“I know. They talked. I don’t know who set it up. But I found your mom’s e-mails in Brenna’s account.”
Mierda. No more. I tugged her until she settled onto the couch and then I dropped my head into her lap. “My mother decided you weren’t the right woman for me.” Her thighs stiffened under my cheek. “But you are. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. Ever.”
“Teo,” her fingers were in my hair, smoothing the strands. “Did you have to quit soccer?”
“No. But I’m not sure what I’ll do next year. My dream’s been changing since we started dating. Maybe from my first injury. I’m not ready to quit being involved in the game. I hope to stay here, in Seattle, maybe move into that coaching role Jorge suggested. Noah brought it up originally, before you and I imploded.”
Her hand stilled in my hair and she lifted my face so I met her eyes. “I wanted you to want me.”
“I do.” God, did I.
“I—I want you for you, too.” Her lips trembled, and her eyes begged me to believe her.
“You’re tired. Come, I’ll put you to bed.”
A small smile slid across her lips, but I could see the pain in her eyes. “You like doing that.”
“I do. Because I get to undress you.”
I picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. The joy of her nearness settled me.
“What are we doing?” Preslee asked, her voice quiet.
“Getting ready for bed.” I kissed the tip of her nose.
“I mean us. How are we going to make it work? Did the Timber management say you could stay here? Weren’t you traded?”
“I don’t know yet. I think they’ll let me stay. I refused to sign the paperwork, so the trade isn’t official. River Salado will be angry, of course, but I love you, Preslee Jennings. And I’m not giving up this chance with you.”
She rested her head on my shoulder, drawing a line from my throat to the collar of my dress shirt. “I love you, too. So much… these feelings hurt.”
I slid my hand out from under her knees. Desire flamed fast and hard. “Excellent.”
Her face slackened with shock.
I leaned in close so I could see each faint freckle on her cheeks. “Then you might want me almost as much as I want you.”
She smiled, and I fought the urge to grip her even tighter to me. “Arms down.”
I slid the silky material from her shoulders. I sucked in a deep, aching breath at the sight of her smooth stomach between the two stalwart pillars of her hip bones.
“Pres, that’s our baby.” My hands palmed the smooth skin, covering it completely. I leaned forward again and pressed my lips to her belly button. She cupped my cheeks and bent down to find my lips with hers. The kiss stayed sweet, unrushed. I asked if she wanted me, not just my body and the release I could give her. Her mouth, its gentle pressure, told me I was loved, wanted, needed. I sighed into her, my eyes sliding closed.
I broke the kiss, stood and swept her back into my arms. She didn’t open her eyes.
I rubbed her belly in long strokes. Her lashes fluttered, and my chest tightened with anticipation. That first blink, and I stared into pale green eyes. Her black angel-wing brows pulled over her nose in consternation.
“What time is it?” Her voice was scratchy from sleep. Sexy as hell.
“About ten.”
“In the morning?”
“Yes, you slept all night.”
“I did.” She noted my changed clothes. “Do you need to go somewhere?”
“Yes. I set up a meeting with the Timber owner and executives at three thirty.”
“What do you want from that?” she asked.
“To stay here. To be with you and our child.”
I settled deeper into the mattress, pulling her tighter against me, my arm trailing over her cool skin. She shivered and I pulled the covers over us, tucking the top of her head under my chin.
I scooted closer, my hands back on her stomach. For the love of…I couldn’t take it. She was so soft, warm. So right.
“God, I want you, dulzura,” I muttered into her hair.
“You think the Timber management will make this hard for you?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll come up with a plan after my meeting. Something where I can hold you every night.”
“I don’t want to give up my career. I told you before that I want to be your partner, not just your lover.”
“Will you consider us a partnership if I ask you to marry me?”
She gaped.
“I’m serious, Pres. I’m so in love with you. You’re part of me whether you’re with me or not. I hated being away from you. Not seeing you every day, it was like a physical wound.”
“You’re serious,” she whispered, awed.
“Of course.”
“You’ve got a soccer season and—”
“We can make this work. I’ve got the resources to make it work.”
“But—”
“Preslee Jennings. I want to give our baby my name. I want to wake up in the middle of the night with you when you’re tired and maybe even grouchy from lack of sleep.” I raised my eyebrows, and she blushed. Preslee loved to sleep. “And know this is the life we made together. I want this. I want us. Plus, now I have family in Seattle, too.”
She wound her arms around my neck. “You meant it? Wanting to marry me?”
I startled, my hands coming up to cup her hips. “Of course.”
“Then I accept.”
I pulled the ring from my pocket and picked up her left hand. I slid a large square-cut diamond solitaire onto her ring finger, and pressed a kiss there. Satisfaction warmed my chest, spreading out into a deep contentment. The only other time I’d felt something similar was when my invitation came to join the Argentine national team.
“A perfect fit. I’m glad.” I narrowed my eyes and growled, “You’re mine.” I smacked her bottom before caressing her hip.
“Where’d this come from?”
“From New York.” My lips drifted over her shoulder.
“Oh,” she whispered, her voice catching. “Oh.”
“As soon as the symphony and soccer seasons are over, we’re holing up in the Bahamas or St. Bart’s. I’m holding you hostage there for weeks.”
“What if I want a big wedding?”
“We’ll have one later. I’m sure your sisters and mom will like that. So will my dad.” I pressed another kiss to her lips.
She kissed me back and my body warmed.
“I love you, too, Teo Cruz.”
I pulled back a little. “It’s actually Romero de Cruz.”
She rolled her eyes. “That goes even better with Preslee.”
“Fits you like a glove.”
“Only with you can I laugh and kiss at the same time.” She chuckled as her lips pressed to mine with more fervor.
Epilogue
PRESLEE
“You’re doing great, dulzura. Just great.”
“I’m in labor, Teo. It’s not great. It hurts.” I moaned the last word before I gritted my teeth and tried to breathe through the contraction.
Teo kissed my sweaty forehead. “You’re tough, Pres. I’m proud of you.”
“Then you push the baby out,” I screamed.
The doctor’s chuckle floated up from between my splayed thighs.
I sat up and bore down, in part because I had to and in part because glaring at my OB-GYN proved impossible from a prone position. Teo caught my angry gaze and turned his chuckle into a cough.
“She’s a bit busy to see your death glare,” he whispered.
“Felt it, though. One more push at the next contraction, Preslee. You’re doing great.”
My belly tightened and I growled, sitting forward to bear down. The baby slid from my body and the unbearable pressure eased. I fell back, exhausted.
Teo’s hand slipped against my palm, his thumb stroking my skin.
“He’s perfect.”
Teo turned to grin at
me, and I answered him.
“Want to cut the cord?” Dr. Hughes asked.
Teo nodded. He squeezed my fingers before stepping back. A moment later, the doctor laid the baby on my chest. Instinctively, I cupped the back of his head, snuggling his tiny body against my breast.
Teo leaned his hip onto the side of the mattress, his eyes full of awe, his larger hand cradling both mine and the baby’s small head. A pulse thrummed at the top and I leaned in to kiss it. “He’s gorgeous. Oh, my gracious. Can you believe how perfect he is?”
Teo wrinkled his nose a little. “He will be once he has a bath.” The doctor, nurses, and I laughed.
“Thank you for my son,” he whispered against my temple.
I snuggled the baby tighter to my chest. “Thank you for loving me. And marrying me.”
“Always.” He kissed me, soft and full of love. “Let me send a text to the family. I’m sure they’ll be bursting through the doors soon.”
“Your dad leading the way,” I teased.
I reached up one hand and gripped his fingers. Raul and I hit it off. Lucia and I…not so much. Raul arrived in Seattle days after Teo and I were engaged and immediately bought a house for himself and another for us, not too far from Lia’s place. I balked at the generous gift, but he shrugged off my concern, saying with Teo’s position as interim coach for the rest of the year and our desire to stay in the Seattle area, he needed something nearby. And we needed a house with a yard for his grandchild.
When Raul informed us he and Lucia were in the process of divorcing, Teo took the news well, telling his father he supported his decision. Later, Teo told me, as we lay in our bed in our new house, he felt relief. We both hoped Raul could find someone—just one someone, Teo said too seriously—to love Raul the way he deserved.
“You’re my world, Matteo Cruz.”
“So not too upset with the way we worked out?”
He straightened my rings on my finger, pressed a kiss there, as he did every day. I loved the ritual nearly as much as I loved the man.
“If you’re happy coaching, I’m happy. I got you, didn’t I?”
“Sure did. But I got the better end of the deal.” Teo winked. “I get my lullaby every night.”
Thank You!
Dear Readers,
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Acknowledgments
As always, thank you, Chris. Your unwavering support and love shine through in all you do for the kids and me. I couldn’t ask for a better man, and I’m thrilled to wake up with you each day.
To my family, thank you for your patience with my dream—and letting me hang out in my head WAY too often.
LERA ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being so supportive, for making me love writing again and for sharing your knowledge so freely. You are the best-est.
To my AuthorLab writing pals: You keep me on task and keep me motivated. I love your commitment and passion. I love reading your posts and stories. And I love how diverse our group is.
To Deb, thank you for seeing the big picture—and making sure I see it, too.
To Nicole, thank you for the advice on Seattle.
To Jan, I loved working with you. Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Looking forward to next time.
To my Divas, especially Jane—you kicked ass with the eARC’s and I can never thank you enough.
To Clarissa, once again the cover is gorgeous. I love working with you.
And to my readers and reviewers, thank you for your time. It’s precious and I’m so, so glad you spent some of it with me.
About the Author
With a degree in international marketing and a varied career path that includes content management for a web firm, marketing direction for a high-profile sports agency, and a two-year stint with a renowned literary agency, Alexa Padgett has returned to her first love: writing fiction.
Alexa spent a good part of her youth traveling. From Budapest to Belize, Calgary to Coober Pedy, she soaked in the myriad smells, sounds, and feels of these gorgeous places, wishing she could live in them all—at least for a while. And she does in her books.
She lives in New Mexico with her husband, children, and ginormous, piano-hating Anatolian Shepherd, Mozart. When not writing, schlepping, or volunteering, she can be found in her tiny kitchen, channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa.
Write her at [email protected] or sign up for her newsletter to receive notifications for upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@AlexaPadgett).
Also by Alexa Padgett
SWEET SOLACE (Book One of the Seattle Sound Series)
She Knew Him When
When they first met, she was far too young—seventeen, and already in love with the man who would break her heart. Asher Smith was an up-and-coming songwriter, but he knew better than to show his fascination. He wrote a song for Dahlia. And then he moved on. His whiskey-rough voice made him a star, even as fame extracted its price.
He Never Forgot Her
When she sees Asher next, Dahlia Dorsey is the widowed mother of a teenager, a reclusive writer. She’s given up on happy endings—she can’t even script them for her characters. But a moonlit beach and the touch of an old friend turn loose her pain and her desires, whether she’s ready or not.
They’re Risking It All
Dahlia’s career is on the rocks. Asher’s family is falling apart. Neither can chase a passing attraction. But for two souls wounded worse than they can admit, the connection between them is a balm too precious to refuse—and a thrill too exhilarating to resist . . .
BETWEEN BREATHS (Book Two of the Seattle Sound Series)
Grief brought them together
A hospice center is no place to fall in lust. But with his world cracking during his estranged mother’s last days, Hayden Crewe needs something sweet to focus on. It doesn’t matter that he’s the backbone of Australia’s hottest international rock group—here, watching his mother die, he’s more alone than ever. So when he meets long-legged, clear-minded Briar Moore, he suddenly knows exactly what will fill the hole inside.
Fortune will drag them apart
Briar has just escaped a job and relationship that nearly crushed her. Crawling out of the wreckage of her previous life, she’s done playing it safe. Sexy, vibrant Hayden is what she wants, and Briar is going to take him. For as long as she can…
Out of heartbreak comes hope
With their time short and the ghosts of their pasts haunting every moment, Briar and Hayden know they’ve fallen too deep. While those few, intense days changed them both forever, everyone knows a connection this intense should burn out as fast as it ignited…
HOLD YOU CLOSE (Book Three of the Seattle Sound Series)
Searching for peace
Mila Trask’s trying to forget happiness. Her much-wanted pregnancy ended in a crunch of steel and pain. Her career has been derailed and her body scarred by a stalker no one else believes in. And Murphy Etsam, the man she thought would love her forever, has shot into international rock stardom on the pure fury of the song he wrote when they broke up. But Mila has to talk to him one last time…
Running from the truth
One glimpse of her in the crowd and Murphy knows a year of drowning his sorrows in booze, fame, and other women hasn’t erased a molecule of his passion for lovely, maddening Mila. Too bad Mila’s stalker picks that moment to attack.
Too close to doubt…
With both their lives in danger, the ex-lovers are forced into hiding, to face the trauma and misunderstanding th
at wrenched them apart—and to battle the chemistry that still urges them together. There’s no going back to what they had before. But the future is theirs to claim…
MANY SOUNDS OF SILENCE (Book Four of the Seattle Sound Series)
An Awful Night
Maybe she should have sensed the envy when her friends told her how smart, beautiful, and confident she was. But once her mother married a rock star, college freshman Abbi Dorsey suddenly had too many things going for her. One night she can’t remember produced a brutal set of photos the media—and the student body—won’t let her forget. No matter what she does, she can’t escape the fallout… or the threat of more to come.
A Great Lie
Green-eyed senior Clay Rippey has a famous father of his own, and he knows the sting of betrayal. From the moment he sees Abbi, he can’t stop thinking about her. He’s not the relationship type. But he can play one for the press…
A Dangerous Hope
There’s nothing made up about the desire sizzling between Abbi and Clay. But a bond built on fear and faking it doesn’t lead to happy endings. Too bad sticking to the safe route is all but impossible…
FROM THE FIRST (Book Five of the Seattle Sound Series)
Sudden Impacts
The car that slammed into Evangeline Mercer knocked her life apart. Her body will recover, but when she looks at the orphaned girl from the other car, she’s lost in memories of her own awful time in the foster system. Evie won’t let little Paige go through that nightmare, and she finds an unlikely ally in Kai Luchia, Paige’s newest friend and champion…
Hidden Fears
Striker's Waltz (Seattle Sound Series Book 6) Page 23
