The Love Game

by Emilia Beaumont

  “Well? What are you waiting for?” my dad asked as he wrapped an arm around my mom’s waist. “Go get her. She should ride with the family.”

  “You all better be nice,” I said, warning them.

  “Aren’t we always?” my mom called just as I walked out the room. I fought my way through the crowd and spied Ginny standing near the pew, waiting. She looked like an elegant movie star from the forties—confident, sultry and full of curves. Damn, she was gorgeous.

  “Have I told you already how much I love you?”

  “Mmm, not in the last hour I don’t think.”

  “Well, I do. I love every last bit of you.”

  “Damon, I have a surprise for you,” she said softly as I pulled her to me. I planted a kiss on her lips, never wanting it to end. She pushed at my chest and leaned her head back.

  “But don’t get any ideas… we’re in a church,” she whispered, a mischievous grin on her face.

  “Always a first time for everything,” I replied. God, she was making me hard.

  “You are so bad,” she said, giggling.

  “I’ll try to be good, I promise. But everything good back home?” I asked.

  She touched my face with the palm of her hand. “Yep, all good. The caregiver we met while you there is with her. She’s great. How she manages to keep my mom so calm I don’t know. But I think you were right, doing it this way, transitioning slowly from a full-time caregiver and then to a care home will be better all around. Especially since we’d only just moved recently. I don’t want to confuse her more.”

  “That’s good to hear. It’ll all work out.”

  Ginny nodded. “Oh! And Lucia went into labor about an hour ago. Cara texted to let me know.”

  “Oh wow,” I said. “How many kids does that make it now for them?”

  “A lot! Three.”

  “That’s not that many… I want at least half a dozen with you,” I said, waiting to see her reaction.

  “You’re insane!” She laughed, and I took her hand.

  “Hey, you didn’t say no. But anyway, come on. My parents want to meet you.”

  “Oh god. I hope your mom likes me after everything…”

  “She will. She will adore you. You just got off on the wrong foot is all. And my dad is already smitten with you.”

  I pulled her to the small room and then wrapped my arm around her waist as we entered. “This is Ginny,” I announced.

  Maddy moved first, reaching out to take Ginny in a full hug. “Thank you for getting Damon here,” she said softly, “and welcome to the family, again!”

  “I, thanks, but I really didn’t do anything. He made the decision on his own,” Ginny said as Maddy released her. “Oh, you definitely helped,” Maddy responded. My dad stepped forward next and pulled her into a hug, too.

  “Nice to finally meet the woman who has captured my son’s heart.”

  “Well, I think I could say the same thing about you,” she laughed nervously. “Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  My mom stepped forward, and I held my breath as she gave Ginny a critical eye. If she said anything to embarrass her, I was done. But to my surprise, she wrapped Ginny in a hug, tears in her eyes. “I’m also glad to finally meet the woman who makes Damon so happy.”

  Ginny shot me a look as she patted my mom’s back, and I laughed, feeling just as uncomfortable as she felt. Finally, my mom let her go. “Nice to properly meet you, too,” Ginny said, “and congratulations to you both. You both look deliriously happy.”

  “Oh, we are,” my mom said and went back to hold my dad’s hand.

  “Well, I wasn’t going to do this until later, but I can’t wait,” my dad said. Maddy looked like the third wheel, so I pulled her to my other side, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

  “What? What is it, Clark?” my mom asked, worry in her eyes.

  “Shh, it’s OK. I got a report from my doctor yesterday. It looks like I’m heading toward remission.”

  “Oh my god! You’re going to make me cry. I’m not supposed to cry on my wedding day!”

  “That’s great,” I said, tears clogging my throat. My dad was going to be OK. Everything was starting to right itself in the world.

  “It’s wonderful,” my mom replied breathlessly, kissing his cheek. “Now we can really enjoy our trip to the Caribbean.” They nuzzled noses, and both Maddy and I made throw-up sounds, causing everyone to laugh like we used to.

  “All right!” my dad said with a laugh. “We get it. Let’s go get our party on and celebrate!”

  I pulled Ginny out onto the dance floor as a slow song started, taking the opportunity to wrap my arms around her. She sighed as she put her arms around my neck, her eyes shining. The reception was in full swing, the dance floor crowded with guests, but I only had eyes for the woman before me. Everyone else just faded into the background like decorations.

  “How long are you staying again?” I asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she said, amused. “Maybe two days or three. Why?”

  I leaned down, nipping at her lower lip. “Because it won’t be long enough.”

  “Damon,” she breathed, the word igniting the already raging heat within me. Without a word, I pulled her off the dance floor and out of the room, opening the first door I came to. It was the supply closet, but it was big enough.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, breathless. I growled and slid my hands under her dress, finding the tiny scrap of lace underneath. “I’m seducing you in the supply closet. This time it’s not a church—you have any objection?”

  Ginny laughed, wrapping her arms around my neck before placing a soft kiss on my neck right above my collar. “Not at all.”

  “Good,” I answered, and wiggled the tight fabric of her dress up to the tops of her thighs. My fingers ran up her inner thighs ready to have to deal with a pair of panties, but there was nothing there. She was bare.

  “You naughty, naughty girl,” I said groaning. “This was my surprise, wasn’t it? If you’d told me earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to resist you in the church. I would’ve had you right there in the aisle.”

  “I know. And you wonder why I changed my mind and didn’t mention it. We couldn’t ruin their wedding day.”

  She moaned as I sought her swollen nub. She was already wet, and I felt my cock jerk to attention. This was going to be fast and furious, but I would make it up to her later. She breathed hard as I fumbled with my zipper, springing my cock out and sliding into her wetness with impatience.

  “Oh god,” she said, gripping my shoulders as I pressed her up against the cold wall. “Yes.”

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” I growled, driving into her, supporting her with my weight. “I love you.”

  “I love you,” she said, looking at me with heat in her eyes. “Now shut up and fuck me, Damon.”

  I gripped her hips and slammed into her, eliciting a soft scream from her open mouth. I was on fire, and it was all her fault. Our motions became frenzied, her building orgasm and moans nearly caused me to come undone too soon. I caught her lips and let my tongue ravish her mouth. She tasted like sweet champagne.

  She arched her back, and her inner walls squeezed around my hard cock as her cries became louder. I didn’t care how loud she got. The louder the better. It turned me on. With her legs wrapped around my waist and my urgent thrusting, she cried out and closed her eyes. For a brief second I could feel her going limp as she simultaneously rode the wave of her orgasm and my cock. A moment later I joined in, gripped her tightly and planted my feet to keep us both upright as I poured my seed into her. We stayed frozen in our position before I allowed her to slide down the wall, her breath rapid against my shoulder and her legs shaking.

  “I would say that is the best welcome to New York I’ve had all day,” she said shakily as I adjusted myself and gathered her into my arms.

  “Oh really, the time in the hotel wasn’t good?” I said.

  “It wa
s fantastic,” she breathed, “but this was fucking hot.” She laughed and pulled back to look at me. “Each time gets better than the last.”

  I blew out a breath and kissed her hard. Damn, I was totally and utterly fucked. She had me, every part of me.

  “We should probably get back,” Ginny was saying, reluctantly extracting herself from my arms. “How do I look?”

  “Like you just had fucking hot sex in the supply closet,” I remarked. She socked me in the shoulder, her eyes sparkling. “No, really.”

  I took a long look at her, taking in every inch of the woman that I loved and would love until the end of time. “You look stunning.”

  She blushed and held out her hand. “Ready?”

  I clasped it in mine, bringing it up to my lips for a quick kiss. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  27

  Ginny

  It was one of those days. I walked silently beside Damon, turmoil in my gut. In the afternoon, I would head back to Florida, and though I knew I had to go, I didn’t want to. These last two days had been another whirlwind of love and romance, with a great deal of it spent in bed. I was getting very used to waking up next to Damon, and I wasn’t sure how I would cope when I got back. I was going to miss him like crazy, but I had things to consider back home. I still had to finalize what home I’d be putting my mom into, and Damon also had to buckle down for the US Open. His first match was only a few days away. I would be watching it on TV and counting the hours until we could be back together again. But unlike before, I knew that I had nothing to worry about.

  In between the sex and the sightseeing, we talked about the future and where Damon was going to settle down. “London, I think, as our main base of operations,” he said one night as we lay in bed together, dreaming about the possibilities. “We could get a little apartment. Maybe one in each city—Paris, New York, London. It will be perfect for us.”

  I had grinned like a damn fool when he had said the word ‘us,’ knowing in my heart that I would gladly follow him wherever he wanted to go.

  “And Florida?” I asked gently.

  “Without question. Maybe even a house there. You know, the whole nine yards, picket fence, grass for miles.”

  “And a tennis court.”

  “You read my mind.”

  Once we got my mom settled, I’d technically be free, no responsibilities to the bar or my mom, though I knew I wouldn’t go long without visiting her. Every couple of weeks at the very least. I couldn’t just leave her in a home and forget about her, even if that was what she’d wanted. I still loved her, still smiled when I saw her face, and still enjoyed telling her about my day. And I expected the more I travelled the more I would want to tell her about my adventures. It didn’t matter that she might not remember the conversations. It was something in my heart I would need to do.

  We arrived at an iron gate with a padlock on it. The entrance to what looked like a private park. Damon fished a key out of his pocket and opened it. The night was crisp and cool, a sign that autumn was well on its way. I found that I loved New York, the city that never sleeps, the sights and sounds so different than back home. It was hard to believe I’d visited more cities in the last few months than I had my entire life; I’d done my own Grand Slam tour… but I didn’t plan on stopping there, Australia was still on my list. I was ready to go everywhere. I’d be there by Damon’s side while he was on tour, going to all his tennis meets, and he’d be by my side as we went all the other places along the way. I’d do what I’d always wanted to do—after finally admitting it to myself—I’d write and journal about traveling the world.

  We walked a ways, hand in hand, my head resting on his shoulder, before the trees cleared. At first I wasn’t so sure what I was looking at. And then as we got closer, the images before me came into focus, and it started to make sense. I looked over at a grinning Damon, tears in my eyes. “You brought Paris to New York?”

  “Well it was the place we first met, and where we fell in love,” he said with a half shrug. “It made sense.”

  Damon had transformed the little park into a quaint movie theater; a projector screen was set up in front of a pile of blankets and pillows. There was an array of food on a small table not far from the pile of blankets, with a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice. Lights were strung up in the trees, giving a soft, romantic feel to the entire space. “How did you do this?”

  “I know people,” he said, pulling on my hand. “Come on. We have a movie to watch.”

  The movie was the same one we saw in Paris on that first date, and I felt tears come to my eyes as I thought about how wonderful this was. He had done this for me, not anyone else, and I couldn’t be happier. We lay there under the blankets in each other’s arms as the movie played, sighing as it approached the end.

  “This is beyond anything I could have imagined,” I said, turning to look at Damon, “and I really need to learn French.”

  “You’ll have every chance to, I promise. I’ll help you,” he said grinning. “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?”

  “Hey, I know that one. Right here?”

  His eyes sparkled. “Maybe not right now…”

  “Why not—” I began to ask when I saw what he held in his palm.

  There was a velvet box in his hand, a hopeful look on his face as he opened the lid.

  “While I understand why you have go back,” he started out, rising up on one elbow, “I don’t want you to leave without everyone knowing that you belong to me. I want you to be mine for as long as I breathe. I love you more than I think I have ever loved anyone in my entire life, and I can’t imagine not having you by my side for the rest of my life. Marry me, Ginny, and make me the happiest man on earth.”

  “Oh my god,” I breathed looking down at the large, princess-cut diamond set upon a dazzling ring, twinkling up at me. “Are you proposing to me? Is that what’s happening right now?”

  Damon chuckled. “Well I hope that’s what it sounded like because that was what I was going for. So? What do you think? Can you stand to be with me for the rest of your life? Will you marry me? Be my lucky charm for all eternity? I think if I have to ask a third time I will be forced to kidnap you.”

  I tackled him, pressing kisses all over his face. “Yes! Yes! I will marry you!”

  He rolled over, pulling me with him until I was on top, straddling him. Picking up the ring, he extracted it out of the box and placed it on my finger, both of our hands shaking slightly. “I love you,” he said, pressing a kiss on the ring itself.

  “I love you, too,” I said through the tears, wiping them as fast as I could. It was hard not to cry.

  “You know what the difference is between that movie theater in Paris and this place?” he asked softly, his hands caressing my hips. I looked down at the beautiful ring he had just placed on my finger, not believing that I was an engaged woman. Oh my god. “What?”

  “You are in a much better position.”

  I grinned as I looked down at him, taking my hands and rubbing them on his chest. “You know what? You are right. And in answer to your earlier question: oui!”

  It was quite a while before another coherent word was spoken.

  I grabbed my bags from baggage claim, waving as I saw Cara in the distance. It had been difficult to leave Damon that morning. He drove me to the airport just so we could have a last few moments together. I could still feel the soul-searing kiss he had given me and the tears he’d wiped away from my cheeks right before I moved through security.

  “Hey, how was it—” Cara started to say as I reached her. “Oh my god, what is on your hand?”

  I grinned and held up my left hand, watching as her eyes widened. “He proposed last night.”

  Cara squealed and wrapped me up in an excited hug. “I’m so happy for you! Now we can finally plan a wedding! Lucia is going to go nuts.”

  “How is she?” I asked as we walked toward the parking garage. I’d gotten the pictures of the beautiful baby girl on my phone a
s well as pictures of the proud parents, big sister Nora and brother Nicholas.

  “She’s absolutely fine,” Cara said as we reached her car. “But Jacob is already worried about all the girl power that will be in his house. I think he’s already counting down the days until he can attempt to get her preggo again, you know, to even out the score.”

  “Geez,” I said, thinking of how those two were like rabbits. Before too much longer he would have his own football team. Maybe that was what he was going for.

  “Have they decided on a name yet? Did they go with another ‘N’ name?”

  “Ha! You totally know she did. Lucia was going back and forth between Nieve—including the Irish way of spelling of it, Niamh—and Noelle.”

  “So which did she pick? Don’t keep me in suspense!”

  “Nieve,” Cara said with a smile.

  “I love it!”

  “And it suits her so well. She’s going to be a handful that one, I tell you. Just wait till you meet her.”

  “I can’t wait. Nora, Nicholas, and Nieve. If they do have any more, they’re going to run out of N names. They’ll have to start on a new letter.”

  “Totally! But, back to you! Spill the beans,” Cara continued as we climbed into her car. “How did he do it? I want to know everything. Was the sex even more amazing after you got the ring on your finger? Mine was.”

  I laughed. “Well, yes, it was actually.” Doing it in a secluded park in the middle of the night could have had something to do with it. “He recreated our first date, outside… in a park.”

  “Oh my god! Nothing like a bit of exhibitionism to help start a new life together,” she said winking. “That’s so nice, though, recreating your first date. And who said that athletes weren’t romantic?” Cara sighed as she drove onto the highway but glanced over at me and noticed my sad smile. “Soon you’ll be back with him.”

  “I know. We just have to find the right place for mom, get her settled and comfortable.”