next time we met.
Would she still care about me? Would she have fallen for another man in the club and chosen him? I swallowed. “Are you looking forward to seeing your family?”
Piper nodded. “Yes. Very. But I only have one night back in New York City, and then I have to leave for the March bachelor.”
“Right.”
She straightened up and sighed, planting her hands on her hips. “I think that’s pretty much it. Just a few odds and ends left.”
“You already grabbed your red bra from my room?”
She nodded absently and scanned the contents of her suitcase. I remained quiet while she tallied all her items in her head. When she was confident she had everything, she closed the suitcase and zipped it up.
