First Down (First and Ten #1)

by Lea Hart

  “How does Chinese sound?”

  “Perfect. Now let me up, so I can go and impress my bosses.”

  “I guess I better do the same. I hope I can still perform after you had your way with me.”

  “Did I sap all of your super strength?”

  “No, I probably have a little left in reserve, but not much.” He noticed that she let the date requirement fly out the window. Not that he wasn’t going to take her on a million amazing dates in the future.

  Monday

  Sun Life Stadium

  Jack sat and gulped his protein shake. Practice had gone better than expected, and he was playing at his peak performance. He was definitely in the zone and gave the credit to how he’d spent the last twenty-four hours. Even his coach had commented on how well he did in practice.

  Clark and Justin walked over, joined him on the bench, and drank down their own shakes.

  Clark elbowed him and wagged his eyebrows at Jack. “So you and Ana left quickly after breakfast yesterday. Did you guys have someplace to be or special plans?”

  “Shut up, Clark. It’s none of your business. I don’t want you talking about Ana that way.”

  “What way? I was just asking about how you spent your Sunday off. Relax, man.”

  “I am relaxed, but I want you to show respect for the woman who is going to be my wife.”

  Justin studied Jack before asking his question. “So you’ve know this woman for how long?”

  Jack got up, threw his cup in the trash, and glared at his friends. “I met Ana a month ago, and I’ve gotten to know her over the last two weeks. I know it’s crazy, and I don’t care. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have a kid by this time next year.”

  Clark laughed out loud and slapped his knee. “She’s not going to be having babies anytime soon. She’s in that fellowship program. Ella told me about it, and she is one of five people to be accepted. She’s not going to be giving that up to start popping out babies.”

  “We’ll definitely be married by this time next year. The babies can come when they come. The point is that I want you both to show some respect.” He watched them put up their hands in surrender. Spinning around, he walked toward the weight room with a big smile on his face. Making a mental note to discuss babies with Ana. It might be a good idea to see how many she would be willing to give him. He wanted three or four, but he’d settle for two if that’s what she wanted. As he made his way across the field, he remembered that he hadn’t taken her on a real date yet. Maybe he should do that a couple of times before he brought up the babies. Perhaps, he could get some ideas from some of the married guys. After all, they must have come up with some good ones if they got women to marry them. As he opened the room to the complex, he ran into Coach Bellows. “Hey. How’s it going?”

  The man studied one of his star players and tried to determine what was different about him. “What the hell have you been doing, Ellis? You had an outstanding practice today. I know you work hard, but today you made it seem effortless.”

  “Thanks, Coach. I think things are coming together for me, and the work is paying off.”

  The big grizzly bear of a man shook his head. “No, son, it’s something different. Let me think about it, and I’ll come up with it.”

  “Yes, sir.” He moved off in the direction of the weight room and laughed to himself. He knew the answer, and it was Dr. Ana James. That was his new answer for most things. They were meant to be, because her last name was his first name. He entered the weight room and spotted Brian. Walking over, he noticed that his friend looked a little pissed off, and it wasn’t the dumbbells that were making him feel that way. “Hey, Brian.”

  “Hey, Jack. Where were you this weekend? I never heard from you.”

  Staring down at the ground, he waited a moment before answering. “I went to Ronnie DuMond’s Halloween party, and then I spent the day with my new girlfriend.”

  “What the hell, man? Why am I just now hearing about this?”

  “I met Ana at the beginning of the month in San Diego. She’s Ronnie’s best friend from college. I’ve been hanging out with them for the last couple of weeks. I would’ve invited you, but Ronnie might kill you if you got within ten feet of her.”

  “She wouldn’t kill me, but she wouldn’t be too happy, either. I wonder how many voodoo dolls have my face. It happened over a year ago. You would think that she would’ve gotten over it by now.”

  “Five.”

  Brian glared at Jack. “What did you say?”

  “I said five. She has five dolls with your face. She likes to stick the really big needles into them. And I don’t know why you think she should be over it when you’re not.”

  Kicking the carpet with his big feet, Brian rested his hands on his hips and let out a big breath. “I never cheated on her. It was all a big misunderstanding.”

  “I think the problem was that you ended up dating the girl who you supposedly didn’t sleep with when you were dating Ronnie. No offense, friend, but there’s no coming back from that. I can’t really blame her for going for the heavy artillery.”

  “I realize it wasn’t one of my best decisions. But when Ronnie broke up with me, I had nothing left to lose. I drowned my sorrow in the woman who made herself available.”

  “Like I said, I can’t really blame Ronnie. You humiliated her in the press with people she works with.”

  “I know, man. I got scared and acted stupid, and I paid the price. I had the best woman in the world, and I destroyed any chance with her.”

  “Yeah, you did.”

  Brian flipped off his good friend and then laughed. “I guess I can’t expect any sympathy.”

  Jack shrugged and moved over to one of the benches. “Spot me, man. I want to get my workout in and then plan a date that’s going to impress Ana.”

  “So this is serious, man?”

  Jack adjusted the weights and then smiled at his friend. “I’m going to marry this girl.”

  “That is serious.” Brian stood over his friend and watched him start his reps. He thought about Ronnie DuMond, just like he did every day. His chances were non-existent, but every once in a while, he dreamed it might be possible.

  Monday

  Miller School of Medicine

  Ana sat in one of the labs and wrote notes on the study that she wanted to run. Her meeting with the director that morning had been productive, and he’d given her the parameters that the university wanted. If she could get the grants, she might actually have a shot at making it happen. Her phone buzzed in her white lab coat, and she pulled it out and saw Jack’s face as the caller id came up. “Hi, Jack.”

  “Hi, sweetie. How was your meeting this morning?”

  “I think it went well. The director was open to my idea, and I’ve been given the go-ahead to write up the protocol for the study and pursue the grants. If everything comes together, I could get started in the spring.”

  “Wow. That’s great. I’m so proud of you. You have to explain what your study involves tonight. Are we still on for dinner?”

  “Yes, we are. Unless you have something else to do.”

  “The only thing that I have to do is you.”

  Ana felt her face grow hot as the memories from last night ran through her head. “Mr. Ellis. I can’t decide if I like what you said or not.” She tapped her pen against her tablet and looked out over the sterile surface of the empty lab. This was the environment that she’d always been most comfortable in, but spending time with Jack was starting to change that. The man on the phone was color and warmth, and she was beginning to crave him and it.

  He laughed into the phone. “You liked it. I’m guessing that your cheeks are that pretty rose color right now. You’re thinking about what we did yesterday and this morning, and you want to do it again.”

  “You’re very sure of yourself.”

  “Sweetie, I didn’t get to where I am by lacking self-confidence.”

  “I wish I had a slice of your self-assurance. I’ve be
en shy and awkward most of my life, and I’ve often wished I was different.”

  “I think you’re perfect. You have a ton of confidence when you’re around me and your friends.”

  “I’m comfortable around my friends, and I guess I’m becoming comfortable around you, too.” She started doodling on the paper and wrote his name as she listened to him speak. His voice was deep with a slightly flat mid-western accent. She had no clue why the sound of it was making her so happy and relaxed. She must have zoned out, because he was calling her name. “Sorry, I missed that. What did you ask me?”

  “What time should I come over tonight?”

  “How about seven?”

  “All right, seven, it is. See you soon, sweetie. I can’t wait.”

  “Me, either.” She ended the call and stared into space with a big goofy grin on her face. Mr. Jack Ellis wasn’t letting up. She returned to her notes and noticed the hearts that she’d drawn around his name. Laughing, she shook her head and tore out the sheet. This was probably the first time she’d ever done that, and it took a big football player to make her act like a teenager.

  Monday Evening

  Ana opened her door, and all she could see was a massive chest and a huge bouquet of flowers. Jack lowered the bouquet and gave her the best smile she’d ever seen. “Hi, handsome.” Stepping aside, she let him in and noticed the big bag of food that he had in his hands.

  He handed her the flowers, leaned over, captured her mouth, and pressed his lips against her.

  She was about to lean into him, but she stopped when the bouquet got crushed between them. “I better go put these in water.”

  “You must have gotten home late. You haven’t changed yet.”

  “I just got home fifteen minutes ago. I had some good ideas for the study, and I didn’t want to lose any of them.” She walked into the kitchen and felt Jack close on her heels. She slowed down, and he bumped into her. Laughing, she spun around. “Are you going to tackle me?”

  “No, I was staring at your ass in that skirt, and I didn’t realize how close I was following.” He ran his big hand over the back of her skirt, cupped her round behind, and spoke in her ear. “I’m having a little trouble keeping myself in check.”

  She put the flowers down, took the bag out of his hand, and set it on the table. Turning toward him, she moved her hand up his chest and felt his muscles contract under her fingers. “Maybe you don’t need to check yourself.” She pulled his head down and brought his lips to hers. When their mouths met, she let go of the desire that had built up over the day. He held her firmly against his arousal, and she wondered why eating first had ever been a consideration. Their mouths opened to one another, and their tongues began moving together in sync. His response poured gasoline on the fire of her desire. And she found herself unable to slow down; she wanted to crawl right into him. Any space between their two bodies was simply too much.

  Jack pulled his head back and stared. “If you want to eat first, then you need to stop kissing me. What you’re doing with your mouth is lighting me up, and I’m not going to be able to hold back.” Her small hand pulled his head toward hers, and she laid another kiss on him. He lifted her up and carried her out of the kitchen. “This is your fault. I want to go on record that I was willing to wait.”

  Ana laughed and enjoyed being in his arms. There was nothing quite like being carried around by a big strong man who smelled like heaven. “I have no self-control, Jack. I take full responsibility for whatever is about to happen.”

  “As long as we’re clear on who started it.” He pushed open the door and noticed the queen-size bed with a canopy. Everything in the room was small and delicate. Pretty much the opposite of him. He lowered her to the floor and kept her hand in his. “This is some kind of room.”

  Ana wondered what he meant by that comment. “You don’t like it?”

  “I just don’t want to break anything. Everything seems so perfect.”

  She turned and started undoing his buttons as she spoke. “That’s ridiculous. How would you break anything? Are you planning on having monkey sex and making me swing from the canopy?” She raised his shirt off his enormous shoulders and again admired his massive wall of muscle. “What kind of wild ideas do you have in that head of yours?” She lifted her foot, took off one shoe and then the other, and felt like Jack wasn’t paying attention to her chatter. Looking up, she noticed his eyes had grown dark with desire. Never before had a man regarded her that way. It instantly freed something inside of her, and she mentally gave into him and the idea of what was happening between them.

  “I haven’t heard a word you’ve said since you started taking my shirt off.” He slipped his hands around her waist, unzipped her skirt, and slipped his hands inside as he moved it down her legs. “Step out of it, sweetie.” He watched her and noticed how pretty her feet were. As he stood, he got a good visual of her panties. “I like these pretty panties that you have on…..let’s get rid of them.” He slid his hands to the lace and whipped them off her body.

  She stood before him with just a little silk shirt.

  “We’re almost there.”

  Moving out of his reach, Ana got her hands on the zipper of his shorts and released it. She tugged them down and discovered that Jack had gone commando. As soon as the shorts cleared his hips, his enthusiasm for what was about to happen was evident. She stared down and moved her hand to learn what he felt like. She had never really had the chance before this, because their couplings had been so fast and furious. “Wow.”

  Jack let out a strangled breath as Ana’s hand moved against him. “What did you say?”

  “Nothing, just admiring you.”

  Gritting his teeth, he took a step back out of her reach. “I don’t think that I can let you get your hands on me just yet.” He took her shirt over her head then released her bra and was rewarded with a beautiful, perfectly naked Ana James. Unable to catch his breath from the weight of the desire that bore down upon him like a freight train, he moved his hand slowly over her shoulder and down her arm as his need pulsed between them. He didn’t just want her body; he wanted her soul.

  She pushed on his chest, and he fell backward onto the bed. Taking a minute to admire the man who lay naked, she took a deep breath in, so she could hold this picture in her heart. “Now, Jack, I understand that you don’t want me to have my hands on you...but.” Crawling up on the bed, she straddled him and then moved into position. “How about my mouth? I want you to lie back and tell me when it feels good.”

  Jack lifted his head and watched Ana take him into her mouth, and when her lips moved against him, a rocket went off in his brain.

  Ana smiled to herself as Jack fell completely under her control.

  ********

  They sat together at the kitchen table and devoured the food that Jack had brought.

  “This is the best Chinese food that I’ve ever eaten,” Ana sighed.

  Jack took a napkin and wiped her chin. Leaning forward, he kissed her and gave her a happy, dopey smile. It had been there since her mouth had touched his body. That was a couple of hours ago, and he had a feeling it was going to be there for days. What happened between them when they were naked was freaking amazing. If they held on to a tenth of the chemistry that they had now, they were going to be more than fine for the next fifty years.

  She put down her chop sticks, took a sip of wine, and smiled. “Thank you for the flowers and dinner. This is a great date, because I get to wear a T-shirt to dinner and nothing else.”

  He ran his hand up her leg, moved it under the bottom hem, and felt her panties. “You’re wearing more than just a t-shirt.”

  “I have to. We’re in the kitchen.”

  “You have to wear underpants in the kitchen?”

  “Of course, everyone knows that.”

  “Huh. I had no idea.”

  “Kitchen rules.”

  “I guess that rules out one of the ideas that I wanted to try.”

  “That’s oka
y. I’m sure you have a hundred more.”

  Laughing, he held her hand and knew that the big goofy grin was still on his face. “It’s going to take us a while to make it through the list. Good thing we have the rest of our lives to do it.” He watched her eyes fly up to his as a look of panic crossed her face. Shit, I should’ve kept that to myself.

  “You’re funny, Jack. I almost thought you were serious for a moment.” She picked up her chopsticks again and started eating.

  He was serious, but she didn’t need to know how sincere he was.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Wednesday

  Ella and Ana sat in Ronnie’s office and enjoyed the lunch that she had delivered. “So how do you like being the queen of your own ship?” Ella asked.

  Ronnie put down her fork and wiped her mouth before answering. “My initial vision was too small. I thought I just wanted to have my own financial management business, but now I think it can be so much more. My clients are asking me for PR advice, legal advice, and anything else they can think of. I’m the surrogate mama for over one hundred and fifty athletes. I need to add some people, so that I can do what I’m actually good at.”

  Ana gazed out the window and considered what her friend was saying. “I think you should become a complete sports management agency. Be a one-stop shop for your clients. I don’t think they have the time to look around for someone with each of those specialties. You could become the IMG of the south.”

  Ella nodded in agreement. “I think that idea has a lot of merit. It would sure make your mama proud to know that you were building an empire. Nothing would make her happier.”

  Ronnie put her hand on her friend’s shoulder and squeezed. “Ella, your family is proud of you, even if they can’t seem to show it.”

  Ella laughed, and unfortunately, it sounded more bitter than she intended. “If only that were true. My family would be happy if I had a nice job at a bank, married some poor fool, and started popping out babies. I’m not following the path that was set before me, and they are not giving up their dream.”