First Down (First and Ten #1)

by Lea Hart

  She smiled and nodded in agreement. “Thanks, Trevor.”

  Trevor walked up to the group and asked them to move along. He explained that they were in a restricted area and that they would have their passes pulled if they didn’t move away toward the exit. It was interesting to see how emboldened some assholes became when they thought they were surrounded by buddies. Trevor listened to their stupidity for another thirty seconds and then was about to clear them himself when he felt someone walk behind him. Keeping one eye on the group of assholes, he turned and caught Ana stomping in his direction. She had a war face on and she was going to take someone down.

  She stepped up next to him and pointed her finger at the loudest man in the group.

  Trevor knew that she was safe, and he wanted to see what had her so fired up.

  There were few things that made Ana lose her temper. But hearing what that man said was one of them. There is no way she was going to stand for this nonsense. “You, sir. Apologize this instant. How dare you call this man a rent-a-cop? He is a retired Navy SEAL and has put his life on the line for this country for the last fifteen years. You show him the respect that he deserves.” She stared the little weasel of a man down and waited. She crossed her arms and started to tap her foot. “Nothing makes me angrier than people not showing the men and women who sacrifice for this country their appreciation.” She continued to stare at the man. “I’m waiting. You need to apologize to Lieutenant Norris now. And it better be a good one.”

  Trevor watched the man stand there speechless. His friends stepped away, as they tried to separate themselves from him. He didn’t care what the guy said, but apparently, Ana did, and she wasn’t going to give it up until she heard him apologize.

  A crowd had gathered behind them, and they appeared to be waiting to see what the man was going to do.

  Ana was growing impatient. “Listen, you’ve lost your pass after this anyway. No one is going to let you near the team. I’m sure that underneath all of that bad attitude lies a man who wants to do the right thing. Apologize and thank Trevor, and you can walk away with the knowledge that in the end you made a good choice.”

  The wormy man finally acknowledged Trevor and, with as little enthusiasm that he could get away with, quietly apologized and thanked him for his service.

  Trevor put his hand out and waited for the man to look him in the eye. He shook his hand and let the man walk away. He knew that guy didn’t mean it, but he would sure remember this for a long time to come.

  “It burns my biscuits when people don’t show the proper respect and gratitude. There is not a person in the world who doesn’t know what you and the Teams have done for this country.” Ana fumed.

  Ella hugged her and gave her a kiss. “Finally, you are starting to pick up on my sayings. It took you forever.”

  They both laughed until tears started leaking out of their eyes. When they finally pulled themselves together, they were greeted with the several members of the crowd clapping.

  “I have two cousins on the Teams, and several family members who have married in. Jack’s brother is retired from the Teams as well. I guess I get a little crazy.” Ana laughed.

  Several people walked up to Trevor and shook his hand, and Ana overheard several people telling him about family members they had in the service. She took Ella’s hand and walked to the tables that were set up with snacks and drinks. They both grabbed a diet Coke and took a long drink. “I think all of this aggression is starting rub off on me. I kind-of lost my shit back there.”

  Ella patted her arm and took another sip. “That was nothing. Do you remember how my Aunt Belle lost hers when she thought that woman had stolen her recipe for macaroni salad at the town bar-b-que last summer? That, my friend, is what really losing your shit looks like.”

  Ana tried to hold in a burp and failed. “Why do I drink this when I know I’m going to burp?”

  “Because nothing is better than a cold diet Coke after you tell someone off.”

  “You might be right about that.” They found a few seats and sat. “I’m tired, and I need to go home and lie down.”

  “Add a bowl of ice cream to that, and I’ll join you.” Ella sighed. They watched Trevor walk toward them, and he had a serious expression on his face. “He looks insulted.”

  “Hi, Trevor.” Ana called out. She couldn’t tell which way it was going to go.

  “I think what you did was very sweet. It wasn’t very smart, because it’s going to show up on the internet. But it was very sweet. I had no idea that you felt so strongly about it, because if I did, I probably would’ve stopped you.”

  “No offense, Trevor, but nothing was going to stop me. I’m a peace-loving girl until someone doesn’t show our veterans the respect that they should.”

  “I can see that. We may have room at SAI, if you ever decide to leave the whole science thing behind.”

  “That would be cool. Would you teach me how to kick butt and take names?”

  “Sure, we could make you a regular commando.”

  “I’ll think about it. I’ve always wanted to be able to kick a little ass.” She didn’t hear Jack and Clark walk up, but felt his arm come around her waist.

  “Whose ass do you want to kick, sweetie?”

  She studied him. She walked around him until she was satisfied that he was in one piece. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later on.”

  Trevor shook Jack’s hand. “Congratulations. Great game. I’d hold on to this one, Jack. She’s a good one to have in your corner.”

  Jack gave him a questioning look and decided he would wait to hear the full story later. He was more interested in going home, eating, and then crawling into bed with Ana. Maybe they could stay awake long enough to actually finish a movie. “Sweetie, I’m ready when you are.”

  “I’m more than ready. It takes a lot of energy watching you play. I think I died a thousand deaths every time someone hit you.”

  He laughed and realized that she was serious. This was going to be a discussion for at home. “Well. Let’s go then.”

  Ana watched Ella give Clark a victory kiss. It looked like her friend was going to give the man a chance. Hell, that victory kiss could turn into a victory shag if they didn’t stop soon. “Bye, Ella. Bye, Clark.” They continued to kiss and Ana gave up. When they came up for air, they would realize that they left. “Good game, Jack. It was amazing to see you out there today. Scary as all get out, but amazing. You’re very sexy in your uniform, and I love the pants you wear. Maybe you can wear those around the house sometime.”

  “I’m glad that you like the uniform. I’d prefer walk around naked, though. The pants are not all that comfortable. I’ll get naked at home, and you can tell me what you think.”

  “Right after you feed me. Then I’ll be showing you for sure. I’m going to need my energy, and I may need to stretch out, too.”

  “Hot damn woman, I’m going to fly you to every game if this is how you feel after one.”

  Laughing, they held hands as they walked out of the stadium.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Thanksgiving

  Ana rubbed her foot against Jack’s leg as they lay in bed. “I have to get up and put the turkey in the oven, but I can’t move yet. What would happen if I couldn’t get out of bed and Thanksgiving was cancelled? All because of your sexual mastery.” She felt him start to laugh as the bed shook. Looking over, she smiled. “Holidays have been cancelled for less. I don’t think it’s that funny.”

  “Oh, it’s funny. I’m sorry we’ve had to cancel Thanksgiving this year, because Jack couldn’t help himself and had his way with Ana. You have to admit that’s good.”

  She pushed at his shoulder, rolled over, and sat up. “Laugh, Jack. I don’t mind, because you and the men are going to be doing all of the dishes. When I’m sitting on the couch in a coma, I’m going to be the last one laughing.” She felt him sit up and wrap his arms around her back. Turning, she captured his lips in a quick kiss before jumping of
f the bed. “I’m going to shower.”

  She heard his laughter as she made her way into the bathroom. Studying the counter, she realized that she had all but moved in. In less than two weeks, she was fully ensconced in Jack’s home. It was strange, because she’d never lived with a man before, and she thought it would be a lot more difficult than it was. He was surprisingly easy-going. After what she’d seen at the game, she wasn’t sure what to expect. When she’d seen him on the field, she wondered how much of it translated into real life. It seemed that very little did. How in the world had she lucked out with him? She turned on the shower and was about to get in when she heard the door open, and in walked the devil himself. “Don’t think that you’re getting lucky again, because I have a Thanksgiving feast to prepare.”

  “I’m just going to soap your back and make sure that you’re clean in all those hidden spots.” He opened the shower door, held out his hand, and waited for her to take it. “I’m here to help.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t know if I can take too much of your help.” She took his hand, followed him in, and let him lead her under the one of the many shower heads. The warm water flowed over her already-relaxed body, and she leaned into his massive frame and laid her head against his chest. “I’m just resting a minute, and then I’ll move.” She felt his big hands rub up and down her back as he massaged soap into her skin. Slowly, she fell under his magic spell and hoped there would be enough of her left after they were done. This was definitely the right way to start off a holiday. In fact, she could see spending the rest of her life like this. Her head lifted, and she gazed into his dark green eyes and realized that, somehow, she’d fallen in love with Jack Ellis, professional football player. Darn, now what do I do? She watched his smile as he lowered his head and captured her mouth in a kiss. It was the sweetest, most gentle kiss that she’d ever experienced in her whole life, and it sealed her fate. She had no idea that her destiny would be a towering, massive professional athlete. Oh, well. There it was.

  ********

  Ana stood in the kitchen and had two huge birds ready to go into the oven. She decided to let Jack lift them and put them in, because each weighed over thirty pounds. She walked down the hall and found him in front of the TV as he programmed the DVR. “Honey. I need your help.” She watched him drop the remote and walk toward her. “Can you put the birds in the oven, please?”

  Taking her hand, he walked into the kitchen with her. “Of course. If you tell me when you want them checked, then I can set my watch, do the basting, and then pull them out when they’re ready. Then I’ll carve them.”

  “Sounds perfect.” She pointed at the two big pans and opened the big double oven so he could get the turkey in. “Whoever owned the house before you must have been a cook because these ovens are amazing.”

  He lifted the pans and put each in the oven. Standing, he glanced at her and wondered if this was the right moment to bring it up. What the hell, you didn’t get anything in life by being shy. “We can remodel the kitchen, and you can add whatever you want. I’m not sure what it needs, but after a couple of months, I’m sure that you will know what you want to add.”

  “What are you trying to say, Jack?”

  “I’m saying that I want you to stay forever, and what I said a couple of weeks ago on national television still stands. You’re the one for me, and I don’t want you to ever leave.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah.”

  Taking his hand, she looked up and tried to decide what the best approach would be. “I think that we get along, and I’ve certainly fallen under your spell. But I’m a scientist at heart, and I need a little more time before I can make a decision like that. I do know that I’ve fallen head over heels, and I would like to see if it’s the real thing.”

  “Oh, it’s real, sweetie. It’s the most real thing about the rest of our lives. I’ll give you whatever time you need. This might be a good time to show you the present that I got for you.” He watched her expression close down. “Don’t worry. You’re going to love this.” He led her out the doors onto the patio and down the stairs toward the pool. In the pool floated two massive swan floats. Her name was painted on one and his on the other. “Swans mate for life, so I thought it would be the perfect gift.” He noticed that she lifted her T-shirt and wiped her eyes and nose. “You’re happy, right?”

  She jumped into his arms, and he caught her. Burying her nose in his neck, she kissed him. “It’s the most perfect gift of my life.” Lifting her head, she kissed him all over his face. “I love you, Jack Ellis.” She looked at the pool, admired the swans, and then turned back and noticed his shocked expression. “What’s wrong?”

  “Did you mean it?”

  “Mean what?”

  “What you just said.” He wasn’t going to let her pretend like she didn’t say it.

  “Yes, I love the swans, and apparently, I love you. I guess there’s no hope for me. I’ve fallen for you.”

  He let out a big whoop and jumped into the pool with her in his arms. Pushing off the bottom of the pool, he brought them to the surface quickly. “I love you, Dr. Ana James, and I always will.” He felt her hand wipe water off his face as she kissed him.

  “I love you, Jack Ellis. Now let me out of this pool, because I have Thanksgiving dinner to prepare.”

  He swam them to the edge and helped her out. “Best holiday--hands down--ever.”

  Standing at the top of the steps, she kissed him. “Agreed.”

  They walked toward the doors that led into the master bedroom and decided to leave their wet clothes by the door. They peeled them off before walking into the bedroom.

  Jack led them into the bathroom for their second shower of the day. “Tell me who’s coming over today.”

  Ana grabbed a new set of towels and put them on the hooks. “Justin and Sara, Jordan and his date du jour, Trevor and Katie and Brian and his date. There might be a few more, because I told Justin to feel free to bring anyone that I missed that might not be going home for the holiday. I know since you guys are leaving tomorrow that a lot of guys are still in town. Alex may come by for pie later. He’s taking dinner over to my cousin at the hospital, because she’s on duty. He’s going to visit the kids while he’s there.”

  “Since we’re in love with one another, I think it’s only right that we consummate it here in the shower.”

  “We’ve already consummated this morning.”

  “I find that you can never have enough consummating.” He closed the door behind him and took a step in her direction.

  Laughing, she put up her hand, “I’ve seen that look, Jack.”

  “Plan on seeing it a lot for the rest of your life.” He lifted her up, put her back against the wall, and bent his legs. Placing his mouth against hers, he entered her in one long thrust. Her sigh fell sweetly into his ears as he began to move. This was definitely the best holiday of his life. The woman that he loved, loved him back. And that’s all that would ever be important.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Friday

  Ana considered the many options for Christmas lights and wondered what the best choice for Jack’s house would be. Taking a sip of her coffee, she wandered over to the options for the front lawn. Considering the shape of his house, maybe these were a better idea. She heard a whistle, turned, and saw him walking down the aisle with a cart. He had on his practice sweats, his hair was sticking up in the back, he hadn’t shaved since Wednesday and she’d never seen a more handsome man.

  He rolled the cart next to her, looked at the large lawn ornaments that she was considering, and took his coffee cup out of her hand. “It’s only because I love you that I’m willing to come to Home Depot on black Friday at seven in the morning.” He put an arm around her shoulder and stared at the six-foot Santa that she was considering for the front lawn. He decided to play the suffering partner card to see if it might benefit him later.

  She stepped away and moved toward the reindeer set that h
ad flashing lights. “You got lucky at five this morning and then again at six. So don’t act like you’re suffering. You told me you would take me wherever I wanted to go after you were able to breathe again.” She turned the box around, so she could see how big it actually was. A theme was starting to come together in her mind for the front of the house, and she needed a couple more elements. She strolled away and noticed that he followed hot on her heels.

  “I thought you would want to go to breakfast, not Home Depot.” He caught her hand as she moved toward the inflatable decorations. “I thought we both got lucky this morning. The way you screamed my name made me think that you felt the same way.”

  “I do feel lucky. I feel lucky that there are not that many people interested in Christmas decorations, and we can roam around a little before we decide.”

  She felt him kiss her head, and she leaned into him. “This is my first holiday in Florida, and I want to make it special.”

  “Sweetie, we’re not going to even be here for Christmas.”

  “What are you talking about?” She turned and faced him with her hand on her hip. “I think you skipped a step.”

  He brows furrowed and he tried to smile before he responded. “I’ve made all these plans in my head, and I guess, I forgot to discuss them with you.”

  “Spill. What is going on for Christmas that I don’t know about?”

  He led her over to the garden furniture and had her sit next to him on a glider. Only in Florida would they have the furniture displayed next to the holiday decorations. “I have a game in San Diego on the twentieth, and I thought you could fly out for it. Then we could celebrate the holidays with our families. I figured that I should meet your parents, and I would love to see my brother and Rachel.”

  Pushing back and forth on the glider, she looked out over the shoppers and thought about his idea. It was a good one. She would love to see her family and check in on Birdie and make sure that her pregnancy was going well. “Okay. I like your idea.”