Play of Love: The Gladiator Players Box Set

by Gray, Khardine

  So much had happened to me in the last few years. So much had changed drastically. Not even football was the same. I used to be able to forget about all my problems when I played, but that feeling of refuge hadn't happened in a long time. I still loved the sport, but I'd been off my game since the accident.

  It was the feel of her soft lips against my chin that pulled me away from my troubled thoughts. I looked at the beautiful woman in my arms and appreciated the soft smile she offered.

  "You have me," she breathed. Evie straightened up so she could see me.

  I felt touched that she said that, and as I looked at her, gazing into her beautiful green eyes, I felt the sincerity of which she spoke.

  "Do I Evie?" I took a lock of her hair and curled it around my thumb. It was habit now.

  "Yes." She nodded.

  "So does that mean no more slamming doors in my face?" I thought I'd lighten the atmosphere.

  "No more slamming doors." She smiled.

  "And you aren't scared of me anymore?" This going slow wouldn't last. I could do my best, but when I was with her, my emotions took over. The day would soon come when I'd have no control whatsoever.

  "It's not you I'm scared of." She gave me a worried look. "It's me."

  "Please don't tell me this is you breaking up with me before we've even begun. That sounds a lot like that it's not you it's me line."

  She laughed a little, and made me feel at ease when she shook her head. I didn't know what I'd do if she said yes.

  "I hear music when I look at you." She confessed. I held her gaze as she looked at me with that scared expression she had yesterday. I didn't know what I expected her to say, but I definitely hadn't expected that.

  "Music?" I smiled. Her cheeks turned pink as she blushed and looked away nervously. With care, I took hold of her face and turned her back to me. "There's music coming from me?"

  "Yes."

  "What does it sound like?"

  "Beautiful," she replied with troubled eyes.

  "Why would that be a bad thing princess? You're scared because you hear music when you look at me?"

  "That's never happened to me before, and I've never met anyone that..." her voice trailed off.

  "Evie." I prodded running my finger along her jaw. "Tell me." I was desperate to know how she felt about me.

  "It's just never happened before." She was holding back. I could see it. Maybe she needed time. Honestly, we both did. I didn't want to rush things and end up making mistakes or making her feel uncomfortable. However, maybe it would help to tell her how I felt.

  "I like you a lot Evie," I said, hoping it would give her some encouragement.

  That brought a smile to her face. "I like you too. I like you a lot too." She tucked her hair behind her ear.

  I was really happy to hear that. It excited me in a way that made me feel alive. Just like when I first kissed her.

  "So, what are we going to do about this? Will you at least allow me to take you for a morning walk on the beach? Will that scare you?"

  "No. It won't." She brightened up.

  "What about when I make up some excuse to kiss you?"

  "What excuse were you going to make up?" She giggled.

  I liked the playfulness that existed between us. It made me feel like I could just be comfortable in being myself. "I was going to wait for twenty minutes, then say my lips felt like they were going to fall off and would need a kiss to save them. Then I'd try to kiss you, slowly of course."

  She laughed, and I relished the sound. "You were going to wait twenty minutes?"

  "Should it be longer? I don't know if I can wait any longer."

  "Then kiss me now."

  "That's even better."

  It was with the greatest pleasure that I met her lips and relished the feel of her hands as she smoothed them into my hair and over my neck. I ran my hands down her soft, delicate shoulders and absorbed the feel of her against me. Taking hold of her tiny waist, I pulled her onto my lap where we continued to enjoy our kiss.

  Chapter 11

  Evie

  * * *

  I would never get over the pain I felt at the thought of losing Lucy. But I thought I could find the strength to respect her wishes and try to understand.

  Gage took me to the beach, and we had a good walk, walking as far as we could to where the beach ended and the rocks took over. The fresh air cleansed my mind and revitalized me. Holding Gage's hand also helped too. I liked that feeling of closeness between us. It kept that glow that surrounded my heart present.

  When I looked at him, I thought that I'd without a doubt found a lot more in Italy than I bargained for.

  He was a totally unexpected occurrence, and the strange thing was we acted as if we'd always been this way. As if we'd been together for a life time.

  When we got back, and I saw Lucy. I gave her a big hug, letting her see that I was okay. Lucy had been in the living room, curled up on the sofa and looked quite worried until she saw me.

  Gage left us alone to talk.

  "Are you okay?" I asked her.

  Lucy smiled and straightened up. "I'm fine Evie. I mean, I'm not a hundred percent, but I'm managing. If I hadn't been told about the tumor, I would never know."

  "How did you know?" I wanted all the details. "How'd you find out?"

  A sad look filled her eyes. "Gage came by to visit and found me on the floor. I'd passed out. I remember blacking out, and when I came to, I was in hospital with a bunch of doctors around me telling me I had a brain tumor."

  "Weren't you scared?" I asked because Lucy had this calm look on her face, as calm as if she was talking about the weather.

  I clasped my hands together when Lucy shook her head and laughed.

  "The first thing I asked was if it would affect my hands. I at least held back on talking about music. But I had to tell us I played the violin when they started giving the information about the surgery and the potential repercussions. That was the scary part, Evie. That was the scary part."

  I nodded. "It would terrify me if I couldn't play anymore."

  "I thought about the times in my life that I couldn't play, and it was always when some tragedy had happened. The first time was when I was told Angelo was killed. The next was when my son was killed. On both occasions, it felt like my spirit died along with them and I was in a place where I'd never be happy again."

  It had been awhile since I'd spoken to Lucy like this, where she shared her most inner thoughts and feelings with me. I was happy to have this relationship with her. I could tell her anything too.

  Lucy reached out and tapped my head giving me a warm smile. "I don't ever want to feel like that again. You saved me from going back to that place the other night, just like how you encouraged me over all the years I've known you." Her face was full of strength, shining with a steadfast and serene peace that captivated me.

  My eyes filled with tears. "Lucy, losing you terrifies me."

  I wiped at the tears as they streamed down my cheeks. I didn't want to make Lucy feel bad but I also couldn't hold the tears back either.

  "My dearest girl. You will always have me. Whether in body or spirit you will always have me and when you play, I'll be there in the music, because you play from your heart and your emotions. You play with everything that is you." Lucy nodded.

  "Thank you." I leaned into her awaiting arms snuggling against her like I used to when I was a child.

  "You're eternally welcome dear. How about we go somewhere nice today? We haven't really looked around Tuscany yet. We have to do that."

  "I would absolutely love that." I nodded settling back into the sofa.

  "Maybe just us girls?" Curiosity filled Lucy's eyes. "Then we could talk about Gage."

  I could feel myself blushing as my cheeks grew warm.

  "Gage... like what would we talk about?"

  Lucy laughed. "Sweet girl I wasn't born yesterday, and I may be an old boot, but it doesn't usually take two people to make punch."

 
; I shrugged sheepishly, and Lucy laughed again.

  "Don't worry." Lucy smiled. "I won't grill you too much."

  * * *

  We enjoyed a lovely day in Tuscany and Florence where they saw some of the grand landmarks like Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza del Duomo, Della Signoria and del Campo. We also visited the Siena cathedral and finished up with a scenic walk through the historic center of San Gimignano where they went shopping and had a perfect dinner of the best ravioli I had ever had in my life.

  We had a good time together. It reminded me of how we were when I was younger, and as promised Lucy didn't ask too much about Gage.

  It was more like she allowed me to tell her what I was comfortable with, which wasn't a lot. She did, however, manage to get me to confess that I liked him, which I supposed was enough details to tell her everything.

  When we got back, we resumed our calls, and when Lucy retired to bed, Gage took me out on to the terrace.

  It was a cool night, and the stars were bright, filling out the sky with their beauty.

  "What's this?" I asked looking at the candlelit table between the wooden bench. It had rose petals slashed across it and in the middle were steaming mugs of hot chocolate with a swirl of whipped cream and pink marshmallows dotting the top.

  After I'd tried it the other night and loved it, Gage had taken to making it for me every chance he got. Usually inside the house. This setting was very different.

  "It's the prelude to our first date." He smiled.

  "Prelude?"

  "Yes, because I have to ask you properly if you'll go out with me."

  I gazed up at him and couldn't help the smile that played on my lips. Gage Montgomery was asking me out. It was funny. The quarterback was asking the music geek out.

  "You're asking me out?"

  "Yes, I am Miss Evie. I am asking you to go on a date with me. Will you?"

  My smile widened, and I was just about to answer when I saw Giselle's blonde head approaching from the steps leading up to the terrace.

  "Hi." Giselle beamed brightly giving Gage a dazzling smile that displayed her super white teeth. She was wearing one of those halter-neck tops that showed far too much cleavage and a pair of gold short shorts. Her blonde hair was pinned up on top of her head, and her eyes were enhanced with heavy eye make-up. She looked like a walking advert for a high-end designer like Dior or Chanel.

  We'd been here for over a week now, and until now she hadn't spoken to me. I'd seen her a total of six times now, and never gave any regard to her. The same way Giselle overlooked me and focused entirely on Gage.

  "There's a massive party on the other beach, and I came to see if you'd like to come." Giselle beamed. Her eyes were on Gage, not me. An obvious indication that she'd come to see him, and the invitation was only for him.

  I was used to women like her. It wasn't that they looked at me and thought they were better. It was more that they looked at me and tried to be better.

  It was Lucy that had pointed that out to me once after a particularly awful incident in high school where the head cheerleader played a nasty prank on me that was aimed at crushing my self-confidence.

  Since that day I knew I could hold my own because I was no less beautiful, or whatever there was to compare.

  "That sounds great Giselle, but we're actually on a date," Gage replied, surprising both me and Giselle.

  It was only then that Giselle looked at me, and narrowed her eyes at me.

  "Oh, right. I didn't realize you two were together."

  "Yes, we most certainly are." Gage looked over at me and smiled. "Twenty-five years and counting."

  Giselle looked peeved. Obviously she'd had her sights set on Gage.

  "Okay, well. See you around." She left, looking quite put out that Gage didn't even look back to her to say goodbye. I guessed it was probably because she wasn't used to being told no.

  I continued to look at Gage and held his gaze. "You could have gone with her if you wanted to."

  "I didn't want to." He shook his head. "Why would you say that?"

  "Because she's your type."

  He looked annoyed by the comment. "I don't have a type."

  "You forget who you're talking to." Although I smiled something inside me felt cautious and fought to protect my heart. It was crazy really when I thought of it. No one had hurt me more than Gage in my life but my heart, the most fragile part of me, sought after him as if it needed him.

  "You don't trust me." He looked hurt. "I get it, and I guess you're right to be wary of me. Evie, women throw themselves at me all the time. In your case, they fly at me naked." He was trying to joke around.

  "That was an exceptional case." I grimaced wishing he would forget about that.

  "But it was good, for me." He nodded with a smile, but the serious expression returned to his face. He took my hand and brought it up to his lips kissing it. "I want you." He held my gaze again. "And I'll work hard to earn your trust, however long that may be."

  My heart hung onto every word, drawing itself even closer to him. An uneasy look filled his eyes as he continued to gaze at me. "Please, will you go out with me?"

  "Yes," I replied.

  He looked so happy to hear my answer that he lifted me up and placed me to sit on the bench table. I giggled when he set me down and welcomed the sweet kiss he gave me.

  "Where are we going?" I asked between kisses.

  He set his hands around my waist while I pressed mine on the corded muscles of his chest.

  "I thought you might like the opera."

  I would love that, but him? "You want to go to the opera?" I giggled imagining him in an opera house.

  "I haven't thought about the me part yet. I was trying to aim for something you'd like. Also, this isn't any old opera."

  "Okay, tell me more. Where is the opera? God, it isn't you singing or something like that is it?" I laughed at the thought of that.

  "No, I would never do something like that to you." That sexy smile lifted his mouth, and he leaned forward to give me a quick kiss. "We're going to Venice."

  My eyes widened at the prospect. "What?"

  "I thought we could do a day trip or two, and maybe head to Milan if we can."

  I gasped. "Oh my gosh. That sounds amazing." I beamed thinking about all we could do. "Are you sure we can?"

  "Yeah, we should. We could go tomorrow and be back on Thursday."

  "Gage what about Lucy?"

  "She'll be okay, and we'll just be at the other end of the phone if she needs us." He smiled.

  "You think that would be okay?"

  "Yeah." He nodded. "I know I'll be fine, but if you're worried, we could see how much we can fit in and just come back after the Opera. We could just see what happens."

  I thought I'd be more comfortable with that.

  "That sounds great. I can't wait." I really couldn't.

  * * *

  We started our journey to Venice very early the next morning, deciding to take the train because we thought it would be more fun. It truly was.

  As much as we enjoyed our usual chatter, it was amazing to observe the view from outside the train and look at all the wonderful scenery we passed. It actually felt like we'd been here in Italy on vacation, as a couple. I allowed myself the break from everything and pushed all my troubles aside. I wanted to enjoy the experience, and I wanted to enjoy myself with Gage.

  The first place he took me to when we arrived was a little coffee shop called Torrefazioe, it was famous for its coffee and pastries. The most delightful aroma welcomed us as they went in and had a super-rich hot chocolate and a mixture of pastries which included some marshmallow and strawberry bites that tasted fantastic.

  I was so glad he'd gotten me into marshmallows because clearly, I'd been missing out.

  When they were finished the real adventure began and I had to admit that as much as I loved Rome and Tuscany, Venice was perhaps my favorite place. It was where I fell in love with Italy. Apart from the breathtaking canals that
looked even better than any picture I had ever seen, there was stunning architecture everywhere. I'd always heard that Venice was one of the most alluring cities in the world.

  Now I knew it was true.

  It was the type of place that I could happily get lost in. There was history, beauty, and romance everywhere.

  Thanks to Gage's organized planning we managed to see a lot. We started off with a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. We then saw a few historical monuments and got on to the activity I was most eager for. A fantastic grand canal tour on a beautiful gondola, where we spent hours admiring the most attractive sights and places of historical and artistic interests. As we glided through the peaceful canals of the city, we observed past palaces, went under old bridges and saw sights off the usual tourist trail.

  I absolutely loved it.

  Our tour ended at the Opera house where we got off to enjoy Ophelia's Tocacto. I'd wondered how Gage would manage, but he seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. He'd picked great seats in a private area on the balcony where we could snuggle together and enjoy the singing, and each other. During the opera I caught him watching me a few times, and I wondered what he was thinking. At those times I'd turn to him and kiss him, allowing myself the happiness that I felt by being here with him.

  Even though we'd considered going back to Lucy after the opera, it was hard to say no to an evening gondola ride, especially when the canals were now lit up with gorgeous honey colored lights, which complimented the brighter city lights that surrounded us.

  Again we snuggled together in the back while our gondolier stood at the top steering us through the tranquil waters. We'd had such an extraordinary day together, and being with Gage was amazing in every way. I marveled at how well we got on and how we could talk about any and everything. There was never a pause of a moment to think about what I could talk about next. We just seemed to flow and work well together.

  "I'm so excited to be here." I told him as he slipped his arm around me and pulled me closer. He stroked the edge of my waist sending sparks of fire across my entire body.